Wrist releases
Wrist releases counter wrist grabs, a common form of assault. Bullies and abusers tend to grab their victims before intimidating them; adding a physical connection to their hurtful words makes them feel like bodily harm.
The most common mistake made with wrist releases is confusing the two methods. Remember, outside wrist releases begin and end by moving outside, and vice-versa. You must practice these until you can perform both without thinking about how to do them; this is the difference between understanding and knowing.
Inside wrist release
When an opponent grabs your wrist, quickly turn your hands up, towards your centerline, and look at your palms. (Pretend you are Oliver Twist, asking for more gruel.) When the opponent pulls your hands down to reassert their dominance and control, help them by circling your arms downward, and to the outside. When you have made a complete circle, your hands will be free -- it works just like magic. This technique also off-balances the opponent, causing them to lean forward, which sets up a hip throw, body drop, or knee kick.
[video of inside wrist release, looking down from overhead, if possible. Get the cameraman to stand on a ladder. ]
Indeed, it works exactly like magic, because it's just a trick. When you struggle against your opponent, you pit the strength of their arm against yours. Spinning in this way turns the table on your opponent -- now, it is the strength of your entire arm against just their thumb. Your arm is stronger than anyone’s thumb.
If your opponent has a particularly powerful grip, you may need a distraction to loosen them up, usually by using a front kick to their groin as an atemi.
Outside wrist-release
When your opponent grabs your wrists, quickly turn your hands out away from you, as though you were showing off an engagement ring. As the opponent pulls your hands back in to assert dominance and control, rotate your arms inward, towards your centerline. Ohen your hands reach the top of the circle, they will be free. (Alternately, just throw a ridgehand block.)
[video of outside wrist release, looking down from overhead, if possible. Get the cameraman to stand on a ladder. ]
Sometimes, even after doing everything correctly, the opponent may still hold your wrists at the end of this technique. However, they will have a extremely poor grip, so you can launch your counterattack unimpeded. A poor grip is the same as no grip. Do not exaggerate this, by whipping your arms out to the side, and spectacularly flinging your opponent’s arms off of you; this just leaves you open to attack. Keeping everything tight, with your arms in front of your shoulders, allows you to make a quick follow-up.
