The Learn Library
The Glossary.
The words you hear on the mat, in plain English. For the parent in the bleachers, the beginner in week one, and anyone who has nodded along without asking.
Kyu, dan, stripes, gupBelts and ranks, explained →How belts work in jiu-jitsu, karate, judo and taekwondo, and what they do and don’t tell you.
No match. Try a shorter word, or ask us and we’ll add it.
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- 10-point mustBoxing
- The scoring system: the winner of each round gets 10 points, the loser 9 or fewer. Also used in MMA.Read more →
A
- AdvantageJiu-jitsu
- A near-score that only counts as a tiebreaker when points are level.Read more →
- ArmbarJiu-jitsu
- A submission that straightens the elbow joint against its natural bend.
B
- Back controlJiu-jitsu
- Behind an opponent with both heels hooked in front of their hips. Worth 4 points.
- BracketAll sports
- The chart showing who competes against whom, and in what order, in a tournament division.
C
- ClinchMMA
- Close-range grappling while standing: tying up the head, arms or body. Also central in Muay Thai.
- CrossBoxing
- A straight punch with the rear hand.
D
- DanKarate
- Black belt degrees, counting up from 1st dan (shodan). Also used in judo and taekwondo.Read more →
- DivisionAll sports
- The group a competitor is entered in, usually set by age, weight, and skill level or belt.
- DojoKarate
- The training hall. Literally "place of the way".
E
- EscapeWrestling
- Getting out from underneath to a neutral position. Worth 1 point in folkstyle.
F
- Fall (pin)Wrestling
- Holding both of an opponent's shoulders to the mat. Ends the match immediately.
- FolkstyleWrestling
- The style wrestled in US high schools and colleges. It rewards control and riding on top.Read more →
- FreestyleWrestling
- An Olympic style that rewards takedowns, exposure and big throws, with points for stepping out.Read more →
G
- GiAll sports
- The heavy cotton uniform worn in jiu-jitsu, judo and karate. Called a dogi or keikogi in Japanese arts.
- Greco-RomanWrestling
- An Olympic style where you cannot attack the legs or use your legs to trip. Lots of upper-body throws.
- Ground and poundMMA
- Striking an opponent from on top after taking them down.
- GuardJiu-jitsu
- Fighting from your back with your legs between you and your opponent. A position of attack, not just defence.
- Guard passJiu-jitsu
- Getting past an opponent's legs to control them from the side or top. Worth 3 points in IBJJF.Read more →
H
- Hajime / YameKarate
- The referee's commands for "begin" and "stop". Also used in judo (where "stop" is Matte).
- Hook / uppercutBoxing
- A curved punch from the side, and an upward punch from below.
I
- IpponKarate
- 3 points in WKF kumite: a head kick, or a technique on a downed opponent. (In judo it wins the match outright.)Read more →
J
- JabBoxing
- A straight punch with the lead hand. The most used punch in boxing.
- JogaiKarate
- Stepping out of the competition area. Penalised.
K
- KataKarate
- A set pattern of techniques performed alone. Also a competition event judged on technical and athletic performance.
- KumiteAll sports
- Japanese for "grappling hands". In karate it means sparring: the moment practice meets another person.Read more →
- KyuKarate
- The coloured-belt ranks below black belt, counting down toward 1st kyu. Also used in judo.Read more →
M
- Major decisionWrestling
- A win by 8 to 14 points. Worth 4 team points instead of 3.
- MountJiu-jitsu
- Sitting on top of an opponent's torso. Worth 4 points, and one of the strongest positions.
N
- Near fallWrestling
- Holding an opponent's back close to the mat without pinning them. Worth 2 to 4 points.Read more →
- No-giAll sports
- Grappling in shorts and a fitted shirt (rash guard) instead of a gi, so there is no fabric to grip.
- Novice / openBoxing
- Amateur experience levels. Boxers move from novice to open class as they win bouts.
O
- Open matAll sports
- A loosely run session where people drill or spar what they choose, instead of following a class plan.
- OsaekomiJudo
- A hold-down on the mat. Hold long enough and it scores, or wins.
- OssJiu-jitsu
- An all-purpose word of respect and acknowledgement used in many gyms, also common in karate.
P
- PassbookBoxing
- An amateur boxer's record book, with bouts and medical checks.
R
- RandoriJudo
- Judo's word for free practice or sparring.
- Rear naked chokeJiu-jitsu
- A choke from the back, with the arm around the neck. Also used in MMA.
- ReversalWrestling
- Going from underneath to on top in control, in one move. Worth 2 points in folkstyle.
- Riding timeWrestling
- College only: a bonus point for controlling your opponent on top for at least a minute longer than they controlled you.
- RollingJiu-jitsu
- Jiu-jitsu's word for sparring.
- RSCBoxing
- Referee stops contest. The referee ends the bout to protect a boxer.Read more →
S
- SenseiKarate
- Teacher. Used for instructors in Japanese martial arts.
- SenshuKarate
- The advantage for scoring first without reply. It wins a tied bout, and can be taken away late in the match.Read more →
- Single leg / double legWrestling
- The two most common takedowns: attacking one leg, or both legs at once.
- SingletWrestling
- The one-piece, tight-fitting wrestling uniform.
- Southpaw / orthodoxBoxing
- Left foot back (southpaw) or right foot back (orthodox). Stance names used across striking sports.
- SparringAll sports
- Practising against a resisting partner, at whatever intensity the coach sets. It is practice, not a fight.
- SprawlMMA
- Throwing your legs back and hips down to stop a takedown. Learned from wrestling.
- StallingWrestling
- Avoiding real wrestling. Warned first, then penalised with points to the opponent.
- Standing eight countBoxing
- In amateur boxing, the referee pauses and counts to eight over a boxer who looks hurt, even if they did not go down.Read more →
- StripeJiu-jitsu
- A small piece of tape on the belt marking progress between belt colours. Usually up to four.Read more →
- SweepJiu-jitsu
- Reversing from guard so you end up on top. Worth 2 points.
T
- TakedownWrestling
- Taking an opponent from standing to the mat and controlling them. Worth 3 points in high school folkstyle.Read more →
- TapAll sports
- Patting your opponent or the mat to signal you give up. It ends the match and keeps you safe.
- Tech fallWrestling
- Short for technical fall: a match ended early because one wrestler leads by 15 points in folkstyle.
- TKOMMA
- Technical knockout: the referee, doctor or corner stops the fight because a fighter cannot safely continue.Read more →
- TriangleJiu-jitsu
- A choke using the legs around the neck and one arm.
U
- Uchi komiJudo
- Repetition drilling of a throw's entry, without completing the throw.
- UkemiJudo
- Breakfalls: the safe ways to land when thrown. The first thing every judoka learns.
- Unified RulesMMA
- The standard rules for MMA in the US, adopted by state athletic commissions.Read more →
W
- Waza-ariKarate
- 2 points in WKF kumite: a kick to the body. (In judo, a different score: a strong but not perfect throw.)Read more →
- Weigh-inAll sports
- The official check that a competitor is within their weight class before they compete.Read more →
Y
- YukoKarate
- 1 point in WKF kumite: a punch or strike to a scoring area.Read more →
Z
- ZanshinKarate
- Staying alert and aware after a technique. A point can be lost without it.