Glossary of Terms
Comprehensive glossary of martial arts terminology
A basic instinctive blocking system against circular attacks from any angle, typically with a knife.
IsraelFlexible white training pants worn by Capoeira practitioners.
BrazilRising forearm block protecting the head and Jodan zone from downward or straight strikes.
JapanOne of the four basic guards of historical German fencing, in which the sword points downward toward the ground.
GermanyHebrew title for a master, champion, or high rank in Israeli martial arts.
A basic straight front kick in Korean martial arts, striking with the ball of the foot.
South KoreaFoundational joint lock hyperextending the elbow joint using hip leverage in BJJ, Judo, and MMA.
Foot or leg in Japanese martial terminology.
Subcategory of Judo throwing techniques executed using foot sweeps, trips, or leg reaps.
A traditional tall wooden drum that keeps the fundamental rhythm in a capoeira roda.
Japanese term for the head, a primary target area in Jodan level.
Precision strikes aimed at vital anatomical targets to disrupt an attacker before a throw or joint lock.
Pinnacle dominant position in BJJ/MMA controlling the opponent from behind with leg hooks.
Traditional rattan stick serving as the primary training weapon in Filipino martial arts.
PhilippinesA ceremonial initiation event in Capoeira in which a new student receives their first cord and nickname.
Single-string musical bow that dictates the rhythm, speed, and style of play in the Capoeira Roda.
Inverted acrobatic BJJ movement initiated from De La Riva guard leading directly to Back Control.
The phase of a fencing bout in which the blades touch and the fighters sense each other's pressure.
Distinction between clean carotid blood chokes and painful spinal neck cranks.
United StatesTraditional protective armor worn during full-contact Kendo practice.
Traditional wooden sword shaped like a katana for safe practice in Kenjutsu, Aikido, and Iaido.
Formal Japanese term for the wooden sword utilized in official Nihon Kendo Kata.
Referee command in Boxing or Kickboxing signaling fighters to disengage from a passive clinch immediately.
Umbrella term for Japanese martial ways focusing on spiritual and personal growth.
Practical self-defense application and breakdown of movements from Kata with a partner.
A technique of explosively moving forward into the opponent to close distance and neutralize a weapon threat.
Seated BJJ guard system using internal instep hooks wedged inside the opponent's thighs.
Korean command meaning 'Attention!' requiring an upright stance in Taekwondo.
A direct, piston-like kick in savate delivered forward or sideways with the heel or sole, which drives and pushes the opponent back rather than whipping into them like fouetté.
FranceSignature Wing Chun tactile sensitivity exercise building fluid arm reflexes and force redirection.
ChinaThe symbolic shaking of blood off a Japanese sword's blade before returning it to its scabbard.
Traditional Okinawan conditioning tool consisting of a stone or concrete weight attached to a wooden handle.
Hand striking techniques in Muay Thai encompassing jabs, straights, hooks, and uppercuts.
ThailandFundamental straight punch executed from a stationary parallel stance.
Middle level target area of the body (chest, abdomen, and torso).
Close-range standing grappling tie used to control opponents, strike, or transition to takedowns.
Advanced master rank in Asian martial arts denoting black belt status.
Internal energy reservoir and center of gravity in the lower abdomen according to Chinese tradition.
Open guard variation in BJJ where the bottom fighter hooks an outside leg behind the opponent's lead thigh while gripping the ankle.
Traditional uniform worn in Korean martial arts.
An elevated clay ring 4.55 m in diameter on which sumo bouts are fought, its boundary marked by half-buried straw bales called tawara.
Formal training hall and martial space in Korean martial arts.
Traditional training hall for Japanese martial arts and meditation.
Set of ethical rules and precepts recited by students at the end of class in Karate or Taekwondo.
Korean native number 'Two' (2) used for counting repetitions in Taekwondo.
Prescribed floor diagram or movement line along which a Kata is performed.
Elbow joint and striking surface in Japanese martial vocabulary.
A fighting method using a long weapon (sword or stick) in one hand and a short one (knife) in the other.
A way of evading an attack in Capoeira that relies on moving the body rather than blocking.
A choking technique performed with one's own sleeve or forearm, applied from various positions.