David Brent Wolfe Dictionary of

English Martial Art Terms

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• Bailey is the outside wall of a fortress or castle; also the space enclosed by such an outside wall.
• Battalion is a subdivision of a regiment.
• Battery is a gun emplacement.
• Billet is lodging for a soldier.
• Blunderbuss is a short gun with a wide barrel that blew shot in all directions when it was fired. It has a scatter shot firing pattern.
• Bob and weave is a type of evasive movement going up and down and side to side. The bobbing is going up and down using the knees. The weaving is done doing side to side using the waist. The American boxer Jack Dempsey would go so low that his chin would be level with his knees.
• Body mechanics is a phrase created by American kempo stylist Ed Parker to describe the technical utilization of the body in the study of the science of motion and action. The goal is to fully maximize the forces created by the body. It is a highly technical study of the correct use of the body in obtaining maximum results.
• Brevet is a commission entitling one to be called by the military rank next higher than that which one actually held. A brevet rank does not entitle one to the additional pay that normally accompanies the higher rank. A brevet captain is actually a lieutenant.
• Bridge is the term used in the Wing Chun kung-fu style for the first third of the forearm closest to the wrist. The bridge can be a cross guarding of one's own structure. It can be a crossing that must be controlled. The bridge can convey power and energy to an opponent.
• Brigade is an army unit usually made up of at least two regiments.
• Brigandine is a fabric vest upon which little plates of armor are sewn. This was discussed in an article, All Tudor life in a disused fishpond, in the September 1999 issue of British Archaeology.
• Broken rhythm is a deliberate interruption of body's motion used to deceive an opponent of your intentions. It is a form of deceptive timing.
• Broken rhythm angle of attack is a term created by Joe Lewis to describe the act of instantly changing any set pattern in the method of performance of a technique or movement or any change of pace, speed, or timing to confuse an opponent.

These are terms that I have been exposed to during my martial arts training over several decades. Some of the terms are generic martial art jargon. Other terms usages are martial art/style/organization/school specific.

Sources of information