Police Officers and Martial Arts
Recent events have ignited a worldwide controversy regarding police use of what the public is generically calling “chokeholds.” Like most things in life, the big picture is complicated. Many watched the video that recorded the tragic death of George Floyd, in which an officer’s shin was positioned against his neck for more than eight minutes, then started demanding that police be prohibited from using all chokeholds.
Martial artists, however, know that this category of techniques is a broad one — some say it contains at least 13 types of strangleholds. To better understand them, we break down the category into air chokes and blood chokes.
Air chokes compress the upper airway, attacking the trachea and larynx, and therefore interfere with breathing. This can lead to asphyxia and even death.
Blood chokes are different. Frequently seen in judo matches and MMA bouts, they compress one or both carotid arteries. Within seconds, this action will lead to unconsciousness. If the arteries remain constricted for more than 30 seconds, such techniques can cause serious injury or death.
SUBJECT-MATTER EXPERT
Damon Gilbert has spent more than 23 years serving the city of Oakland, California, as a police officer. His beat is considered one of the most violent in the country. Gilbert, however, has an ace up his sleeve: an eighth-degree black belt in bolstered by more than 40 years in the On more than one
