BJJ Language - What to Know

Brazilian jiu-jitsu is more than just a martial art or even a sport... it's a culture, and it wouldn't be a culture if it didn't have it's own language. 

If you have ever had to learn a second language, you already know that if you spend enough time immersed in it, you'll be speaking in no time. So, there's no doubt that the more you hit the jiu-jitsu mats and advance through the ranks, you'll become fluent eventually. 

However, just as with learning a second language, you're going to stumble on our words and make mistakes - sometimes to your embarrassment and everybody else's amusement. We've all been there. If anything, the friendly jibing is just another way to build camaraderie and add color to your own jiu-jitsu story. But we also understand the all too human need to avoid such embarrassing moments. So we're taking pity on you. 

Here's a summary of important BJJ words - and related words - that you should know: 

Oss

Guaranteed, one of the first words that you'll hear on the mat and have no idea what it means or how to use it is "oss" (or sometimes "osu"). In fact, it's such a prolific term in the Brazilian jiu-jitsu world, that it is used in so many ways, and often those depend on the people around you. Yet, few will be able to articulate what it means, exactly. 

There are plenty of theories on where the word originated and what it means. It's largely agreed upon that the term originates in Japan and that it's a shortened version of another phrase. Some suggest it comes from Onegai Shimasu ("if you will") or Oshi Shinobu (to endure under pressure"). Others suggest it comes from the greetings like Ohayo gozaimasu or Onegaishimasu. 

In BJJ, it is generally used as a form of greeting or acknowledgement. You might use it when you greet your professor, when someone shows you a cool new technique, or your buddy gets promoted. 

That Thing You Wear

Especially when you come into BJJ from another, more formal, martial art, you'll be tempted to call it a kimono. And really, that's not wrong. As jiu-jitsu traces its roots to the martial arts of Japan, the uniform we all wear is, technically, a kimono. And, in fact, BJJ practitioners in certain countries still refer to it as a kimono. 

However, most of those you meet on the jiu-jitsu mat will use the term "gi." Just as with oss, the term is a shortened version of a longer Japanese word: “keikogi," which literally means training gear, with "keiko" meaning practice and "gi" meaning clothing. 

Of course, maybe you've found your way to a jiu-jitsu academy that is strictly "no-gi," or practiced without the gi (pretty self-explanatory). In that case, you might hear a few other colorful terms, such as "pajamas" and "strangle suit." 

The Person Who Teaches You

This one gets a little more tricky, as people have very strong opinions about what is correct. As a rule of thumb, there is no rule of thumb; who gets called what is not uniform across all academies. Academies and instructors will have their own preferences, based on their own background, the norms that have been established within that academy or team, and what they are personally comfortable with. 

Let's go through the most common: professor, coach, master and sensei. 

The most common term for a black belt jiu-jitsu instructor is "professor." This makes a lot of sense, as it does take about as long to get your black belt as it does to get your PhD in some formal educational field. The term "coach" is often used for non-black belt instructors, but I know many black belts who prefer that over professor.

You may also hear "master," and this is a bit more controversial. In Brazilian Portuguese, "mestre" is a common term for an expert in his/her field. However, there are many in the jiu-jitsu community who feel it should be strictly reserved for those who have at least obtained their red and black belts. Generally, "sensei" is not super common outside of Japan, for a BJJ instructor at least. It's incredibly common for judo instructors, however. I've also been called sensei by jiu-jitsu practitioners that came from other martial arts. 

The Stuff You Do on the Mat

There are a lot of things that you do on the mat, and a lot of different terms for those things. Some are more specialized, but many are pretty general. A few that you will hear are: training, rolling, sparring, fighting, drilling and grappling. 

You cannot go wrong with "training." It is both general enough to encapsulate everything you do on jiu-jitsu mat, as well as specific to the live rounds at the end of class. I've finished many an instruction portion with "Let's train." Another more general term is "grappling." While I've certainly heard "let's grapple," it is used more as a catch-all term for most ground based martial arts (jiu-jitsu, wrestling, sambo, etc.). 

The term "rolling" is also a common term for the live rounds. I love this term for being elegantly simple: we are essentially rolling around on the floor. The terms "sparring" and "fighting" are also used for the live rounds, but I hear them more often in no-gi or MMA influenced settings. 

The term "drilling" is quite specific. This term is restricted to the repetitive practice of technique or sets of techniques. There are certainly many ways to drill, but you wouldn't call live rounds drilling. 

A Note About Technique Names

I will not go too deeply into this, because it is a veritable rabbit hole. But I will say this: while there are a few terms for techniques that are generally agreed upon (armbar and triangle, for instance), there are a ton of techniques - or series of techniques - that have way more names than is reasonable. One example is the basic inside pass from guard or half guard. I've heard knee cut, knee slice, knee slide, and cut through pass. 

While it does pay to remember technique names - especially when you go to study them on YouTube - you don't need to remember all the various names of each technique. You will go crazy, especially when you get into leg locks. 

If you are reading this article, odds are good you're a white belt. Focus less on the names of techniques and more on visualizing and repeating what is being taught. And more importantly, just have fun. It's too long a journey not to.