Are There Chokes ( shimewaza ) In Judo?


Can you choke in judo?

Even if you haven’t tried it yourself, you are probably familiar with the famous martial art called Judo. If you are new to the sport, chances are you are trying to familiarize yourself with the rules, and one of the biggest questions you have may be: can you choke in judo?

You can choke in Judo and there are three main types of chokes used in judo competition. These are the compression of the windpipe, the compression of the carotid arteries, and the compression of the lungs and chest. All three choking techniques are still legal today, except in junior competitions.

This article will cover if you can choke in judo and explain the different kinds of choking techniques. If you are ready to learn more about judo, keep on reading.  

Chokes Have Been Part Of Judo From The Start

Judo is a Japanese martial art that evolved from jujutsu. In 1882, Jigoro Kano created the sport with the original intent being to challenge people mentally, physically, and even morally. 

Jujutsu influenced the sport, however, there are a few prominent characteristics of judo that differ from jujutsu. There are three basic goals of judo:

  • Throwing down an opponent to the mat.
  • Subduing or immobilizing your opponent by pinning them.
  • Forcing your opponent to submit by choking them or using the joint lock technique. 

Jigoro Kana wanted to take what he learned from Japanese jujutsu and make it more modern for his day. Jujutsu was something used historically for close combat in war. Jigaro however wanted to take some concepts from jujutsu and modernize them and make them more practical for the modern man.

Chokes were an important part of jujutsu and naturally, they became a very important aspect of judo as well. Chokes are essential judo submissions, and though it may seem dangerous when taught properly the risks a relatively low. 

There are three ways in which chokes are used in judo. We’ll cover them in the next section. 

Choking Techniques ( shimewaza ) In Judo 

In Judo, choking is a type of grappling technique that is seen in three different methods. Each of these involves compression, but is seen on different parts of the body. Let’s take a closer look at what gets compressed during these grappling techniques: 

  • Windpipe. When you apply pressure to the windpipe, you stop or reduce the flow of air to the lungs. 
  • Carotid arteries. The carotid arteries are found on the right and left sides of the neck, under the ears and jawline. When compressed, blood and oxygen cannot flow properly to the brain, leading to unconsciousness.
  • Lungs and chest. This technique is when you simply compress the lungs and the chest, which stops the opponent from breathing. 

In Judo, these are known as “shime waza,” meaning ‘constriction’ and ‘technique’ respectively.

Choking Is One of the Main Techniques in Judo

Many opponents use choking as a main grappling technique in the sport, with the carotid arteries being the most popular. 

One popular example is the “triangle choke.” Opponents will use their legs to encircle the neck and one of their arms. This hold will form a triangle shape and is popular because you do not need to excerpt a lot of force for it to be effective. Opponents will also lose consciousness six times faster with the carotid artery chokes. 

Judo is all about exerting the most force with the least amount of effort, which is why even smaller-sized fighters can be victorious using chokes. 

However, the judoka must have full control of the competitor’s body for the chokehold to work. Since it is so often used, it is also something many fighters know how to avoid and there are many different moves that players can perform to escape a chokehold. 

Chokes In Judo Competition

Most people will choke an opponent to win the match as whenever an opponent loses consciousness or submits, the match ends. Many will simply submit if someone chokes them, “tapping out” to signal their surrender.

However, some will continue fighting until they lose consciousness. Of course, doing that is likely a bad idea.

The main reason opponents will submit when a competitor chokes them is because it hurts. If their competitor performs an improper choking method, it can induce intense pain. Furthermore, many opponents are afraid of the consequences of losing consciousness, which is another reason why they will submit. 

Can You Choke In Junior Judo Competitions?

All chokes listed above, including the blood and oxygen choking techniques, are still legal today. However, you cannot choke in junior judo competitions. Furthermore, many doctors advise against it, and parents are uncomfortable with it. 

Chokes can be very dangerous especially if you do not know what you are doing. Many coaches as parents think it would be irresponsible to allow children to utilize chokes in judo competition. After all, many parents are already concerned with whether or not judo is too dangerous of a sport for kids already

Conclusion

Choking in judo is a popular technique that many opponents still use today.  While all three chokeholds are legal today, opponents cannot use them in junior competitions. Many doctors and parents also do not support the move, so it is not unrealistic to think the rules may be changing. 

Joshua Paul

Joshua Paul is a BJJ purple belt who lives in Austin, Texas. Joshua loves all forms of grappling and when he is off the mats he is likely spending time with his wife and son.

Recent Posts