Monday 5 August 2013

A Few Jiu-Jitsu Chokes You Should Learn

By Rod Bourgoine


Those training in mixed martial arts learn a variety of fighting styles, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is certainly an important art to master. At the very least, it is important to perfect a few types of holds and chokes. Here are a just a few Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu chokeholds that have proven quite effective during MMA fights that might be helpful to you.

One of the key advantages of chokeholds is how quickly you can gain control of your opponent. If your opponent cannot breathe, such as with an air choke, they might be able to struggle and get free, but they might also tap out if they cannot escape the hold. A blood choke is an even more effective tool, rendering the other fighter unconscious in as little as four or five seconds. The blood choke sounds horrible, but really is just an application of pressure on a specific vein or artery and does no permanent damage. Not only is it a great fighting technique, it's a great self defense technique because it's quick and easy to apply.

The triangle choke is an excellent option if you find yourself in on the ground in a guard or open guard position. The fighter encircles his opponent's neck as well as one arm, constricting blood flood via the carotid artery, and if properly applied, this move causes quick unconsciousness. Not only is this a popular move during real bouts, it has been seen in several movies. Most notably, Mel Gibson overtook Gary Busey using a triangle choke in Lethal Weapon. Gibson learned the skill from none other than Royce Gracie.

One of the most commonly seen chokeholds is the rear naked choke, which has been used successfully by Anderson Silva and Fedor Emelianenko. This is a blood choke capable of causing unconsciousness, and there are two ways to afflict this choke on your opponent. You can either wrap one arm around the neck of the other fighter and then grab your bicep with your other hand and apply pressure or clasp your hands together. Either way, this can be a very effective maneuver.

If you are a Bruce Lee fan (and if you aren't, just stop reading and take up knitting or curling), then you have probably watched "Way of the Dragon" a few times. One of Lee's signature moves in that film was the dreaded guillotine choke, which basically looks like you are breaking your opponent's neck. Actually, you encircle the neck with your arms and apply pressure to either the windpipe or the artery. This can be done from a close guard position on the ground or standing, and it can serve as a fast way to end the bout.

Of course, while rendering the other fighter unconscious can be a big advantage, it certainly doesn't guarantee a win. Recovery from a blood choke can occur in just a few seconds, so a fighter might be able to get up and keep fighting. So while learning chokeholds is certainly essential, you need to possess a variety of well-practiced maneuvers and escapes to ensure victory.




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