Glossary for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: 49 documented terms. Of those: concept / principle (40), clothing (5), equipment (2). Among them Guard, Ashi, Gi.
Foundational joint lock hyperextending the elbow joint using hip leverage in BJJ, Judo, and MMA.
JapanFoot or leg in Japanese martial terminology.
Pinnacle dominant position in BJJ/MMA controlling the opponent from behind with leg hooks.
BrazilInverted acrobatic BJJ movement initiated from De La Riva guard leading directly to Back Control.
Distinction between clean carotid blood chokes and painful spinal neck cranks.
United StatesSeated BJJ guard system using internal instep hooks wedged inside the opponent's thighs.
Open guard variation in BJJ where the bottom fighter hooks an outside leg behind the opponent's lead thigh while gripping the ankle.
A choking technique performed with one's own sleeve or forearm, applied from various positions.
Traditional uniform worn for training in Japanese martial arts.
Submission choking techniques in BJJ and Judo making tactical use of the opponent's gi lapels.
Core BJJ bottom ground position where a practitioner controls the opponent using their legs.
BJJ tactical sequence where the top fighter bypasses the opponent's legs to establish side control.
A tactical transition from standing to ground fighting by pulling the opponent into guard.
Front headlock submission encircling the opponent's neck, frequently caught off failed takedowns.
Intermediate ground position where the bottom fighter traps one of the top fighter's legs with both of theirs.
Dynamic Judo hip throw combining hip contact with a sweeping outer thigh reap.
Category of joint manipulation techniques hyperextending elbows, shoulders, or wrists.
Category of ground grappling techniques including hold-downs (Osaekomi), joint locks (Kansetsu), and chokes (Shime).
Devastating double-wristlock shoulder submission utilizing a figure-four arm grip.
Grip-fighting tactics in Judo essential for controlling the opponent's gi before throwing.
A guard-passing technique in BJJ in which the attacker grips and drags the opponent's leg across their own body, clearing the obstruction and opening the path to side control.
Technical gripping detail slipping a thigh or arm under the opponent's head like a 'pillow' to secure pins.
Friction abrasion caused by dragging insteps, knees, or toes across grappling mats.
Small open-fingered padded gloves (4oz) allowing both striking and grappling in MMA.
Highly dominant top ground position where a fighter straddles the opponent's torso.
Belt used to secure the training jacket and indicate technical rank.
Shoulder submission in BJJ executed by wrapping a leg around the opponent's arm and sitting up alongside them.
Category of ground hold-down techniques in Judo yielding victory if held for 20 seconds.
Widespread term expressing respect, perseverance, and acknowledgment.
Form-fitting athletic compression shirt used in No-Gi BJJ, MMA, and grappling.
Highest-percentage blood choke applied from back control without gripping clothing.
A chaotic, dynamic phase of ground fighting in which both fighters try to gain a dominant position.
Iconic Judo hand throw where the opponent is loaded onto the attacker's back and thrown over the shoulder.
Category of choking and strangulation techniques compressing the carotid arteries or windpipe.
Dominant top ground pin position perpendicular to the opponent's torso.
Open guard system in BJJ utilizing sleeve grips combined with feet placed directly onto the opponent's biceps.
Match-ending choke or joint lock forcing the opponent to signal defeat by tapping.
Category of Judo throws where the attacker intentionally sacrifices their own upright posture to hurl the opponent.
Technique executed from the bottom Guard to reverse position and land on top.
Wrestling technique of driving the opponent off balance to the mat by attacking their legs.
Physical or verbal signal given by a submission-bound fighter to concede defeat instantly.
Traditional and modern impact-absorbing mat forming the floor of a dojo.
Iconic sacrifice throw (Sutemi-waza) where the attacker drops back, placing a foot in the opponent's hip to catapult them overhead.
Vascular blood choke locking legs into a figure-four triangle around the opponent's neck and one arm.
Defensive ground position where the bottom practitioner curls tightly on knees and elbows.
Highest-scoring throw in Olympic Judo history sweeping the inner thigh with an upward leg drive.
Art of breakfalling safely to absorb impact energy without injury during throws.
Top jacket section of a traditional martial arts gi uniform.
Trousers forming the lower section of a martial arts gi.