In this article, we will be discussing some handy techniques you can use to escape a front choke hold attack. One of the most common attacks assailants employ is the front choke. During an incidence of strangulation, the closing of the airway makes breathing impossible, and you may lose consciousness within 8 to 14 seconds due to the blocking of blood flow to and from the brain.

This means that time is of the essence. The longer you wait to respond, the more trouble you will be in. With this in mind, let’s look at the most effective moves to handle the threat. First and most importantly, do not PANIC! Stabilise yourself with strong legs to ensure a powerful blow and keep breathing calmly.

Now, strike the area above the eyebrow towards the mid of the forehead with the base of your palm. Follow this by striking the side of the attacker’s neck with the edge of your hand. Palm strikes are almost always better than punches. With their surprisingly solid striking surface, some studies have even shown that palm strikes can produce more energy than a punch, with far less risk of injury to your own hand.

Executed with maximum strength and speed, this striking combo should have a strong effect on your attacker, causing vibrations in the skull, which might even make him unconscious. Giving you that split-second you need to flee the scene and get yourself some help.

Make sure you practise these moves daily with a willing partner or in front of a mirror, so you don’t panic and/or freeze when this happens in real life. If you enjoyed reading about these techniques in self-defence, do check out our other blogs. Do share these blogs with friends and family, or with anyone who you think will find the information useful.