Joint Locking Techniques: Legit Fight Stopper? Or a Liability?

The crunching sound of joints cracking and “bad guys” painfully submitting have been a staple of action movies for decades. In both martial arts movies, as well as action movies in general, joint locking techniques have been used to spice up the fight scenes and leave the moviegoer in awe of the amazing techniques.

Do Joint Locking Techniques Work?

Do those finger, wrist, and elbow locks truly work in the real world, where clean, choreographed fighting doesn’t exist? Well, in truth, that’s not an easy question to determine. There are just too many variables.

From the intensity of the altercation to the skill of the defender, there’s not a definitive one-size-fits-all answer. However, with some possibly new insights and realistic expectations, joint-locking techniques can become a valuable asset to your self-defense arsenal.

Types of Techniques

When discussing joint-locking techniques, the primary areas to focus on are the finger, wrist, and elbow joints. Yes, the foe’s foot and knee joints can be exploited. However, that is primarily when the fight goes to the ground (which, of course, may happen, so be prepared).

Your focus should be to never go to the ground. Although MMA and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu grappling is effective in these situations, once on the ground, you can also be facing the terrain as a possible hazard. Not to mention, your opponent’s buddies may decide to get in cheap shots while you’re deep into the fight.

Mainly, arm-centric joint locking is your objective when standing and defending yourself from an attack (which could be a grab, push, or punch).

Apply Locks Only After Striking

Whether or not joint locking techniques will work during a fight first comes down to when you attempt to apply them. It could be a critical error for the defender to try these techniques straight out of the gate. At this point, the opponent is pumped, adrenalized, and full of fight.

Just securing a grip on a foe’s finger or hand would be difficult. If, by luck, you get ahold of something, it’s a sure bet he or she would just muscle out of it or counter with a punch to your face or body.

Why did it fail? Simply because you didn’t soften up your foe first. Striking your attacker’s vital areas is the first step prior to applying any form of joint lock. These vital areas include the bridge of the nose, the eyes, the throat, the ears, and the groin.

Striking your attacker’s vital areas is the first step prior to applying any form of joint locking technique.

These are not knock-out punches. Rather, they are quick snaps that will cause a temporary distraction away from the joint you are targeting. When the attacker diverts his focus away from the joint, it is easier to achieve a positive lock.

Experience Is a Must

Even if you get the necessary strikes on your opponent, your joint locking techniques might still be unsuccessful unless you’re well-skilled. This is where you need to shed your ego, look deep inside, and ask, do I really know my stuff?

A few months of classes in a martial arts dojo won’t cut it. In order for your techniques to be both smooth and second nature, you need to put in the hours and work out with a diverse group of individuals.

In order for your techniques to be both smooth and second nature, you need to put in the hours and work out with a diverse group of individuals.

Switching partners during practice ensures that your moves will work on people of all body types, various speed and strength levels, height and weight differences, and endurance levels.

There’s an old saying in the martial arts world that if a technique truly works, you can apply it to everyone in the room. Being able to lock the skinny guy or the slower practitioner won’t make it in the real world. You’ll most likely pay the price with some hard hits coming your way.

Remember, not only do you need to understand the mechanics of the techniques, but you must also have the experience to smoothly shift to other options if your first attempt fails. This quick thinking and reaction comes with experience and constant practice. So, again, hit the dojo for some intense, long-term training.

Joint Locking Techniques as an Excellent Addition

Finally, joint locking is not a system in itself, but rather a complementary addition to your self-defense arsenal. Now, it is true that some martial arts heavily include joint-locking in their curriculum. Aikido, Japanese Ju-Jitsu/Jujutsu, and Chin Na are three such examples.

However, these arts also teach proper movement and strategic striking, which are essential to setting up the attacker for a powerful joint lock that could essentially end the fight.

There’s an old saying in the martial arts world that if a technique truly works, you can apply it to everyone in the room.

Joint locking techniques make great finishers, not first moves. Just imagine trying to secure a wrist lock on an enraged brute stampeding directly towards you. The odds of it working are less than ideal.

Exploit Its Benefits, Know Its Weaknesses

Joint locking techniques can be very powerful. When performed correctly, they can take a big guy down to the ground screaming in pain. Done poorly or attempted at the incorrect time can leave you pummeled or worse.

It’s crucial to understand that these locks are just one part of an entire defense system that takes years to develop and perfect. Even then, there are no guarantees that you’ll come out of a fight unscathed or uninjured. But the more you know, the more prepared you’ll be.

So get to the dojo today, and before you know it, you’ll be manipulating the joints of those intending to do you harm.