When I studied JJJ all the Joint locks started when YOU were grabed. You didn't just walk up and "wrestle" someone into a joint lock. (although it seems to be more popular to do that now days)
When your grabbed, you respond, work the thumb especially when they grab the wrist. That's the weak part of the grip.
But, when it comes right down to "showing" people the "effectiveness" of joint locks, even when you bring them to their knees in pain, some will not believe or accept it. Unless you break the limb. But, who really wants to do that to prove a point?
Some people just won't listen or experience.
Being smaller myself and Mook, that was funny about the "vertically challenged", your so cute! lol!
You have to work all angles you can, and you learn them quick. Or else you just get hurt. Even in training.
The think with WC is that the joint locks just sorta "happen". I mean, your aware of the position even off a punch or kick whatever, and you do the technique, but, if it doesn't work, then you quickly move on.
When Hubbie/Sifu first started teaching me the "arm wraps" in WC (i.e. arm bars) my JJJ would kick in and I'd muscle it, force it, and try to "lock out". Not the thing to do. Too easy to counter. Doing the almost Identical motion from JJJ but with a WC flavor you just don't grab. You snap the joint and if feels like you haven't done anything.
I'm always so afraid that I'll go to hard on him, or try to hard and get to uppity and accidentally hurt him. Because he's letting me get through the motion to develop muscle memory.
But,... he won't tap.
In JJJ we'd just simply pat our own leg to let the other know that we feel the joint lock, that you've got it right, now stop before you really hurt me. That takes alot of trust to train with someone that way.
But, he won't tap. (might be a pride thing or something. lol!) He forgets or something and I keep applying pressure thinking, because he's so big (and double jointed lol!) that he's not feeling it.
Reguardless, we don't train this too much.
My JJJ gets in the way too much, and is really frustrating to me and him.
All you have to do is "accept" the punch/limb and work the joint. Like a quick "pop" to the elbow, pressure points are neat, but take way more training time. It's eaiser to just palm strike the elbow as they throw that straight jab, or hook punch is even better.
But, with WC it's harder to control without hurting your partner. In JJJ we could break it down really, really slow and stand there static and work the joint more carefully. But, when you do it off a punch then it happens too fast.
I'm working on my control with that, but, I'm realizing that control with that kind of joint lock will take years at full speed.
You have to deflect the attack and then if something "extra" comes up then captalize on it. You still flow and follow through with striking. The break isn't the end of the fight.