You want to start BJJ or have just started, but during classes, they speak in terms you don't understand at all!
That's okay, we'll help you get started.
Learn your BJJ jargon with this comprehensive list of techniques we have put together for you.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has a wide range of techniques.
All those techniques have names.
In English, Portuguese, and Japanese.
Below you will find a list of more than 100 terms you will certainly hear when you step onto the mat.
Now you have the words, now for the techniques!
There will certainly be a term missing here and there because Jiu-Jitsu is an evolving sport where new terms/positions and techniques are constantly being added.
411.
Also known as Inside Sankaku.50-50.
A leg lock position that resembles an outside ashi garami but with your opponent's legs controlled with a “cross grip” on the inside.
As the name suggests, 50-50 can go both ways with leg locks, both for you and your opponent.
A
ADCC.
ADCC stands for Abu Dhabi Combat Club. Founded by Sheikh Zayed and Renzo Gracie to grow martial arts in the UAE.
The goal with ADCC was to create the best grappling tournament in the world.
Today, ADCC is considered the Olympic Games for Grappling.Americana.
The Americana is a bent shoulder lock.
You bend the elbow and arm while the rest of the shoulder and body remain still for maximum leverage.
This lock/attack is usually performed from above.
The person initiating the technique usually does so from mount or side control.Ankle lock.
A lock targeting the ankle joint.
You can apply it when trying to extend the foot away from the leg.
There are many variations of the ankle lock.
Straight, downward, and toe holds.Arm drag.
A technique used to move an opponent's arm, usually while standing, so the opponent can be taken down.
You can use an arm drag to get to your opponent's back.
This usually happens on the ground.
An arm drag is best done with two of your arms on one of your opponent's arms.
With this control, you can pull your opponent off balance and attack.Arm triangle.
A submission you can get by squeezing your opponent's head and shoulder together. This cuts off blood supply, making it considered a choke.
There are different variations such as Kata Gatame, D’arce, and Anaconda.Armbar.
Who doesn't know the armbar?
It is a hyperextension of the elbow.
Armbars are very diverse and can be applied from many different positions, for example, from mount, guard, and even back mount!Ashi garami.
A Judo technique that literally means entangled leg lock.
In modern BJJ, ashi garami is a basic leg lock position.
Often seen as a starting position for more complex leg locks.
Ashi garami can be done from both “inside” and “outside”.
This refers to the position of your own leg.
B
Back control.
A dominant control and position.
Here you have someone's back controlled with your hips, feet, and arms.
Back control is the most dominant position you can have in BJJ.
Here you also have the highest percentage choke, namely the rear naked choke.
In competition, you also get the most points for this (four).Back take.
This is part of a number of techniques used to transition to the back control position.
An example of this is the arm drag, where by pulling your opponent's arm away from their body crosswise, you can move towards their back.Base.
A base is difficult to describe with text.
I would even do the word a disservice.
But if I do write about it, I will give a description that Rickson Gracie once explained to me.
A base is something with which you can absorb and exert resistance. If you have a good base, it is difficult for your opponent to push or pull you.
But if you suddenly decide you want to move your opponent, then you are able to do so.Belt.
BJJ is traditionally practiced in a gi or kimono with a belt.
Your belt indicates your rank.
In the BJJ grading system, we work with white, blue, purple, brown, and black belts.Berimbolo.
This is a sport-specific sweep technique used to get to your opponent's back.Bow and arrow choke.
A lapel choke that you can do when you have back control.
As you can tell from the name, it's the same motion you use with a bow and arrow.Brabo choke.
A lapel choke where you use your opponent's lapel and your forearm.Breakfall.
Breaking a fall, the most important thing for beginners to know.
The better you can fall, the less chance of injury.Bridge and roll.
Bridging and rolling in BJJ is also called the “Upa”.Bridge.
Bridging is one of the basic movements of BJJ.
You bridge when someone is on top of you (Mount) with the strength of your hips.
This puts the weight on your shoulders and back and creates space to escape.Butterfly guard.
Butterfly guard is a style from the open guard.
Here you sit with your legs in front of you and try to get your legs between your opponent's.
