- Andrew Zerling
- Mar 11
- 6 min read
During a match, a young grappler thinks he’s safely passing his opponent’s guard to get to a better position.
Then he feels an intense pain in his bent arm — like his muscles are about to explode. He’s forced to tap out even though he doesn’t know what just happened. The grappler learns that he was caught in a biceps slicer.
Many unwary martial artists have been lured into passing their opponent’s guard only to be caught with this move. The biceps slicer belongs to the family of submission techniques known as compression locks.
Also called muscle locks, muscle slicers and muscle crushers, this category is composed of devastating holds that inflict intense pain by pressing soft tissue (muscle or tendon) against bone.
In this tutorial, I will discuss three compression locks: the Achilles lock, the biceps slicer and the leg slicer. They’re taught in Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ), sambo and catch wrestling, but they’re considered unorthodox submission holds and, therefore, are not used often in training or competition.
For that reason, the application of any of them is bound to incorporate the element of surprise, which is never a bad thing in a contest.
ACHILLES LOCK
AKA: Achilles Hold, Achilles Squeeze
TECH DATA: The Achilles lock is probably the most commonly used compression lock. It induces intense pain by pressing the Achilles tendon against the lower-leg bone or ankle. In general, that happens when you sink the bony part of your forearm into your opponent’s Achilles tendon while using your foot and leg to immobilize him and boost leverage.
When you use the Achilles lock, think of the trapped ankle like a miniature neck that you’re attacking with a guillotine choke. Along with the heel hook and toehold, the Achilles lock is a staple of leg-lock specialists because of its effectiveness. That makes it a valuable addition to your arsenal.
TRIVIA NOTE: The Achilles lock is detailed in The Canon of Judo, by Kyuzo Mifune. Called ashi-hishigi in the judo world, it’s categorized as a joint lock (kansetsu waza), but it’s not part of the Kodokan Judo Institute’s curriculum.
BICEPS SLICER
AKA: Biceps Lock, Biceps Crusher
TECH DATA: The biceps slicer induces instant agony by driving the biceps muscle into the humerus bone, which constitutes the upper part of the arm. Ideally, it’s applied by inserting the shin or forearm into the gap created when your opponent’s arm is folded, then pressing the sharp edge of the bone against his biceps.
The trapped arm is compressed even more to up the pressure on the muscle. The biceps slicer benefits from the element of surprise because when they’re faced with the not-yet-completed technique, most martial artists will be preoccupied with possible hyperextension or hyper-rotation of the arm and thus won’t be ready to defend against the compression lock.
TRIVIA NOTE: If your opponent believes he’s perceptive enough to detect and then resist an arm hyperextension, you can bend the limb into position for a biceps slicer in a heartbeat. Conversely, if he fights against your biceps slicer, you can transition to an arm lock that goes with the flow as he resists.
LEG SLICER
AKA: Calf Slicer, Thigh Crusher
TECH DATA: The leg slicer causes its incredible hurt by crushing the calf and/or thigh into the bones of the leg. Ideally, you fold your foe’s leg and insert your shin or forearm into the gap while positioning the bony edge of your limb against the muscle. Compress the bent leg a bit more and you’ll create great pressure on the leg muscles as they get squeezed between the leg bones. As with the aforementioned techniques, the leg slicer can take advantage of the element of surprise because during the lead-up, most martial artists will be concerned with avoiding hyperextension or hyper-rotation of their leg.
TRIVIA NOTE: If your opponent is sharp enough to resist what he thinks is an impending hyperextension of the leg (such as a kneebar), you can bend his leg into a leg slicer. And if he fights what he thinks will be a leg slicer, you can transition to a kneebar.
7 KEYS TO SUCCESS
An effective compression lock hinges on your ability to execute seven points correctly. Seven of them are critical. They build on each other, so it’s best to learn them in order.
Opportunity Presents Itself: You must make the limb available to attack. In the case of the biceps slicer and leg slicer, that limb must first be bent. For the Achilles lock, you’ll need to have your opponent’s foot floating near your ribs to make securing the leg easier.
Thin Part Goes in First: When you’re inserting a limb for a biceps slicer or leg slicer, make sure you place the thinnest part of that limb near the flexed joint. That will enable you to easily tighten the lock by rotating and then pulling said limb. For the Achilles lock, position the bony part of your wrist on the Achilles tendon, not your meaty forearm.
