Kickboxing: Hand Immobilization Attack

Hand immobilization attacks involve clearing or pinning an opponent's arm in order to open a line to strike them. This is often referred to as trapping hands. Additionally, hand immobilization attacks generally refer to techniques performed at medium range (not close range). This clarification distinguishes HIA from standing grappling techniques performed at close range.

The hand immobilization as a distinct category of attack originated with Bruce Lee's early training in Wing Chun. This martial art places a heavy emphasis on close quarters fighting where, through arm to arm contact with your opponent, you learn to feel how they are pressing against you (feel their energy) and manipulate their arms in order to successfully strike them.

Though this was a core aspects of Lee's early training, there is a great deal of evidence that he was moving away from it as he developed his system. It is said that his fight with Wong Jack Man was a pivotal turning point.

Modern mixed martial arts show that Lee was right to minimize the hand immobilization attack. I have never seen multi-stage trapping performed in an actual fight (sporting or street). Even simple traps are rarely performed and when you do see them, they generally aren't ones most emphasized in Wing Chun training.

That being said, there are clear examples of HIA performed successfully in combat sports. In this section I highlight some of those techniques.

Lead Arm Inside Hand Pull Opp. Lead Arm(Jut Sau)
-Tutorial -Tutorial

Lead Arm Outside Hand Pull Opp. Lead Arm (Lap Sau)
-Tutorial

Rear Arm Outside Hand Pull Opp. Lead Arm (Jut or Pak Sau)

-Tutorial

-To Kick

Rear Arm Outside Hand Pull Opp. Rear Arm (Lap Sau)

-To Elbow

Lead Arm Outside Hand Pull Opp. Rear Arm -> Kick

-To Kick

Lead Arm Outside Hand Pull Opp. Rear Arm -> Cross

-Example -Example -Tutorial

Double Outside Hand Pull To Knee