Learn the words you will hear before you step on the mat.
Start with plain-English explanations for tap, guard, mount, side control, frames, shrimp, and connection.
Day-one language
Beginner-friendly BJJ glossary
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Terms in Plain English
New to BJJ? Start with the words you will hear on day one, then visit for a calm, beginner-friendly intro in Tannersville.
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7 Words You’ll Hear On Day One
These are the words that help a beginner feel safer, calmer, and less lost during a first class.
01
Tap
The safe way to say stop.
02Guard
Use your legs to stay safe from bottom.
03Frame
Make space with strong body shape.
04Shrimp / Hip Escape
Move your hips away to make room.
05Mount
A top position beginners hear early.
06Side Control
A common top control position from the side.
07Control
The big idea behind safe Jiu-Jitsu.
You do not need every term today. Start with these seven.
Book Free IntroAnkle Lock
An ankle lock is a submission that attacks the ankle and lower leg, typically from a leg-entanglement position with controlled alignment.
Learn the term →Ankle Pick
An ankle pick is a takedown where one hand or arm controls the upper body while the other hand attacks the ankle to take away balance and bring the partner down.
Learn the term →Arm Drag
An arm drag is a movement that guides your partner's arm across your center line to create an angle and expose the side or back.
Learn the term →Armbar
An armbar is a submission that controls the arm and attacks the elbow joint.
Learn the term →Back Control
Back control is a dominant position where you control someone from behind, usually with your legs hooked in.
Learn the term →Back Defense
Back defense is the set of habits and movements used to protect the neck, disrupt control, and recover safer positions when an opponent is behind you.
Learn the term →Back Take
A back take is the act of moving behind your partner and establishing strong back control before they can turn back to face you.
Learn the term →Backstep Pass
A backstep pass is a guard pass where the top player rotates the hips and steps backward or across to clear the legs, change angle, and move into a stronger top position.
Learn the term →Base
Base is the structure and balance that keep you stable so you are harder to tip, sweep, or knock out of position.
Learn the term →Beginner Lane
Beginner Lane is the calm first-class path where new students learn safety, basic movement, and partner expectations before a skill-first first class.
Learn the term →Body Lock
A body lock is a tight connection around your partner's torso used to control posture, movement, pressure, or takedown direction.
Learn the term →Body-Lock Pass
A body-lock pass is a guard pass where the top player locks around the torso to control movement, flatten the hips, and move around the legs with tight connection.
Learn the term →Bridge
A bridge is a basic movement where you drive your hips upward to create force, escape pressure, or reverse position.
Learn the term →Bully Proof
Bully Proof means helping kids build calm confidence, boundary words, balance, and safe control without teaching them to chase fights.
Learn the term →Butterfly Guard
Butterfly guard is a seated guard where the bottom player places hooks inside the top player's legs to lift, turn, and off-balance them.
Learn the term →Butterfly Hook
A butterfly hook is the inside foot connection used in butterfly guard to lift, steer, and off-balance the top player.
Learn the term →Butterfly Sweep
A butterfly sweep is a reversal from seated or butterfly-style guard where the bottom player uses hooks, angle, and lift to tip the top player and come up on top.
Learn the term →Chest to Back
Chest to back means staying tightly connected to your partner's back with your chest so they have less room to turn, shake you off, or escape.
Learn the term →Chest to Chest
Chest to chest is a close-control orientation where the top player keeps direct torso connection to limit movement and improve pressure.
Learn the term →Clinch
The clinch is a close standing range where both students are connected through grips, ties, or upper-body contact and are fighting for posture, angle, and control.
Learn the term →Closed Guard
Closed guard is a guard position where the bottom person wraps their legs around the top person and connects their ankles.
Learn the term →Closed Guard Break
A closed guard break is the process of opening the bottom player’s locked legs so the top player can begin passing.
Learn the term →Collar Grip
A collar grip is a gi grip taken on the lapel or collar area of the jacket to control posture, direction, and distance.
Learn the term →Collar Tie
A collar tie is a standing control where one hand rests behind or near the back of the partner's head or neck to manage posture, direction, and distance.
