We have all seen it on TV shows and movies countless times: the spy/soldier/kung fu master sneaking up behind an adversary and rendering them unconscious with a Vulcan nerve pinch or a swift karate chop. So effortless, so easy, so cool. While this looks great on the big screen the chances of it working in real life are almost zero. However, there is a real-life technique that is effective and is one of the first grappling attacks a martial arts student learns. The rear naked choke, when applied correctly, compresses the carotid arteries preventing blood entering the brain and rendering the recipient unconscious - in as little as two seconds. Once the hold is released consciousness is regained quickly with no lasting effects. Here are three stories all featuring extreme bravery and a choke hold.
63 year old man protects his wife and subdues robber
Five foot six Fred Kemp and his wife were getting into their car one night in Florida when out of the darkness came a man threatening them with a gun. Fearing for his wife's safety Mr Kemp reacted immediately. All his martial arts skill, honed as a university wrestler many years before, came rushing back.
"He started to hit me" a bruised but cheerful Mr Kemp explained, "so I reacted from there. I got him out into the street and held his arm. I foot-swept him down and I was trying to get a hold of the gun. He banged me up a little bit but my main concern was the gun".
Mr Kemp's training kicked in in earnest and he applied a rear naked choke to the robber, who fell unconscious enabling Mr Kemp to disarm him. Mr Kemp was then able to hold him down until the police arrived.
"He asked me to let him go when I had him down," Mr Kemp said. "I said, 'No, I'm not going to do that.'
Even out-of-practice martial artists can fall back on their skills when they are threatened. Clearly Mr Kemp's instincts stuck with him and he was smart enough to rely on his wrestling when danger found him.
Boy Tackles pit bull and saves friend and her puppy
Nine year old Drew Heredia was out with his friend Susie. They were taking Susie's dog, a dachshund puppy, for a walk when all of a sudden a ferocious pit bull rottweiler crossbreed jumped out on them and snatching up the puppy in his jaws began shaking it wildly. Susie rushed forward to save her puppy. Her challenge prompted the snarling dog to drop the puppy and turn its attentions to Susie biting her viciously in the leg.
Without hesitating, Drew leapt on the savage dog and applied the rear naked choke hold he had been learning at his local Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu school. The dog loosened its grip and Susie was able to escape.
"It was kind of a heart pounding moment." Drew said "It was very scary."
Drew held and subdued the aggressive dog in the choke hold for 20 minutes until animal control officers arrived.
Susie was taken to hospital and treated for puncture wounds. Her injuries would have been a lot worse had it not been for the quick thinking and bravery of Drew. The little dachshund was not badly injured. It ran away during the attack and returned home of its own accord later that day.
Father takes out cinema gunman with rear naked choke
Ben Ahmed, a BJJ student living in France, was at the cinema with his two children. As they were queuing with the rest of the patrons to get their tickets a man stormed in brandishing a shotgun. He robbed the cashier and began moving down the line to rob the terrified customers of their valuables and cash.
"I went to the movies with my two kids - my daughter and son. - We had planned to go see the movie Superman and went to 21:30 in the queue to get our tickets when I saw a man come up with a shotgun" Ben said
"I realized that it was neither a police officer nor a practical joke because the cashier immediately started calling for security.”
Ben was reminded of recent atrocities involving gunmen that had just taken place in the USA including a man opening fire in a crowded cinema costing numerous innocent people their lives. He resolved to do something.
"My protective instinct overcame the fear… When this gentleman walked past me, I asked my kids to be quiet by telling them that I would come back. It was instinctive, I didn’t think about it, I just saw that there were other people there, other children."
“So I hid behind him, I followed about 8-10 meters and when I felt ready, I grabbed him by using a jiu jitsu method (rear naked choke) then I put him down and switched to side-control to make him release his shotgun.”
Ben restrained the man until the police arrived and then amazingly still went and watched the movie with his children afterwards.
"I wanted to go and watch it because I thought that would make the incident less traumatic for my children."
Ben's cool composure, bravery and technique saved not only the day but his family day out.