Apply firm pressure with your hands after you’ve grabbed them to keep them from fighting their way free. You can drag your opponent to the ground to perform this hold or you do it while the both of you are standing. The mechanics don’t change much on the ground.
If you’re smaller or they’re resisting your hold, place your inside leg behind them and pivot to move behind them. If you’re actively being attacked and you’ve grabbed their wrist, twist their wrist inwards as you pull them to disarm them. In a real street fight scenario, claw, kick, bite, or punch. Do whatever you have to in order to get behind your opponent.
If you’re being actively attacked, yank them from side to side while setting your grip up to disorient them and make it harder to fight back. When your opponent raises their arms to protect their neck, they’ll probably wrap their hands around your forearm and try to pull it off. Grab the back of their shoulder with your dominant arm—they won’t be able to pull you off.
Unless you’re being attacked, do not yank them side to side once your arm is under their neck. You could damage your opponent’s spine permanently if you twist them.
The difference between a sleeper choke hold and a regular choke is where you apply pressure. That’s why controlling your opponent’s head is essential.
This also gives your dominant hand something to hold on to. If you don’t grip your arm, you’re relying on the strength of your arm alone to keep your opponent grappled.
Lean back and spread your feet out as you’re applying pressure to brace for resistance. If you’re struggling to apply enough pressure, put your hip into the opponent’s back. The goal of a sleeper hold is not to restrict air. If you’re pushing down on your opponent’s throat, you’re not doing it correctly.
If you were being actively attacked, run away and get help immediately. Your opponent may go down in as little as 3-4 seconds! However, it may take up to 10-15 seconds for your opponent to pass out. If you restrict air instead of blood flow, you may kill your opponent. [11] X Research source
This is the same thing as a rear choke hold except you’re using your body weight instead of your upper body strength to keep your opponent locked in place.
If you’ve correctly applied pressure to the neck’s major arteries, your opponent should go limp after 5-10 seconds.
You’ll see mixed martial artists do this when they’ve been placed in a submission hold that they can’t get out of. This is where the term “tap out” comes from.
Call emergency services immediately if someone suffers a cardiovascular attack while you’re choking them or they don’t wake up after 10-15 seconds.
