Three-quarter juji

Three-quarter juji is the judo-derived name for the armbar position taken before the attacker’s leg crosses fully over the opponent’s face — the transitional configuration that finishes the elbow without committing to full juji gatame geometry.

Etymology. The term combines “three-quarter” — describing the leg position relative to the full juji gatame’s perpendicular axis — with juji, the Japanese term for the cross-shape that gives the full armbar its name. The configuration was named in the judo and no-gi grappling lexicon to distinguish it from the standard juji gatame finish: the leg stays inside or across the opponent’s chest rather than fully crossing the face, which trades some leverage for control over a defending opponent who would otherwise stand or stack out of the orthodox armbar.

Mechanics. The configuration isolates the elbow joint while the attacker retains a more central hip position. The forearm bridge of the leg, rather than the foot-on-face perpendicular, applies the rotational force; the target arm reaches structural failure when the elbow is loaded against its natural range while the attacker’s hips stay close to the opponent’s torso.

Cross-reference. English-speaking no-gi uses “3/4 armbar” or simply “three-quarter armbar”; BJJ inherited the judo terminology directly for the transitional position. Full mechanical coverage on 3/4 Armbar.