Radial-Deviation

SubFamily

橈側偏位(Tōsoku Hen'i)

Traditional

Translation: radial deviation

Overview

Radial deviation wrist locks bend the wrist laterally toward the thumb side (radial side), stressing the ulnar collateral ligament and the ulnar-side wrist structures. ^[1] These are less common than flexion or extension wrist locks but can be applied effectively from grip fighting situations and guard positions. ^[2],[3]

Also known as

Radial Wrist Lock^[1]Radial Deviation Lock^[2]

Used in

BJJ Judo Submission Grappling MMA Sambo

History & Origin

Radial deviation techniques are found in various Japanese martial arts systems, particularly in grip-breaking and weapon-disarming contexts. ^[1],[2],[3]

Effectiveness

Radial deviation locks twist the wrist laterally toward the thumb side, attacking the radial ligaments. ^[1]

Lineage

Radial deviation wrist locks appear in aikido, jūjutsu, and self-defence systems. ^[1]

Competition Record

Radial deviation locks are occasionally used as surprise wrist lock submissions in BJJ and MMA. ^[1]

Images

No images yet for this technique.

Biomechanical Mechanism

Primary Action — Forced flexion, extension, or rotation of the wrist beyond its normal range of motion

Joints Involved — Radiocarpal joint (wrist), intercarpal joints, distal radioulnar joint

Force Vector — Two-point control — one hand stabilises the forearm while the other drives the wrist into flexion, extension, or deviation

Vulnerability — Small joint with limited muscular protection makes it susceptible to sudden, low-force submissions

Position & Entry

From any grip exchange — During grip fighting, isolate the opponent's wrist with two-on-one control and apply sudden flexion or rotation

From guard (gi) — When opponent posts a hand on the mat or chest, trap the wrist and apply downward pressure for the wrist lock

From mount or side control — Opponent posts to escape, trap the wrist against the mat and apply the lock

Videos

No videos yet

Help build this encyclopedia by suggesting a relevant video.

Learn This Technique

No instructional courses yet for this technique.

Ratings

Danger Rating

Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to

High5/10

Wrist lock variant targeting carpal and radioulnar joints through forced deviation or torsion

Difficulty

Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably

Advanced

Competition Legality

Whether this technique is allowed under major competition rule sets

Illegal

— kansetsu-waza

IJF Sport and Organisation Rules 2025, Article 27PDF

Legal

— IBJJF — Legal at all belt levels

IBJJF Rules Book v6.0, June 2024PDF

— ADCC — Legal — all submissions legal in ADCC

ADCC Rules Update, April 2025PDF

— Unified MMA — Legal submission technique

Unified Rules of MMA, August 2025PDF

— FIAS Sport Sambo — Legal

FIAS International Sambo Competition RulesPDF

— FIAS Combat Sambo — Legal

FIAS Combat Sambo RulesPDF

Training Notes

✓Radial deviation wrist lock bends the hand toward the thumb side — attacking the wrist from the lateral direction by forcing the thumb toward the inner forearm (Danaher, New Wave Jiu Jitsu, 2020)

✓This lock is less intuitive than flexion or extension but extremely painful: the wrist has very limited range of motion in radial deviation, making the lock effective with minimal movement

✓Radial deviation appears in aikido's yonkyo technique: pressure on the radial nerve combined with lateral wrist bending creates both pain compliance and structural threat

✓The lock is applied by gripping the opponent's hand and bending it thumb-side-first toward the forearm — the limited range means the submission happens quickly

✓Radial deviation locks are often accidental: during scrambles, grip fighting, and wrist control, the hand is sometimes bent in this direction unintentionally

✓The radial deviation lock combines effectively with extension: bending the hand backward and toward the thumb side creates a compound lock that attacks multiple structures

✓In self-defence, radial deviation is used to control and redirect: twisting the wrist laterally while stepping off-line controls the attacker's balance through their wrist

Common Mistakes

!Not controlling the forearm — without forearm control, the opponent simply moves the entire arm to relieve the lateral bend

!Confusing radial and ulnar deviation — radial deviation bends toward the thumb; ulnar deviation bends toward the pinky; each attacks different structures

!Applying excessive force — the wrist has very little range in radial deviation; the lock can damage structures with surprisingly little force

!Not recognising the opportunity — radial deviation locks appear during specific grip configurations; learn to identify these moments

!Attempting with a single-hand grip — use both hands to control the hand and forearm for sufficient force and control

!Not combining with other wrist attacks — radial deviation defence often opens extension or flexion; flow between directions

!Training only radial deviation in isolation — it is most effective as part of a complete wrist lock system

Related Techniques

Tap (Submission Signal) — the safety mechanism indicating the technique is effective

Counter Techniques

Early Recognition — identify the submission attempt early and begin defence immediately Posture and Base — maintain strong posture and base to prevent submission setups Grip Fight — deny the attacker their preferred gripping configuration