Learn the term →Control
Control means limiting your partner’s movement enough to stay safe, improve position, or attack with more confidence.
Learn the term →Cross Collar Choke
A cross collar choke is a gi choke that uses deep grips in the collar to compress the neck and force a safe tap.
Learn the term →Crossface
A crossface is a control where the top player uses the shoulder or arm across the head line to turn and flatten the bottom player.
Learn the term →Crossface Defense
Crossface defense is the set of frames, head-position choices, and alignment adjustments used to stop the top player from turning and flattening you.
Learn the term →Crossface Pressure
Crossface pressure is the use of a crossface in a way that turns the head, weakens frames, and makes it harder for the partner to rotate back into strong alignment.
Learn the term →De La Riva
De La Riva is an open guard where one leg hooks around the outside of the standing partner's leg to help manage distance, angle, and balance.
Learn the term →Dominant Position
A dominant position is a place in BJJ where you have stronger control, safer balance, and better access to attacks than your partner does.
Learn the term →Double Leg
A double leg is a takedown where you attack both of your partner's legs to drive, turn, or lift them into a grounded position.
Learn the term →Double Leg Defense
Double leg defense is the set of actions used to stop a partner from connecting to both legs and driving through to finish a takedown.
Learn the term →Elbow Knee Escape
An elbow knee escape is a mount escape where the bottom player uses the elbow and knee together to create space and recover guard or half guard.
Learn the term →Escape
An escape is the act of moving from a bad or restricted position to a safer, stronger, or more neutral one.
Learn the term →Flower Sweep
A flower sweep is a guard sweep where the bottom player controls an arm and uses angle plus leg elevation to tilt the top player over.
Learn the term →Frame
A frame is a body structure that helps you create space and block pressure.
Learn the term →Frame Recovery
Frame recovery means rebuilding useful frames after pressure has collapsed or weakened your structure.
Learn the term →Front Headlock
A front headlock is a control where you face your partner and manage the head, neck line, and often an arm from the front.
Learn the term →Gi
A gi is the traditional Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu uniform, with a jacket, pants, and belt that can all be used for grips.
Learn the term →Go Behind
A go behind is moving around a partner to gain rear angle control, usually during transitions, takedown reactions, or turtle exchanges.
Learn the term →Go Behind Defense
Go behind defense is the set of movements and positioning choices used to stop a partner from circling behind you and taking stronger control from the rear.
Learn the term →Granby Roll
A Granby roll is a rolling movement that uses shoulder rotation and hip inversion to escape, change angle, or recover position when someone is trying to control from the top or behind.
Learn the term →Grip
A grip is a hand connection on your partner or their clothing that helps you control, pull, steer, or slow their movement.
Learn the term →Grip Fighting
Grip fighting is the battle to get the connections you want while stopping your partner from getting the connections they want.
Learn the term →Guard
Guard is a bottom position where you use your legs, hips, and frames to control the person on top.
Learn the term →Guard Pass
A guard pass is the act of getting around, through, or past the bottom player's legs so the top player can reach stronger control like side control, north south, or mount.
Learn the term →Guard Pull
A guard pull is when a student deliberately goes from standing to a guard position instead of trying to finish a takedown first.
Learn the term →Guard Recovery
Guard recovery means rebuilding your guard after it has been weakened, opened, or partially passed by the top player.
Learn the term →Guard Retention
Guard retention is the skill of keeping your guard or rebuilding it when the top player is trying to pass around, through, or over your legs.
Learn the term →Guillotine
A guillotine is a choke that attacks the neck from the front, usually when an opponent’s head is low or exposed.
Learn the term →Half Guard
Half guard is a position where one of the top player’s legs is trapped between the bottom player’s legs.
Learn the term →Hand Fighting
Hand fighting is the standing battle for grip, tie, and inside control that sets up safer entries and better positioning.
Learn the term →Head Line
Head line is the direction and position of the head in relation to your partner's body and movement. Winning the head line often helps control balance, posture, and turning.
