Rory Miller Simplifies Joint Locks on DVD

“Joint locks are stupid easy,” says Rory Miller.

However, he goes on to say that we (martial artists) complicate them.

A corrections officer and author with more than 30 years of martial arts experience, he breaks down joint locks in this 60-minute DVD called Joint Locks by Rory Miller.

3 Types of Joint Locks

Hinge joints require that you put pressure on just above the joint and not directly on it. These joints are elbows, knees, fingers and toes.

Ball-and-socket joint examples are the shoulders, hips, and the base of the fingers and thumbs. Bend them 90 degrees, then turn like a water faucet.

Finally, gliding joints are the wrist and neck. The best way to lock these is to bend and twist.

I was unsure what to expect with this DVD.

If you were expecting to learn 300 different types of wrist locks, this DVD is not for you.

Instead, be prepared to learn the principles to both apply and escape from various joint locks.

The unique aspect of this DVD is that it’s part instruction, part class. Miller teaches the moves, then has a handful of participants come out and play with the moves. It’s not a heavily scripted DVD. I’d guess Miller outlined various aspects he wanted to go over, but it’s not structured in any particular way.

For More Information

YMAA: Teaching Joint Locks by Rory Miller

Full disclosure: I received a copy of this DVD in exchange for a review.

By Adam Bockler

Adam Bockler is a B2B marketing professional, a black belt martial arts instructor, DDP Yoga instructor, and a personal trainer.