Joint lock
Submission hold
アームロック · 關節技 · 관절기
- Type
- Joint locks, Grappling positions
- Classified as
- submission
King's Kung-Fu and Tai Chi has taught 5 Animal 5 Family kung fu, tai chi and chi kung in Southern California since 1982. These original school pages cover this style:
A joint lock is a grappling technique involving manipulation of an opponent's joints in such a way that the joints reach their maximal degree of motion and hyperextension.
In judō these are referred to as kansetsu-waza (関節技, "joint locking technique") and in Chinese martial arts as qin na, which literally means "catching and locking". In Korea these are referred to as gwan-jeol-gi (관절기, joint skill) or gwan-jeol-kkeok-gi (관절꺾기, joint breaking).
Joint locks typically involve isolating a particular joint, levering it in an attempt to force the joint to move past its normal range of motion. Joint locks generate varying degrees of pain in the joints and, if applied forcefully and/or suddenly, may cause injury, such as muscle, tendon and ligament damage and even dislocation or bone fracture.
In judo, the combining of standing locks with throws is forbidden due to the risk of physical harm to the falling opponent, while Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitions allow their use.
Other joint locks
Japanese terms for joint locks
| Term | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| カニ挟み | kanibasami | flying scissors; kani basami |
| とったり | tottari | arm bar throw |
| チョン掛け | chongake | pulling heel hook; throw using the right heel |
| 逆とったり | sakatottari | arm bar throw counter |
| 縦四方固め | tateshihougatame | tate-shiho-gatame (judo); vertical four-quarter hold |
| 横四方固め | yokoshihougatame | yoko-shiho-gatame (judo hold in which the opponent's shoulders and hips are pinned) |
External links
Facts from Wikidata Q195986 (CC0); text quoted from English Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Data retrieved 2026-10-22.
Data: Wikidata (CC0 1.0); Wikipedia (English) (CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.