Behind-the-back shoulder lock defence

Behind-the-back shoulder lock defence is the descriptive name for hammerlock defence, naming the position of the trapped limb: the wrist driven up behind the defender’s own back.

Etymology. The phrase is plain-language rather than technical, and it is the form most people reach for when describing the position before they learn the wrestling term. It names the danger zone precisely — behind the back plane — which is what makes it useful as a defensive rule.

Mechanics. The rule follows from the name: never let the wrist travel behind the plane of your own back. Once it has, rolling away from the trapped shoulder and sitting up relieves the internal rotation, because the escape works by moving the torso rather than by fighting the grip on the wrist.

Cross-reference. Full escape coverage on Hammerlock Escape; the chicken wing is a related wrestling ride with its own entry.