The Many Chokeholds Of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

By Rod Bourgoine


Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu offers a wide array of submission holds, joint locks and chokeholds for the mixed martial arts fighter. While it pays to know some Muay Thai and boxing, these BJJ skills can make a huge difference during a bout. Chokeholds are particularly common in MMA, and there are several different ones that you should consider learning in order to increase your effectiveness as a fighter.

The biggest advantage of a choke over other types of submission is the fact that this can end a fight very quickly. If your hold is strong enough, the opponent will either tap out or lose consciousness, and either way, you end up the victor. This is especially true if you utilize a blood choke, which affects either the jugular vein or carotid arteries, causing an unconscious state in just a few seconds. Despite the sinister name, they are not harmful and learning a blood choke is not just a good idea for a fighter, it's an excellent self-defense mechanism. It requires no real strength, and if applied correctly, unconsciousness follows in as little as three seconds.

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.

One of the more gruesome chokeholds is the guillotine choke, and you can certainly find some fun examples of this move by surfing the internet or by watching Bruce Lee in Way of the Dragon, which also stars Chuck Norris in one of his earliest roles. In fact, Lee fights Norris in the film and finishes him off during one of the final scenes using the guillotine. In this move, you encircle the neck with your arms, applying pressure to block the flow of air to the windpipe or pressure on the carotid. This can be applied on the ground using the hips to secure your opponent or you can apply the choke while you are standing.

Keep in mind with all of these chokeholds, rendering an opponent unconscious does not always mean you will win a fight. Recovery from a blood choke can occur in just a few seconds, and the opponent might very well be able to continue fighting. This is why it is so important to have many tools in your fighting arsenal and constantly be improving and honing your skills.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment