Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Terminology & Glossary

This glossary explains key Brazilian Jiu Jitsu terms used in our classes at Carlson Gracie Gainesville. It follows our belt progression from white to black and includes positions, submissions, takedowns, sweeps, escapes, and common drills. Use it to review after class and to learn the language you will hear on the mats.

Positions

These are the foundation of all offense and defense in jiu-jitsu. Mastering control, balance, and transitions from each position determines the success of every technique.

Closed Guard

Legs locked around the opponent’s waist from bottom. Keep your hips mobile and posture broken. From here you can attack with collar chokes, armbars, or triangles, and sweep using scissor or hip-bump variations.
See: Closed Guard Basics (video example)

Open Guard

Any guard where your legs are uncrossed. Control sleeves, ankles, or lapels while keeping your hips active. Useful for sweeps such as the sickle, hook, or De la Riva. Balance offense and defense—open guard is about connection, not distance.

Butterfly Guard

Sit upright with hooks inside your opponent’s thighs. Control wrists or collars, load their weight onto your hooks, and elevate to sweep. Perfect for creating momentum and transitioning into back takes or leg entanglements.

Half Guard

One of your legs is trapped between your opponent’s legs. Bottom player uses underhooks and knee shields to prevent cross-facing; top player flattens and controls the head to pass. Half guard is a battleground of pressure and timing.

Side Control (Side Mount)

Chest-to-chest top position with knees and elbows tight. Dominant player keeps shoulder pressure on the jawline while isolating arms for attacks like the Americana, Kimura, or arm-triangle. From bottom, frame on the near hip and far shoulder, then shrimp to recover guard.
See: Side Control Pressure Passing (video example)

Mount

Top position sitting on the opponent’s torso with knees wide and hips heavy. Maintain posture, control the head, and attack systematically—cross-collar choke, Americana, or S-mount armbar. Defensively, trap and roll or knee-elbow escape to recover guard.
See: Mount Escapes and Transitions (video example)

Back Control

Hooks control the hips while the seatbelt grip (one arm over, one under) manages the upper body. Attack with rear naked choke, bow-and-arrow, or straight armbar. Keep your chest glued to their back—space allows escape.
See: Back Attacks (video example)

North–South

You face your opponent’s legs, chest over their shoulders. This position limits movement and opens attacks like the Kimura or north–south choke. Stay mobile to counter bridging escapes.

Turtle Position

Defensive posture on hands and knees with elbows tucked and chin protected. From here, anticipate front headlocks, chokes, and crucifix attacks. Recover guard by rolling through or building back to base.

Knee-on-Belly

A transitional control between side control and mount. Place your knee across their midsection, toes posted for balance. Great for maintaining pressure, forcing movement, or setting up armbars and chokes.

Positional Hierarchy

In order of control and finishing potential:

1. Back Control

2. Mount

3. Side Control

4. Knee-on-Belly

5. Guard (neutral)

6. Half Guard

7. Turtle (defensive)

Takedowns & Throws

These techniques initiate ground engagement and set up dominant positions. Focus on posture, penetration steps, and hip rotation—power comes from timing, not strength.

Sucker Punch Defense

Awareness and hand position to intercept unexpected strikes. Cover, step offline, and re-establish safe posture before clinching.

Straight Punch Defense (Jab & Cross)

Use parries, head movement, and framing to redirect punches while closing distance safely for clinch entry.

Standing Rear Naked Choke Escape

When choked from behind, protect the airway, drop your weight, peel the top hand, and rotate into the attacker to clear the hold.

Hip Toss (O Goshi)

Classic judo throw using hip rotation. Step deep, turn your back to the opponent, load their weight onto your hip shelf, then lift and rotate to project them to the mat.
See: O Goshi Hip Throw (video example)

Double Leg Takedown

Level change, penetration step, collect both legs, and drive diagonally through to finish. Keep your head high and outside the ribs to avoid guillotines.
See: Double Leg Setup and Finish (video example)

Single Leg Takedown

Drop level, scoop one leg, and run the pipe or lift to finish. Maintain posture and inside control. Transition immediately to side control or half guard once you land.

Duck Under

Pull your opponent’s arm across, lower your level, and slip under to emerge at the back angle. Secure the waist or climb to seatbelt control.

Snap Down

Use a collar tie or head control to pull the opponent’s posture forward, forcing a reaction that opens the front headlock or sprawl position.

