Glossary /// Alias
Cross-centreline shoulder lock escape
Also known as Choi Bar Escape — the canonical term used on this site.
Descriptive — the arm dragged past the midline
Cross-centreline shoulder lock escape is the descriptive name for defending the Choi bar, an attack that begins by dragging an arm across the defender’s own midline before the lock is applied.
Etymology. The label names the precondition rather than the finish, which is deliberate: the Choi bar is unfamiliar enough that a defender is more likely to recognise the setup than the completed lock. “Cross-centreline” is what to watch for.
Mechanics. Arm discipline defeats it outright — an arm kept on its own half of the body cannot be fed into the lock. Once the wrist is captured, re-bending the elbow stops the rotational transfer through the shoulder, and a sit-out rebuilds guard before the fulcrum closes.
Cross-reference. Full escape coverage on Choi Bar Escape, which sets out the centreline rule the whole defence rests on.