Setup Chain

1Establish Position — achieve the controlling position needed for this submission

2Create the Threat — begin the submission setup to force a defensive reaction

3Secure the Hold — lock the submission grip with proper body mechanics

4Finish — apply increasing pressure until the opponent taps or the joint/choke takes effect

Sources & References

Primary Source

Daito-ryu — nikyo principle; Japanese sports medicine terminology

1OtherJapanese Martial Arts Community Terminology

Daito-ryu — nikyo principle; Japanese sports medicine terminology

2SyllabusKodokan Judo Institute — Official Waza Names

Standard Japanese martial arts terminology (kanji/hiragana)

3OtherJapanese Martial Arts Standard Terminology (武道用語)

Established Japanese martial arts naming convention — native Japanese term (和語/漢語)

4CitationDaito-ryu — nikyo principle; Japanese sports medicine terminology

Japanese terminology sourced from Daito-ryu — nikyo principle; Japanese sports medicine terminology

Community

Athletics

Requires

fine motor control, grip sensitivity, quick hand transitions

Favours

dexterous hands with strong fingers

Key muscles

forearm flexors and extensors, intrinsic hand muscles

Sub-techniques

From Clinch

Genus

The radial deviation wrist lock from the clinch applies sideways pressure to the wrist — bending it toward the thumb side (radial deviation) — while standing in a clinch position. [1,2] The attacker isolates the opponent's wrist during a clinch exchange, then applies lateral force to deviate the wrist beyond its natural radial range of motion. [1] The clinch provides body-to-body contact that prevents the opponent from simply pulling away, making the wrist lock more controllable than from distance. [1] This is a quick, opportunistic attack during standing grappling exchanges. [1,2]

Explore

From Closed Guard

Genus

The radial deviation wrist lock from closed guard applies sideways wrist pressure toward the thumb side while the attacker maintains closed guard control. [1,2] The attacker isolates the opponent's posting hand from inside closed guard, controls the wrist, and applies radial deviation — pushing the hand toward the thumb — while the guard prevents the opponent from posturing away. [1] This is an opportunistic attack when the opponent posts a hand inside the guard for balance, exposing the wrist to manipulation. [1] Closed guard provides the control needed to finish. [1,2]

Explore

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the Radial-Deviation work?

Radial deviation wrist locks bend the wrist laterally toward the thumb side (radial side), stressing the ulnar collateral ligament and the ulnar-side wrist structures. These are less common than flexion or extension wrist locks but can be applied effectively from grip fighting situations and guard positions.

Where does the Radial-Deviation come from?

Radial deviation techniques are found in various Japanese martial arts systems, particularly in grip-breaking and weapon-disarming contexts.

Is the Radial-Deviation legal in competition?

IBJJF: legal — Legal at all belt levels; IJF: banned — Only elbow joint locks (kansetsu-waza) permitted in judo — all other joint lo…; ADCC: legal — Legal — all submissions legal in ADCC; Unified MMA: legal — Legal submission technique; FIAS Sport Sambo: legal — Legal; FIAS Combat Sambo: legal — Legal

How dangerous is the Radial-Deviation?

Danger rating 5/10. Wrist lock variant targeting carpal and radioulnar joints through forced deviation or torsion

How do I set up the Radial-Deviation?

The standard setup chain: Establish Position → Create the Threat → Secure the Hold → Finish.

How do I defend against the Radial-Deviation?

Standard counters include: Early Recognition — identify the submission attempt early and begin defence immediately / Posture and Base — maintain strong posture and base to prevent submission setups / Grip Fight — deny the attacker their preferred gripping configuration.

What are the variants of the Radial-Deviation?

Common variants: Standard wrist lock (kote gaeshi) (two-handed rotational lock on the wrist); Gooseneck wrist lock (flexion lock bending the wrist down toward the forearm); Standing wrist lock (applied during grip fighting or a standing exchange); Ground wrist lock (catching the opponent's posted hand from mount, side cont…).

How effective is the Radial-Deviation in competition?

Radial deviation locks are occasionally used as surprise wrist lock submissions in BJJ and MMA.

What are common mistakes when doing the Radial-Deviation?

Top errors to watch for: Not controlling the forearm — without forearm control, the opponent simply moves the entire arm to relieve the latera… / Confusing radial and ulnar deviation — radial deviation bends toward the thumb; ulnar deviation bends toward the pink… / Applying excessive force — the wrist has very little range in radial deviation; the lock can damage structures with s… / Not recognising the opportunity — radial deviation locks appear during specific grip configurations; learn to identif….

What are other names for the Radial-Deviation?

The Radial-Deviation is also known as Tōsoku Hen'i, Radial Wrist Lock, Radial Deviation Lock.

radial deviation t soku hen i submission joint lock wrist lock radial wrist lock radial deviation lock