Learn the term →Head Position
Head position means where your head is placed relative to your partner and how that placement affects balance, pressure, posture, and control.
Learn the term →Heavy Hips
Heavy hips means using hip placement and body weight so the partner has to carry more load and finds it harder to move, come up, or finish attacks.
Learn the term →Hip Escape
A hip escape is a movement where you shift your hips away to create space and improve your position. It is the formal name for a shrimp movement.
Learn the term →Hip Heist
A hip heist is a movement where a student quickly rotates the hips out from underneath and turns the body to face a new angle, often to build base, come up, or escape pressure.
Learn the term →Hooks
Hooks are foot or leg connections used to control, lift, steer, or stay attached to a partner. The term is most often used for back control hooks and butterfly hooks.
Learn the term →Inside Position
Inside position means winning the space between your partner's arms or legs so your connections are more direct, safer, and easier to build from.
Learn the term →Inside Tie
An inside tie is a standing hand-fighting connection where your arm or hand controls the inside line between your body and your partner's arm to improve positioning and limit their control.
Learn the term →Inside Trip
An inside trip is a takedown where you block, hook, or reap the inside of your partner's leg while controlling the upper body and directing their balance.
Learn the term →Inversion
Inversion is a movement where a student rotates underneath or onto the shoulders to recover guard, follow movement, or create new angles.
Learn the term →Jiu-Jitsu
Jiu-Jitsu is a grappling art built around control, position, escapes, sweeps, takedowns, and submissions rather than striking.
Learn the term →K-Guard
K-guard is a guard configuration where the legs create a tight angle around one of the partner's legs, often opening entries into off-balancing, wrestle-ups, or leg entanglements.
Learn the term →Kimura
A kimura is a shoulder-lock submission that controls the arm in a bent position and rotates it until the person taps.
Learn the term →Knee Cut
A knee cut is a guard pass where the top player slices the knee across the bottom player's legs to move toward side control or another strong top position.
Learn the term →Knee Line
Knee line is the position of the knee relative to a leg entanglement or lower-body control. Whether the knee is trapped, hidden, cleared, or exposed often changes how strong the control or escape is.
Learn the term →Knee Shield
A knee shield is a half-guard frame where the bottom player places the knee across the top player's torso to create space, manage pressure, and make it harder to get flattened.
Learn the term →Knee Slide
A knee slide is a guard pass where the top player slides the knee through the guard while controlling the upper body and hips to move toward side control or mount.
Learn the term →Lapel Grip
A lapel grip is a gi grip taken on the lapel area of the jacket to control posture, angle, distance, or attack setup.
Learn the term →Leg Drag
A leg drag is a guard-passing position where the top player pulls or directs one or both of the bottom player's legs across the body to clear the hips and move toward dominant control.
Learn the term →Leg Entanglement
Leg entanglement is a lower-body control relationship where the legs are connected in a way that limits movement and creates attack or control options.
Learn the term →Level Change
Level change is lowering your base and body height with control so you can enter takedowns safely and efficiently.
Learn the term →Long Step
A long step is a guard-passing movement where the top player steps the leg back and around to create a stronger passing angle while avoiding hooks and frames.
Learn the term →Mat Return
A mat return is the act of bringing a standing partner back to the mat after they rise or begin to escape from a standing position.
Learn the term →Mount
Mount is a strong top position where one person sits over the other person’s torso.
Learn the term →Mount Transition
A mount transition is the movement of advancing from a control phase into mount while maintaining balance, pressure, and connection through the change.
Learn the term →Neutral Position
A neutral position is a moment where neither person clearly holds the stronger advantage yet, even though both are trying to create one.
Learn the term →No-Gi
No-gi is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training without the traditional gi, usually in rashguards and shorts.
Learn the term →North South
North south is a top control position where the players face opposite directions, usually with the top player controlling the torso from above the head line.
Learn the term →Off-Balance
Off-balance is the act of shifting a partner's weight so they cannot post, step, or recover in time to stop your attack or transition.
