Spinal lock
Sport
- Type
- Joint locks, Grappling positions
- Classified as
- combat sport
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:
In combat sports, a spinal lock is a multiple joint lock applied to the spinal column, which is performed by forcing the spine beyond its normal ranges of motion. This is typically done by bending or twisting the head or upper body into abnormal positions. Commonly, spinal locks might strain the spinal musculature or result in a mild spinal sprain, while a forcefully and/or suddenly applied spinal lock may cause severe ligament damage or damage to the vertebrae, and possibly result in serious spinal cord injury, stroke, or death. Spinal locks and cervical locks are forbidden in all gi competitions, IBJJF Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitions, amateur mixed martial arts (MMA), multiple forms of no Gi jiu-jitsu, judo, and other martial arts. However, professional MMA, some no gi Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitions and one gi & no gi promotion (grappling industries) does permit spinal locks.
Spinal locks can be separated into two categories based on their primary area of effect on the spinal column: spinal locks on the neck are called neck cranks, and locks on the lower parts of the spine are called spine cranks.
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 Q17152840 (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.