USMC Choking Techniques

Fortunately, this was only training. There are two chokes that recruits must learn – the rear choke and the figure-4 variation – in the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program beginner syllabus, according to Staff Sgt. Roger A. Taylor, close-combat instructor, Instructional Training Company.

“They’re basically the same chokes,” said Taylor. “The difference between the two is the placement of the hands.” To perform a rear choke, the choker wraps his bicep and forearm around the opponent’s neck, clasps his hands together and squeezes. The figure-4 variation is a similar move, except the hand on the choking arm is placed on the opposite bicep, and the other hand goes behind the opponent’s head. These two chokes are in a category called blood chokes, which means pressure on the carotid artery stops blood from flowing to the brain. Air chokes, which block breathing, are another story. “We teach blood chokes because they incapacitate the enemy faster,” said Taylor. “A blood choke usually takes eight to 13 seconds to work, but an air choke takes between 30 seconds and one minute usually.” A blood choke’s speediness becomes viable in any combat situation, said Taylor, but especially when fighting multiple opponents. “It’s much better to incapacitate someone in eight seconds than to fight another attacker off for a minute while you wait for the air choke to work,” said Taylor.