KerwinBenson.com Hidden Gems of Martial Arts

Have you ever thought the same?

In other words,they were impressed with what you could do with wrist locks.

Now, I give a mini-demonstration, and then I tell them to go out and buy my book, if there is a local martial arts store. As of this writing, Wrist Locks: is not being carried in a lot of general bookstores around the country -- on purpose!

Before I tell you why wrist locks do indeed work...

The claim that wrist locks don't work is about as silly as those who say that trapping (hand immobilization while striking) doesn't work either.

The people who say that it doesn't work are the ones who can't make it work. Get it?

They haven't figured it out, so they wrongly conclude that no trapping (or wrist lock) could ever work. And the Earth is flat too.

Often, they'll stick their feet even further in their mouths (and not with an impressive kick) by saying that the statement must be true, because noone has ever been able to trap them (or effect a wrist lock). Yes, people really believe this ca-ca.

These are the folks who are ripe for some of the sucker moves found in this book. For example, you can get them to over compensate in the opposite direction almost every time.

They think that they're being difficult by resisting, when actually you are suckering them to go in the direction that you wanted them to go in the first place.

So, What's the Problem?

No problem. I should just let these myths run rampant. That way there really will be secrets in the martial arts....

Instead of Attack by Trapping (one of Bruce Lee's five ways of attack), it will become the Secrets of Trapping. No more will you study The Art of Wrist Locking. Instead you'll have to learn The Lost Secrets of the Wrist Lock.

All kidding aside, there are a lot of components that go into successful execution of any technique.

You have to worry (until you learn to react automatically) about timing, distance, body positions, line of attack, center line theory, your opponent's other weapons, etc....

Usually the problems usually arise on "when" of execution. Ineffective wrist lockers try to wrist lock by directly taking a fast punch. Or they try to wrist lock on an already tensed muscle (without loosening them up or distracting them first).

How to do a Bad Wrist Lock

Recently, I was reading information from one of the other sites on wrist locks. Unfortunately, he starts with an almost believable argument before he veers off in the wrong direction:

He talks about it being important when to try a wrist lock. --Good man.

Then he talks about the importance of the proper technique. --Another plus for the old boy.

Then he talks about the difficulty of taking a wrist lock from an opponent's punch. -- Sound thinking.

--BUT THEN--

He concludes that you can never take a punch into a wrist lock. --Whoah boy. Hold the horses.

In fact, his friend had never had his jab checked in 28 years of doing martial arts --it is just too fast. ----Wanna Bet? ;-)

What does he mean by "never"?

Maybe he meant not directly --nope, he meant never.

Ugh. I started brainstorming a quick list of "in-between" techniques that would definitely lead into a successful wrist lock from a punch:

Check to the outside of the opponent's arm while simultaneously punching--then flow into a wrist lock.

Use that same check to end with an arm bar (small plug: both of these techniques can be found in my book).

How about a bent wing arm (bong sao) to deflect that jab -- you could "stick" at any point, and then flow into...you guessed it ...a wrist lock.

How about kicking the shins while he tries to punch (did you recognize the Bruce Lee influence again?) --then after he has slowed down, maybe you secure an arm or two with a trap (you know, the one that doesn't work) --then end with a wrist lock.

Heck, you could even through a handful of dirt or pebbles into the guys face then conrtrol the arm, and end with a........ oh yawn, you get the idea.

I don't know if this guy, and many others like him, are just mentally lazy (I could keep coming up with even more ways), or if they haven't been trained by a genius (credit for safe moves and creative thinking goes to my teacher, Steve Golden).

Oh well, that's why I'm here.

It's unfortunate that some never learn to make their joint locks and arm bars effective.

I hope you do what it takes to master wrist locks.