This article is part of a years-long MixedMartialArts.com effort to understand what really works, not by watching combat sports in the arena, but by studying what happens outside the arena, on the streets, or in this case, on the mats. Check out more free Best Of stories on …
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Gracie Jiu-Jitsu black belt Rob Kahn was teaching the secrets of his Shoulder Pressure System during a seminar at Master Chim’s Jungle Gym Martial Arts HQ in the Bronx, NY, when a remarkable illustration of the power of jiu-jitsu occurred inadvertently. Watch as he instructs a 105-pound girl in exactly how to maximally apply shoulder pressure, on a 220-pound attendee, and what happens next.
This is an amusing but highly, highly instructive example of the power of technique over size. And under a teacher at the level of Rob Kahn, there are identically instructive examples to break every bone in the body, to take the fight to the ground, and much more.
However, some people watching this video simply did not believe it was legit.
Was It Real?
What follows is a misinformed assumption, from the video’s YouTube comment’s section.
“This Rob Kahn guy needs to stop putting disinformation out there just to get noticed, that could put people in serious jeopardy,” opined one Robert Schwartzback. “No girl that size could hold a man that size down, especially with no lock. Her form was horrible and had no pressure on the artery, his other neck artery was fine and NO ONE goes unconscious that fast from a one-artery choke even if she did it right (which she didn’t), even a two-artery choke done right takes longer than that on someone who is calm like he was, there was at least 1000 ways he have could escaped, the guy clearly faked being unconscious, etc, etc, etc, etc.
“I’m not saying it can’t or doesn’t work if done right by a trained fighter. I am saying she didn’t appear, to me at least, from the angle it was recorded, to be doing it 100% correctly. You know as well as I do, a man that size against a girl that size could eeeeeeeeasily get out of it. And you also know claiming a 105lb girl just choked out a 220lb grown man will get views, as it is. He wasn’t unconscious, you know it, which is why the whole gym had a laugh at his antics.
“Once again, I’m not saying that hold CAN’T work if mastered and the two people fighting are fairly equal… but I am saying you’re misleading people by claiming this untrained 105lb stick figure of a girl held down a ‘helpless’ 220lb grown muscular man and made him pass out within seconds.”
Then Doubting Schwartzback was put in place by Alexander Rutherford, the man who went to sleep.
“This is the guy who was choked out in the video,” explained Rutherford. “This was a demo of how effective the hold and position are. The outcome is indeed genuine and not fake. I’ve been under the tutelage of Master Chim, under the Jungle Gym, since 05/27/07. There is nothing fake about this place, especially when it comes to legitimacy. If you still doubt … stop on by and experience it for yourself.”
So that’s that – believe the truth, or find out the hard way, on the mats.
Who Is Rob Kahn?
Rob Kahn is the owner of Gracie Tampa, and earned the first black belt ever awarded by legendary three-time UFC champion Royce Gracie. Rob has been training with Royce since the mid-90s. After receiving an amazing foundation for his Jiu-Jitsu from Royce, Kahn began focusing his jiu-jitsu in the area of MMA and No Gi grappling, with tremendous results.
His remarkable career includes producing dozens of UFC fighters and a number of Abu Dhabi competitors. Rob has built an entire system comprised of techniques and strategies that have been tested, re-tested, and refined over the last generation. Much of this system is laid out in a video tutorial series called the No Gi Library. Rob can be found most days of the week on the mat with his students, training hard and teaching.
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