Not even close to everything you ever wanted to know about locks, escapes and holds... ...but don't be afraid to ask.
One option for self defence in many circumstances is to control the opponents
or opponents by locking their joints. This has two components: catching/seizing, and
controlling. Seizing is easier if you are already contacting the opponents,
since you can sense their movement and use it to advantage. Controlling means
using pain and leverage to limit their options (hopefully to inhaling
suddenly and mentally giving up - since physical options are exhausted).
In critical circumstances, the control may be converted to damage (joint
dislocation, breaking, bone breaking, throwing, choking, vital point
attacks, slamming or power striking or kicking). It is better to avoid
permanent damage, so practice using your locks very well as
basic locks, so the escalation techniques are optional, rather than mandatory.
With more than one opponent, you may present yourself as a stationary
target by controlling one aggressor. To avoid this dangerous predicament,
you need to work on integrating lock into disabling opponents.
Vital point strikes may be used to assist in achieving the seize and control.
Catching/Seizing
Control is always applied initially to a joint, subsequently propagating
to more joints until the opponent's freedom to move is gone. The time
between your intention (or reaction) to sieze and the moment of control
needs to be both brief and unhurried. You need to know where you want to
sieze, in what direction you want to apply force, how much force, and
the kind of response (movement) you want. Angles of entry and contact
are specific to the situation, so in most cases, the options should be
noted mentally, beforehand - ie, practice this kind of mental pre-siezing
when you have nothing else to do, and there are other people about (but
don't manifest the actions physically). The amount and direction of
force must come from practice. The subtlty of siezing (stealthy
movement) requires a calm mind, and alert but relaxed body, and
many hours of practice.
Controlling
This is where you need a teacher. Basic controls may be applied to the
seized limb by a variety of leverages at selected joints. The stages
of learning are to start with knowing the weak angles, then the kinds
of motion that take you from seize to control. Finally, the fine
controls of subtle movement (to avoid giving away your intentions),
unbalancing and footwork, and internal (Ki) dynamics, turn the
mechanics into an art.
Practice.
Escapes
You may have locks or grabs applied to you. Escapes are more advanced
and rely on good sensing ability and agility. The central premise is to
yield to the lock-intention, and take that as the key to the way out
of trouble. Normally, a locked wrist has its effectiveness amplified
by control of the elbow (transmitted up the arm). By yielding, so that the
elbow moves the way it is pushed, you can convert the trouble into
a small circle which gives control back to you (and locks your opponent).
A simple example: (tba)
Tom Osborn