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Sleeper HoldA sleeper hold is a martial arts technique named for its ability to seemingly make an opponent 'fall asleep' in its grips. It is intended to quickly render an opponent unconscious with as little bodily harm as possible. When performed correctly, it is probably the fastest and safest way to neutralize an opponent. It is especially useful for opponents who may be under the influence of certain drugs or with very high tolerances for pain. Warning The following technique is dangerous and can cause death, permanent brain damage, or other serious injuries. It should not be attempted without professional training, and even then only attempted with extreme discretion, if attempted at all. How it works A sleeper hold causes unconsciousness by interrupting the flow of blood to the brain through the cartoid arteries, located on both sides of the neck. You can find the cartoid arteries in most people directly below the ear, usually near the height of the Adam's Apple (people often use the cartoid arteries to check their pulse). During the application of a sleeper hold, enough pressure is applied to both arteries to stop the flow of blood, depriving the brain of oxygen and thereby causing unconsciousness very rapidly. For very short periods of time, this will not usually have any long-term effects, but can be highly dangerous if performed incorrectly. Application A sleeper hold is generally applied in the following manner: - The person applying the hold positions himself behind his opponent.
- The person then wraps his right arm around the opponent's neck, pressing the bicep against one side of the neck and the inner bone of the forearm against the other side (it also works just as well reversed, with the left arm).
- The neck is squeezed inside the arm extremely tightly. Additional pressure can be applied by grabbing the left shoulder with the right hand, or grabbing the bicep of the left arm near the elbow, then using the left hand to push the opponent's head towards the crook of the right elbow.
- It is usually taught that at this point (or during the process) the opponent should be brought to the ground if not already there. This helps to avoid various self-defense techniques designed to protect against assault from the rear, such as instep stomps, shin stomps, and groin strikes.
- The opponent will typically go limp after 5-10 seconds of very hard pressure, at which point it is preferrable to immediately release pressure, but to leave the arms in position. Holding the pressure longer will eventually cause brain damage and death, but leaving the arms in position allows one to be able to quickly reapply pressure if the opponent is faking unconciousness or regains conciousness quickly.
History The sleeper hold does not seem to appear in tradional eastern martial arts, and in essence is most likely an invention of western wrestling. A dramatized version of the sleeper hold has been a popular move in professional wrestling for years, and it is this version that first familiarizes most people with the concept of a sleeper hold. Very rarely does its application result in the end of a match, however. In nearly all forms of sport wrestling, the sleeper hold (like most holds around the neck) is considered an illegal hold.
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