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Jiu Jitsu jargon can be pretty overwhelming when you're just starting out. You might hear someone barking "pass the guard" during a drill and not have a clue what they're talking about - or your coach casually mentioning a "kimura setup" and you feel like they're speaking a whole different language. But when you're new to the sport, learning the most common Jiu Jitsu terms is one of the fastest ways to get a hold on what's going on during training, understand what your coaches are saying and start to follow instructions with confidence.
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has its own special blend of Japanese martial arts terminology, Portuguese phrases and modern grappling culture thats all mixed together. This guide breaks down the key bjj terms into categories that make sense, so beginners can quickly get a handle on the sport and enjoy training.
It's not just about learning the techniques - it's also about speaking the same language. Coaches will be barking instructions at you, your training partners will be shouting out positions on the fly and competition rules are all based on a specific vocabulary.
When beginners don't know their Jiu Jitsu terms, they often:
Learning the vocabulary early removes one of the biggest mental barriers and lets beginners make faster progress.
Positions are the foundation of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. These Jiu Jitsu terms tell you where you and your opponent are in relation to each other.
In Jiu Jitsu, positions are often referred to as control positions, which are basically the fundamentals of maintaining dominance or setting up submissions.
The guard is basically when you're on your back with your legs between you and your opponent. There are loads of different types of guard, including closed guard, open guard and half guard.
The mount is when you're sitting on top of your opponent, facing their head. This is a control position where you use your weight to pin your opponent's torso, making it tough for them to escape or defend.
The side control position is when you're lying across your opponent with your body at right angles to theirs. In this position, you apply pressure and control over your opponent's chest, limiting their movement and escape options.
The north south position is another control position where you're positioned right over your opponent's torso, with your head pointing towards their feet. This position lets you easily transition, submit or keep control over your opponent.
Back control is when you're behind your opponent, usually with your legs wrapped around their waist and your arms controlling their upper body. This is one of the most dominant positions in Jiu Jitsu.
The turtle position is a defensive position where the player is squatting on all fours with their head tucked in. It's used to recover from a weak position or defend against attacks, allowing for transitions, sweeps or setting up submissions.
The guard is any position where you're on your back or seated and using your legs to control your opponent. Guard is a core concept in BJJ and what sets it apart from other martial arts. When you're on top, you're usually trying to pass your opponent's guard to get a more dominant position.
Some of the more common guard-related bjj terms include:
'Pull guard' means intentionally moving into a guard position from standing, often to establish your preferred guard.
The mount is one of those top positions where you're basically sitting on your opponent's torso - it lets you have super strong control and makes it pretty easy to go for submissions.
When you're in side control, your body's at right angles to your opponent. You're controlling them from the side and pinning their upper body down.
Back control is pretty straightforward : you've got your feet hooked inside their thighs and you're behind them. Its one of the most dominant positions in Jiu Jitsu, no question.
The guard is a basic foundation in Jiu Jitsu. It's all about using your legs to control your opponent and stop them from passing. There are loads of important guard variations, each offering it's own unique strategies for defence and attack.
Each guard variation gives you different options for controlling the other fella, attacking or transitioning to a better position.
These Jiu Jitsu terms are all about how you move and control in the fight.
Some examples of movement and control techniques include the 'arm drag' where you pull their arm across their body to set up takedowns or sweeps; the 'leg drag' which is a guard passing technique where you drag their leg to one side to control their hips and get in a better position; and the 'over under pass' which is a more advanced guard pass using underhooks and overhooks on their legs to pass or stack.
A guard pass is when you move from underneath their guard to a more dominant position like side control or mount. The 'over under pass' is a specific technique where you use one arm under and one arm over their legs to apply pressure and pass to the side or initiate a stack pass. The 'leg drag' is another guard passing technique where you control and drag their leg across their body to limit their movement and get in position.
A sweep is when you move from the bottom position and flip them over, so you end up on top. The 'arm drag' can be used to set up sweeps by pulling their arm across their body and off-balanceing them.
Base refers to how stable and balanced you are, making it harder for them to sweep or move you.
A frame refers to when you use your arms or legs to create space and prevent them from closing the distance or advancing. Using the other arm or leg can help reinforce frames and provide additional control during transitions and defensive movements.
The 'figure four grip' is a control method where you wrap your arms or limbs in a figure-four configuration, often used in submissions like the Americana or Kimura, as well as for maintaining strong positional control.
Getting past the guard is the first step in taking control - it means getting past their legs and establishing a dominant top position like side control or mount.
A sweep is when the bottom player gets the better of you and ends up on top.
Good base is key - the more stable and balanced you are, the harder it is for them to sweep you.
Frames are like structural barriers (usually arms or shins) that you can use to create space and prevent them from putting the pressure on.
Takedowns in Jiu Jitsu are all about finding a way to get the fight from standing to the ground where you can really get to work with Jiu Jitsu. Mastering takedowns lets you dictate where the match is going to take place, and gets you in a position to set up a dominant position right from the start.* Double Leg Takedown: That classic takedown move where you shoot in, grab both of the opponent's legs and drive them to the mat. It's a powerful, super effective way to transition to some real ground fighting.
Learning takedowns like the double leg takedown and single leg takedown is vital for becoming a well-rounded Jiu Jitsu practitioner - it's one of those key things you need to master.
Escaping is pretty crucial in Jiu Jitsu, because it lets you survive and even turn things around when you're in a bad position like being mounted. Knowing how to escape gives you the space you need to get back to guard or even turn the tables on your opponent.
