Choke Safety

Chokes may be practiced from either a standing position or on the ground but the ground is inherently safer. When applying a standing choke with the intention of gaining the full effect you should recognize that the victim will not be able to remain standing. In competition and practice, the person being choked should always be immediately taken to the ground for better control and to prevent an accidental fall which could injure the athlete if they become unconscious.

Learning when to give up is an important part of training to avoid the risk of unnecessary periods of unconsciousness. While training to escape from a choke, students must also be trained to surrender when necessary by recognizing when defeat is inevitable or when further resistance will result in unconsciousness. Since it is virtually impossible to speak while being choked, the universal signal for submission is tapping of the opponent or mat repeatedly.

The most important safety rule when applying a choking technique is to release pressure immediately when the opponent submits or passes out. Loss of consciousness can be detected easily by the sudden lack of resistance and generally limp feeling of the opponent's body as well as the color of the face and the eyes closing.