Joint Lock

The 10th Planet Joint Lock family covers joint lock submissions developed within Eddie Bravo's 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu system — locks designed for no-gi grappling that are applied from the system's proprietary positions (Rubber Guard, Lockdown, Truck) and use unique entanglement pathways unavailable in traditional BJJ. [1] The most notable 10th Planet joint locks include the Twister (a devastating spinal crank applied from the Truck position), the Electric Chair (a groin/hip stretch submission from the Lockdown), the Banana Split (a leg-splitting submission from the Truck), and various arm locks entered through Rubber Guard transitional positions. [1,2] These locks exploit body configurations unique to the 10th Planet system — the Truck's leg and arm entanglement, the Lockdown's figure-four leg control, and the Rubber Guard's overhook positioning create submission opportunities that don't exist in standard BJJ guard play. [2,3] While requiring system-specific positional knowledge, these locks have produced numerous submission victories at EBI, ADCC, and in MMA competition. [3]

Ankle locks are submissions that attack the ankle joint — primarily by hyperextending the talocrural joint (straight ankle lock) or rotating the subtalar joint (toe hold). [1,3] The straight ankle lock (ashi-garami / achilles lock) uses a figure-four grip around the opponent's foot to lever the ankle into hyperextension, stressing the anterior talofibular ligament. [4] The toe hold applies rotational force to the foot, stressing the ankle and knee simultaneously. Ankle locks are entry-level leg attacks — the straight ankle lock is the first leg lock permitted under IBJJF rules (legal at all belt levels in no-gi). [1] They serve as foundational techniques in leg lock systems, often used to create reactions that expose the heel for more advanced attacks. [5]

The Arm Lock family encompasses all joint lock submissions that target the shoulder, elbow, or wrist — hyperextending, rotating, or compressing these joints beyond their normal range of motion to force a submission. [1] This is the largest and most diverse submission family in BJJ, containing the armbar (juji gatame — the single most iconic submission in martial arts), the kimura (double wristlock / gyaku ude garami), the americana (ude garami), and dozens of variations. [1,2] Arm locks are the most fundamental and highest-percentage submissions across all grappling arts — the armbar alone has decided more competitive matches than any other single submission technique in BJJ, judo, and MMA combined. [2,3] Jigoro Kano formalised arm lock techniques (kansetsu waza) in Kodokan judo, recognising the elbow as the only joint that could be safely attacked in competition; BJJ later expanded this to include shoulder locks (kimura, americana) and wrist locks. [3]

Elbow locks are joint lock submissions that hyperextend or hyperrotate the elbow joint, attacking the ligaments and tendons that hold the forearm to the upper arm. [1] The armbar (juji-gatame) — isolating the arm between the legs and hipping upward to hyperextend the elbow — is the most fundamental and highest-percentage elbow lock in all of grappling. Other elbow locks include the Americana (ude-garami with outward shoulder rotation), the kimura (ude-garami with inward rotation), the omoplata (shoulder lock using the legs), and various mounted, guard-based, and back-control armlock variations. [2,3] Elbow locks are the only joint locks permitted in judo (kansetsu-waza), reflecting their relative safety — the elbow provides clear pain feedback before structural failure, allowing controlled submission. [1] In BJJ, MMA, and ADCC, elbow locks are unrestricted at all levels.

Heel hooks are among the most powerful and dangerous joint lock submissions in grappling, attacking the knee's rotational ligaments (ACL, MCL, LCL, meniscus) by controlling the heel and twisting the lower leg while the upper leg is immobilized. [1,2] The inside heel hook rotates the foot inward (medially), primarily attacking the LCL and ACL; the outside heel hook rotates outward (laterally), primarily attacking the MCL. Heel hooks are considered the highest-danger submission in grappling because the knee's rotational ligaments provide minimal pain feedback before catastrophic tearing — opponents often suffer serious injury before feeling sufficient pain to tap. [1] Heel hooks are prohibited at most belt levels in IBJJF gi competition; they are legal in IBJJF no-gi at brown/black belt, in ADCC, and in MMA under Unified Rules. [3]

Hip locks target the coxofemoral (hip) joint by forcing extreme abduction, adduction, or rotation of the femur within the hip socket. [1,2] The hip is an inherently stable ball-and-socket joint with deep muscular support, making hip locks among the least common submissions in competition. Techniques include the electric chair (forcing hip abduction from lockdown half guard), hip compression locks from certain leg entanglements, and various hip-rotation attacks from back control or saddle positions. [3,4] Hip locks are legal in most competition formats since they are not specifically prohibited, but their rarity reflects the difficulty of isolating and attacking such a well-protected joint.

