Hapkido Joint Locks

Hapkido is well-known for its effective and extensive use of joint locks during training. Therefore, this page attempts to examine a wide variety of Hapkido joint locks. In Hapkido, joint locks are categorized by the joints that they attack. For the upper body, there are wrist locks, elbow locks, shoulder locks, finger locks as well as arm-bars. Leg locks and ankle locks are also practiced in Hapkido.

When applying joint locks in Hapkido, it is important to keep your balance and to use your strength against your opponent’s weakness. A person has an optimal area of control that forms a box in front of their body. This box ranges from your shoulders to the hanging elbows and is approximately the length of your forearms and hands plus 15 cm (6 inches). When applying joint locks, you want to apply locks in this area of control. Ideally, you want your opponent to have their hands outside their area of control and you have disrupted their balance. To keep yourself “centered” requires more than keeping your center of balance over feet, it also requires a good breathing technique in order to apply your locks smoothly and accurately.

Examples of Hapkido Joint Locks

1. Hapkido Armbar - Under The Arm
2. Hapkido Armbar Over
3. Hapkido Wrist Locking - Outer or V Lock
4. Hapkido Wrist Lock - S Lock or Z Arm
5. Hapkido Wrist Lock - Reverse Handshake
6. Hapkido Wrist Lock - Inner Wrist

References

1. Scott Shaw Joint Locks , http://www.scottshaw.com/jointlocks.html, Added - 10/08/14
2. Black Belt magazine Hapkido Z-Arm/S-Arm Wrist Lock to Takedown, http://www.blackbeltmag.com/daily/traditional-martial-arts-training/hapkido/hapkido-z-arm-s-arm-wrist-lock-to-takedown/, Added - 10/08/14
3. Andrew Walsh Leg Locks in the Real World, http://www.walshtkd.com/Walshtkd.com/Resources_files/Leg%20locks%20article.pdf, Added - 10/08/14
4. Alain Burrese Lock On Volume 1: Wrist Locks, http://www.aikiproductions.com/lock-on-vol1-wrist-locks/, Added - 10/08/14
5. Hapkido Youtube clip Independance Prod, http://youtu.be/hTo8OA7sUzc, Added - 10/08/14