Your feet act as hooks here, the ultimate goal is to reverse the position and come out on top and, of course, get a submission.
C
Cauliflower ear.
Cauliflower ear is an ear deformity caused by injuries to the ear.
These cause hematomas that can block blood flow to the ear, causing the cartilage to die.
Cauliflower ear is more common in grapplers, but can be prevented with ear guards and tapping out in time!Clinch.
A standing position where two people have a grip on each other. The clinch can be used to take someone to the ground.
From a self-defense perspective, you are in a good position now, the chance of damage from punches and kicks is almost minimized.Closed guard.
With the closed guard, you have your legs around your opponent's waist.
It is intended to control your opponent, you can use your arms and legs for this.
You want to move the opponent from left to right or forward and backward. Your opponent usually wants a good posture.
That means sitting upright and not being pulled forward.
When punches are involved, it is advisable to keep your opponent very close or very far away.
There are multiple guard forms, for beginners, this is often where they first get acquainted.Collar choke.
An umbrella term referring to various gi-specific submissions where you use the opponent's jacket to complete the choke.
Competition gi.
A lighter gi made to help a Jiu-Jitsuka more easily make weight for a BJJ competition.Crank.
A lock aimed at attacking the joints.
Cranks can be performed on the neck or even the spinal column.Cross face.
A technique you can use to pin someone down.
You usually use your shoulder and body weight for this.
This technique is usually initiated from above, typically from side control or mount.
D
De la Riva guard.
This is a form of open guard named after a BJJ legend De la Riva. You hook your feet on the inside and outside of your opponent's legs.
You can use it as a transition to other positions in BJJ.Double leg takedown.
A takedown technique where you attack your opponent's legs and can take him/her down with it.
A more advanced version of a tackle.D’Arce choke.
An arm triangle variation named after Joe D’Arce.
With the D'Arce, you use the opponent's arm and shoulder to complete the choke.
The D'Arce is a no-gi variant of the popular Brabo choke.
E
Escape.
A technique/movement with which you can escape from an unfavorable position.Ezekiel choke.
A Gi choke where you wrap your arm around your opponent's head and then grab your own sleeve to finish it.
The Ezekiel choke is named after the Brazilian Judo Olympian Ezequiel Paraguassú, but is actually a traditional Judo technique known as a Sode Guruma-Jime.
Everyday porrada.
A hashtag that went viral, originating from one of the best BJJ fighters of his era, Romulo Barral.
The word porrada in Portuguese means "fight" or "brawl".
(The people who shout this the loudest are usually the first to get tired ;) )
F
Figure four arm lock.
Also known as Americana.Full guard.
Same as closed guard.
G
Gable grip. `
A closed palm-to-hand grip named after legendary gold medalist Dan Gable.
This is a powerful grip, you can lift and control people with it.Gassing out / gassed.
Gassing out, meaning exhausted.
Often in the context of a BJJ sparring round.
This usually happens because you are inefficient with your energy consumption or breathing.Gi.
A heavy cotton jacket, also known as a kimono.
The Gi has been used in traditional Japanese martial arts like Judo since the 1920s.
In BJJ, you can also train without the gi, better known as no-gi Jiu-Jitsu.The Gracies.
The pioneers of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and the UFC.
The Gracie family has undoubtedly had the most impact on the martial arts world worldwide.Guard.
You are on the ground on your back with your legs around the opponent's waist.
You have multiple forms of guard.
Closed/Full Guard> Open Guard>Half Guard>Butterfly Guard.Guard pass.
The guard pass is a technique/movement with which you go past your opponent's legs and hips.
(Easier said than done)Guillotine.
A choke where you isolate your opponent's neck with your armpit on the neck and close with your arms.
There are multiple variations of this.
H
Half guard.
With this guard variation, you have two legs around one of your opponent's legs.
You have many sweep and submission options from here.Head and arm choke.
Also known as arm triangle.Heel hook.
A leg lock where you apply torsion to the foot to attack the knee and ankle.
You can seriously injure someone with it, so it is often not allowed in competitions like the IBJJF.