The kneebar is a joint lock that hyperextends the knee by isolating the opponent's leg and using the hips as a fulcrum against the knee joint, similar to how an armbar uses the hips against the elbow. [1,2] The attacker controls the opponent's lower leg (typically hugging it to the chest) and bridges or hip-extends to straighten the knee beyond its anatomical range, stressing the ACL, PCL, and posterior knee capsule. Kneebars are entered from leg entanglements (ashi garami positions), from top positions when passing, and as transitions from other leg attacks. [3] In IBJJF competition, kneebars are restricted to brown and black belt in no-gi; in ADCC and MMA, they are unrestricted.

The Leg Lock family encompasses all joint lock submissions targeting the hip, knee, or ankle joints of the lower extremity — including heel hooks, kneebars, toe holds, calf slicers, and straight ankle locks. [1] Once considered a secondary or even disreputable area of BJJ (traditionalists called leg lockers 'lazy' for attacking the legs instead of passing guard), leg locks underwent a dramatic renaissance in the 2010s through the work of John Danaher and the Danaher Death Squad (Gordon Ryan, Garry Tonon, Eddie Cummings, Nicky Ryan), who demonstrated that a systematic approach to leg entanglements could dominate the world's best grapplers. [1,2] The modern leg lock game is built around the ashi garami positional hierarchy — a system of leg entanglement positions (inside sankaku, outside ashi, 50/50, cross ashi) from which specific submissions are applied based on the control configuration. [2,3] Heel hooks — particularly the inside heel hook — are now considered the most dangerous and highest-percentage submission in no-gi grappling, capable of destroying the knee's ligaments (ACL, MCL, meniscus) with minimal force and warning. [3]

The Neck Lock family covers joint lock submissions that target the cervical spine through cranking, twisting, or compressing the neck beyond its normal range of motion — among the most dangerous and controversial techniques in grappling. [1] Unlike chokes that restrict blood or air flow, neck cranks attack the vertebral joints and surrounding ligaments of the cervical spine, causing intense pain and the risk of serious spinal injury including disc herniation, vertebral fracture, and nerve damage. [1,2] The most well-known neck cranks include the can opener (pulling the head forward from inside guard), the Twister (10th Planet spinal crank from the Truck position), the neck crank from back control, and various cervical spine attacks from cradle positions. [2,3] Due to the severity of potential injuries, neck cranks are banned or restricted in many competition formats — they are illegal in IBJJF gi competition, controversial in no-gi, and permitted in MMA and some submission grappling formats. [3]

Shoulder locks are submissions that attack the glenohumeral joint (shoulder socket) by forcing the arm into extreme internal rotation, external rotation, or abduction. [1,2] The shoulder is the most mobile joint in the body, which makes it vulnerable to rotational attacks from multiple angles. Primary shoulder locks include the kimura (ude-garami with inward rotation), the Americana (ude-garami with outward rotation), the omoplata (using the legs to rotate the shoulder), and various hammerlock and chicken wing variations. [1] Shoulder locks are effective from virtually every grappling position — mount, guard, side control, back control, half guard, and standing. [3,4] They also serve as powerful positional tools: a threatened kimura grip can be used to sweep, take the back, or transition to other submissions even when the lock itself doesn't finish.

Spine locks target the vertebral column — cervical, thoracic, or lumbar spine — by applying compression, torsion, or hyperextension forces to the spinal segments. [1,2] These are among the most dangerous submission techniques because the spinal cord and nerve roots are directly at risk; structural damage to the spine can cause paralysis or death. Spine locks include the twister (lateral spinal rotation), can opener (cervical compression), Boston crab (lumbar hyperextension), and various neck cranks that primarily target vertebral structures. [3] Due to extreme injury risk, spine locks are heavily restricted in competition: IBJJF prohibits cervical locks at all levels; judo prohibits all spinal attacks; ADCC and MMA permit some spine lock variations. [4,5] Spine locks applied by slamming or spiking are universally prohibited.

Wrist locks target the radiocarpal and midcarpal joints of the wrist, applying hyperflexion, hyperextension, radial deviation, ulnar deviation, or rotational (pronation/supination) force to submit the opponent. [1,2] The wrist is relatively fragile compared to larger joints and has a small range of motion, making wrist locks effective but quick to cause injury. Common wrist lock categories include flexion locks (bending the wrist toward the forearm), extension locks (gooseneck, bending backward), figure-four wrist locks, and rotational (Z-lock, torsion) variations. [3,4] Wrist locks are legal in IBJJF from blue belt and above, legal in ADCC and MMA, but prohibited in judo competition. In aikido (kote-gaeshi, nikkyo, sankyo), wrist locks are central techniques. [2,5]