Learn the term →Open Guard
Open guard is a guard position where the bottom player uses the legs actively without locking the ankles around the top player.
Learn the term →Open Guard Pass
An open guard pass is the act of getting around or through an opponent’s active open guard to reach stronger top control.
Learn the term →Outside Trip
An outside trip is a takedown where you attack the outside of your partner's leg while using upper-body control and directional pressure to take away balance.
Learn the term →Overhook
An overhook is when your arm goes over and around your partner's arm to trap, control, or redirect that side of their body.
Learn the term →Penetration Step
A penetration step is the lead step that drives a shot entry forward under control to connect to legs or hips with better angle and balance.
Learn the term →Pin
A pin is a form of control that keeps your partner from moving freely by anchoring part of their body to the mat or limiting their structure.
Learn the term →Pin Escape
A pin escape is the act of getting out from underneath a controlling top position where your movement has been restricted.
Learn the term →Posture
Posture is the alignment of your body so you can stay balanced, strong, and harder to break down or control.
Learn the term →Posture Break
A posture break is the act of pulling, steering, or disrupting your partner’s alignment so they lose a strong upright position and become easier to control.
Learn the term →Posture Recovery
Posture recovery means rebuilding stronger body alignment after it has been broken, pulled forward, twisted, or otherwise weakened.
Learn the term →Pressure
Pressure is the use of body weight, alignment, timing, and connection to make a partner carry more load, lose comfort, and have less room to move.
Learn the term →Pummel
To pummel means to swim your arms inside and around your partner's arms to fight for better upper-body position and control.
Learn the term →Quarter Guard
Quarter guard is a control point where the bottom player traps only part of one leg instead of controlling the leg as fully as in half guard.
Learn the term →Re-Guard
Re-guard is the act of rebuilding guard after it has been weakened, opened, or partly passed.
Learn the term →Re-Shot
A re-shot is a takedown attempt made immediately after defending, stopping, or disrupting your partner's shot.
Learn the term →Rear Naked Choke
A rear naked choke is a choke applied from the back where the attacker uses the arms to compress the neck and force a safe tap.
Learn the term →Reverse De La Riva
Reverse De La Riva is an open guard where the hooking leg comes from the inside angle rather than the outside, helping create a different line of control against a standing partner.
Learn the term →Safety
Safety in BJJ means using clear stop signals, controlled movement, partner awareness, and coach guidance so training stays trustworthy.
Learn the term →Scissor Sweep
A scissor sweep is a sweep from guard where the bottom player combines upper-body control with shin and leg action to tip the top player over.
Learn the term →Scramble
A scramble is a fast, unsettled exchange where both students are moving to gain control, improve position, or avoid losing position before anything fully stabilizes.
Learn the term →Seatbelt
The seatbelt is a back-control grip where one arm goes over the shoulder and the other arm goes under the armpit to connect around the torso.
Learn the term →Seatbelt Escape
A seatbelt escape is the process of defending and loosening the seatbelt grip from back control so you can turn, hide the choking side, and improve your position.
Learn the term →Seated Guard
Seated guard is a guard position where the bottom player stays upright or partly upright instead of lying flat on the back.
Learn the term →Shot Entry
A shot entry is the movement used to enter safely and efficiently into a takedown attempt, usually by lowering level, closing distance, and connecting to the legs or hips.
Learn the term →Shoulder Pressure
Shoulder pressure is the use of the shoulder as a focused point of connection to limit movement, flatten posture, or make frames and escapes weaker.
Learn the term →Shrimp
Shrimp is a hip escape movement used to create space and improve position.
Learn the term →Sickle Sweep
A sickle sweep is a sweep against a standing opponent where the bottom player disrupts the upper body and cuts the standing leg out with the foot.
Learn the term →Side Control
Side control is a top position where one person controls from across the other person’s upper body.
Learn the term →Single Leg
A single leg is a takedown where you attack and control one of your partner's legs to bring them to the mat or force them off balance.
Learn the term →Single Leg Defense
Single leg defense is the set of posture, balance, hand fighting, and hip-position reactions used to stop or weaken a single-leg takedown attempt.