(We do train them)Hip escape.
A movement where you often want to move your hips away from your opponent.
Hip escapes are fundamental BJJ movements. Also known as shrimping.Honey hole.
Otherwise known as inside sankaku.Hooks.
Foot control with which you connect to your opponent.
I
IBJJF.
This organization was founded by Carlos Gracie Jr. and organizes competitions all over the world every year.
Imanari roll.
A roll from standing where you attack the inside of the legs.
The goal is to end up in the sankaku / 411 leg lock position. The Imanari roll was popularized by Masakazu Imanari, a Japanese MMA fighter.
Inside sankaku.
A position/transition with which you can control someone on the ground.
You do this by entangling your opponent's legs with yours.
It sounds very strange indeed, but I couldn't make anything else of it :D
J
Japanese necktie.
An arm triangle variation that is applied from the turtle position.Jigoro Kano.
The founder/creator of Japanese Judo.Judo.
This needs no explanation.K
K-guard.
A variation of open guard popularized by
Lachlan Giles.
Kata gatame.
Arm triangle.Kesa gatame.
A control you can perform from side control with many submission options.
Kesa gatame is often used in Judo as a pin, in BJJ as a way to submit opponents.Kimono.
Gi.Kimura.
Bent shoulder lock named after Mashahiko Kimura.Knee on belly
The name says it all, knee on belly.
It is a position/transition with which you can go in any direction.
You can submit or control people with it, especially on the street.
Knee shield
A leverage technique with which you can keep your opponent's weight off you if he tries to pass your legs; this is done from half guard.
Knee bar
A leg lock technique where you bring the knee to hyperextension.
Kodokan.
The official Judo headquarters in Tokyo, Japan.
L
Lasso guard.
A variation of open guard with which you can control your opponent from the bottom.Leg drag.
A way to pass the guard.Lockdown.
A half guard technique where the person on the bottom has two legs on one of the opponent's.
The goal is to bring the leg to extension to get a sweep.
Popularized by Eddie Bravo.M
MMA.
Mixed Martial Arts, most people watch this through UFC.Mata Leão.
Portuguese for rear naked choke.Mitsuyo Maeda.
Maeda, also known as Conde Koma.
Was a Judo specialist who traveled around Brazil and introduced Judo/Jiu-Jitsu to the Gracies.Mount.
A dominant position/pin where you are on top of your opponent.
N
Neck crank.
A lock for the spinal column or neck.No gi.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu without a uniform.North South.
A variation of side control where you control the head while lying vertically behind your opponent's head.
Marcelo Garcia is a master of this.O
Omoplata.
A shoulder lock, usually from the guard, where you use your legs and hips to put pressure on the joint.Oss.
An abbreviation of a Japanese expression “Onegai Shimassu”.
You can use it in multiple ways.
As a greeting, farewell, or expression of respect.Overhook.
Your arm over your opponent's shoulder. From standing, you have throwing options.
On the ground, you have sweep options with an overhook.P
Peruvian necktie.
An arm triangle variation from the front headlock position.Porrada.
Fighting/Brawling in Portuguese.Post.
Using your hands or feet to avoid being thrown off balance.
Posture.
A stable stance or posture in Grappling/BJJ means that your back and neck work together to avoid being pulled off balance.Pull guard.
When you cannot take someone down/throw them, you can pull them into your guard.Pummel.
A type of breaststroke movement common in grappling/BJJ.
You want to control the inside of your opponent's body with this.
You can do this with your arms and legs.
Q
Quarter guard.
A survival position when someone is almost past your half guard.
R
Rear mount.
Same as back control/mount.Rear naked choke.
The most famous choke.
Where you are behind the attacker.
Arm over the neck and close with your second arm.Red belt.
The highest distinction in BJJ.
A red belt is a 10th degree on your coral belt.Reversal.
A sweep that does not come from the guard.
In competition, you don't get points for this.Reverse de la Riva.
Another variation of the normal De la Riva.
Here you go with the leg to the inside instead of the outside.Ringworm.
Skin infection that occurs in contact sports.Rolling.
Rolling is sparring in BJJ.Rubber guard.