Make the Attack Perpendicular: For maximum effectiveness in all these compression locks, ensure that your inserted limb is oriented at 90 degrees to the limb you’re attacking.
Control the Lock: Because your opponent will be resisting, you’ll need to maintain a solid grip on the flexed limb as you execute the biceps slicer and leg slicer. For the Achilles lock, concentrate on using your legs to control your opponent’s leg by pinching them together. That will minimize thrashing.
Work at the End: For the biceps slicer and leg slicer, compress the muscle at the end of the limb for maximum effectiveness. For the Achilles lock, position your forearm at the end of your opponent’s ankle (low on the leg). That will enable you to attack the Achilles tendon instead of the calf muscle.
Not Tight Is Not Right: For all three locks, try to eliminate gaps. Get your body in tight. There should be no empty spaces between your attacking limb and your opponent’s attacked limb.
Use Your Entire Body: Think “body unification” when applying any of these compression locks. For the biceps slicer and leg slicer, add a rotation and pull to achieve a superior lock. For the Achilles, rotate your wrist slightly to dig your radius bone into the tendon. If your right wrist is on the tendon, rotate your wrist slightly clockwise. For all the techniques, use your whole body, especially your bridging hips, for maximum power.
MEDICAL IMPLICATIONS
Dr. Joseph Estwanik, M.D., was the ringside physician during the early years of the UFC. The orthopedic surgeon is the author of Sports Medicine for the Combat Arts, which means he knows all about compression locks and their medical implications.
What possible injuries are associated with compression locks?
Estwanik: When the muscle or tendon is forcibly pressed against the bone — as typically happens with these locks — if you don’t tap out from the extreme pain, various degrees of bruising will occur.
Bruising is internal bleeding that can be seen by discoloration of the skin. Even though there is great pressure, the muscle or tendon will not normally sustain a complete tear or rupture from these types of locks; however, other more serious complications could occur if the injury is more substantial.
Collateral damage transferred to the adjacent or surrounding joints and bones is a great possibility. Using the Achilles lock, where the foot is often the lever to the lock, damage to the midfoot ligaments and bones could occur.
While using the biceps slicer or leg slicer, the elbow, knee or surrounding bones could be damaged, including torn ligaments, dislocation or bone fractures.
What’s the recommended treatment for an injury that stems from a compression lock?
Estwanik: Treatment varies. For minor injuries, bruising will occur, so ice — never heat — should be applied to the bruise. Icing a bruise will limit bruising and help the body heal the injury. Anti-inflammatories like Motrin can be taken, as well.
For recovery from severe bruising, perform non-forceful progressive range-of-motion movements so stiffness does not occur. More serious injuries, such as to the joints or bones, should be examined by a physician.
A competent physician familiar with the mechanisms of injury within the martial arts will look completely up and down the chain of the injury for other problems. Injuries to the joints or bones may require surgery and could take many months to heal.
Considering these possible outcomes to an injury from a compression lock, control and safety should definitely be kept in mind when applying these locks in training.
CONCLUSION
In MMA bouts, compression locks are seldom used to end fights. They’re used much more often in submission-grappling competitions to elicit a tapout. Their use is often limited to the advanced divisions in submission-grappling events because of the above-mentioned dangers, which are more likely to afflict the inexperienced.
One reason compression locks are used infrequently in MMA is they’re specialized and unorthodox. Most mixed martial artists would be better off relying on high-percentage submissions like the rear-naked choke and armbar. In grappling, however, competitors tend to have more submission tools in their toolbox.
That fact, coupled with the absence of strikes, means you have a much greater chance of seeing a compression lock in action. Incorporating the three locks described here into your grappling arsenal will increase your submission-hunting ability.
They can be employed from a variety of positions on the mat, making them a real threat that’s often totally unexpected. As you practice them, remember the cautionary words of Dr. Joseph Estwanik. No one wants to inflict a serious injury on a training partner.
Finally, even if you never use a compression lock, the knowledge you’ve gained from this article will help you avoid being submitted by one of them.
As in all martial arts, knowing the nature of the threat you face is essential to being victorious.
