Holds used in pankration were those designed to force an opponent to
submit. For this reason, the most popular holds employed were choke holds
and joint locks. Choke holds are attempts to cut off either the blood supply
or the air supply, or both, from the torso to the head. This is achieved usu-
ally by blocking the windpipe or the carotid artery and vagus nerve.
Joint locks attempt to hyperextend a joint of the body beyond its nor-
mal range of motion. Thus, a successfully applied joint lock can break an
arm, leg, wrist, or ankle. The elbow lock was probably the most popular.
Interestingly, leg holds were also used, which gives an indication of the
many techniques that were available to the pankrationists. Leg holds have
traditionally not been popular in most wrestling systems around the world,
but because of the very nature of pankration combat, this skill was an es-
sential one for pankrationists to master. This gives an indication of the ver-
satility and demands of this art.
One of the unique aspects of the art was the fact that pankrationists
were able to employ unusual holds against the fingers or toes of opponents,
even breaking them when necessary. There were even standing grappling
holds that were employed by pankrationists, in which one practitioner
would literally climb on top of another, while the opponent was still stand-
ing, and attempt to get the opponent into a choke hold or use body mass
to force him to the ground. These unusual techniques are rarely found in
other combat systems.
The Greeks were very familiar with human anatomy. Surviving stat-
ues and artwork clearly demonstrate the attention to detail of the artists
and the realism of the figures. It is likely that this knowledge was applied
to pankration. Knowledge of human anatomy, especially the weak points
of the body, was essential for pankrationists of any level to survive in com-
petition.
It is likely that there were different schools, or academies, of pankra-
tion located throughout the Greek world. These schools are believed to
have specialized in certain techniques. Although pankrationists were ex-
pected to master all four aspects of pankration fighting, certain schools em-
phasized one aspect of fighting over others. The instructors for these acad-
emies were likely to be former pankration champions who retired into
teaching. Those instructors who were former Olympians were highly
sought out and were well paid for their instruction.
Training in pankration was accomplished through innovative tech-
niques, some of which were not replicated for thousands of years. Pankra-
tionists trained in special gymnasiums known as korykeions.Students
learned striking techniques by hitting bags stuffed with sand suspended
from the ceiling. Kicking techniques were practiced by striking heavier bags
suspended about 2 feet off the floor. These were intended to make the stu-
Pankration 413