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Hey guys, I’ve been doing Krav Maga for about 7 months and about an hour and 1/2 ago in class we were learning how to get out of sleeper holds (rear carotid artery chokes). The instructor informed us that we would need to feel the choke first to get the gist of getting out of it. I’d never done this type before so my partner started the choke and I replied “yeah I feel it” but they didn’t let go (probably couldnt understand me while choked). Then when I started to choke they let go immediately and the instructor (who was 1 foot away observing this entire time) informed me that I should have tapped out faster.
He never told us we had to tap out nor did I see anyone else tapping out. Anyway the choke was about 4-5 seconds and it was pretty hard. My throat immediately was sore (obviously) but now it’s 2 hours later and it still hurts to swallow (kind of like strep throat very sharp pain on the lower right side right under the chin near the trachea/esophagus). The instructor said it’s normal but it’s pretty painful. I freaked myself out googling all this crap about people saying they got sleeper held and their pain lasted for 3 weeks, articles on hyoid bones snapping, vertebrae misalignments, etc. It’s my first time being choked like that.
Anyway, I’m probably just freaking myself out for no reason and should stop being a baby and let it go, but is this pretty normal to have pain swallowing where liquids/food are actually pretty painful to consume? Keep in mind this was only an hour and a half ago.
I’d appreciate your thoughts on this 🙂
Re: Pain While Swallowing After Sleeper Hold, Normal?
i believe you will be fine just give it a couple days
Re: Pain While Swallowing After Sleeper Hold, Normal?
Happened to me. My training partner went too hard because the instructor kept screaming if you dont choke him its a hug. It hurt for about a week. I was pretty worried for a few days.
Re: Pain While Swallowing After Sleeper Hold, Normal?
I’ve had the same experience with a guy who was a bit more aggressive about putting on chokes than other people in class. It happened during a stress drill when I was the man in the middle. The idea was to apply a lot of resistance, but not to cinch the choke. This guy was making a habit of going a little overboard on the bigger guys in class, so when I did the escape I put a little extra pressure on the wrist lock and asked him to control himself. It worked out OK, but I did have a sore throat for a few days afterward.
People at my school have been good about not hurting each other. It’s one thing to provide a realistic level of resistance, and even to “feel the choke” a time or two, but to repeatedly choke hard starts to seem a lot like going 100% on strikes. Just not appropriate for training.
Re: Pain While Swallowing After Sleeper Hold, Normal?
If you’re having trouble breathing I’d either go to the emergency room or schedule an appointment w/ an ear, nose and throat doctor/get a referral from your regular doctor. If you are not eating or drinking because it hurts you should also do the same.
Re: Pain While Swallowing After Sleeper Hold, Normal?
quote TacticalTimmy:If you’re having trouble breathing I’d either go to the emergency room or schedule an appointment w/ an ear, nose and throat doctor/get a referral from your regular doctor. If you are not eating or drinking because it hurts you should also do the same.Thanks for the replies everyone.
Tacticaltimmy, I’m not having trouble breathing at all, eating/drinking is bearable it’s exactly the replica of strep throat but to the lower right side when I swallow and it also feels swollen from the inside. I read up online on more forums and it seems like this is pretty common and goes away within 2 days to a week. It seems better today, I think I may give it some more time. I’m not sure what a doctor could do for me, I don’t think I require any surgery.
Re: Pain While Swallowing After Sleeper Hold, Normal?
I had a similar thing a little while ago after training arm bars. My partner was a little gentle putting it on at first, but I prefer to train against someone who’s really trying to I asked him too. Hurt for a couple of weeks afterwards – felt a bit like when your glands/tonsils swell up with flu or a throat infection. To be honest, I really wasn’t fussed – I’m used to finishing training covered in bruises on every part of my body, and this didn’t seem too different. Funny thing is, because it felt so much like being ill, my mind seemed to sympathise and I got a runny nose 😀 I’d say just take it on the chin – training hurts a little, and one day when it happens for real with a built guy who’s really trying, you’ll have experienced a strong choke before and not panic.
Re: Pain While Swallowing After Sleeper Hold, Normal?
Hi everyone,
I’m new here, having just started KM last week, so this is kind of strange first post for me. However, this is something that I do have some experience with, having done a bit of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. What probably happened is that the choke was improperly applied, putting most of the pressure on your trachea, which in turn caused a little bit of trauma to your esophagus, which sits right behind it. The trachea is partially rigid, but the esophagus is soft. So that’s why you can breathe just fine, but are having pain when you swallow.
When I say that the choke was improperly applied, I mean that a “sleeper” hold is a carotid choke. Applying pressure to the trachea will hurt like hell and can cause damage, but it’s not the most efficient way to put someone to sleep.
I had a similar experience in BJJ and had pain for about two or three weeks (yes, this worried me a little at the time). You should be just fine, but if the pain or symptoms get WORSE, or you develop a fever, see a doctor right away.
Hope this helps and on a side note, I’m very excited to start KM.
Re: Pain While Swallowing After Sleeper Hold, Normal?
A good first post! You’re right about the sleeper thing – I didn’t noticed that in the OP. There are carotid chokes and tracheal arm bars that are very similar but not identical both in application and in escape, but different enough that you need to be able to identify which before you perform the technique. In general if their elbow is in line with your throat it’s a sleeper hold and squeezes your bloodflow, if their forearm is in line with your throat it’s an arm bar/tracheal choke and seeks to crush your windpipe. The latter are the painful ones!
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