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either way locking the entire structure is important.

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I think we're on the same page here, I just look at the "wrist" locking method of doing Yonkyo as a positional choice to use when the uke isn't in a position where their elbow is as accessible as their wrist. It takes a little practice to use the wrist area exclusively, where the elbow is pretty easily accessed and offers some kuzushi assistance if needed to switch techniques. As you say, it's a choice type of thing, but usually I find the people who use Yonkyo a lot use the elbow more readily.

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Actually, you'd be using the top of the index metacarpal at the metacarpophalangeal joint.

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Right on the mark... and to assist that effort, use a baseball bat and "roll your index metacarpal" on it to toughen the area used for Yonkyo and build strength in the "angular" use of your muscles to effect it. Learning how to properly roll your own wrist on that technique is important as well...

You certainly don't want to "cheat" your uke of the full benefit of the technique...

Hi all, sorry, been away for a few days.

Eyrie, I'll bow to your superior pressure point knowledge - 1 inch up from LU7 doesn't look like a hand-width on the diagram I was looking at but I think we both know and agree the spot we are talking about!

Wristtwister, I have to pick up on your comment about the photograph of Yonkyo which you referred to as either "very advanced or very inexperienced". The grip shown is almost exactly the Yonkyo we are taught in the (Iwama) schools I frequent - it isn't presented as especially advanced and certainly hurts like hell (and creates an effective pin) when well applied. Could we just be talking about different styles and approaches here?

Anyhow, getting off the existing topic, but very interesting. I like the idea of trying to trigger points on both sides of the risk simultaneously.

(Goes off to experiment on self )

cheers

Shep

Shepster,
Okay, I'll admit that the picture is a "usual" method of teaching the technique, but I don't know many people who use it in randori like that... everyone I've trained with uses the elbow point rather than that "wrist hold" to apply Yonkyo. It might just be a "style" thing, but the elbow hold on Yonkyo makes your wrist feel like it's going to explode.

I've been doing Aikido since 1984, and I've seen about every method of doing the basic Aikido techniques you could imagine. The worst anybody has hurt me, was a young lady (nidan) who did Yonkyo on me at a seminar in Raleigh, North Carolina who probably didn't weigh 120 pounds... but she could bring tears to your eyes with her "grip". She hit the "sweet spot" every time, and that was when it became my favorite technique... if somebody her size and build could almost paralyze everybody she touched, it was the technique to have...