Practicing escapes like the hip escape is super important for developing a strong defense and being able to create space when things are getting intense in Jiu Jitsu.
Submissions are what end matches in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu - these BJJ terms are how you describe techniques that make the other guy tap out. Submissions target different parts of the body, like the arm, neck or legs, by applying pressure or using your leverage to make them give up.
Tapping you on the mat or your opponent is how you signal that a submission's effective and the match should stop.
A choke restricts blood flow or airflow to get that submission.
Common choke-related Jiu Jitsu terms:
A joint lock applies pressure to a joint making them tap before it gets too badly injured.
Examples include:
As you get into more advanced Jiu Jitsu, you're going to come across all sorts of new techniques that take what you know and turn it up a notch - this is where you learn more complex submissions, sweeps, guard passes and guard positions.
You'll hear these Jiu Jitsu terms a lot during your regular training sessions.
Rolling's when you do some live sparring - that's when you're testing your techniques against someone who's actually resisting you.
Drilling is when you're practicing techniques with someone else, but at a lower intensity - you're not going all out.
Now a flow roll's a bit different - it's a light, low-key roll where you're more focused on movement than on trying to submit the other guy.
In an open mat session, you get to train freely without any instructor guidance - it's great for getting a feel for how everything works.
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu uses a belt system to show your level of skill - if you know what these Jiu Jitsu terms mean, you'll know where you stand.
You're a beginner at this level, and it's all about survival and learning the basics.
You've got some serious knowledge now - you're solid on the fundamentals and learning some strategy.
You're ahead of the game at this level - you've got a good understanding of the techniques and how to use them.
Now you're really getting into the finer details - mastery is what you're after.
Expert level - that's a long way to go, but it's where all the top practitioners end up after ten or more years of training.
Stripes are used to show you're getting better within a level - it's a bit like a stepping stone to the next level.
If you're planning on competing, you'll need to know these BJJ terms.
You score points for achieving dominant positions like guard passes, mounts, and back control.
An advantage is given for near-complete techniques that don't quite score you points.
A disqualification is when a competitor breaks the rules or gets too rough.
In the open-weight division, competitors of all sizes compete against each other - it's a real challenge.
Some Jiu Jitsu terms aren't actually formal techniques - but they're a big part of BJJ culture.
You'll hear people use this term to show respect, agree, or even just to pump each other up in the gym. Any gym, anywhere in the world.
This is one of those respectful titles that everyone in the instruction role gets to wear, no matter what their belt rank.
This one refers to the time you spend on the mat - and let's be honest, it's often used to make the point that it's the time you put in that really matters, not just how talented you are.
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu was born from Japanese Jiu Jitsu and Judo, and then it just went and made itself a whole new identity in Brazil - so it's no surprise that Jiu Jitsu terms are a melange of languages and cultures.
As BJJ started spreading all over the world, people started coming up with new bjj terms left and right - whether it was competitions, gym culture or just folks like Keenan Cornelius inventing new techniques that need new names. And let's not forget the "no gi" stuff - that's training without the uniform, where it's all about body control and leverage rather than trying to grab onto fabric. Today, the language of Jiu Jitsu is just a mix of old-school tradition and all the newfangled grappling ways people are coming up with.
If you're just starting out, here are some tips to help you pick up Jiu Jitsu terms in a hurry:
The more you hear 'em used in real life, the faster you'll pick up the lingo.
For newbies, the top Jiu Jitsu terms to learn are probably the basic positions like guard, mount, side control, and back control - as well as common actions like passing, sweeping, and tapping out. The sooner you get down these key terms, the easier it is to follow along in class, and the more confident you'll feel in general.
A bunch of Jiu Jitsu terms come from Japanese and Portuguese because BJJ evolved from traditional Japanese Jiu Jitsu and Judo, then went on to develop its own identity right in Brazil. Along the way, English slang and gym culture just added even more bjj terms to the mix.
Most of the basic Jiu Jitsu terms are pretty universal - especially when it comes to positions and submissions. But sometimes you'll hear different bjj terms for the same thing from one gym to another - and it's all down to the instructor or the academy.
Tapping out - or just "tapping" - is one of the most important Jiu Jitsu terms for safety. It means you're giving in and the match or roll should totally stop right away. And yes, you can do it by tapping the mat, or physically tapping your opponent, or just calling out loud if that's what you need to do.
No way - most beginners pick up Jiu Jitsu terms over time just by showing up to class and rolling around on the mat. But if you can get a basic handle on some of the most common bjj terms, you'll have a lot less confusion in your early days of training - and you'll be able to get on with the learning in a much more enjoyable way.
When you're rolling with a partner, you'll probably hear a bunch of Jiu Jitsu terms like pass, sweep, base, pressure, frame, and control. These bjj terms help your training partner and your coach understand exactly what's going on - and give 'em some quick feedback while you're going through the motions.
Most beginners start getting a handle on the basic Jiu Jitsu terms within the first few months of regular training. And by the time you're consistently in the gym and rolling around, you should basically have the whole lexicon down pat.
Learning Jiu Jitsu terms is just as important as mastering the actual skills. It helps you understand what's going on in class, communicate with your training partners, and feel like you're part of the Jiu Jitsu community. For beginners, getting the hang of the lingo is a big confidence-booster - and it's just one of those things that comes with time, repetition and mat-time experience.
