List of Brazilian jiu-jitsu techniques

Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) does not have an established canon (formalized set of techniques), with significant regional variation seen in both application and naming. Brazilian jiu jitsu initially consisted of judo katame-waza (newaza) techniques, but has since evolved to encompass a far greater variety by absorbing techniques from amateur wrestling, catch wrestling, sambo, and Japanese jujitsu (not to be confused with Brazilian jiu jitsu). Due to its status as an eclectic martial art, much controversy surrounds the renaming of techniques derived from other martial arts. Many of these martial arts including Brazilian jiu jitsu's parent art of judo, was itself a collection of adopted techniques from other older forms of martial arts before developing unique techniques. In recent times however, technical innovations exclusive to Brazilian jiu jitsu (e.g. worm guard, inverted guard) have been developed, setting it apart from its predecessors.

Unlike its direct predecessor judo, which categorizes techniques on the basis of mechanism, Brazilian jiu jitsu techniques are frequently eponyms, which leads to confusion among practitioners. Examples include:


 * Sode guruma jime ("sleeve wheel constriction", referencing its mechanism) is a judo choke made famous by Ezequiel Paraguassu and as such was renamed the "Ezequiel choke"
 * Gyaku Ude Garami ("reverse elbow entanglement", referencing its mechanism) is a Judo armlock that received notoriety for its use by Masahiko Kimura and has hence been renamed the 'Kimura"

Below is a partial list of techniques categorized by type.

Takedowns

 * Throws
 * various judo throws or Nage Waza (most commonly)
 * Tomoe nage
 * Sumi gaeshi
 * Osotogari
 * Ōuchi gari
 * Tani otoshi
 * Seoi nage
 * Guard pulling
 * Wrestling takedowns
 * Double leg
 * Single leg
 * Ankle picks
 * Knee tap
 * High crotch
 * Fireman's carry

Chokeholds

 * Strangles
 * Triangle choke
 * Front
 * Side
 * Back
 * Arm triangle choke
 * Gogoplata
 * North south choke
 * Anaconda choke
 * Darce choke
 * Guillotine choke
 * Sode guruma jime (Ezequiel choke)
 * Rear naked choke (Mata Leão / Hadaka Jime)

Joint locks

 * Arm locks
 * Elbow lock
 * Armbar
 * Straight armlock
 * Arm crush
 * Bicep slicer
 * Shoulder locks
 * Americana (Ude garami)
 * Mir Lock
 * Kimura (Gyaku ude garami)
 * Omoplata
 * Wrist locks
 * Leg locks
 * Straight ankle locks
 * Heel hooks
 * Toe holds
 * Kneebars
 * Electric chair (Crotch ripper)
 * Spinal locks
 * Can opener (Fisherman's crank)
 * Twister (wrestler's guillotine)
 * Boston crab
 * Spine lock

Sweeps
(not to be confused with foot sweeps which are standing techniques)


 * Closed guard
 * Hip bump sweep
 * Scissor sweep
 * Flower sweep
 * Lumberjack sweep
 * Waiter/Muscle sweep
 * Balloon sweep (helicopter armbar)
 * 100% sweep
 * Omoplata sweep
 * Half guard
 * Old school sweep
 * John Wayne sweep
 * Pendulum Sweep
 * Foot grab sweep
 * Open guard
 * Butterfly (hook) sweep
 * De La Riva sweep
 * Heel grab sweep
 * Balloon sweep
 * Tripod sweep
 * Tomahawk sweep

Positional grappling

 * Guard
 * Closed guard (full guard)
 * Half guard
 * Open guard
 * Butterfly
 * Spider
 * Squid
 * Lasso
 * Lapel
 * De la riva / reverse de la riva
 * Guard passing
 * Side Control
 * Kesa-gatame (scarf hold)
 * Kuzure kesa gatame
 * North south
 * Knee-on-belly
 * Mount
 * Back mount
 * Leg attacks
 * 50-50
 * Ashi garami (single leg X)
 * Ushiro ashi garami
 * Leg Knot/Game Over position
 * Saddle/Honey Hole/411/Inside Sankaku
 * Russian cowboy
 * Russian leg lasso