Any fan of professional wrestling will recognize a scissors hold. This is probably the oldest form of applying pressure to an opponent’s head, neck, or body used in any style of grappling or wrestling. Technically, when a grappler or wrestler wraps his legs around any part of his opponent’s body or head, hooks his ankles or lower legs together, and then applies pressure by squeezing or constricting (or even simply holding the opponent without applying pressure), that is a “scissors.”
An adaptation of the scissors hold is the subject of my book, the triangle. Some people (this author included) believe that the triangle hold with the legs is an offshoot of the original scissors hold with the legs and is the historical forerunner of the triangle hold or choke. As with the triangle, a scissors can be used to apply pressure to an opponent’s head or neck as well as his body so that he submits from the pressure.
This brings up the subject of the concept of “shime waza” (constricting or squeezing techniques) as developed by the early exponents of Kodokan judo. The idea behind shime waza was for the attacker to use any part of his body or appendages (as well as any part of his clothing such as a judogi) to apply so much pressure to an opponent that the opponent would either submit or go unconscious. Any part of the opponent’s body was fair game, but eventually the rules of the sport of judo limited these attacks to the neck and throat of the opponent.
While the Japanese have been credited with the early development of the triangle hold or choke, the triangle also has historical roots in the Western style catch-as- catch-can wrestling that developed in Europe and the United States. When professional wrestling was a legitimate sport, using the legs to squeeze an opponent into submission was a popular way to end a match. The figure-four hold was a well-developed wrestling move that was used to control and apply pressure to the head, neck, body, arms, legs, and any body part that could be manipulated by an attacker’s legs.
Just as the Japanese developed the “triangle,” the exponents of Western catch wrestling (and later amateur and freestyle wrestling) developed the figure-four hold within the confines of the rules of the wrestling where it was used. While the Japanese included choking techniques, the catch wrestlers of Europe and the United States used this move more as a headlock or neck pressure technique since “strangling” an opponent was against the rules in catch wrestling (although “sleeper holds” and other strangles were used extensively as well).
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As Kodokan judo spread throughout the world during the course of the twentieth century and as Brazilian jiu-jitsu developed as an offshoot of Kodokan judo and would go on to become a recognized sport in its own right, a new fighting sport evolved from a number of different sources: mixed martial arts.
Mixed martial arts (MMA) developed as a unique and distinct fighting sport, gaining huge popularity in the last decade of the twentieth century. Along with the technical innovations seen in MMA, a variety of submission grappling and submission wrestling styles emerged as well. All of this intense and eclectic interest in grappling and fighting sports has led to a wealth of innovative skills and training methods. If there was ever a “purist” point of view concerning the fighting sports or disciplines, it’s sure not the case now.
So, for the purposes of understanding how the triangle choke has evolved and how it will continue to develop, it’s best to say that it is an offspring with many parents from many parts of the world. Efficiency is one of the primary characteristics of success. An effective move is an effective move no matter what it is called, who invented it, or in what fighting sport it is used. In the competitive world of fighting sports, the skills that work and work with a high ratio of success stand the test of time.
Variations of the Body Scissors
The floor (back on the floor, legs upward) to standing or kneeling body scissor is not so bad. Your opponent cannot crank as hard from the floor. In our great fully competitive female submission wrestling industry, no matter how skilled you become, at one time or another, you are going to find yourself in a side body scissor.
We have viewed thousands of fully competitive female wrestling tapes and when a girl gets caught in a powerful scissor and grimaces, it is painful to watch.
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Strengthening Your Core for Body Scissors
Have you thought about working on it? Strengthening it? To admit you desire to strengthen your rib cage is almost like conceding you will be on the defensive. Possibly a lot. Hopefully not.
The informative source womenshealthmag.com educates, “Get into plank position, with your hands under but slightly outside of your shoulders. Lower your body until your chest nearly touches the floor. Nice, expansive explanation.
The team at livestrong.com educates, “Nothing says "shredded" like well-developed serratus anterior muscles.
Although the bench press is a full-body exercise, the muscles primarily used are the pectoralis major, the anterior deltoids, and the triceps, among other stabilizing muscles. In our female wrestling situation, pushing power. We desire more information.
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