Glossary /// Alias
Medial knee compression defence
Also known as Aoki Lock Escape — the canonical term used on this site.
Anatomical — compression on the inside of the knee
Medial knee compression defence is the anatomical name for Aoki lock defence, describing the target precisely: the inside of the knee loaded in compression.
Etymology. The clinical phrasing separates this from the rotational knee attacks of the heel hook family. Both threaten the medial structures, but compression and torsion feel different and warn differently, which is worth naming.
Mechanics. The knee has very little tolerance on the medial line, so the interval between pressure and damage is short and the honest answer is early. Squaring the hips removes the compressive angle before it can accumulate; there is no late-stage stall worth exploring here.
Cross-reference. “Reverse ashi knee lock escape” is the configuration name. Full escape coverage on Aoki Lock Escape.