The Boston crab is a professional wrestling hold that typically starts with the opponent laying supine on the mat, with the wrestler standing and facing them. It is a type of spinal lock where the wrestler hooks each of the opponent’s legs in one of his arms, and then turns the opponent face-down, stepping over him in the process. The final position has the wrestler in a semi-sitting position and facing away from his opponent, with the opponent’s back and legs bent back toward his face. This often sees the attacking wrestler perform double leg takedown while remaining upright with the opponent's legs hook so they can be turned into the Boston crab.
The original name for the maneuver was the backbreaker, before that term became known for its current usage. In modern wrestling, the Boston crab is not treated as a lethal submission maneuver, even though it was considered a match-ending hold in the past.
Variations[]
Cross-legged Boston crab[]
This variation of a normal Boston crab sees the attacking wrestler get a hold of both of the opponent's feet, then crossing both legs over before tucking both legs under its opposite armpit (i.e. left leg under wrestler’s right armpit). After completing this, the attacking wrestler turns the opponent face-down, stepping over him/her in the process to secure the hold.
Inverted Boston crab[]
Identical to a Boston crab, but with the wrestler facing in the same direction as the opponent. The wrestler squats over the opponent with the opponent’s legs positioned under their arms.
Rocking horse[]
This Boston crab variation sees the wrestler lock the opponent in a standard version of the hold before lifting them off the ground by their arms (while still in the hold), and rocking them back and forth, putting additional pressure on their back.[1]
Single leg Boston crab[]
Also known as a half Boston crab or a half crab, a move that typically starts with the opponent on his back, and the attacking wrestler standing and facing them. The attacking wrestler hooks one of the opponent's legs in one of his/her arms, and then turns the opponent face-down, stepping over him in the process. The final position has the wrestler in a semi-sitting position and facing away from his/her opponent, with the opponent's back and leg bent back toward his/her face, sometimes the attacking wrestler will place their leg so that his/her knee digs into the back of the opponent. A variation with the attacking wrestler kneeling side-ways while having the leg hooked can be performed.
Single leg Boston crab with armlock[]
The attacking wrestler approaches a supine opponent and seizes one of their arms before walking around the opponent's head to their other side, thus forcing the opponent to roll onto their stomach. The wrestler then kneels on the back of the opponent, clinching the opponent's arm behind their knee, and applies a single leg Boston crab.
Single leg Boston crab with knee[]
Similar to a normal half Boston crab, this move sees the wrestler use a single knee to add additional pressure by pressing it into the opponent's back.
Rope hung Boston crab[]
This move involves a wrestler hooking each of an opponent's legs in one of his/her arms and draping the opponent over the top rope, at this point the wrestler would hook the arms of the opponent with his/her legs securing the hold. As this move involves the use of the ropes, and allows the opponent to touch the ropes (which forces a wrestler to break a submission hold), this hold must usually be broken before the referee completes a five-count
See also[]
- Professional wrestling holds
References[]
Template:Reflist
fr:Boston crab ja:逆エビ固め pt:Boston crab