Is the spinal lock without a choke legal?
Rules for the spinal lock without a choke in 5 rulesets.
Rules change. Check the official rulebook for your event before competing. This site is not affiliated with IBJJF, ADCC, NAGA or Grappling Industries.
- IBJJF: illegal in every division
- ADCC: depends on the division
- NAGA no-gi: legal for adult novice and beginner (white belt) and above
- NAGA gi: illegal in every division
- Grappling Industries: legal for purple belt in no-gi, brown and black belt
IBJJF
| Division | Status |
|---|---|
| Ages 4 to 12 | Illegal |
| Ages 13 to 15 | Illegal |
| Ages 16 to 17 (all belts) and adult/master white belts | Illegal |
| Adult and master blue and purple belts | Illegal |
| Adult and master brown and black belts, except adult no-gi | Illegal |
| Adult brown and black belts, no-gi | Illegal |
The IBJJF table lists spinal locks without a choke. Neck cranks, twisters, and can openers aren't named, but that is the rule that covers them.
ADCC – listed as “Neck crank, can opener, twister”
| Division | Status |
|---|---|
| Kids 12 and under | Illegal |
| Teens 13 to 14, beginner and intermediate | Illegal |
| Teens 13 to 14, advanced | Illegal |
| Teens 15 to 17, beginner and intermediate | Illegal |
| Teens 15 to 17, advanced | Illegal |
| Adults, beginner and intermediate | Depends |
| Adults, advanced | Depends |
| Masters, beginner and intermediate | Depends |
| Masters, advanced | Depends |
| World Championship and Trials | Depends |
The Opens grid allows neck cranks "except cervical", can openers, and twisters for adults and masters. The World Championship rules allow can openers and twisters but ban neck cranks that trap both shoulders and push the neck down, like a full nelson.
NAGA no-gi – listed as “Neck crank”
| Division | Status |
|---|---|
| Kids 13 and under | Illegal |
| Teens 14 to 17 | Illegal |
| Adult novice and beginner (white belt) | Legal |
| Adult intermediate and expert (blue belt and up) | Legal |
NAGA gi – listed as “Neck crank and twister”
| Division | Status |
|---|---|
| Kids 13 and under | Illegal |
| Teens 14 to 17 | Illegal |
| White belt | Illegal |
| Blue belt | Illegal |
| Purple belt | Illegal |
| Brown and black belt | Illegal |
Grappling Industries – listed as “Neck and spinal cranks”
| Division | Status |
|---|---|
| Under 18 | Illegal |
| White belt | Illegal |
| Blue belt, and purple belt in the gi | Illegal |
| Purple belt in no-gi, brown and black belt | Legal |
See also
Data from bjj-data by Grapple Flows (grappleflows.com), licensed CC BY 4.0; reformatted into tables on this page.
Data: bjj-data (Grapple Flows) (CC BY 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.