Learn the term →Sleeve Grip
A sleeve grip is a gi grip taken on the sleeve area of the jacket to control an arm, slow posting, and guide direction.
Learn the term →Snap Down
A snap down is a movement where you pull or guide your partner's upper body downward to break posture and expose front-headlock or takedown opportunities.
Learn the term →Spin Behind
A spin behind is the movement of circling around a partner's position to reach the back or a stronger control angle while they are bent over, turtled, or extended forward.
Learn the term →Sprawl
A sprawl is a defensive movement where you throw the legs back and drop weight to make a takedown attempt harder to finish.
Learn the term →Sprawl Defense
Sprawl defense is the use of hip pressure, leg extension, angle, and upper-body control to stop a takedown attempt and make the attacker carry your weight.
Learn the term →Submission
A submission is a technique that forces a safe stop by creating controlled pressure on a joint, the neck, or blood flow so the other person taps.
Learn the term →Sweep
A sweep is a move from the bottom that puts you on top.
Learn the term →Takedown
A takedown is a movement or sequence that brings the fight from standing to the ground while aiming to land in a better position.
Learn the term →Takedown Defense
Takedown defense is the combination of posture, footwork, hips, and upper-body control used to stop or weaken takedown attempts.
Learn the term →Tap
A tap is the safety signal that tells your training partner to stop.
Learn the term →Technical Stand Up
A technical stand up is a way to rise from the ground while keeping your base, distance, and ability to protect yourself.
Learn the term →Top Position
Top position means you are above your partner and usually have a better chance to apply pressure, pass, and control movement.
Learn the term →Top Ride
A top ride is a style of top control where the top player follows, steers, and stays attached to a partner who is trying to move, rise, or scramble free.
Learn the term →Torreando
Torreando is a style of guard pass where the top player moves the legs aside and circles around them to reach stronger control.
Learn the term →Torreando Defense
Torreando defense is the set of movements and frames used to stop an opponent from steering the legs aside and circling around the guard.
Learn the term →Transition
A transition is the movement from one position, control, or attack to another before the situation fully settles.
Learn the term →Triangle
A triangle is a submission where the legs trap the head and one arm to create a choke.
Learn the term →Tripod Sweep
A tripod sweep is a sweep against a standing opponent where the bottom player controls the upper body and a leg while using the feet to take away balance and posts.
Learn the term →Turtle
Turtle is a defensive position where a student stays on the knees and elbows or hands, keeping the limbs tight and the head protected to avoid being pinned or controlled flat.
Learn the term →Underhook
An underhook is when your arm goes under your partner's arm to gain connection, lift, turn, or control their upper body.
Learn the term →Upa Escape
An upa escape is a mount escape where the bottom player traps part of the top player's base and bridges to reverse the position.
Learn the term →Waiter Sweep
A waiter sweep is a sweep where the bottom player gets underneath part of the partner's base and lifts or redirects the leg while managing balance to bring the top player over.
Learn the term →Whizzer
A whizzer is a strong overhook used to counter underhooks, disrupt posture, and make takedowns or body-lock entries harder to finish.
Learn the term →Whizzer Defense
Whizzer defense is the use of a strong overhook, posture, hip position, and angle to counter an opponent's underhook or takedown attempt.
Learn the term →Windshield Wiper
A windshield wiper is a leg movement where the lower body swings or rotates from one angle to another to clear hooks, switch positions, or stabilize movement.
Learn the term →Wrestle Up
Wrestle up means rising from guard or a lower position into a takedown, top control, or standing attack instead of staying underneath.
Learn the term →Wrist Control
Wrist control is controlling a partner's hand or wrist to limit what that arm can do and to make movement, posture, defense, or attack easier to manage.
Learn the term →X Guard
X guard is an open-guard structure where the legs create lifting and steering control under a standing or mobile opponent.
Learn the term →Z Guard
Z guard is a half-guard variation where the legs form a bent shape and the top knee acts like a shield to manage pressure, create distance, and keep stronger frames.
Learn the term →