BJJ Glossary: Every Term You Need to Know

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

This BJJ glossary covers over 120 key terms used in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, explained in plain language. Whether you just started training or you’re preparing for competition, you’ll find every BJJ term you need right here on bjj-rules.com. Each term links to a detailed page when available.

A.

Academy – the term used to describe a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu school or training facility.

Advantage – a near-score awarded in competition when a technique almost scored but wasn’t fully completed. Used as a tiebreaker when points are even.

Americana – a submission that applies an outward shoulder lock on the opponent’s arm using a figure-four grip. One of the first submissions taught to beginners.

Anaconda choke – a submission that uses the arms to compress the opponent’s airways from the side, typically applied during scrambles or from front headlock.

Ankle lock (straight ankle lock) – a submission targeting the ankle joint through hyperextension. The first leg lock allowed in IBJJF competition (legal at white belt).

Arm triangle – a submission that uses the arms crossed over the opponent’s neck to compress the airways, trapping one of the opponent’s arms against their own neck.

Armbar – a submission that hyperextends the opponent’s elbow joint beyond its natural range of motion. Works from guard, mount, side control, and many other positions.

B.

Back control – a position where one fighter is behind the opponent with legs (hooks) wrapped around their body. Worth 4 points in IBJJF competition.

Back take – a technique used to get behind the opponent and establish back control.

Base – a fundamental BJJ concept referring to a fighter’s stability and balance. Having a good base means being hard to sweep or off-balance, whether standing or on the ground.

Belt – the belt worn by Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners to indicate their skill level. The order: white, blue, purple, brown, black.

Berimbolo – a spinning technique used to take the opponent’s back from De la Riva guard. Popularized by the Mendes brothers and the Miyao brothers.

Bicep slicer – a submission that applies crushing pressure on the opponent’s bicep using the forearm as a fulcrum.

BJJ – abbreviation for “Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu”.

Bottom player – a fighter who prefers to fight from the bottom position, using their guard to attack and sweep.

Bow and arrow choke – a powerful submission applied from back control by gripping the opponent’s collar and pulling their leg in opposite directions. One of the highest-percentage chokes in gi BJJ.

Bridge (upa) – a fundamental movement where you drive your hips upward while pushing off your feet. Used to escape from mount and other bottom positions.

Butterfly guard – a guard where the bottom player places their feet (hooks) inside the opponent’s thighs while sitting up. Great for sweeps and single leg entries.

C.

Calf slicer – a submission that applies crushing pressure on the opponent’s calf muscle.

Choke – a submission that compresses the opponent’s airways (air choke) or blood supply to the brain (blood choke) to force a tap.

Clock choke – a submission applied from the turtle position, using the gi collar to choke while rotating around the opponent like the hand of a clock.

Closed guard – a guard where the bottom player’s legs are locked behind the opponent’s back. The first guard you learn in BJJ.

Collar grip – a grip on the opponent’s gi collar. One of the most important grips in gi jiu-jitsu, used for chokes, sweeps, and controlling posture.

Cross-collar choke – a submission that uses both hands gripping the opponent’s gi collar to compress the neck.

Crossface – a control technique where you drive your forearm across the opponent’s face to limit their movement and turn their head away.

Crucifix – a control position where both of the opponent’s arms are trapped, one by your legs and one by your arms. Opens up many submission options.

D.

D’arce choke – a submission applied by threading your arm under the opponent’s neck and through their armpit, similar to an anaconda choke but with a different grip configuration.

Deep half guard – a half guard variation where the bottom player goes deep underneath the opponent. Popular for sweeps and back takes.

De la Riva guard – an open guard where the bottom player hooks their leg around the outside of the opponent’s lead leg while controlling the far ankle. Named after Ricardo De la Riva.

Double leg takedown – a takedown technique where the attacker grabs both of the opponent’s legs and drives them to the ground.

Drilling – the methodical repetition of a technique to build muscle memory. Essential for progress in BJJ.

E.

Escape – any technique used to get out of a bad position (mount, side control, back control, etc.).

Ezekiel choke – a submission that uses the gi sleeve or the wrist to choke the opponent. Can be applied from many positions including inside the opponent’s guard.

F.

Foot lock – a submission that forces the opponent’s ankle joint beyond its natural range of motion.

Frame – a fundamental defensive concept. Using your arms and forearms to create space between yourself and the opponent, preventing them from applying pressure.

G.

Gi – the traditional uniform (kimono) worn during Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training and competition. Consists of a jacket, pants, and belt.

Granby roll – a shoulder roll used to recover guard or escape bad positions. A key movement in guard retention.

Grappling – a form of close-range combat involving body-to-body fighting without strikes. BJJ is a grappling art.

