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Jugulations, Strangulations, Neck-Breakers, & Molar-Poppers by Mark Hatmaker

 


Let’s talk collar-up attacks.

 

Let’s talk — Jugulations, Strangulations, Neck-Breakers, & Molar-Poppers.

 

First, a definition—a collar-up attack is any grappling/scufflin’ attack from the collarbones up.

 

Why do we make such a specific designation of territory?

 

The sportive aspect of grappling confines itself to a narrow equator of action—the neck itself, and even here, the neck must be addressed with only a few handfuls of approved attacks [jugulations—more on that in a mo’.]

 

No neck attack that places the trachea in jeopardy is permitted.

 

This is the very reason why the “sleeper hold’ is banned in Law Enforcement circles as what is a safe sport-derived jugulation can, in the chaotic scrum of real-world [not sportive chaos] with no referee present, well, it can easily twist into a strangulation and do permanent damage or, in fact, kill the one on the receiving end.

 

These banned cases are a mixture of poor technique in some, and live-fire chaos in others.

 

I repeat, every single legal choke in MMA and like grappling arts is a class of jugulation [with the odd cervical jeopardy crank thrown in here and there.]

 

Let us define terms…

 

There are four ways to attack the head/neck of an opponent, well, the four ways grappler’s can approach the situation—strikers have the straight-forward method of smacking it hard with whatever tool happens to be handy at the moment.

 

We go to pains to define the four classes because, well, Rough ‘n’ Tumble grappling is NOT sport grappling. There are no restrictions to a single class—as a matter of fact all classes are on the table, and the best tactics blend aspects of 2 or more of the classes to “stack mayhem hell on rawbone.”

 

The Four Classes

 

Jugulation: Any compression of the throat that impedes or cuts off arterial blood flow to the brain via constriction of one or (preferably) both carotid arteries. (Yeah, I know although we are constricting both the carotid arteries and the jugular veins to do the deed, it is the carotid restriction that does the damage—why the term is jugulation rather than carotidization I don’t know, rather than the relative inelegance of the word). Jugulations are the sport approved class of collarbones up attacks.

 

Strangulations: Any compression of the throat that restricts air flow and or places the hyoid bone in jeopardy. This class is where the Law Enforcement “sleeper” can step from restraint to death territory.

 

Cranks: Any manipulation of the head/neck that compresses, separates, torques, or kinks the cervical vertebrae.

 

Nerve Pain, Face Locks, Molar Poppers etc.: Despite the name this class refers to any grip that be can be taken on the head, face, or neck that does the job (tapping the opponent, of course) via nerve or bone compression but does not restrict blood flow, air flow, or place cervical vertebrae in jeopardy.

There are a staggering variety of compliance holds and man-stoppers in this class—easily far more than the other three classes combined.

 

We seek to understand the four classes because, well, we rough n tumblers will have an easier time approaching our Old School arsenal [not our new school limited sport arsenal] no, a far easier time getting a handle on Old School evil if we understand the four classes.

 

There—definitions and theory out of the way.

Want real-deal hands-on how-to’s for many of these long-forgotten collar-up attacks?

Well, have a gander at Black Box DVDs volumes 24 & 25. These “Burn the gates 20” will have you rippin’ and tearin’ from some wild ass unexpected and surprisingly easy to snag angles.

 

[As a PS the brand-new Black Box 25 has a section on The Workman’s Hook—want real-deal power beyond slam the door mechanics? Of course you !]

 

[For more Rough& Tumble history, Indigenous Ability hacks, and for pragmatic applications of old school tactics historically accurate and viciously verified see our RAW/Black Box Subscription Service.]

Or our brand-spankin’ new podcast The Rough and Tumble Raconteur available on all platforms.

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