Walk into a BJJ gym and you will hear words that sound like a different language. Here is a plain-English glossary of the terms that come up on day one, so nothing catches you off guard.
How you train
- Rolling. Live practice against a resisting partner. The closest thing to a real exchange, done safely.
- Drilling. Practicing a technique slowly and cooperatively, with no resistance, to build muscle memory.
- Tapping. The signal to stop, by tapping your partner or the mat, or saying tap. Your partner releases immediately.
- Submission. A hold, like a joint lock or a choke, that makes your partner tap. The "finish" of an exchange.
The positions
- Guard. When you are on your back with your legs between you and your partner, controlling them. A surprisingly strong position, not a losing one.
- Mount. Sitting on top of your partner's torso. A dominant top position.
- Side control. Pinning your partner from the side, chest to chest. Another strong top position.
- Back control. Taking your partner's back, the most dominant position in BJJ.
- Half guard. When you have one of your partner's legs trapped between yours.
The actions
- Pass. Getting around your partner's guard to a dominant position.
- Sweep. Reversing your partner from the bottom so you end up on top.
- Escape. Getting out of a bad position back to a neutral or better one.
The gear and culture
- Gi. The traditional kimono-style uniform used in gi classes.
- No-gi. Training in a rashguard and shorts, with no uniform to grip.
- Rashguard. A snug athletic shirt worn for no-gi.
- Oss. An all-purpose word of acknowledgement and respect you will hear around the mats. A nod, a yes, a thanks.
Do not worry about memorizing
Nobody expects you to know any of this on day one. You will pick it all up naturally over a few weeks just by training. Keep this list handy if you like, but the words sink in fast once you are doing the moves.
Now you speak the language. Come use it on the mat, free.
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