In mixed martial arts, there are a number of choke holds used to make an opponent tap out. These work by applying pressure to either the carotid arteries or the trachea. Putting pressure on the carotid arteries will knock out your opponent by a loss of blood to the brain. Putting pressure on the trachea will make it so your opponent can’t breathe.
The five most commonly seen chokes in MMA are:
In order to perform these chokes with skill and efficiency I would recommend a lot of practice and repetition. There are a number of mixed martial arts studios which can train a person specifically for mixed martial arts training. However, if you have to focus on simply one martial art or are specifically interested in learning choke submission techniques, I would recommend Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu. Each of the five chokes listed above are present in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Each of these chokes should be performed in a controlled environment with proper supervision. A choke hold can result in serious injury or even death if the hold is maintained for too long of a period of time. Make sure to watch your opponent for a tap or for a sign they are passed out.
The guillotine choke is probably the most common choke seen. This is due to the many opportunities that arise to employ this choke technique. The gogoplata is the least common choke seen to the difficulty in order to perform it. However, the gogoplata may be the most effective, and painful, choke. It’s important to learn multiple chokes, submission techniques, and offensive techniques so your opponent won’t know what to expect and how to counter your attacks. Make sure also to learn how to get out of these choke holds in case they ever get employed on you.