Illegal Moves by Belt

What it is

Illegal moves by belt is the IBJJF list of what you may not do at each belt, in the gi and in no-gi. White belts may use the common chokes, armbar, kimura, americana, omoplata and the straight ankle lock turning away from the knee; more joint locks open up at blue and brown. Some things stay illegal for everyone, at every belt.

Where it shows up

• Illegal at white belt, gi and no-gi: heel hooks, knee reaping, kneebars, toe holds, bicep and calf slicers, wrist locks, squeezing the ribs with the legs from closed guard, and jumping to closed guard on a standing partner.
• Blue and purple belt: wrist locks become legal. Kneebars, toe holds and slicers are still illegal.
• Brown and black belt: kneebars, toe holds and bicep and calf slicers become legal. Heel hooks and knee reaping are illegal below brown belt and in the gi, and legal only in adult brown and black belt no-gi.
• Illegal for everyone, gi and no-gi: slams, scissor takedowns, landing someone on their head, bending fingers, striking, and spinal locks without a choke, including neck cranks.

Key details

• The straight ankle lock is legal at every belt, but only turning away from the knee. Twisting the foot inward toward the knee is illegal at every belt where heel hooks are illegal, and is never taught here.
• Jumping to closed guard on a standing opponent is illegal at white belt and restricted in many divisions. Sit to guard instead.
• A neck crank is not a choke. If the pressure is on the spine instead of the sides of the neck, it is a spinal lock, illegal at every belt.
• Using an illegal submission in a match gets you disqualified. Jumping guard at white belt is penalised instead, and the match restarts standing.
• In training, follow your gym's list. It is usually the same as the competition list, in the gi and in no-gi.

Common mistakes

• Mistake: finishing a kneebar or toe hold on a white or blue belt because it was there. It is illegal, and your partner's knee or ankle pays for it.
• Mistake: assuming no-gi rules are looser at your belt. Below brown belt the list is the same, gi or no-gi.
• Mistake: lifting someone out of your closed guard and slamming them. A slam is illegal at every belt and a disqualification.

Gi and no-gi

For white, blue and purple belts the list is the same in the gi and in no-gi. The difference comes at adult brown and black belt, where IBJJF no-gi allows heel hooks and knee reaping and the gi does not.