Student Objectives:
The student will apply the Bow and Arrow Choke from Back Control in a seated position with effective technique.
The student will recognize the value of using their back and legs in a choking maneuver.
The student will explore grip depth and wrist orientation while applying the Bow and Arrow Choke.
Teaching Cues:
Collar and pants
Leg off
Leg on
Lean Towards the legs
Lesson: Bow and Arrow
The assisting student will start seated on their bottom with their legs gently bent in a Butterfly position. The practicing student will start in back control by sitting directly behind the assisting student with their legs wrapped around the waist. The practicing student’s ankles should rest over the inside thighs leaving a pocket of space between their pelvis and the assisting student’s lower back (The Giant Killer). The practicing student will then take double under grip by gripping under the armpits of the assisting student and firmly grasping the lapels.
Once there is control of the lapels the practicing student will pull the assisting student backwards until their upper shoulders make contact with the chest/pectoral muscle area. This should slightly angle the assisting student’s back towards the floor, however the practicing student should maintain some posture with their back either being straight up and down, or a slight lean with their chest angle towards the floor.
The practicing student will then let go of one side of the lapel and retake the grip over the shoulder on the far lapel. The depth of this grip can vary but it does not need to be a deep grip, slightly above the collarbone should be sufficient for this grip. Allow the students to explore various grip depths and encourage communication between the assisting student and the practicing student to discuss the differences in power according to hand placement on the collar.
Next, the practicing student will let go of the lapel with the non-choking hand and take a grip on the outside of the pants, close to the knee. This will prevent the assisting student from rolling away from the choke.
Once there is a firm grip on the lapel, the practicing student will swing the same side leg out to create a pocket of space for the assisting student to fall on their side. Their shoulder should fall directly onto the floor, just inside the knee pit of the practicing student. The practicing student’s other leg will post on the floor, over the body of the assisting student, near the belt line.
To increase the pressure on the choke the practicing student will curl the elbow of the choking hand to their own hip and lay towards the assisting partners legs. Make sure to instruct the practicing student to lay on their side, angled towards the legs, otherwise there will be a pocket of space near the elbow and hip that can be used by the assisting student to get their head out.
If the assisting student still does not feel a choke or strangle, instruct the practicing student to extend their inside leg to create a counter pressure to the grips on the collar and knee. Remind the students that like a deadlift, the arms should be straight and the choking pressure comes from extending the core and pushing with the legs.
Possible Extensions:
Start the student in the Broken Turtle position and use the same set up as the Gift Wrap. When the student tries to hide their hand from the Gift Wrap, grab the collar. This will be the choking hand for the Bow and Arrow. Next, step over the body to prepare for the Chair Sit, but before sitting, take the non-choking hand and secure the pants near or around the knee. This will give two hands to pull with for a nice transition into the Bow and Arrow or modified Back Control position. Make sure to use the same dynamics as the Chair Sit to clear the leg under the body by pivoting the leg along the spine as the practicing student sits.
There is a variation of the Bow and Arrow called the Clock and Arrow. It works very similarly to the Bow and arrow except the non-choking hand never transfers to the knee and remains in the Clock Choke position. While this does not have the same ability to use your core to generate increased power, it does have the benefit of increased positional security by maintaining a grip on the lapel under the armpit. This is set up simply by taking a clock choke grip from the Broken Turtle and transitioning the same way as a traditional Bow and Arrow.
Another variation of the Bow and Arrow includes placing the shin across the back of the neck. This is exceptionally powerful and extra instruction for applying this variation slowly should be included. The set up for this is the same as above from Broken Turtle.
The practicing student will start on their knees behind the assisting student’s Broken Turtle. The choking hand is set in the same fashion, and then the grip on the knee is taken next (rather than stepping over the body). Now the practicing student will place their knee on the beltline, and then transfer all their weight onto that knee. This will make the other leg light and a transition of the shin into the back of the neck possible. Once the shin is located directly behind the neck the practicing student should sit with their tailbone as close to their heels as they can. This will create an inverted slope between the knee and the ankle to prevent the assisting student from rolling their head out. To apply increased pressure the student will lift their hips towards the ceiling while simultaneously pulling with their back. As before, the arms should be generally straight.
Possible Refinements:
Very commonly the assisting student will be lazy with their hands and keep them on the floor while in the starting position. This can create problems when the practicing student tries to swing their leg out to create the pocket of space. Remind the assisting student to use Home Alone Hands after the practicing student has made a grip on the lapel. This makes a clean and easy transition into the “pocket”.
Make sure the practicing student keeps the elbow of the choking arm pinched to their hip Throughout the movement. This grip has a lot of value even if the Bow and Arrow submission does not work out, and allowing a training partner or opponent to escape by rolling their head out eliminates a lot of good options.
Often students trying to apply the Bow and Arrow will fall straight back to try and up the pressure. While this can lead to more pressure, it totally changes the angle for which the pressure is applied. Not only does it decrease the effectiveness of the strangle, it can also lead to falling on the incorrect shoulder when the assisting student tries to escape. This will ultimately lead to the head escaping the choke all together. Extra attention should be paid to avoid this.
Reference materials:
Teaching Reflections:
How did I do teaching?
What could I do better next time?
Did the student gain proficiency in lesson material?