STRANGLES

SINGLE WING CHOKE

From behind your opponent put your left hand over your opponents left shoulder and grab his jacket.  This makes it more difficult for him to escape and it distracts him from the next move (Figure 1).  Push your right arm under his right arm, at least up to your elbow.  Then take your arm (the right one) behind his head as far through as you can (Figure 2). The important thing is to ensure that your opponents arm is forced up in to the air, so that he looses the use of this arm.

Fig 1. Capturing the Arm

Fig 2. Move in for the Choke

You then need to bring your left arm across the front of his neck (Figure 3) to complete the choke across the wind pipe.  Note that in order to get the leverage required to make this a powerful technique without the use of excessive strength it helps to grab your right sleeve or arm with your left hand, and then to push forward with your right arm (moving your hand down your own arm as a guide).

An alternative method of applying this choke is to make sure when you are moving your arms into position the palms of your hands face your opponent.  That is, that your right palm faces forwards towards the back of his neck and your left hand palm faces you (from in front of his neck). Then as you apply the choke turn both of your palms face down.  The body mechanics behind this is that your forearm has two bones which are on top of one another while your palms are facing inwards towards your opponent.  However, when you twist your arms so that your palms are down the bones in your forearm rotate round so that they are side by side, which closes the gap between your arms.  Conveniently, this leaves less room for his neck.

 

Fig 3. Execute the Choke

Some comments about its application. An opponent is not likely to calmly stand (or kneel) there while you ‘get into position’. He will struggle as you apply the technique. You will need to distract him, for example, as you lower your right hand to go under his arm give a punch or palm strike to his kidney.  Then as you bring your right hand up to go behind his head you could smack him in the face (not too hard as his reaction would be to pull his head back which would make it more difficult to get your hand behind it).

But how do I get behind him in the first place? I hear you ask. I’ll give you one example and the rest is up to you.  From a straight punch (with the right hand) step to the outside (i.e. to the left) and parry his strike so that you right hand is blocking.  Twist in and punch to his ribs with your left hand and step round behind him.  As you go your right hand can slip under his arm and to the back of his neck.  Kick him in the back of his knee and push so that he collapses forwards onto his knees (assist by pulling down on his collar. Now move in for the choke. (Nothing to it – after a couple of hundred practices).

YDJ Graham Salt