Yume Dojo

Shizenryu Jutsu

Glendale, Arizona

Arts of Shizenryu Jutsu:

Kempo Curriculum:

• Hawaiian Kempo

• Okinawan Kempo

• Japanese Kempo

• American Kenpo

Jujutsu Curriculum:

• Japanese Jujutsu

• Hawaiian Jujutsu

• Okinawan Jutsu

• Chin Na

New Waza (Groundwork) Curriculum:

• Sambo

Welcome to the Yume Dojo

Shime Waza (Choking Techniques) Page.

This page is for the advanced student and needs precaution when applying these chokes or neck locks. Shime Waza, or Choking Techniques are an intricate part of the Yume Dojo curriculum and there are over 40 chokes within the system. There are also many chokes that are done in the Ne Waza or Groundwork curriculum of Shizenryu.

In the past this page was called Pins and Submissions. The reason for the change is chokes play a significant role in Shizenryu Jutsu.  The Shime Waza (or Choking Techniques) curriculum has over 40 chokes that are applied. During 2008 we will continue to show some of these chokes each month and explain how to apply them. The techniques on the page are from several different arts, including Old Judo Chokes and even some Karate Chokes.

NOTE:

In Shizenryu, the term Choke actually encompasses 3 distinct methods for putting someone to sleep.

•  Cutting off the blood supply to the brain. This is done by stopping the blood flow through the Carotid Artery. This is sometimes referred to as a "Blood Choke", however the proper term is "Strangulation".
•  Cutting off the air to the brain. This is like getting choked by a piece of food or getting something stuck in the throat or wind pipe. It works the same way for a choke, by restricting the air through the windpipe. This is actually a choke.
•  Smothering or Suffocation. This is accomplished by pinching the nose and covering the mouth, once again not allowing air to the brain. In Shizenryu, we call this "Smuffacation" a combination of smothering and suffocating an attacker.

For simplicity, these are all combined under the category Shime Waza or Choking techniques.

This time we are going to focus on chokes used in Danzan Ryu Jujutsu. Pretty much every system has names for their chokes, however they just offer a descriptive term to help remember the choke. In describing these chokes, we will use the terminology from Danzan Ryu and then describe how the choke works.

• Choke #1 Quick Standing Strangle -Gayku Eri Shime

1. This choke starts by grabbing the attackers Gi, with one hand on top of the other as shown in Photo #1. Notice that both hands are on the same side of the head.
2. Once the attacker is grabbed, step back and pull the attacker down so they are bent in half as shown in Photo #2. This pulls down the attacker and will allow the arm to go over the head easier.
3. The last step is shown in photo #3. Stepping the the side and taking the top hand over the attackers head will apply torque to the choke. The forearm of the arm coming over the head applies pressure to the carotid artery and the Gi is pulled against the other carotid.  This choke is extremely quick, and gets applied very fast as well. A hard choke to reverse.

• Choke #2 One Long/One Short-Ichimonji Shime

1. This choke is also a Gi choke and is referred to as "one long/one short". The arms are crossed and are on opposite sides of the attackers Gi. One hand grabs high, the other grabs lower on the other side of the Gi as in Photo #1.
2. Now the Gi's pulled toward the body and tightened up as shown in Photo #2. Be sure to use a scissoring motion when applying the choke.
3. The attacker is pulled in and the choke is applied. The main idea behind this is that the Gi "cuts" across the carotid artery and blocks the blood flow to the brain. However depending on the grip, the knuckles on the top hand can constrict the blood flow to the brain.

• Choke #3 Rear Naked Choke-Hadaka Shime "B"

1. This Choke is known as a Rear Naked Choke and should look familiar to all you MMA fans. However, this is the Danzan Ryu version of the technique. this You start this choke by getting behind the attacker and wrapping the arm around the attackers neck for the forearm pressing on the Carotid Artery. You then grab the sleeve of your Gi for this choke (not this is the formal version used in Danzan Ryu. The choke can be applied without grabbing the Gi if one is not wearing a Gi. A variation of this choke not employing clothing will be shown below.)
2. Once the front arm has grabbed the Gi, the other arm comes behind the head and grabs the other Gi sleeve, then the arms are squeezed together to apply pressure for the choke. The head is then placed on the back of the attackers head and pushed forward to increase pressure on the choke.

Today with the popularity of MMA, many people feel learning chokes with clothing is obsolete. One must remember that in the ring, or Octagon are Martial Sport, and there are certain rules to go by. Actual Martial techniques have been modified to work in sports, much like Judo was, where the dangerous techniques of Jujutsu were eliminated by Kano, Jiguro Sensei. Most chokes can be modified to work in within the guidelines of MMA. The choke shown above can be adapted without the Gi.

• No Gi Choke

1. This variation starts the same way the Rear Naked Choke does. However, instead of the front arm grabbing the attackers Gi, the arm goes around the neck and grabs the shoulder, and then 'hooks' the shoulder joint trying to grab the bone. This is done to prevent the attacker form pulling the arm down trying to get some time and also release the choke. Hooking the bone ensures a tight choke.
2. Instead of bring the arm behind the head, this time the other arm grabs their own elbow and pulls in the choke even tighter and does not require any clothing. This is just one variation of the choke.

• Choke #4 Bear Choke-Tsuki Komi Shime

1. This choke is a very simple choke. The Gi is grabbed at the collar with the fingers and then the thumbs are driven into the throat of the attacker. This will give the attacker a 'gagging sensation' and makes it hard to swallow. Caution must be used not to collapse the windpipe, as death can occur if the windpipe is crushed.

Bonus Choke

In the past month or so we have had a number of requests and questions about what we call the Triangle Choke and the Reverse Triangle Choke. So here is an explanation on the two chokes and and how they are applied. So for everyone who requested this, here you are.

• Triangle Choke/Reverse Triangle Choke

1. The Triangle choke is a more complicated choke. This choke grabs the attackers arm and feed it to your own arm which has come behind the attackers head and the forearm is on the side of the the attackers neck. Photo #1 shows how this choke is done. Once you grab the attackers arm you pull that arm as tight as you against the attackers neck. The other arm now snakes through the opening and the other forearm is place on the opposite side of the neck. Then the arms are squeezed together to apply pressure to the Carotid Arteries on both sides of the neck. In Shizenryu, we then 'shake' the attacker like a rag doll which tightens the coke and also makes the choke harder to counter.

2. The Reverse Triangle Choke is even more complicated, but if you practice the Triangle Choke, the Reverse is easier to get. For this choke the arm comes around the front of the attackers neck instead of the back. This is shown in Photo #2. The attackers arm is bent and then the arm that comes around the front, then grabs the attackers folded arm. The other arm slips through the back and grabs your own arm. Again both Carotid Arteries are effected. In Shizneryu we also 'shake' the attacker like a rag doll and applies continuous pressure.

The difference in the two chokes is that the Triangle Choke comes behind the head and the other arm comes under from the front of the choke. The Reverse Triangle comes around the around the front of the neck and the free arm comes from behind and grabs the arm. Compare the two photo's and you should be able to see the differences.

This is a variation of the Reverse Triangle Choke. Compare this with the photo above to see how it differs. This variations uses the folded arm of the Reverse Triangle, and the arm coming behind the head of the Triangle Choke. The folded arm is then grabbed. The free arm comes under the attackers elbow to apply pressure on the choke. This variation is a bit more difficult to get, but a very effective one.

So for all those who wanted to see these chokes again, here they are.

This is it for this month, there will be more added a bit later on. The chokes this month represent some of the chokes of Danzan Ryu and we hope you find these helpful.