North-South Position for BJJ
Image Above: Two players in the north-south position. The purple-colored player is in the offensive position, and the gold-colored player is in the defensive position. The offensive player has their chest against the defensive player and arms around the torso while splaying the legs for stability.
What Is Covered on This Page?
What Is the North-South Position?
A position in which the top player is face down and laying on top of their opponent's chest. The two opponent's body's are offset 180 degrees. The offensive player uses the pressure of their body weight and their hands at their opponent's hips for control.
Defense for North-South Position (Survive + Escape)
In the bottom position, you are subject not only to the pressure of your opponent's body being on top of you but a plethora of chokes, including north-south choke. It's important to learn not only how to prevent the north-south, but how to escape it if you do get put in the position.
Image Above: The gold-colored character represents the defensive position of the north-south position. The defensive player has their opponent's leg hooks around their hips. Their opponent controls the back with seatbelt control, having one arm above the shoulder and one arm below the shoulder.
Surviving the Bottom North-South Position
In the bottom north-south, you will have to watch out for chokes. You should know how to:
Prevent the North-South Choke. Learn how to frame against your opponent and prevent the north-south choke.
1. Prevent the North-South Choke
Free YouTube Clip: Brian PetersonYouTube Clip: How to Prevent the North-South Choke
Instructor: Brian Peterson
Provided by: TeachMeGrappling Coach Brian
Lenght: 46 seconds
Synopsis: To stop this choke, you will need to get a frame with the arm that is on the same side as your opponent's choking arm. You will then push against his neck with your hands and escape your hips outward.
Escaping the Bottom North-South Position
Getting out of North-South requires typically generating momentum with your hips. There are three variations of the north-south: the double over, the double-under, and the over-under. You should know how to:
Escape the Double Over. This escape involves pushing your opponent at the hip and then getting your legs inside.
Escape the Double Under. Frame against your opponent's neck and then push them to bring your knees against their chest.
Escape the Over Under. Frame with one hand and then escape to your side.
1. Escape the Double Over Variation
Stephan Kesting: Free YouTube ClipYouTube Video Link: How to Escape the Double-Over Variation
Instructor: Stephan Kesting
Provided by: Stephan Kesting
Length: 26 seconds
Synopsis: To escape this variation, frame one hip with your hands and then rock your hips so that you can swing your legs around and get to side control.
2. Escape the Double Under Variation
Stephan Kesting: Free YouTube ClipYouTube Video Link: How to Escape the Double-Under Variation
Instructor: Stephan Kesting
Provided by: Stephan Kesting
Length: 26 seconds
Synopsis: To escape the double under variation, use both hands to frame against your opponent's neck. From this point, bring both knees in and invert.
3. Escape the Over-Under Variation
Stephan Kesting: Free YouTube ClipYouTube Clip: How to Escape the Over-Under Variation
Instructor: Stephan Kesting
Provided by: Stephan Kesting
Length: 60 seconds
Synopsis: To escape this variation, use your free hand to apply a choking frame to your opponent's neck, then work an underhook to get to side control.
Offense for North-South Position (Control + Submit)
The offensive player is the person on top who pins their opponent with their chest and controls them with their arms. The person on top has several submission options here.
Image Above: The purple-colored character represents the offensive player of the north-south position. In this image, the offensive player pins the defensive player with their chest, controls their opponent's torso with their arms, and splays their legs for stability.
Controlling the Top North-South Position
Controlling north-south requires understand alignment of your opponent and the ins and outs of the position. You should know:
How To Control The North South Position. It's important to understand and know how to control the north-south position.
1. How To Control The North South Position
Rory van Vliet: Free YouTube VideoYouTube Video Link: North South Conceptual Basics
Instructor: Rory van Vliet
Provided by: RVV BJJ
Length: 8 minutes 20 seconds
Synopsis: Controlling the north-south position requires maintaining pressure on their torso, controlling the hips, and turning your opponent's head to control their spine.
Submissions From the Top North-South Position
From the top north-south position you have options for a paper-cutter choke or a north-south choke. You should know the following:
North-South Choke. A very high percentage choke that works for no-gi. Marcelo Garcia teaches how to execute this perfectly.
Paper Cutter Choke. A great submission option in the gi.
1. North-South Choke
Marcelo Garcia: Free YouTube VideoYouTube Video: How To Perfect Your North South Choke
Instructor: Marcelo Garcia
Provided by: Bernardo Faria BJJ Fanatics
Length: 20 minutes 39 seconds
Synopsis: The north-south choke begins in side control, where you put your arm over your opponent's head and transition to north-south. From this point, you will keep your choking arm palm down and connect your hands with a gable grip.
1. North-South Choke
Jeff Glover: Free YouTube ClipYouTube Clip: North-South Choke
Instructor: Jeff Glover
Provided by: BJJ Fanatics
Length: 60 seconds
Synopsis: One hand shoots through to go for the choke. The other gets the lapel. You then squeeze and compress to finish the choke.
More Positions
Back Mount: A position in which the offensive player controls the defensive players back.
Mount: The position in which the offensive player is on top of the defensive player while the defensive players back is exposed to the floor.
Knee-On-Belly: A position in which the offensive player is on top of the defensive player with their shin and knee across their opponent's torso and abdomen. The defensive player has their back exposed to the ground.
Side Control: A position in which the offensive top player is perpendicular to and on top of the defensive player. The defensive player has their back exposed to the floor.
Kesa-Gatame: A position in which the offensive player has the head and one-arm of the defensive player.
Reverse Kesa-Gatame: A position similar to kesa-gatame the offensive player faces the defensive players legs.
North-South: A position in which the top player is face down and laying on top of their opponent's chest. The two opponent's body's are offset 180 degrees.
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Turtle: A position in which the defensive player is in the fetal position. The offensive player has the back of the defensive player.