Three-Quarter Nelson

Last updated: June 25, 2026

What is a three-quarter nelson?

The three-quarter nelson belongs to a family of holds named after the nelson, all worked from behind or alongside a grounded opponent. The set runs from the quarter nelson up through the half, the three-quarter, and the full nelson, each adding more control over the head and shoulders. The three-quarter sits between the half and the full.

It starts as a half nelson: one arm threaded under the opponent’s near armpit, the hand pressing on the back of the neck. What turns it into a three-quarter is the second hand. Instead of staying free, that hand dives under the opponent’s body from the same side, wraps under the neck, and clasps the first hand, so both arms now encircle the head and one arm. That locked grip is what makes the hold tighter and harder to escape than a plain half nelson. In folkstyle and freestyle wrestling, its purpose is simple: flatten the opponent, expose their back, and hold the shoulders down for a fall. Merriam-Webster defines it as a hold in which a kneeling wrestler passes the far arm under the opponent’s arm and behind the neck, then grasps the wrist of the near arm passed under the body.

How a three-quarter nelson works

Picture a wrestler riding an opponent who is flat on the mat. One arm runs the half nelson, hooked under the near armpit with the hand on the neck or head. The second arm is the part that defines the hold. That hand reaches under the opponent’s torso on the same side, travels beneath the neck, and meets the first hand on the far side, where the two clasp together, palm to palm or with the fingers laced.

Wrestlers usually hook the opponent’s near leg with their own, so the opponent cannot spin out. With the neck encircled and the arm trapped, the wrestler drives the shoulders toward the mat. According to Wikipedia’s description of the nelson family, the same grip can be locked at the wrist as well as palm to palm. The tell, if you are watching a match, is that both of the attacker’s arms vanish under the opponent on one side, hands joined at the neck.

Three-quarter nelson vs. half nelson and full nelson

Most people meet the three-quarter nelson while trying to sort it out from its better-known relatives. Here is how the four nelson holds line up.

Hold	Arms used	What it does	Legal in amateur wrestling?
Quarter nelson	One hand on the head or chin, near arm under the opponent’s arm, gripping their own wrist	Controls the head, sets up a pin	Yes
Half nelson	One arm under the armpit, hand on the neck	The most common folkstyle turn, used to pin	Yes
Three-quarter nelson	A half nelson plus the second hand passed under the body, both hands locked at the neck	A tighter, higher-percentage pin than the half	Yes
Full nelson	Both arms under both armpits, hands locked behind the neck	Controls and cranks the neck	No

The line between the half and the three-quarter comes down to that second hand. A half nelson works with one arm and leaves the other free, often to control the opponent’s wrist. The three-quarter commits both hands to a single lock around the head and neck, which is why coaches treat it as the more secure turn once it sinks in.

Is a three-quarter nelson legal?

In the styles governed by United World Wrestling, the three-quarter nelson is a legal pinning combination. USA Wrestling notes in its rulebook that the three-quarter nelson with a leg hook, once restricted, has been permitted across all age categories since the 2022 adoption of UWW rules. The boundary it cannot cross is the throat. A side variation that some officials’ materials label a “side 3/4 nelson choke-hold” becomes illegal the moment it presses against the windpipe, because amateur wrestling does not allow chokes. By contrast, the full nelson stays banned in scholastic, collegiate, and freestyle competition outright, since cranking both arms behind the neck risks injury to the cervical spine.

The three-quarter nelson in BJJ and submission grappling

To a jiu-jitsu player, the hold looks familiar, and for good reason. The path of the arms and the clasp around the head and one arm mirror the entry to the D’Arce choke, also known as the no-gi Brabo. Grapplezilla points out that this resemblance is why the three-quarter nelson keeps appearing in no-gi and submission circles. In wrestling, chokes are illegal, so the configuration only flattens and pins. In no-gi grappling and MMA, where chokes are scored, an athlete who reaches the three-quarter nelson can slide the grip toward a finish rather than a pin. That overlap explains how a folkstyle pinning hold ended up as a fixture far from the wrestling room.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a three-quarter nelson the same as a half nelson?

No. A half nelson uses one arm. The three-quarter adds the second hand under the body and locks both hands around the neck, which makes it tighter and harder to escape.

Is the three-quarter nelson legal in wrestling?

Yes, in freestyle, Greco-Roman, and folkstyle, as a pinning hold. It becomes illegal only when it applies a choke or presses against the throat.

Why is it called a nelson?

The origin is uncertain. The Oxford English Dictionary traces the word “nelson” to an 1873 newspaper report on the danger of the full nelson, possibly named after Admiral Horatio Nelson.

Is a three-quarter nelson a submission?

Not in amateur wrestling, where it is used to pin. In no-gi grappling, the same grip can lead into a choke such as the D’Arce.

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Sources

1. Merriam-Webster. “Three-quarter nelson.” Accessed June 2026.
   https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/three-quarter%20nelson
2. Wikipedia. “Nelson hold.” Accessed June 2026.
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelson_hold
3. Wikipedia. “Professional wrestling holds.” Accessed June 2026.
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Professional_wrestling_holds
4. USA Wrestling. “Rule Book & Guide to Wrestling: Freestyle, Greco-Roman & Female Wrestling.” Accessed June 2026.
   https://www.usawmembership.com/usa_wrestling_rule_book
5. Grapplezilla. “The Full Nelson and Half Nelson Explained.” Accessed June 2026.
   https://grapplezilla.com/full-nelson-half-nelson/
6. Oxford English Dictionary. “nelson (n.2).” Accessed June 2026.
   https://doi.org/10.1093/OED/9535366459

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