Alias · Armbar
Arm crank
Also known as Mir Lock — the canonical term used on this site.
Training background: Informal — this term is used for multiple rotational arm submissions; not specific to the Mir Lock
Informal — rotational arm submission family
Arm crank is an informal label for the Mir lock — and, more broadly, for several rotational arm submissions that load the elbow or shoulder via twisting rather than straight hyperextension.
Etymology. “Crank” is generic colloquial vocabulary for any rotational submission — neck cranks, arm cranks, shoulder cranks — distinct from straight-axis loading mechanisms (armbars, ankle locks). The label persists because the proprioceptive sensation of being cranked is mechanically distinct from being barred or bent; the term captures that distinction without committing to a specific technique. Precise vocabulary uses the technique name (Mir lock, kimura, americana) rather than the generic “arm crank.”
Mechanics. When the term refers to the Mir lock specifically, the configuration isolates the target arm and loads the shoulder against its natural range of rotation — the rotational vector is what distinguishes it from a straight-axis armbar.
Cross-reference. “Mir lock” is the canonical site label for this specific technique; “arm crank” can also refer to other rotational submissions in casual vocabulary. Full mechanical coverage on Mir Lock.