The terms are used interchangeably. In the old days a choke cut off air while a stranglehold cut off blood supply, and a sleeper was a bare armed stranglehold from the rear. But since the days of BJJ, the terms have lost all their distinction. Generally most guys who know what they are doing will only use blood chokes since they are considerably safer than air chokes. The best advice is to make sure the guy you are fighting knows the difference and clarify any limitations (i.e. no air chokes).
from what I can find online, a choke or stranglehold is one that cuts off your opponent's supply of air. A sleeper hold cuts of his blood from circulating. Do most guys use the terms interchangeabley, or are the holds used completely different? I've received both but it seems like people use "choke" to mean both air and blood types of holds, and "sleeper" to mean blood types. I've enjoyed the blood type holds where the sides of my neck were being squeezed, but didn't enjoy the hold where my windpipe was being squeezed. Just wondering how others distinguish between the two because I want to try sleepers more & don't want to mislead anyone by using the wrong term
TxWrestle (48 )
2/05/2017 3:35 PMThe terms are used interchangeably. In the old days a choke cut off air while a stranglehold cut off blood supply, and a sleeper was a bare armed stranglehold from the rear. But since the days of BJJ, the terms have lost all their distinction. Generally most guys who know what they are doing will only use blood chokes since they are considerably safer than air chokes. The best advice is to make sure the guy you are fighting knows the difference and clarify any limitations (i.e. no air chokes).
oneatatime (40 )
2/05/2017 5:04 PM(In reply to this)
thank you! this is what I suspected– and your advice is spot-on: I'll clarify up front before I find myself in an unwanted air choke
Sparringbuddy (52 )
2/05/2017 1:33 AMFact is. A lot do not know the difference. Some claim they use sleeperhold for submission when they are actually aplying air chokes instead...
oneatatime (40 )
2/04/2017 7:59 PMfrom what I can find online, a choke or stranglehold is one that cuts off your opponent's supply of air. A sleeper hold cuts of his blood from circulating. Do most guys use the terms interchangeabley, or are the holds used completely different? I've received both but it seems like people use "choke" to mean both air and blood types of holds, and "sleeper" to mean blood types. I've enjoyed the blood type holds where the sides of my neck were being squeezed, but didn't enjoy the hold where my windpipe was being squeezed. Just wondering how others distinguish between the two because I want to try sleepers more & don't want to mislead anyone by using the wrong term