Ankle Pick

Combine upper-body push with a low-level ankle grab. Drive forward as you lift the heel to topple the opponent.

Arm Drag to Leg Hook

Drag the opponent’s arm across your centerline, step to the outside angle, and hook behind their leg to trip or finish a back take.
See: Arm Drag Entries (video example)

Ippon Seoi Nage (One-Arm Shoulder Throw)

Rotate under your opponent’s armpit while pulling their arm across your shoulder. Explosively extend the legs and twist your torso to project them forward. Control the landing to advance directly into side control or mount.

Sweeps & Transitions

Sweeps change your position from bottom to top, reversing control and setting up passing or submissions. The key is timing—combine leverage from your legs with upper body control to direct your opponent’s weight where they’re weakest.

Scissor Sweep

From closed guard, open your legs and create an angle. Place your top shin across their midsection while gripping the collar and sleeve. As you pull them forward, cut your top leg across while lifting with the bottom leg to topple them. Follow immediately to mount or side control.
See: Scissor Sweep (video example)

Hook Sweep

Sit up from butterfly guard, control your opponent’s arm, and load their weight onto your hooks. Lift one leg while pulling with your grips to roll them over. This sweep works best when combined with fake grip breaks or arm drags.
See: Butterfly Guard Sweep (video example)

Sickle Sweep

Used from open guard or De la Riva. Control the ankle and sleeve, then scissor your legs across their shin as you fall back. Push with one leg while pulling the sleeve to knock them down. Follow by sitting up and controlling top position.

Double Ankle Sweep (Lumberjack Sweep)

When your opponent stands in your closed guard, grab both ankles, plant your feet on their hips, and push as you pull their legs forward. As they fall, keep the grips and stand up into mount or knee-cut pass.
See: Double Ankle Sweep (video example)

Hook-to-Technical Stand-Up Transition

When you can’t sweep cleanly, create a hook to lift space, then post one hand and perform a technical stand-up to rise while controlling their ankle. Use it to initiate passing or re-shoot for a takedown.

Torreando (Bullfighter) Pass

A fast, lateral pass where you grip the opponent’s pants near the knees, step to one side, and circle around their legs to side control. Keep posture upright and chest back to avoid hooks.
See: Torreando Guard Pass (video example)

Knee Slice / Knee-Through Pass

Break the guard or half guard and slice your knee diagonally across their thigh while controlling the hips and far underhook. Keep your shin pressed heavy, drive your shoulder across their jaw, and clear your foot to finish the pass.

Shoulder Spike Pass

A pressure pass driving your shoulder into the opponent’s chest while stapling their legs. Transition directly into side control or north-south if the pass stalls. Use steady pressure rather than speed.

Back Take from Guard

From closed or open guard, create an angle by breaking posture. Use a collar grip and knee line control to rotate behind the opponent, establishing hooks and seatbelt control.
See: Back Take from Guard (video example)

Submissions

Submissions are finishing techniques that force your opponent to tap by applying a choke or joint lock. Focus on control and setup—position always comes before the submission. Each attack builds on leverage, alignment, and timing rather than strength.

Cross Collar Choke (Gi)

A classic lapel choke from guard or mount. Feed one lapel deep across your opponent’s neck, then bring the other hand palm-up on the opposite collar. Your wrists form a scissoring motion as you pull your elbows to your ribs. Pressure should be steady, not jerky.

Rear Naked Choke (RNC)

A no-gi choke from back control. Thread one arm around the neck, hand to bicep, and place the opposite hand behind their head. Keep your head tight to theirs and squeeze using your back and shoulders. Never crank—compress smoothly.

Gable Grip Choke

A variation of the RNC using a palm-to-palm grip instead of grabbing your bicep with the non-choking arm pinned against the opponents back. Great for no-gi or transitional attacks when the choke arm isn’t fully locked.

Bow and Arrow Choke

From back control, feed the collar across their neck with one hand, grab the pant leg or hip with the other, and extend your body like drawing a bow. Maintain chest pressure and hip connection throughout.

Armbar (Juji Gatame)

An elbow hyperextension. From guard or mount, isolate the arm, pinch your knees, and pivot your hips so their thumb points upward. Extend your hips gradually until the tap. In transitions, use the “leg over face” variation to prevent stacking escapes.

