North South Escape, Elbow Push Escape vs Side Contro
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Shrimp North-South Escape·Just Train
Shrimp North-South Escape
SubFamily海老南北逃げ(Ebi Nanboku Nige)
HybridTranslation: shrimp north-south escape
Overview
The Shrimp North-South Escape uses hip escape movement to create enough angle and distance to recover guard from the north-south position. [1] The shrimp from north-south is more challenging than from side control because the opponent's weight distribution pins the chest directly, making initial hip movement difficult. [1],[2] The escape requires creating initial space through framing and bridging, then executing the hip escape to create the angle needed to reinsert the legs for guard recovery. [2],[3]
History & Origin
Effectiveness
The shrimp escape from north-south uses hip escape motion to create space and turn to face the opponent. [1]
Lineage
A fundamental BJJ escape applied to the north-south position. [1]
Competition Record
Used in BJJ competition. [1]
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Biomechanical Mechanism
Primary Action — Breaking the opponent's leg control to advance to a more dominant position
Joints Involved — Hips (posture and pressure), knees (opening the guard with knee-in or standing), hands (grip fighting)
Force Vector — Forward pressure (stack/smash) or backward posture (stand-up break) to open the closed guard
Passing Mechanic — Once the guard is opened, speed passing, pressure passing, or toreando passing advances the position
Position & Entry
From bottom side control — Create frames with the forearms against the opponent's neck and hip, hip escape (shrimp) to create space, insert the knee to recover guard
From underhook escape — Swim the near arm to an underhook, bridge into the opponent and come to knees or reverse
From opponent's transition — When the opponent moves to mount or north-south, use the movement to create space and escape
Videos
1 video
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Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
3
Moderate3/10
Bottom escapes from mount/side control; bridge and hip escape mechanics (Ribeiro 2008)
Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably
Beginner
Whether this technique is allowed under major competition rule sets
— