Wristlock
Martial arts technique
リストロック
- Type
- Joint locks, Grappling positions
- Martial arts
- Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Jujutsu
- Meaning
- Clothing Seizure
- Classified as
- joint lock
- Listed in
- Joint locks (Brazilian jiu-jitsu), Yawara – Shoden level (Danzan-ryū jujutsu), Yawara – Shoden level (Danzan-ryū jujutsu)
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 wristlock is a joint lock primarily affecting the wrist-joint and, in some cases, the radioulnar joints through rotation of the hand. A wristlock is typically applied by grabbing the opponent's hand, and bending and/or twisting it. Wristlocks are very common in martial arts such as chin-na, aikido, hapkido and jujutsu where they are featured as self-defense techniques. They are also used as submission holds in martial arts such as Brazilian jiu-jitsu (where the most common name is mão de vaca, "the cow's hand") and catch wrestling. While being an illegal technique in modern sambo and judo competitions, it is still practiced in judo forms of self-defense kata kōdōkan goshinjutsu. Wristlocks are also widely used as pain compliance holds, often in police, military, and residential treatment centers.
The wristlock is a technique that can be applied from a stand-up position, simply by grabbing the opponent's hand and twisting and/or bending it in a non-natural direction. It is considered to be a relatively safe technique to practice with a willing opponent, but if applied suddenly and/or forcefully, a wristlock can cause ligament tears or possibly even dislocation or bone fractures.
Other Brazilian jiu-jitsu joint locks
- Armlock
- Ashi garami
- Ashi-Hishigi
- Back mount
- Compression lock
- Kata gatame
- North–south position
- Knee-on-stomach
- Ude hishigi sankaku gatame
- Kesa-gatame
- Ude hishigi hiza gatame
- Gyaku Ude Garami
- Small joint manipulation
- Genkotsu Ude Tori
- Kuzure kesa gatame
- Yoko shiho gatame
- Kata Gatame Ni
- Tekubi Tori Ichi
- Yubi Tori Hazushi
- Kata Gatame Ichi
- Yubi Tori Shime Ni
- Yubi Tori
- Akushu Kote Tori
- Katate Tori
- Tekubi Tori Ni
- Ude Tori
- Ogoshi Ude Tori
- Ryōte Tori
- Yubi Tori Shime Ichi
- Kata Mune Tori
- Moro Yubi Tori
- Akushu Ude Tori
- Sannen Kote Garami
- Ude Tori Shime
- Kata Tori
- Ryōeri Tori
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 Q1785362 (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.