How to Flip Someone Who Is Choking You in Martial Arts

One of the most common assaults involves an attacker coming up behind you, reaching his hand around your neck and choking you. In the martial arts, there is an effective and spectacular way to escape the choke and inflict a great deal of pain on the attacker. The flip is common to many styles of martial arts, and is a simple matter of center of gravity and leverage. (The technique actually gives an advantage to someone who is shorter than the attacker.)

Difficulty:

Challenging

Instructions

1. Grab the attacker's choking arm with both your hands. This must be done immediately when the attacker's arm wraps around your throat. If the attacker has time to cut off your air supply or lift you off the ground, the flip will not work.

2. Pull down hard with both arms as you press your chin against your chest. Both motions will allow you to keep breathing for a few more seconds. This will be long enough for you to complete your flip.

3. Lower your center of gravity. Do this by bending both knees and dropping down until your hips are beneath the attacker's hips. Your rear end should be about the same level as the middle of the attacker's thigh. This is much easier if your opponent is taller than you, since you don't have to drop as far. Keep your back straight while you lower your center of gravity.

4. Pop your hips upward as you bend over. Do this by straightening both knees in an explosive motion. Pull down hard with both hands as you bend your body over at the hips. The combination of all three motions will propel the attacker up and over your head. Since you are below his center of gravity, you can flip an attacker who is much larger and heavier than you with relative ease.

5. Pull on the attacker's arm. While he is flipping through the air, yank the arm you are holding toward you. This rotates him for an impact with the ground, flat on his back. If you want to give the attacker a softer fall, pull his arm up. This will allow him to fall on his legs. If you don't pull his arm at all, he might land on his head.

6. Finish off the attacker. Now that he is on the ground and you are standing over him, he is exposed to all sorts of counterattacks. You can simply step on him or use the arm you are holding for an arm bar.