Straight Arm Lock

Applied when your opponent extends their arm defensively. Control the wrist, align your hips behind the elbow, and apply pressure through the fulcrum of your hips. Works from mount, guard, or side control.

Kimura

Figure-four grip controlling the wrist and your own wrist. Rotate the opponent’s arm behind their back while keeping their elbow tight to your chest. Used from guard, side control, or north-south. When chained with hip movement, it transitions smoothly to armlocks or sweeps.

Americana (Keylock)

Figure-four grip in the opposite direction of the Kimura—elbow bent toward the head. Flatten your opponent’s wrist to the mat, lift the elbow, and rotate until the shoulder locks. Common from mount and side control.

Triangle Choke (Sankaku Jime)

Trap the head and one arm inside your legs, forming a figure-four lock with your knees. Adjust your angle to face their trapped arm, grab your shin, and pull the head down as you squeeze your knees together. Posture control and hip alignment are key.
See: Triangle Choke (video example)

Omoplata

A shoulder lock using your legs. From guard, isolate the arm, swing your leg over their shoulder, and rotate your hips to drive their arm behind them. Sit up to finish or use it as a sweep when they posture out.

Guillotine Choke

Wrap your arm under the opponent’s neck as they shoot in or from front headlock. Palm-up grip and lift the elbow to close space. Finish standing or in guard; avoid falling back prematurely or they’ll pass.

D’Arce Choke

From top half guard or front headlock, thread your arm under their neck and over the far arm, gripping your bicep. Drop your hips and walk toward their legs to tighten. The pressure compresses the carotid arteries—no brute force required.
See: D’Arce Choke (video example)

Anaconda Choke

The sibling to the D’Arce. From front headlock or sprawled position, thread your arm under the neck and through to their armpit, locking palm-to-bicep. Roll toward the trapped arm side and squeeze while walking toward their hips.
See: Anaconda Choke (video example)

Americana-to-Armbar Chain

When the opponent straightens their arm to defend your Americana, slide your hand through and transition to an armbar. This chain teaches control through movement, not force.

Arm Triangle (Head-and-Arm Choke)

Trap the opponent’s arm against their neck using your head and shoulder pressure. From mount or side control, walk your arm under their neck and drop your weight. Your squeeze should come from chest compression, not biceps.
See: Arm Triangle Choke (video example)

Collar Choke (Basic Cross Collar)

A gi-based choke using both lapels. Deepen the first grip, slide the second hand across, and flare your wrists outward. Keep your elbows close to your body to create slicing pressure rather than pulling strength.

Baseball Bat Choke

Grip both lapels like holding a bat—palms opposite directions. Rotate under their arm as you sprawl or roll to apply pressure. Common from north-south or knee-on-belly.

Escapes & Defenses

Escapes are what keep you safe and in the fight. The best defense comes from early awareness—recognizing danger before it’s too late—and using frames, hips, and timing to reverse or recover position.

Cross Choke Escape

Defend collar grips before they deepen. Posture up, fight the choking forearm, and turn your hips to the side to relieve pressure. Grip their sleeve or elbow to strip the choke and return to guard.

Armbar Escape (Juji Gatame Escapes)

Stack your opponent and keep your trapped elbow tight to their body. Rotate the thumb toward their legs (“hitchhiker” direction) and drive forward to clear your elbow past the hips. Timing is everything—escape before they extend fully.
See: Armbar Defense (video example)

Hitchhiker Escape

Classic armbar counter: rotate thumb down, roll toward your trapped arm, and slide your elbow past their hips to freedom. Keep posture low as you transition to side control.

Triangle Choke Escape

Align both shoulders to the opponent’s chest, control their hip, and drive your posture up. If possible, stack and circle your free arm to open the lock at the knee line. Don’t panic—small angles make the biggest difference.

Trap and Roll Escape (Upa)

From bottom mount, trap your opponent’s arm and foot on one side. Bridge powerfully to your shoulder and roll them over, finishing in their guard. Timing and connection beat raw strength.

Side Control: Reguard

Frame against their hip and shoulder, turn onto your side, and slide a knee inside to recover guard. Constant micro-movements keep you safe while you wait for an opening.