Grip fighting – the battle for grips on the opponent’s gi or body. Whoever controls the grips controls the fight.

Guard – a fundamental position where one fighter is on their back and uses their legs to control the opponent. There are dozens of guard variations.

Guard pass – a technique used to get past the opponent’s legs and achieve a dominant control position. Worth 3 points in IBJJF competition.

Guard retention – the set of techniques used to prevent the opponent from passing your guard. An often overlooked but essential part of playing guard.

Guillotine choke – a front headlock submission that compresses the opponent’s neck using the arms. Works in both gi and no-gi.

H.

Half guard – a position where the bottom player has one of the opponent’s legs trapped between their own legs. Both an offensive and defensive position.

Heel hook – a submission that attacks the knee by applying rotation to the heel. Considered one of the most dangerous submissions in grappling. Banned below brown belt in IBJJF.

Hip escape / Shrimp – the single most important fundamental movement in BJJ. A lateral hip movement used to create space and escape from bottom positions. Used in almost every escape.

Hook – using your foot or heel to attach to the opponent’s body. Hooks in back control are required to score the 4 points in IBJJF.

I.

IBJJF (International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation) – the main international governing body for BJJ competition, founded by Carlos Gracie Jr. Organizes the World Championships, Europeans, and Pan Americans.

Inverted triangle – a triangle choke variation applied from below with the legs in an inverted configuration.

J.

Jiu-Jitsu (Brazilian) – a martial art and combat sport focused on ground fighting, positional control, and submissions. Developed in Brazil by the Gracie family from judo and Japanese jiu-jitsu.

Joint lock – a category of submissions that force a joint beyond its natural range of motion, including armbars, kimuras, kneebars, and wrist locks.

K.

Kimono – the traditional uniform worn during Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practice. Also called “gi”.

Kimura – a shoulder lock submission using a figure-four grip to rotate the opponent’s shoulder. Named after judoka Masahiko Kimura, who defeated Helio Gracie with this technique in 1951.

Knee-on-belly – a dominant control position where one fighter places their knee on the opponent’s abdomen. Worth 2 points in IBJJF competition.

Kneebar – a submission that hyperextends the opponent’s knee joint.

Knee shield – a half guard variation where the bottom player uses their knee as a barrier to keep the opponent at distance and create openings for sweeps and attacks.

Knee slide pass (knee cut) – a guard pass where the attacker slides their knee across the opponent’s thigh. One of the most effective and widely used passes at every level.

L.

Lapel choke – a category of chokes that use the opponent’s gi lapel to strangle.

Lapel guard – a family of guards that use the gi skirt (your own or the opponent’s) as a control tool. Popularized by Keenan Cornelius (worm guard, squid guard, etc.).

Lasso guard – an open guard where the bottom player wraps their leg around the opponent’s arm while gripping the sleeve. Very effective for breaking posture.

Leg drag – a fast guard pass where the attacker moves the opponent’s leg to the side to access side control.

Lockdown – a half guard technique where the bottom player entangles their legs around the opponent’s leg to immobilize it. Popularized by 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu.

Loop choke – a quick collar choke typically hit from open guard or during transitions.

M.

Mata leao – the Portuguese name for the rear naked choke. Literally translates to “lion killer”.

Mount – a dominant position where one fighter sits on top of the opponent’s torso. Worth 4 points in IBJJF competition.

N.

No-gi – BJJ training or competition without the traditional gi, wearing a rashguard and shorts instead. No-gi places more emphasis on underhooks and leg locks.

North-south – a control position where one fighter is on top of the opponent, chest to chest, with their head facing the opponent’s feet.

North-south choke – a choke applied from north-south position using the arm and shoulder to compress the neck.

O.

Omoplata – a shoulder lock applied using the legs from guard position. Also used as a sweep and control position.

Open guard – any guard where the bottom player’s legs are not locked behind the opponent’s back. Includes De la Riva, spider guard, lasso, butterfly, and many more.

Oss – a greeting commonly used in BJJ academies to express respect.

Overhook (whizzer) – a control where you wrap your arm over the opponent’s arm to neutralize their underhook.

P.

Passing (guard passing) – the act of getting past the opponent’s legs to reach a dominant control position (side control, mount, back). One of the most important aspects of BJJ.

Posture – the alignment of your upper body relative to the opponent. In closed guard, maintaining good posture (straight back, head up) is essential to avoid submissions.

Pressure pass – a guard pass based on bodyweight and pressure to crush through the opponent’s guard. Style associated with Bernardo Faria and traditional Brazilian BJJ.

Professor – the term used to address a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructor or head coach.

Pull guard – a technique where a fighter sits down and pulls their opponent into their guard instead of wrestling for takedowns.

Q.

