CERVICAL LOCK (NECK CRANK)

The cervical lock — typically called a neck crank in English — is the submission category in which force is applied to the cervical spine to produce pain and structural compromise. Unlike chokes which target the carotid arteries or trachea, the neck crank attacks the spine itself, with the tap coming from spinal pain rather than from oxygen or blood deprivation. The category includes the can opener (forward bend), the twister (lateral bend, covered separately), the cervical crank from full mount, and various scramble-finish variations.

The mechanics vary by specific technique, but the common principle is the application of force on the cervical vertebrae past their range of motion or rotation. The can opener uses both hands behind the opponent's head pulling forward while the body anchors the opponent's torso. The cervical crank from mount uses body weight and an arm wrap to compress the head against the chest at an angle. The neck crank from turtle (related to the gravata) uses the attacker's wrapping arm to pull the opponent's head laterally against the cervical spine's natural rotation.

Neck cranks are heavily regulated across BJJ rulesets due to the injury risk associated with spinal pressure. The IBJJF prohibits most cervical locks in gi competition at all belt levels, while no-gi rules permit certain variants at brown belt and above. ADCC and most modern no-gi promotions allow cervical locks with various restrictions, and MMA permits them universally. Defensively the cervical lock is escaped by hand-fighting to prevent the head capture before the lock engages, by walking the body to disrupt the angle, or by tap-to-grip — as with leg locks, spinal damage can precede pain.