This is Part II which covers the physiology and mechanism of these strikes. Great details for authors to use in their novels. You can find Part I here.
Welcome back, Karl!
Getting
into the physiology of choke-hold techniques would be good background
information for the writer/reader as well. First off, let’s clarify one thing. The
police don’t “choke” people. Choking implies obstructing a person’s airway and limiting
their ability to breath. Because a person can hold their breath for several
minutes when calm, or even a mere twenty to thirty seconds while in the midst
of a fight, this would be a bad technique for incapacitating someone.
The
officer would not only have to apply enough strength to cut off the airway
(which is a lot), but also overpower the target long enough for that person to
lose consciousness. Using a technique that requires literally all of the officer’s
own personal strength for twenty to thirty seconds is not feasible.
What the
police actually do, and what you see in MMA, is generally one of several
different carotid restraints. Blocking off the blood to a person’s brain at the
point of the neck can cause a person to pass out in only a few seconds and
requires far less strength to apply correctly. But again, the effects last only
a few seconds.
In MMA
and in police training, the technique usually involves applying external
pressure to the carotid arteries, while not actually interfering with the
person’s ability to breath. Some simple internet searching would provide names
and a detailed explanation of the techniques for the author to use in their
writing.
PLEASE NOTE: Many police departments actually frown upon use of carotid restraints in response to anything less than a serious attack, or even a lethal force situation, because it is very dangerous and can cause death. The police generally don’t have an MMA referee right there watching, telling the officer when to release the restraint and there’s no team of medics standing in the wings ready to immediately render aide, like there is in the world of MMA.
PLEASE NOTE: Many police departments actually frown upon use of carotid restraints in response to anything less than a serious attack, or even a lethal force situation, because it is very dangerous and can cause death. The police generally don’t have an MMA referee right there watching, telling the officer when to release the restraint and there’s no team of medics standing in the wings ready to immediately render aide, like there is in the world of MMA.
When
talking about a strike to a nerve center with the goal of causing
incapacitation, there are generally three proven techniques.
The
first is called the brachial plexus stun. This is a strike aimed at a massive nerve complex
in a person’s neck. The target is about half way between the shoulder and jaw
bone and just forward of the major neck muscles on the side of a person’s neck.
You can easily find the area by kneading the tips of your fingers deep into the
skin of the described area. You’ll find that one spot that is dramatically more
painful under the same amount of pressure than the areas around it. That’s the brachial plexus nerve center.
The
strike can be delivered with a normal closed fist punch, an open palm strike,
or a forearm strike. If done correctly, the strike literally overloads the
brain with pain and causes something akin to an electrical surge that will stun
the attacker, make them get weak in the knees and possibly cause a very
temporary loss of consciousness.
The
police officer must take advantage of these few seconds to put handcuffs on the
attacker or get them into some kind of restraint hold that will prevent the
attacker from continuing to fight when they get their senses back.
The
second technique is known as the, “Gerber Slap.” This is an open palm
strike targeted at the base of the skull, right where those big muscles on the
back of the neck attach. The person delivering the strike is trained to
slightly cup the hand, so the pressure of the strike actually comes through the
fingertips and from the meaty part at the base of one’s palm. Similar to the
brachial plexus stun, this causes a massive sensory overload in the brain and a
stunning effect, or even a temporary loss of consciousness.
The
last one is called the, “Super Scapula Stun.” This is a strike that you might commonly
associate with Hollywood, when the secret agent walks up behind the target and
delivers a sharp, Karate type chop, with the blade of their hand, to the
target’s shoulder and the target falls to the floor, unconscious.
In
reality, it is much harder to pull off and requires significantly more force
and pressure than Hollywood ever depicts. The target for the super scapula is
the meaty portion of the trapezius muscles, within a couple inches of the neck.
The strike is delivered in a downward and inward motion, usually with a closed
fist, hammer like motion (as if to stab downward at the target with a knife).
For the
best results, both fists should be used, striking at both sides (left and
right) simultaneously. Police are often trained that if the target is standing,
jumping up to deliver the strike from a higher position is preferred. The
police are also trained to kick the target in the back of the legs hoping to
drop them to their knees before delivering the strike, again allowing for a
strike to come from above. The reason is simple combat physiology. You can hit
something harder using that hammer fist strike that is well below shoulder
level, than something which is at or above shoulder level.
We'll conclude with Part III next Tuesday.
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Deputy
Karl Mai is a 16 year veteran of the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office in
Colorado Springs, CO. He has mostly worked street patrol and as a Field
Training Officer (FTO), but has also worked in the county jail and as a
Detective.
Or, just ask a Vulcan.
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