If BJJ moves had honest names what would they be?

While the playful re-naming of techniques is certainly a lighthearted exercise, the history of how grappling techniques acquired their nomenclature is a fascinating study in cultural exchange and, at times, deliberate rebranding. The assertion that Portuguese or Japanese names sound "cooler" often overlooks the pragmatic, descriptive origins of these terms, which frequently reflected the physical mechanics rather than any attempt at poetic flair.

Consider the "armbar," known as *juji-gatame* in Kodokan Judo. The term *juji* translates to "cross" or "cruciform," and *gatame* means "hold" or "lock." This straightforwardly describes the crossing of the opponent's arm with the practitioner's body or legs to apply pressure. Similarly, the initial Judo terminology often relied on prefixes like *ude* (arm), *ashi* (leg), or *okuri* (sliding) combined with words like *garami* (entanglement) or *gatame* to form names that were, fundamentally, technical descriptors. For instance, *ude-garami* directly translates to "arm entanglement," which is precisely what occurs in a Kimura lock.

When Mitsuyo Maeda, who himself was known as "Count Koma," began teaching his particular synthesis of Kodokan Judo and other grappling arts in Brazil in the 1910s, the transmission of these names was often direct or through close Portuguese approximations. Carlos Gracie, and later his brothers, adopted much of this vocabulary. Over time, some techniques acquired distinct Brazilian Portuguese names, often reflecting a slightly different emphasis or a new discovery within the developing art. For instance, the "rear naked choke," *hadaka jime* in Judo (meaning "naked strangle"), became *mata leão* in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, which translates to "lion killer"—a far more evocative, and perhaps "cooler," name than its Japanese predecessor, indicative of a shift towards a more aggressive, combat-oriented identity.

The notion of "honest names" also touches upon the ongoing evolution of nomenclature within grappling. Techniques like the "berimbolo" and the "worm guard" emerged from a distinctly modern context, around 2009-2010, and their names are often playful, colloquial, and tied to specific innovators or even inside jokes within the competitive BJJ circuit. These are arguably "honest" in their reflection of contemporary culture, even if they lack the historical gravitas of their predecessors.

One might wonder, then, if a "wrist lock" were developed today, would its inventor prioritize clear anatomical description or a more memorable, perhaps even intimidating, moniker? The trend in modern grappling seems to lean towards the latter, reflecting a more marketing-conscious era.

Alright, let's cut through the historical gloss Mat Historian is putting on things. If BJJ moves had truly honest names, a huge chunk of them would just be called "That Thing My Instructor Showed Me Last Week." We romanticize the lineage, the Portuguese names, the "gentle art" — but the reality, especially in the modern era, is that a lot of what we consider foundational, or even just *common*, techniques are products of incremental evolution and, frankly, re-discovery.

Take the "Z-Guard." What is it, really? It’s a half-guard variation where one shin is across the opponent's hip and the other leg hooks inside their thigh. It’s effective, it's widely taught. But it isn't some ancient secret passed down from the Gracie family vault. If we were honest, its name would be something like "The Over-Under Half-Guard Variation with Leg Leverage." Nobody’s going to say that in a live roll, so we simplify. "Z-Guard" sounds cool, sounds efficient, and probably just stuck after some coach started yelling it.

Or let's talk about the "Kimura." You hear the name and you think of Masahiko Kimura, the legendary judoka who beat Helio Gracie. And yes, he used *a* shoulder lock to beat Helio. But the armlock we almost universally call a "Kimura" in BJJ? That's really just a double-wrist lock. It’s not even necessarily the exact same grip or sequence Kimura used in that specific match in 1951. If we were truly honest, its name would be "The Bent Armlock with a Double Wrist Grip." It’s an Americanization and a convenient branding. The actual *uda garami* is a broader category of joint lock. It's like calling every SUV a "Jeep" because a Jeep was famous.

So, while "fuck this guy specifically" for a wrist lock is a funny and accurate emotional response, the more pragmatic truth is that most BJJ techniques, if named honestly and descriptively, would sound about as sexy as an IRS form. The cool names are almost always an after-the-fact simplification or a historical misattribution that just stuck because it rolled off the tongue better than the truth.

What other techniques are really just marketing, or convenience, dressed up as tradition?

"I'm too tired for this" would be 90% of my game these days, especially on a Tuesday night after work. You know, after you've already sat through 45 minutes of traffic just to get to the gym, then another 45 getting home. The article focuses on the move itself, but honestly, half the battle is just showing up and getting on the mat. My knees scream "why are we doing this again?" during warm-ups most nights.

I get HoG Drama Desk's point about instructors, but for me, a lot of it is just "don't get hurt before that meeting tomorrow." The days of experimenting with exotic setups are mostly over. Now it's about drilling the basics I can actually use without blowing out my MCL again. That happened in 2017, trying some inverted guard nonsense. Never again.

The "I'm too tired for this" from Dave (brown_belt_dad) is definitely hitting home. Most of the early white belt curriculum at GB feels like it should just be called "staying alive." Week 3 in Fundamentals, for example, is usually focusing on guard retention against basic standing passes. The honest name there would be "please don't flatten me" or "don't let him stack you right now." We don't really get into submissions until a few weeks later, and even then, it's mostly armbars from mount or guard, very few wrist locks or anything too aggressive until later. It's more about not getting folded up and getting a good base.

For me, a lot of the honest names would describe the recovery or avoidance. My half guard should probably be called “Please, just let me get to my knees.” I started training at 47, and now at 53, my body definitely dictates my training. There are positions I just don't go for anymore, like deep half. The strain on my knee just isn't worth it, especially when a simple adjustment, like staying on my side for a butterfly sweep, lets me achieve a similar result without the wear and tear. My warm-up alone is about 20 minutes of gentle movements to get everything pliable. Dave (brown_belt_dad) is right about the fatigue too. Sometimes "Survive the Round" is the only honest name.

Arm triangle should just be called "choke from side control," which is what it is. All the exotic names for gi chokes are fine for the points game, but outside of IBJJF rules, people just want to finish.

Like Tom (gracie_barra_4yr) mentioned, a lot of what people do in BJJ is just trying to survive or get to a better spot. That's true in no-gi as well, but the focus is always on getting to the submission. Take the Danaher Death Squad back takes, for example – everything leads to the choke. No one is sitting in a spider guard trying to score advantages. If I hear one more person say "lapel choke from the bottom," I'm tapping and walking out of the gym. Just wrestle, pass, and submit. That's it.