If you have experience training grappling-based martial arts like Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, or Sambo, you’ve probably noticed that joint locks can be more challenging to pull off than chokes.

Armbars, kimuras, and leg locks are a substantial part of grappling-based martial arts, but they sometimes aren’t as effective as choking techniques like the rear naked choke (RNC). This raises the question of whether joint locks are effective in self-defense situations. The answer to that question is “it depends.” This article will explore why that’s the case.

Understanding Joint Locks

Joint locks make a lot of sense in theory. They work by isolating and hyperextending joints, forcing recipients to submit or risk injury.

Some of the ways joint locks can be effective in self-defense scenarios include:

• Gives You Control Without Any Strikes: Punching your opponent’s face isn’t always the best solution in self-defense situations. A joint lock can sometimes help neutralize a threat without escalating to throwing strikes. For example, you probably don’t want to strike a drunk patron at a bar who randomly picks a fight with you. Taking them down and applying a joint lock, like an Americana, can be enough to force compliance if they engage. Some law enforcement agencies use joint locks for this specific purpose.
• Provides Leverage: Joint locks rely on leverage, not brute force, allowing smaller, weaker people to use them against larger opponents.
• Legal And Ethical Considerations: The reality of how most legal systems work is that causing visible harm to someone can get you in trouble even if you aren’t the aggressor. Joint locks and other submissions allow you to end altercations without causing damage when done correctly.

The Real-World Challenges Of Using Joint Locks For Self-Defense

While joints shine in combat sports like mixed martial arts and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, real fights are very different from rolling on the mat at a dojo.

Some of the reasons why joint locks often fall short in self-defense situations include:

1) Often Falters Under The Chaos Of Real Fights

Joint locks are generally more complicated to secure during the chaos of a real fight, where combatants are supercharged with adrenaline. There are no padded floors in the real world, ruling out some of the most effective joint locks like armbars and leg locks unless the idea of rolling around on concrete doesn’t bother you.

You generally don’t want to spend any time in the bottom guard position in real fights since your attacker may pick you up and slam you “Rampage Jackson style.” Such vicious slams leave fighters unconscious on the padded canvas used for MMA contests, so you can imagine how devastating they would be on a concrete floor.

2) Not Effective Against Significantly Stronger Opponents

If you’ve ever trained grappling arts like BJJ, you’ve probably noticed how much harder it is to secure joint locks against stronger opponents than chokes. Secure a rear-naked choke around anyone’s neck, and it’s only a matter of time before they tap, regardless of size and strength.

Attackers stronger than you will generally have an easier time escaping joint locks like Kimuras than they would getting out of chokes like the guillotine, anaconda, or RNC.

3) Not Appropriate For Multiple Attackers

This applies to most grappling techniques. Joint locks take time to secure, which leaves you vulnerable to other attackers. Time is sometimes a luxury you don’t have in self-defense situations, so you should train striking-based martial arts like Muay Thai to learn effective ways to end fights quickly. Boxing, Muay Thai, and Kickboxing are better suited for self-defense scenarios that involve multiple attackers.

4) Increased Pain Tolerance Caused By Adrenaline

Adrenaline can impact how self-defense situations play out. It isn’t uncommon for people not to feel pain once “fight or flight” kicks in, especially when under the influence of substances like alcohol, which means the discomfort caused by joint locks might not be enough to force compliance in some situations.

Understanding Why Chokes Are More Effective

Chokes typically outperform joint locks in self-defense situations and combat sports like MMA. Most submission victories in mixed martial arts have come via rear-naked choke.

Some of the reasons why you should focus more on securing chokes if you have to defend yourself include:

• Ends The fight: Submissions like the RNC were developed to put opponents to sleep in seconds whether they want to or not. In many cases, simply squeezing a bit is enough to give your attacker a change of heart.
• Speed: Techniques like rear naked, bulldog, and guillotine chokes are much quicker and easier to secure in battle. For example, your attacker’s head will be in perfect position for a guillotine choke if they try to wrestle you to the ground – as long as they don’t have good takedown technique and keep their head facing down as they shoot in.
• Universal Effectiveness: It doesn’t matter if your attacker is sober, drunk, or on psychoactive drugs if you secure a choke. They’re going to sleep, simple. Chokes are reliable tools in any situation. When used correctly, chokeholds are one of the most effective ways to subdue attackers without causing permanent damage.

Practical Joints For Self-Defense

While joint locks aren’t as effective chokes for self-defense, that doesn’t make them completely useless. Some of the most effective joint locks for self-defense include:

• Standing Wrist Locks: Standing wristlocks are sometimes frowned upon in grappling spaces and are sometimes viewed as “dirty” techniques. However, they can be effective in self-defense against attackers pushing or pulling you with extended arms.
• Kimura: While you never want to end up on your back in self-defense situations, the kimura is one of your options if you find yourself in bottom guard. You can use it to create space to escape or sweep. You can also force compliance once it is secured.
• Straight Armbar: Straight armbars can be effective from dominant positions like top mount.

The Verdict: Joint Locks Have Their Place, But Chokes Are More Effective

Joint locks can be ineffective in self-defense situations, but chokes should be your first option. The best techniques for self-defense are those that you have drilled so many times you could pull them off if you were half asleep. But most important remember, if possible avoid at all cost; only engage when you have no other choice.

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