If you have the misfortune to be held in a rear choke hold or choke out you will probably loose consciousness in 5-10 seconds. You have to react fast before any pressure is applied. If you’re not fast enough try extremely hard to escape. I have compiled this article from my experience and the use of some excellent training material below.
How to perform a Rear Choke Hold
Although this article is “How to defend against a Rear Choke Hold” it also is very useful to know how to perform the technique. You could find yourself using it as a self defence technique against an attacker. It also good to know how it is done so you know what your attacker is experiencing when he tries to choke you.
The main reason this technique is used is to cause the choked person to go unconscious. To perform this in a self defence situation you have to justify your actions. A scenario where this could be justified is if you are walking with your partner. The attacker approaches you both and assaults your partner repeatedly. You and your partner need to escape. You approach the attacker from behind to prevent them from attacker your partner. You perform the choke hold. They pass out and you escape. Obviously this is a very simple scenario which could have many what ifs.
Techniques work by restricting the blood flow to the brain by putting pressure on the sides of the neck until they pass out. Here’s an important time line:
Amount of time to apply pressure to the neck to cause the person to pass out
5 – 10 seconds
Amount of time the person is likely to be unconscious
10 – 20 seconds
Pressure must not be applied for more the 10 seconds as the person could suffer further damage. It could cause brain damage, nerve damage, permanent neck pain and holding on for far to long – death.
This should only be used in extreme scenarios if you or others are in danger.
The below link is an in depth guide on how to perform the Rear Choke Hold
How to defend against a Rear Choke Hold
So you know how to do a choke hold – how do you defend against it ?
As soon as someone who you suspect may be a threat don’t let them move behind you. If this doesn’t work because you are distracted or unaware of their intention then do your best not to let them make contact and and get a hold.
Shout, scream and move away. Once their arms are in place and tightened act straight away, try and loosen their grip around your neck, heel stamp their feet, grab or strike their genitals, try a rear elbow strike, bite their arm, use something hard as a weapon. If all these fail then move quickly to the next option. It is best at this point to show a good Youtube video of how to effectively defend yourself. With any technique, and there are many, they may or may not work but be aggressive and move fast.
The first one is from a Kung Fu and Jui Jitsu perspective by Jake Mace of the Kung Fu and Tai Chi Centre on Youtube
The next is from Bas Rutten, a retired Mixed Martial Artist and actor
The above two only show men but women can also perform the defence equal effect. The below has a woman as the person being attached with a variation using a belt instead of the arm. The instruction here is by Nick Drossos of NickDrossos.com
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