The hammerlock is definitely not one of the more spectacular women’s wrestling holds, but it is probably among the most underrated ones. A professional female wrestling match is about offering the viewers an outstanding spectacle, which means that such matches simply cannot have a girl submit to her opponent’s hammerlock. The crowds would be disappointed and the entertainment value of the match would be gone. Despite its simplicity and unspectacular nature though, the hammerlock could actually be used as an efficient submission hold. No wonder law enforcement officials often use it to control rogue elements of society.

The attacker grabs hold of one of the victim’s arms and twists it, bending it at the same time at the elbow. She folds the arm this way behind the victim’s back and she steps behind her too. She can then gauge the amount of pressure applied by pulling the arm upward. If taken to the extreme, the hold can actually dislocate the victim’s shoulder so extra care should be taken with it when using it in a wrestling match.

Possible escape: once locked in really deep, the hammerlock is quite impossible to escape due to the high intensity pain it causes in the joints of the arm. When loosely applied, some wrestling women can duck under it and reverse the hold, giving their opponents a taste of their own medicine.

Efficiency: despite its extreme efficiency, the hammerlock is only used as a controlling move in female wrestling. Make no mistakes though: the hammerlock is a dangerous and extremely painful move. Use it with caution in the ring.