David Straitjacket - Challenges

May 2005 - Hoju Jitsu rope escape challenge, China: Probably the toughest escape David has ever attempted was the Hoju Jitsu rope challenge. Hoju Jitsu is a martial arts rope tying technique,

developed by the Japanese police in the 1800's. Expert practitioners can restrain a person better than anyone else on the planet. Many consider it un-defeatable.

Hojo Jitsu utilises some very clever

knotting techniques, along with the

bodies pressure points in a very devious way. Firstly, the rope is tied very tightly indeed, each loop being separately

tensioned, tied off, then re-tensioned against each subsequent loop, the rope compresses the bodies pressure points, so any movement or struggle causes pain, paralysis of individual limbs, and in the case of loops around the neck,

unconsciousness due to restricted blood supply to the brain.

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The two men who challenged David to attempt this escape were both masters of this art. Working as a team they tied loop after loop around David's wrists, around the elbow joint, across the sides of his neck and then across his back, pinning David's arms behind him. The knots were also placed so they could not be reached with teeth, fingers or toes. The two guys were big, with bodybuilder frames, allowing them to tie the rope extremely tight. A superb restraint, which caused semi paralysis, as well as a high risk of unconsciousness.

David successfully defeated this restraint in 7 minutes. A feat which left the audience stunned. The two Hoju Jitsu Masters bowed, and left the stage. One of them was

interviewed for TV which was by now broadcasting David's escape nationally. He had this to say.

"I have been studying Hojo Jitsu for 25 years, and in that time I have never seen or heard of someone escaping from a tie like that. It should not be possible. I can't believe that he did it"