Quarter guard – a transitional position where the bottom player only controls the opponent’s foot or ankle. Often the last line of defense before a full guard pass.

R.

Rashguard – the tight-fitting shirt worn under the gi or as the primary top in no-gi training. Protects the skin from mat burn and infections.

Rear naked choke (RNC) – a submission applied from back control by wrapping one arm around the opponent’s neck. Widely considered the most effective choke in BJJ and MMA.

Reverse triangle – a triangle choke variation applied from the top position.

Roll – a round of live sparring in BJJ. “Let’s roll” means “let’s spar”.

Rubber guard – a closed guard system where the bottom player uses flexibility to place their foot behind the opponent’s head. Developed by Eddie Bravo (10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu).

S.

S-mount – a mount variation where the attacker places one leg high near the opponent’s head. The ideal position for armbar attacks from mount.

Sandbagging – intentionally staying at a lower belt rank to dominate the competition bracket. Frowned upon in the BJJ community.

Scarf hold (kesa gatame) – a lateral control position inherited from judo where the attacker controls the opponent’s head and one arm.

Scissor sweep – a classic sweep from closed guard that uses the legs in a scissor motion to knock the opponent over.

Seatbelt grip – a back control grip where one arm goes over the shoulder and the other under the armpit, hands clasped on the opponent’s chest.

Side control – a dominant control position where one fighter lies perpendicular across the opponent’s torso. Achieved after passing the guard (3 points in IBJJF).

Single leg takedown – a takedown where the attacker grabs one of the opponent’s legs to bring them to the ground.

Sleeve grip – a grip on the opponent’s gi sleeve. Essential for open guard play (spider guard, lasso, etc.).

Smash pass – a pressure-based guard pass where the attacker pins the opponent’s legs to one side to get past them.

Sparring – live training rounds where practitioners test their skills against a resisting partner. Also called “rolling” in BJJ.

Spider guard – an open guard where the bottom player grips both sleeves and places their feet on the opponent’s biceps. Very strong for distance management.

Sprawl – a defensive technique used to stop a takedown by driving your hips back and your legs away from the attacker.

Stack pass – a guard pass where the attacker folds the opponent onto their shoulders by pushing their legs toward their head.

Stalling – intentionally avoiding action or blocking the fight from progressing. Penalized by the referee in competition.

Submission – a technique that forces the opponent to tap out due to pain, the threat of injury, or loss of consciousness. Includes chokes and joint locks.

Sweep – a technique used to reverse positions from bottom to top. Worth 2 points in IBJJF competition.

T.

Takedown – a technique used to bring a standing opponent to the ground. Worth 2 points in IBJJF.

Tap / Tap out – the act of tapping your opponent, the mat, or yourself to signal you give up to a submission. The most important safety rule in BJJ.

Top player – a fighter who prefers to fight from the top position, passing guard and applying pressure.

Toreando pass (toreada) – a fast guard pass where the attacker grabs the opponent’s legs and pushes them to the side, like a bullfighter. Effective in both gi and no-gi.

Transition – moving from one position to another. Smooth transitions are what separate advanced practitioners from beginners.

Triangle choke – a submission that uses the legs to form a triangle around the opponent’s neck and one arm, compressing the carotid arteries.

Truck – a back control variation where the attacker has a deep hook between the opponent’s legs. Popular in no-gi and in the 10th Planet system.

Turtle position – a defensive position where the fighter is on their hands and knees with their back facing the opponent. A transitional position, not somewhere you want to stay.

Twister – a spine lock submission that applies rotational pressure to the spine. A rare and spectacular technique popularized by Eddie Bravo.

U.

Underhook – a grip where your arm goes under the opponent’s arm. Having the underhook is often the key to controlling the position, in half guard and standing.

V.

Vale tudo – Portuguese for “anything goes”. Refers to the early no-rules MMA fights where the Gracie family’s BJJ proved its effectiveness in the 1990s.

W.

Warm-up – the part of training before technique and sparring. In BJJ, warm-ups typically include specific movements like shrimping, granby rolls, and breakfalls.

Worm guard – a guard created by Keenan Cornelius that uses the opponent’s gi lapel wrapped around their leg to create an extremely difficult-to-break control.

Wrist lock – a submission that applies pressure on the wrist joint. Often called a “dirty” sub because it comes fast and with little warning.

X.

X-guard – an open guard where the bottom player places both legs between and around the opponent’s legs in an X-shape to off-balance them. Great for sweeps. Popularized by Marcelo Garcia.

Y.

Yokozuna – in IBJJF competition, the heaviest weight class (open class / absolute division), where competitors of all weights face each other.

Z.

Z-guard – a half guard variation where the bottom player uses their top knee as a shield (knee shield) to maintain distance. Very popular at the highest levels of competition.