How To Escape a Rear Choke Hold

Martial arts instructor demonstrating self defense against a knife attack

It was early Saturday morning, 01:28 AM. 

The streets were soaking wet after a few hours of downpour. 

I’m walking home after a night out.

I passed a dark alley with several trash bins.

Out of nowhere, some thug rushes up behind me…

Grips me tight around my torso with both arms…

And strangles me with both hands, reaching up from his grip.

I’m gasping for air.

My vision becomes blurry.

I’m getting choked fast.

I can barely remember exactly what happened.

But my reflexes kick in.

And with a few, fast moves I’m able to break free and land a punch in his mouth.

Let me walk you through what I did – and how you can do the same, regardless of your age, physical fitness or experience.

There are many variations of the choke hold. The basic premise is the same, however. 

Your attacker comes at you from behind and places you in a grip that, if not released, will render you unconscious and can even be fatal.

A properly applied choke hold will often put you down in as little as ten seconds, so decisiveness is important.

Reflexes are key. 

Whether you feel your attackers arms snaking over your neck…

Or you see their limbs in your peripheral vision, you will have some warning. 

Before the arm encircles your neck, bury your chin into your chest as though you are trying to look at your own belly button.

This will not be comfortable when your attacker’s arm closes in, but it will protect your neck from the worst of the move. 

Next grab the elbow with both hands in the same position. 

If you grab the arm in two different locations, you lose power by distributing it.

By grabbing your attacker’s elbow with both hands in the same place, you put all of your power into that one weak spot.

Your next move is to press the elbow against yourself—not pull it down—and then swing yourself around, taking a wide step to the side as you do, in the direction of the arm that is around you. 

Your goal here is to end up on the side of your attacker and facing the opposite direction. 

If you can spin past 180 degrees so that you are almost facing them, even better.

Now it should be just you at the attacker’s arm, without the weight of their body or their other arm to support them. 

If you have any training, you might take them down first, but your best course of action from this point is to get out of there! 

That being said, it is always useful to at least know a few strikes that you can draw on in a time of need. 

For example an average woman may not be able to knock a large man out with a punch to the face

But an open-handed strike upwards to the chin of their assailant will cause a world of pain and confusion, and should give you a little extra time to get away.

So, remember these steps: 

  • Drop your chin to protect your neck
  • Push attackers elbow against yourself for leverage
  • Step and pivot around at least 180 degrees
  • Strike if you know how
  • Escape

That’s how you escape a rear choke hold.

There’s one thing that’ll make escaping a situation like this a whole lot easier.

And that’s this “sneaky little pen knife…”

Fits in your inside pocket, easy to grab even if your range of motion is limited.

It writes the same as a real pen…

But is a damaging hidden strike pen at the same time.
Get yours at no cost, for a limited time (click here to view availability)