The Mir Lock Is A Dangerous Submission… Here’s How To Do It

Mir lock is a submission method used in the martial arts of jiu-jitsu. It is a joint lock using the elbow and shoulder simultaneously. It is the most effective shoulder lock known as the rotator cuff.

Frank Mir is an American MMA fighter who was a former UFC fighter. The heavyweight champion used a joint lock of shoulder and elbow that is named after him “ Mir Lock”. 

Mir Lock is the most dangerous submission method used in martial arts. That can break the elbow bone and even the shoulder joint. 

The submission of the Mir lock is identical to the Americana, it is the method that is used in the Brazilian jiu-jitsu and mixed martial arts. In Americana, the fighter targets the arms of the opponent and takes it to the mat.

Similarly, the Mir Lock submission method also targets the arms but with that, this submission method also aims at the shoulder. The fighter holds the elbow and with the other hand, they confined the head to restrict the movement. This action creates a sudden torsion, that can not hold the action. If the position stays the same then it can break the elbow of the opponent.

If the pressure is not released then it can also break the shoulder bone. Mir Lock is a submission method that is related to Americana. Mir lock is applied from the bottom instead of the top position. But if you are under the submission method of Mir Lock you will feel it the same as Amaricana. 

In the Mir lock submission method, the fighter puts severe pressure on the joint locks which is a very tricky technique. This joint lock is applied by the expert grapplers only, as a slight mistake or an increase in pressure can lead to the breakage of sensitive joints.

As the Mir lock targets the arm it has three main joint locks, this submission method involves the rotation of the elbow joint and also targets the shoulder bone. The motion of the force increases with the pressure, its movement leads towards the joint breakage.

The torque is increased with the grasp and twisting of the arm. The Mir Lock if extended to the longer duration can break the elbow bone and the shoulder joint. This is why the submission method of Mir lock is deadly, and implemented only by the expert grapplers. 

The submission of the Mir lock has two main positions for its application. The first method is to use the half guard position and the second is from the closed guard. The BJJ fighter needs to get firm control over the arms by restricting the movement of the head.

The fighter creates an overlook on the arm, note that you don't have to target the area below the elbow. If the grappler holds the area above the hand then there is an 80 % possibility that the opponent will easily escape from this position.

The significant point is to create pressure on the arm while you are going for a Mir lock. The submission will not work if pressure is not maintained.

The submission of the Mir Lock can be applied with the following steps that are briefly defined below:

The fighter must acquire the position that keeps him at the opponent's top. The grappler can employ the control by using the variations of the mount. It can be applied from the two positions, the first one is from the guard and the other is from the closed guard position. 

Once the BJJ fighter gets control over the opponent, through the mount position, the second step is to get a proper grip over the wrist of the opponent instead of the arm. Use the potential to take the opponent to the ground. 

This is one of the important steps in applying the Mir lock submission. The fighter needs to rotate the elbow joint of the opponent. Remember to apply the force to twist their arm, while keeping their hand in place. Create a torque at their arm. 

The last step is to maintain the pressure while twisting the elbow and holding the arm as a slight distraction can lead to the breakage of the elbow bone.

Once you have applied the submission of the Mir lock you are required to maintain the distance between you and the other grappler. The distance will ensure firm control over the opponent by giving them no space to move.

As the fighter locks the joints, and after it keeps a distance from the opponent then they can easily increase the torque in the arm. In addition, it will provide more chances for victory. The distance can be maintained in two different ways. 

To increase the pressure on the elbow, the fighter needs to make a bridge by moving in a backward direction. By this method, you can increase the pressure and tension in the area of the arm. If the fighter does not use this trick then there is a chance for an escape. 

Lastly, the fighter needs to stay steady after gripping the arm with a slight twist. You need to move the upper body backward after the overhook. In this way, you can maintain the distance from the opposer and also end the torque and pressure over the elbow. 

The fighter needs to keep the base strong by keeping the legs steady in one place. As your arms will rotate the elbow, and you are moving away from the opponent, simultaneously the leg placement also plays a significant role in the application of the Mir lock. This step will help ensure your victory.

When a fighter has applied the technique of the Mir Lock it is recommended to maintain a steady pressure. If the opponent did not tap out it would lead to severe damage, in the form of a broken elbow. So the fighter needs to maintain a firm pressure while applying a Mir Lock. 

In the Mir Lock submission method, the fighter uses the elbow and the shoulder lock, it is the submission technique that originated from the Japanese art of jiu-jitsu. Later it became part of mixed martial arts.

The profound technique of the Mir Lock also became part of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. But the Mir lock is rarely used in UFC. Mir lock method is being used in the Brazilian jiu-jitsu, the popular BJJ grappler Mica Galvao performed this method in various bouts. 

It is the submission method that is not commonly used in the bouts. The reason behind this is that it has the fighters do have not much knowledge about this submission method.

In most cases, the Mir lock is applied by experienced grapplers. In addition, this submission method can slice the elbow in pieces, which can leave the fighter away from the fight even for months.

The Mir lock also has a deficiency in its correct application. But it is the submission method that comes up with the maximum chances of victory. 

Mir lock is the submission method that creates a torque over the elbow and as the pressure exceeds it can lead to the breakage of the shoulder joints. That is why it is considered as the most dangerous submission method, which can keep away the fighter from the mats, due to severe injury. 

Mir Lock is a submission method that is a variation of Americana. It is applied from the guard, method and targets the elbow and shoulder of the opponent.

On the other hand, Hammerlock is a submission method that is applied from a closed guard.

It is the submission that is similar to the kimura method. In the Hammer lock the fighter targets the elbow and the shoulder of the opponent. 

The submission of the Mir Lock targets the area of the shoulders and elbow. The sudden twist on the upper area of the arm creates a torque that increases the pressure that moves towards the elbow and the shoulder bone.

Mir lock can be applied from the two entries, the guard and the closed guard position. It has been recommended to maintain the pressure when applying the Mir Lock, as it is extremely dangerous. A slight rapid movement will break the bone of the elbow or even the shoulders. The injury can take months the recover, in this way, the fighter is restricted to appearing on the mat or on the podium.

Photo Credit: @madlabbjj