Grapple Academy
BJJ glossary
Clear definitions for the terms you'll hear on and off the mat.
A
B
- Back ControlBack control is any position where you control an opponent from behind, with chest-to-back connection and hooks or a body triangle.
- BaseBase describes your stability relative to the mat — the ability to resist being swept, thrown, or off-balanced by an opponent's leverage.
- BeltThe belt in BJJ denotes rank, progressing from white through blue, purple, brown, and black, with stripes marking progress within each grade.
C
D
E
F
G
- GiThe gi is the traditional BJJ uniform: a heavy-weave jacket and trousers with a belt, used in gi-specific training and competition.
- GripA grip is any hand or finger contact used to control your opponent's body, clothing, or limbs during grappling, forming the foundation of most attacks.
- Guard PassA guard pass is any technique that moves you from inside your opponent's guard to a dominant side position, scoring in competition.
H
- Half GuardHalf guard is a position where you trap one of your opponent's legs between yours, creating a hybrid between guard and side control.
- HierarchyThe BJJ hierarchy is the belt-based ranking structure acknowledging skill level, mat time, and contribution to the art, varying by affiliation.
- Hip EscapeThe hip escape, or shrimp, is a fundamental BJJ movement where you push off the mat to slide your hips away, used to recover guard and escape pins.
I
K
- KimuraThe kimura is a shoulder lock using a figure-four grip on the wrist to rotate the arm behind the back, applied from guard, side control, and back.
- Knee on BellyKnee on belly is a transitional top position placing one knee on the opponent's abdomen for heavy pressure while your other foot is posted out.
M
N
O
- OmoplataThe omoplata is a shoulder lock using your legs to trap and rotate the opponent's arm, applied from guard positions and doubles as a sweep option.
- Open GuardOpen guard covers any guard where your feet are not locked together, giving more dynamic control options including butterfly, spider, and De La Riva.
- OssOss is a versatile term borrowed from Japanese martial arts, used in BJJ academies to acknowledge instructions, show respect, and express readiness.
P
- PointsPoints in BJJ competition reward dominant positional control — takedowns, sweeps, guard passes, and stable positions each score defined values.
- PosturePosture in BJJ refers to spine alignment and upright positioning, particularly inside the guard where a broken posture exposes you to submissions.
R
S
- Side ControlSide control is a dominant top position where you lie perpendicular to a pinned opponent, with no legs in their guard.
- Sub-OnlySub-only is a competition format where only submissions count as wins, with no points or advantages, encouraging aggressive and creative finishing.
- SubmissionA submission is any technique that forces an opponent to tap by threatening injury — chokes that cut blood or air, and joint locks that stress limbs.
- SweepA sweep is any technique used from guard to reverse positions, moving from bottom to top and scoring points in competition.
T
- TapTapping is the universal BJJ signal for submission — striking your opponent or the mat with your hand, or saying tap verbally, to end a submission attempt.
- TransitionA transition is any movement between positions during a roll, such as passing from half guard to side control or taking the back during a scramble.
- Triangle ChokeThe triangle choke uses your legs in a figure-four around the opponent's neck and one arm to compress the carotid arteries and force a tap.
- TurtleThe turtle is a defensive position where you curl onto hands and knees, protecting your neck from chokes while preventing back exposure.
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