Hammerlock

What This Is

The hammerlock is a shoulder submission applied by folding the opponent’s arm behind their back — the arm is bent at the elbow with the forearm pointing upward behind the back, and then the wrist and elbow are driven upward toward the shoulder blades, loading the shoulder in internal rotation and extension simultaneously.

The submission is in the kimura family because both attacks load the shoulder in internal rotation — the kimura rotates the arm in front of the body; the hammerlock rotates it behind the back. The structural target is the same (the anterior shoulder capsule, rotator cuff, and glenohumeral joint), but the approach and the control position are reversed.

The hammerlock appears most commonly when the opponent’s arm is pinned behind their body — either because they are face-down and one arm is trapped under them, because they are turning and one arm is late to move, or because the attacker has achieved back control and can force the arm behind the opponent while still maintaining the hold.

Disambiguation — Hammerlock vs Chicken Wing (wrestling ride): In wrestling, the “chicken wing” is a ride and control used in folkstyle to turn opponents — the trapped arm is held in the behind-the-back position as a control while the wrestler works to score exposure points. The chicken wing ride is a positional tool; the hammerlock is the submission applied when that arm position is exploited as a joint lock. A separate page covers the Chicken Wing Ride: see Chicken Wing Ride.

Safety First

Apply incrementally. The hammerlock’s finish direction (wrist up the back) can progress quickly. Always apply with the free hand available for tapping; if the trapped arm cannot tap, verbal tap must be agreed in advance.

The Invariable in Action

The shoulder in internal rotation behind the back has a relatively small range before the structures are loaded. The hammerlock begins near this limit by definition — the arm is already behind the back, which already represents moderate internal rotation. The submission is not starting from a neutral position and then travelling into the range; it begins near the limit and drives past it. This is why the hammerlock can cause injury with very small increments of wrist elevation.

The arm must be behind the opponent’s back and isolated before the submission can be completed. An arm that can return to the front of the body — by the opponent rolling, turning, or pulling the arm free — is not yet isolated. Pinning the opponent face-down or controlling the shoulder to prevent the arm from coming forward is the isolation requirement. The arm behind the back is the isolated position; the attacker must maintain it.

The opponent can resist the hammerlock by keeping the elbow close to the hip and the wrist near the lower back. This creates muscle resistance from the shoulder girdle. Disrupting this resistance — by pressing the opponent’s shoulder into the mat from above, by controlling both the elbow and the wrist to prevent resistance rotation, or by using body weight to limit the opponent’s shoulder mobility — is the prerequisite for efficient force application.

Setup and Entry

From Side Control — Opponent Face-Down

When the opponent is face-down and one arm is resting behind their back (a common position when turning in to avoid a rear mount), the attacker has direct access to the hammerlock. The attacker grips the opponent’s wrist with one hand and the near elbow with the other, applying upward pressure on the wrist while controlling the elbow to prevent it from flaring out. The opponent’s back is the mat; the attacker’s body weight prevents the opponent from rolling.

From Back Control — Arm Forced Behind

With back control established, the attacker can force one arm behind the opponent’s body — particularly when the opponent is defending the rear naked choke by keeping their arms in front. The attacker captures the wrist and folds the arm behind the opponent’s back while maintaining the body triangle or hooks. The shoulder lock appears mid-sequence in a back control attack chain.

From the Guard Recovery / Scramble

When the opponent is turning to face away after a failed submission attempt or during a scramble, one arm often arrives naturally behind their back as they turn. Catching this transitional arm position — before the opponent completes the turn and returns the arm to the front — is the opportunistic hammerlock entry. The window is brief; the attacker must recognise and react quickly.

Finish Mechanics

With the arm bent behind the back (forearm pointing up the back), wrist and elbow both controlled:

Pin the shoulder from above. Press the opponent’s shoulder into the mat using body weight or the opposite hand. Reducing the shoulder’s ability to rotate forward and upward removes the opponent’s primary resistance mechanism.

Drive the wrist up the back. Elevate the opponent’s wrist toward their shoulder blades — the direction of internal rotation end-range. Do not yank; drive slowly and steadily. Each centimetre of wrist elevation increases the shoulder internal rotation load significantly.

Control the elbow simultaneously. The elbow must not flare out (away from the body) during the wrist drive. An elbow that flares creates a different loading angle and may shift the stress to the elbow rather than the shoulder. Keep the elbow pointing toward the mat.

The tap comes from the shoulder reaching its internal rotation limit under load. The sensation is in the front and top of the shoulder.

Defence and Escape

Return the arm to the front before the wrist is elevated. The primary escape is not allowing the arm to remain behind the back. If the opponent can bring the elbow forward and toward the hip before the submission is engaged, the hammerlock is not available. Maintain arm-in-front posture when defending from side control or the back.

Roll away from the trapped arm. Rolling toward the free arm — away from the trapped shoulder — can sometimes free the arm from the behind-the-back position if the attacker’s control is not established yet. Combine with sitting up to prevent the roll-through from being stuffed.

Elbow to hip. If the arm is caught behind the back, driving the elbow toward the hip (against the body) shortens the lever and reduces the range the attacker can drive the wrist upward. The elbow close to the hip limits the submission travel distance. This is a stall, not an escape — combine with a positional escape attempt.

Tap with the free hand. If the hammerlock is complete and the shoulder is being loaded, tap with the free hand immediately. The trapped arm cannot always tap effectively in this position.

Common Errors — and Why They Fail

Drilling Notes

Systematic Approach

Phase 1 — position identification. From side control with cooperative partner face-down, practise folding the near arm behind the back and finding both wrist and elbow grip. No pressure. Confirm the elbow points toward the mat and the forearm is vertical.

Phase 2 — shoulder pin. With arm gripped, practise pressing the shoulder into the mat. Checkpoint: can the partner roll toward the free arm? If yes, the shoulder pin is insufficient.

Phase 3 — wrist elevation at minimal force. Drive the wrist one or two centimetres upward. Partner feels the shoulder loading. Confirm the loading is at the shoulder, not the elbow. Partner taps early.

Phase 4 — entry from transition. From a scramble where the partner turns face-down, practise catching the arm in the behind-the-back position. The entry is the skill; the finish follows from Phase 3 work.

Ability Level Guidance

Ruleset Context

Also Known As

Related Pages