Armlocks

In grappling, an armlock is a single or double joint lock that hyperextends, hyperflexes or hyperrotates the elbow joint and/or shoulder joint. An armlock that hyperflexes or hyperrotates the shoulder joint is referred to as a shoulder lock, and an armlock that hyperextends the elbow joint is called an armbar. Depending on the joint flexibility and integrity of a person, armlocks that hyperrotate the shoulder joint can also hyperrotate the elbow joint, and vice versa. For the purpose of this listing, shoulderlocks, wristlocks, armbars and armlocks are all listed here.

Armbar
Also known as an arm wrench. The wrestler takes the opponents arm and twists it, putting pressure on the shoulder and elbow.

Arm wringer
An arm wringer, standing armbar or spinning wristlock is a move in which the wrestler grabs the opponent's arm by the wrist/arm and twists it over the wrestler's head to spin it around with enough force to take the opponent to the mat. The maneuver is a popular rest hold in American wrestling. Quite frequently the move is broken with an Irish Whip, turned into a hammerlock, or countered with a reverse elbow or eye rake/gouge.

Crucifix armbar
The wrestler holds an opponent's arm with his arms, pulling the arm across his chest. He is situated perpendicular to and behind the opponent. The wrestler then holds the other arm with his legs, stretching the shoulders back in a crucifying position and hyperextending the elbow.

This technique is also called a cross armbreaker or jujigatame, a term borrowed from Judo.

Tiger feint crucifix armbar
The opponent begins lying with their back on the bottom or second rope and facing into the ring. The wrestler runs towards the opponent and jumps through the second and top rope while holding on to the ropes, then swings around and grapevines the opponent's arms, applying a crucifix armbar.

Fujiwara armbar
A grounded armbar with the opponent lying on his belly, the aggressor lies on the opponent's back, at a 90° angle to him, putting some or all of his weight on the opponent to prevent him from moving. The opponent's arm is then hooked and pulled back into his body, stretching the forearms, biceps and pectoral muscles. Variations of this can include clasping the opponent's hand instead of hooking the upper arm, for extra leverage and bridging out, while performing the move to increase leverage and immobilize the opponent.

Headscissors armbar
The wrestler wraps his legs around the opponent's head, facing towards the opponent. He then grabs one of the opponent's arms and wrenches in backwards, causing pressure on the shoulder and elbow of the opponent. This can often be performed on a standing wrestler.

Scissored armbar
The wrestler approaches a face down opponent from the side. The wrestler then "scissors" (clasps) the near arm of the opponent with their legs and takes hold of the far arm of the opponent with both hands, forcing the opponent onto their side and placing stress on both shoulder joints, as well as making it harder for the opponent to breathe. This move can also be known as the Rings of Saturn.

Scissored armbar with crossface
A variation of the scissored armbar where the wrestler puts his opponent in a crossface rather than holding their far arm with both hands. This move can also be known as the Nagata Lock II.

Seated armbar
Known as Ashigatame in Japan and the pumphandle armbar in America. The wrestler sits on either side of an opponent who is lying prone on the mat, with the wrestler's legs scissoring one of the opponent's arms. The wrestler then grabs hold of the wrist of that arm, pulling it upwards, causing hyperextension of the shoulder and elbow.

Short arm scissors
The opponent is on their back, with the attacker sitting next to them and grabing the nearest arm. The attacker bends the opponent's arm upon itself and reaches through with his own, then places his nearest leg across the wrist of his opponent, grabbing his own ankle to lock the hold. The attacker pulls up with their arm while forcing the victim's wrist down with their leg, applying pressure to the victim's arm/elbow.

Chickenwing
The wrestler stands behind the opponent and hooks one of his arms so that both wrestlers' elbow joints are snug together and their arms are wrapped around one another. The wrestler then pulls the arm upward against the back of his opponent.

Bridging grounded double chickenwing
When an opponent is lying face down on the mat the wrestler locks a double chickenwing on their arms and then performs a forward roll into a bridging position further stressing the hold. This hold can also be known as the Cattle Mutilation.

Chickenwing arm lock
Also known as the Kimura after Masahiko Kimura. The wrestler lays on top of the opponent's torso, in a 90° angle. He or she then grabs hold of the opponent's wrist with his or her far hand (the one nearest to their waist) and pushes it behind the opponent's back. The wrestler then puts his other arm over the opponent's shoulder, reaches under the opponent's arm and grabs hold of his or her other wrist. The attacker uses both arms to pull the opponent's arm behind him or her into an unnatural position, causing pressure.

Crossface chickenwing
A chickenwing variation where the wrestler applies the chickenwing to one of the opponent's arms. The wrestler then uses his free arm to either push the arm and particularly its radius bone against the face of the opponent to cause pain, or wrap the arm around the neck of the opponent in a sleeper hold. The wrestler may also grasp his hands together in either variation.

Elevated double chickenwing
This maneuver sees the attacking wrestler hooks both of the opponent's arms and then pushes upward on the opponent's back, lifting them in the air in a torturous manner. Usually followed by the opponent being slammed to the mat.

Sitting double chickenwing
The wrestler stands in front of a seated opponent and reaches around with both arms, locking both of the opponent's arms into chickenwings and pushing his chest forward against the back of the opponent's head while pulling the opponent's arms upwards. This move can also be known as the WAR Special.

Hammerlock
The wrestler grabs his/her opponent's arm, pulling it around behind the opponent's back. This stretches the pectorals and shoulder joints, and immobilizes the arm. This is a legitimate controlling/debilitating hold, and is commonly used by police officers in the United States to subdue uncooperative persons for arrest. The free arm can also be used to apply a crossface, an inverted facelock or another manner of armlock to the opponent's other arm; from behind the opponent or stepping in front of them for even more options.

Suspended hammerlock with front facelock
A type of suspended hammerlock found in lucha libre as a finishing hold, often known as 'La Rosa. The attacker puts his opponent in a hammerlock and steps face to face with them, tucking the opponent's head underneath their free arm and lifting the victim so as they sit up on their thighs. An upside down variation of this move exists (where the opponent in the hammerlock is held upside down across the wrestler's knee), known as La Alejandrina.

Wrist lock
Also known as a top wristlock. The wrestler grasps a standing opponent's hand and twists backwards, placing pressure on the wrist. While this can inflict pain on its own it is most often used as a transition hold, leading into either a hammer lock, an elbow to the held arm, or kicks to the opponent's abdominal area.

Another form of wrist lock sometimes known as a figure four wristlock involves the wrestler (after applying the initial wrist lock with the left hand) threading their right arm through the gap the two arms provide, forming a '4', and providing leverage on the wristlock.

Belly to back wristlock
From behind a seated opponent, the wrestler grabs one of the opponent's elbows and pulls it up and backward toward himself. He then bends the wrist and traps the open palm of the opponent's hand against his chest, pulling on the elbow with both hands and thus putting pressure on the wrist. Also known as the Barely Legal, as named by Barry Darsow.

Belly to belly wristlock
Also known as the keylock or the Americana, this hold is very similar to the chickenwing arm lock except that the opponent's arm is bent the other way. The wrestler lays on top of the opponent's torso, in a 90° angle. He then grabs hold of the opponent's wrist with his near hand so that the opponent's hand is palm up and folded fully, and holds it down. He then reaches under the opponent's arm with his other arm and grabs hold of his other arm's wrist. He then forces the opponent's elbow upwards, bending the arm to an unnatural position. The wrestler can follow up on this by stepping over the opponent's head with the leg nearest to their head and apply pressure to the back of their head, adding a neck submission to the keylock.