A strangle from the back closes the carotid arteries on both sides of the neck; it is not a windpipe crush, and a well-applied one needs very little force. The problem is rarely the choke itself and almost always the approach. Your opponent has two hands defending one neck, so the exchange begins with position: chest glued to their back, seat belt grip intact, both heels hooked inside their thighs. From there you attack the defending hands rather than the neck, clearing wrists one at a time until the choking arm can slide under the jaw unopposed.
Key points
- Secure the position first: chest to their back, seat belt grip, and both hooks in before you chase the neck.
- Fight one hand at a time using two of yours against one of theirs, then trap the cleared wrist.
- Feed the choking arm under the chin with the thumb up, sliding along the jawline rather than digging at the throat.
- Aim the crook of your elbow at the centre of their chin so both carotids sit inside the arm.
- Finish by expanding your chest and drawing the elbows back, not by cranking the head forward with brute force.
Common mistakes
- Reaching for the neck before the hooks and seat belt are set, which usually just hands them the escape.
- Squeezing across the windpipe instead of the sides of the neck, which hurts, stalls, and rarely produces a tap.
- Wrenching the neck sideways when the strangle is not deep; that is a spinal crank, not a choke, and it injures people.
Put it into practice
Hand fight to strangle
- Start behind a defending partner with the seat belt set and spend sixty seconds only clearing hands, no choke attempts.
- Once a wrist is cleared, trap it against their hip and hold that position for ten seconds before advancing.
- Insert the choking arm slowly and stop at the point where you feel the jawline, without applying pressure.
- Close the strangle at half speed and have your partner tap early so you learn what a finish feels like.
chokesback controlhand fightingseat belt