A guard developed by Eddie Bravo.
You need a lot of flexibility for it.
I won't even explain it, just Google it.
S
Sambo.
A martial art from the former Soviet Union.
A combination of Judo, wrestling, and Jiu-Jitsu.
You have two types:
Combat Sambo: with punches and kicks.
Sport Sambo: Only submissions and throws.Sandbagging.
Staying at the same belt for too long because your instructor wants to see you win competitions.Scarf hold.
Another name for Kesa Gatame.Scissor sweep.
A sweep from open guard where you make a scissor motion.Seatbelt.
The name says it all, a seatbelt.
The seatbelts are now your arms around your opponent's chest and shoulder blade. A good way to go to the back.Shark tank.
A way to prepare for competitions or belt exams.
Every minute someone “fresh” comes in during sparring.
You get no rest.Shoyoroll.
An exclusive GI maker who only releases one type of GI per period.
Very popular among BJJ practitioners. Exclusive = expensive.Shrimp.
Another name for hip escape.Side control.
A position where you can pin and control someone.
This is a chest-to-chest connection, you usually get here after a guard pass.
You will spend a lot of time here as a beginner (on the bottom).Single leg takedown.
A way to take someone down.
This technique comes from wrestling, there are dozens of different variations for the single leg.Single leg x-guard.
A two-on-one leg control on your opponent from the bottom.
You can use this to sweep people or as an attacking position for leg locks.Spider guard.
An open guard variation with the Gi.
You have control over the wrists with the jacket.
Your feet on your opponent's biceps.
Spider guard is a BJJ sport-specific technique.Staph.
Staphylococcus bacteria is a skin infection that can occur in contact sports.Stripe.
Stripes on your belt confirming your progress in the sport.Structure.
A term used to denote the anatomy of a joint.Submission.
An attack technique with which you can choke or lock someone.
In kick(boxing) the goal is the knockout, in BJJ it is the submission.Sweep.
This is a way to throw people off balance in BJJ.
Think of, for example, a foot sweep in Judo.
In BJJ, you do this on the ground, a smaller person getting under the center of gravity of a much larger person and using leverage to improve their position.
T
Takedown.
Taking down, you can do this in many ways.
Wrestling/Judo/Sambo techniques.
Virtually anything is allowed in BJJ from standing, unlike most sports.Tapping out.
Tapping out, usually comes from a lock or choke.
It may be that in the beginning you are overwhelmed by pressure and tap from that.
You can tap with your feet, hands, or verbally.Toreando pass.
A way to pass the guard.
You do this by gaining control over the inside of the knees and sending the legs in the other direction.Triangle.
Also known as Sankaku in Judo.
This is a choke you apply with your legs.
You can do this from multiple positions, most beginners only know it from guard.Turtle.
A defensive position where someone is on their hands and knees.
U
UAEJJF.
Abbreviation for United Arab Emirates Jiu-Jitsu Federation.
A BJJ competition organization that organizes events worldwide.Uke.
A Japanese word for someone with whom the technique is demonstrated.Underhook.
A technique in the clinch where you have your arm under your opponent's armpit and control their hip with your other arm.Upa.
A technique with which you can bridge someone who is mounted on top of you off of you.
To do this successfully, you need control over your opponent's arm, shoulder, and foot.
V
Viktor roll.
A rolling technique from standing where you immediately end up in a leg lock position.
W
Worm guard.
A form of open guard popularized by BJJ athlete Keenan Cornelius.Wristlock.
Submissions aimed at your opponent's wrists.
X
X-guard.
An open guard variation popularized by BJJ legend Marcelo Garcia.
X-Guard is used by the person on the bottom with a two-on-one leg control.
It is mainly used as a sweep.
Y
Y-Guard
The creator of this type of open guard is Felipe Costa.
Honestly, I know too little about it to elaborate further here.
Z
Z-guard.
A variation of the knee shield from half guard.
You use your knee and foot as a frame to follow your opponent's movements and then sweeten or submit.
Craig Jones is someone who uses this type of guard in competitions.
This article was originally published in Dutch. Read the Dutch original.