Weak Side Escape (Back Control)

Escape toward the choking-arm side. Control the top hand, slide your shoulders to the mat, clear the top hook, and turn into your opponent’s guard.
See: Back Escapes (video example)

Strong Side Escape

Escape toward the non-choking side. Control the top arm, scoot your hips down, and slide to the mat. Clear hooks and spin to face them once your shoulders are free.

Standing Rear Naked Choke Defense

When choked from behind, drop your weight, peel the top hand, and rotate toward the open side. Keep your chin tucked and focus on breaking the grip before turning.
See: Standing RNC Defense (video example)

Side Headlock Defense

Protect your neck and base with your legs. Create space with a frame under the chin, rotate your hips out, and come up to the back or guard.

Guillotine Defense

Address the choking arm early—never let it tighten. Drive your shoulder high and pass toward the side opposite your trapped arm. Once past, keep pressure low to escape cleanly.

Bear Hug Defense (Front & Rear, Arms In or Out)

Lower your base, create space with frames, and rotate out to attack. With arms trapped, drop weight and wedge your hips back to break their grip.

One-Hand & Two-Hand Choke Defense

Strip grips using posture and hip movement. Step to the side to break alignment and regain inside control.

Movements & Drills

Movement is the language of jiu-jitsu. Every sweep, pass, and escape depends on fundamental body mechanics. These drills sharpen timing and endurance.

Shrimping (Hip Escape)

A foundational escape movement. Push off your feet, drive your hips back, and create space between you and your opponent. Every guard recovery depends on it.
See: Shrimp Drill (video example)

Bridging

Drive your hips upward to break pins or initiate reversals. Combine with framing to off-balance opponents from mount or side control.

Technical Stand-Up

Used to safely stand from the ground while maintaining defense. Post one hand and opposite foot, then bring the other leg back under you. Always keep your free hand up to protect your face.

Grip Fighting

The art of controlling sleeves, collars, or wrists. Winning the grip battle often determines who controls the exchange. Use small, quick grip breaks rather than brute force.

Hip Heist

A sit-out motion used to reverse direction or create scramble opportunities from turtle or bottom half guard.

Partner Drills

Flow sequences like guard retention, escape chains, and passing drills build muscle memory. Train smooth before training fast.

Concepts & Principles

Jiu-jitsu is problem-solving under pressure. These ideas guide every technique and strategy.

Frames and Posts

Your arms and legs form structures that create space and prevent pressure. Frames resist; posts balance. Use both intelligently.

Base

The ability to resist being swept or rolled. Strong base comes from bent knees, active toes, and controlled hips—not just balance but readiness.

Pressure Passing

When on top, use shoulder pressure and hip control to advance through the guard. Move with patience and posture, not speed.

Posture

Good posture protects your neck and keeps you safe from chokes and sweeps. Always aim to align your head over your hips.

Transitions

Smooth movement between dominant positions—mount to back, side to mount, half to pass. Control remains more important than speed.

Control Before Submission

The central rule of jiu-jitsu. Secure position first, stabilize, then attack. Submissions succeed when control removes the opponent’s defense.

Connection

Stay connected through frames, grips, or pressure. Connection is how leverage works—it turns your opponent’s movement into your advantage.

Quick Reference

Short explanations of common terms, tools, and positions you’ll hear on the mats.

• Gi: The traditional training uniform with jacket, pants, and belt.

• No-Gi: Training without a gi—rash guard and shorts instead.

• Hooks: Feet placed inside the opponent’s thighs for back control.

• Underhook / Overhook: Arm positions that determine inside control.

• Baseball Choke: Lapel choke gripping both collars like a bat handle.

• Guard Pass: Any technique used to get around the opponent’s legs into side control or mount.

• Post: Using your limbs to support or balance during movement.

• Frame: Structural placement of limbs to maintain space.

• Seatbelt Control: Back position with one arm over and one under the opponent’s shoulders.

• Gable Grip: Palm-to-palm connection often used for chokes or control.

• Sweep: Any technique that reverses top and bottom position.

• Sprawl: Defensive movement to counter takedowns by driving hips down and legs back.

• Tap: The universal sign of submission—done verbally or physically to end a match safely.

Final Note

This glossary is designed as a living reference for Carlson Gracie Gainesville students. More than likely it will be updated often.

Review it often, watch the linked videos for visual reference, and use it to deepen your understanding of jiu-jitsu concepts. Every term here connects to a skill you’ll refine on the mats—one drill, one escape, and one sweep at a time.