Wristlock

"Wristlocks: From Protecting Yourself To Becoming An Expert" by Keith Pascal. This is the book that really will teach you how. Learn to flow from one wrist lock or joint lock to another. Counter locks and arm bars with ease. Finally, make wrist locks a practical part of your martial repertoire.

Are you a black belt who has mastered the art of Wristlock Techniques? Or are you just starting out, learning the basic self-defense moves against grabbing and pulling attacks?

Whether you are a beginner or an expert looking for a way to explain Wristlocks to your students, this article will help you understand the four foundational principles behind Wristlock Techniques.

The wristlock is one of the most popular and effective self-defense techniques.

Most martial arts styles teach Wristlock Techniques to at least some degree. Some styles and systems make extensive use of wristlocks, such as Jui Jitsu and Chin Na. Yet not all wristlocks are applied with the same end desire. For example, a wristlock technique may be used by a competitor in a Mixed Martial Arts match as a submission hold, whereas an Aikido master might apply a wristlock technique as a means of causing the aggressor’s whole body to shift, roll, or lose balance.

The most common types Wristlock Techniques are typically applied by controlling the opponent’s hand while using a bending or rotational movement to put pressure on the hand, wrist, or forearm.

Although most wristlock techniques are performed by turning the opponents wrist in a rotational manner, not all Wristlock Techniques use a rotational method.

There are four main types of wristlocks:

• Pronating
• Supinating
• Adductive
• Hyperflexive

To understand how wristlocks work, familiarity with hand, wrist, and arm ergonomics is helpful:

	To start, hold your right hand out in front of you, palm down, with you hand, wrist, and forearm straight (parallel to the floor). This is called a Neutral position.
Neutral

	Next, bend your hand up so that your fingers are pointing to the ceiling. This is called Extension.
Extension

	Now, bend your hand down so that your fingers are pointing to the floor. This is called Flexion.
Flexion

	Starting with your right hand in the Neutral position and rotating the wrist to the left is called Radial Deviation.
Radial Deviation

	Starting with your right hand in the Neutral position and bending at the wrist to the right is called Ulnar Deviation.
Ulnar Deviation

Almost all of the various wristlocks use one or a combination of these four hand/wrist positions.

The two following types of wristlocks, Pronating and Supinating are commonly referred to as Rotational Wristlocks because the hand, wrist, and arm are rotated in a circular clockwise or counter-clockwise direction.

Pronating Wristlock For an example of a pronating wristlock position, hold your right hand out in front of you, palm facing down and fingers pointing to the floor. Your wrist, when bent this way, is in a pronating position.
	Pronating Flex (photo source)
For the wristlock, rotate your hand in a counter-clockwise direction as far as you can. This would be considered a pronating wristlock. Since the example in the photo to the right shows this from the point of view of the person applying the wristlock, the hand and wrist position appears to resemble the supinating position. However, the person in the wristlock began with his hand point downward.
	Pronating Wristlock

Supinating Wristlock For supinating, hold your right hand in front of you, palm facing you and fingers pointing upward. The supinating position is when your palm is facing toward you.
	Supinating Flex (photo source)
For the wristlock, rotate your hand clockwise as far as you can. This would be considered a supinating wristlock.
	Supinating Wristlock

Adductive Wristlock The term “adductive” in referring to the human anatomy means to draw an arm or leg in toward the center of the body. For example, if you extend your right arm straight out to your side at shoulder height, then drop your arm to your side, bringing your arm in would be an adductive motion. In the case of an adductive wristlock it is back of the wrist that is being rotated in toward the center line of the body.

This can be done by rotating the wrist in either a clockwise or counter clockwise direction.

Adductive Wristlock (image source)

For an example, hold your right hand straight
out in front of you. Now, without bending your wrist or elbow, rotate your hand, wrist, and arm counter-clockwise as far as you can while positioning your wrist in front of your body’s center line. When you’ve reached the maximum point that you can turn your wrist, you’ve reached the limit of what is called “ulnar deviation,” that is, the limit that you can turn your ulna, the bone on the little-finger side of your forearm.

Hyperflexive Wristlock “Flexion” refers to bending a part of your body, such as when you bend your arm in order to “flex” your bicep. “Hyperflexion” is when you bend part of your body beyond its normal position to the point that it causes stress to that part of the body. A Hyperflexive Wristlock is accomplished by bending the wrist to such a degree that it forced the hand toward the inside of the forearm.

The difference between a Hyperflexive Wristlock and a Pronating

Hyperflexive Wristlock (image source)

Wristlock is, with the Pronating one, the hand is
rotated in a circular direction. With a Hyperflexive Wristlock, the hand is not rotated, but forced inward.

Learn more about Wristlocks from a true master of the subject. "Wristlocks: From Protecting Yourself To Becoming An Expert" by Keith Pascal. This is the book that really will teach you how. Learn to flow from one wrist lock or joint lock to another. Counter locks and arm bars with ease. Finally, make wrist locks a practical part of your martial repertoire. Click Here to learn more!

The Practice of Wristlock Techniques

Now that you understand the types of locks, you can experiment with ones of your own, or learn from the vast number of resources available through martial arts books and DVDs. But to really master wristlock techniques, consider enrolling in a local martial arts school where a qualified instructor can guide and develop your skills.

Example of a Hyperflexive Wristlock submission technique. (photo source)	The author's son putting him in a Pronating Wristlock. One of the great advantages of Wristlocks is that technique can compensate for disadvantage in size and strength.
A Supinating Rotational Wristlock used against an attack with a weapon. (photo source)	A Pronating Wristlock used as a throwing technique.(photo source)

Hapkido Whitebelt outside wristgrab defense.	Inside wristgrab defense www.shinkoohapkido.com

Learn More About Wristlocks From These Resources:

Wristlocks and Jointlocks
A free e-zine with links to a variety of articles for anyone who thinks that wristlocks and jointlocks don't work, from martial arts expert Keith Pascal.