Today let’s talk about breaking bones and dislocating joints. It's about wrenching joints as opposed to bending them.

Before we get specific, let's take a look at the mental aspects of a break. Have you ever really given it some thought? What would it be like to apply a break in the street?

Picture yourself walking to your car at two in the morning, after saying good night to your friends.

As you near your car, something hits you from behind and your face hits the pavement. You are being stomped and the attacker is yelling something that is unrecognizable at the moment.
You scramble to try and get to your feet, only to realize there are two attackers. One is holding you down with a straitened arm. You go for his eyes and throat but you aren't able to reach. Meanwhile his buddy is kicking your head and ribs. You decide to take his straitened arm. It’s his punishment for having attacked you.

As your legs tighten around his arm you have complete control and can exert as much pressure as you need. You've gotten to this point on the mat many times with training partners but you always stopped as soon as they tap. You cringe as you arch your back snapping his arm at the elbow like a piece of dry wood.

Stop. This is not a pretty picture! Having to snap some ones joint is not what they prepare you for at your local "Family Martial Arts Center." It is one thing to apply a wrench, but actually having complete control over a limb and then applying breaking pressure is an ugly thing.

If you haven't already prepared mentally to apply a break in the street then maybe take some time visualizing. Picture yourself going through the complete motion of breaking the limb and even the opponent's reaction.

1. When should you break?
Pretty much anytime you are threatened and the lock is there. To avoid legal repercussions, use breaks in life and death situations only. These are not for the town friendly drunk.

If it's like our grim scenario we mentioned earlier or you're facing a weapon... TAKE THE LIMB! Break it and don't stop twisting even after it has snapped.

2. Why break?
If he can feel the pain it will almost always end the fight. Sometimes even the image of his own joint being wrenched can screw him up totally.

If he cannot feel pain it will render the joint almost useless for the duration of the fight. The reason I say continue twisting after the break is so that the joint is TOTALLY useless. Often you'll hear of broken limbs that aren't discovered until long after a fight. It is likely an attacker will not even notice and the arm will pop back into place, allowing him to pound you with it. (He'll have a nice little surprise in the morning of course)
Did you see Tim Sylvia's UFC fight with Frank Mir? Mir broke Sylvia's arm in multiple places and Sylvia didn't know it until long after the ref stopped the fight. Must have been a crazy sight, for him to see his own arm snap over the massive instant replay screen!

Breaks (along with chokes and other submissions) are great tools when you can't get the eye gouge or anytime you don't have the space to finish with strikes.

NOTE: Being too eager to apply a wrench or lock in a fight is a good way to get your face punched in. Unless locks are your specialty, you’d better have another option. If the lock is there, go for it. If not, try something else.

Next post we'll show some joint wrench techniques you can apply

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