Glossary of Terms
Comprehensive glossary of martial arts terminology
Match-ending choke or joint lock forcing the opponent to signal defeat by tapping.
United StatesExtra heavy wooden training sword designed specifically for solo cutting drills (Suburi).
JapanCategory 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.
BrazilRussian military combative style relying on continuous breath work, biomechanics, and tension release.
RussiaTraditional Japanese split-toe socks or footwear.
The moment both sumo wrestlers explode from their crouch into first contact simultaneously, a moment that often decides the rhythm and outcome of the entire bout.
Series of eight color-belt student forms (Poomsae Il Jang through Pal Jang) in World Taekwondo.
South KoreaArt of fluid whole-body movement to step off the attacker's line of force.
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.
Japanese word for hand or palm.
Subcategory of standing throws (Nage-waza) where the arms and shoulders execute the primary force.
Frontal thrust kick using the ball or sole of the foot to control distance in Muay Thai.
ThailandDevastating Muay Thai roundhouse kick striking with the hard shin bone using full hip rotation.
A fundamental Aikido movement principle of turning the body 180 degrees, redirecting the force of an attack.
Strike utilizing the bottom fleshy pinky side of a clenched fist like a hammer.
Iconic sacrifice throw (Sutemi-waza) where the attacker drops back, placing a foot in the opponent's hip to catapult them overhead.
Practitioner who executes the technique (throw, lock, or defense) in partner training.
Traditional Okinawan Hojo Undo equipment composed of bound bamboo stalks for finger conditioning.
Vascular blood choke locking legs into a figure-four triangle around the opponent's neck and one arm.
Circular or oval handguard fitted to a Japanese sword or Shinai to protect the hands.
Hilt or handle section of a Japanese sword (Katana, Bokken) or Shinai.
Thrusting straight punch or weapon thrust in Japanese martial disciplines.
Second (Tsukuri = positioning) and third (Kake = execution) phases of throwing in Judo.
One-legged stance mimicking a crane, used for balance, evasion, and kick preparation in Karate.
Partner drill in Tai Chi developing the ability to sense, yield to, and neutralize incoming force.
ChinaOfficial close-quarters military combatives system used by South Korean Special Forces.
System of 24 technical patterns in ITF Taekwondo created by General Choi Hong Hi.
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.
Repetitive practice of entering a throw without completing it, a fundamental training method in Judo.
Practitioner who initiates the attack and receives the partner's defensive technique.
Category of defensive blocking and deflecting techniques in Karate and Jujutsu.
Art of breakfalling safely to absorb impact energy without injury during throws.
Snapping backfist strike utilizing the back of the knuckles to target the nose or temple.
Linear spinning back thrust kick driving the heel into the opponent's liver or solar plexus.
Top jacket section of a traditional martial arts gi uniform.
One of the four basic guards of historical German fencing, in which the sword is raised high above the head or shoulder.
GermanyA trio of key timing principles in historical German fencing describing initiative, reaction, and simultaneity of action.
Traditional Thai greeting performed by pressing palms together in a prayer-like gesture with a slight bow.
Traditional Thai ritual expressing respect to teachers, parents, and ancestors prior to a Muay Thai bout.
Japanese word and suffix classifying a specific martial technique, skill, or application.
Second highest score in Judo and Karate (two Waza-ari combine to equal an Ippon victory).
Traditional code of martial morality and ethics in Chinese martial arts.
Command meaning 'Stop!' or 'Halt!', used to end an exercise or bout.
Linear side kick striking with the blade edge of the heel (Sokuto) to the ribs or knee.
The highest and only lifetime rank in professional sumo, awarded solely to wrestlers with exceptional results and exemplary conduct.
The traditional Japanese longbow with a distinctly asymmetric shape, whose grip sits roughly one-third of the way up from the bottom end rather than at the center as in Western bows.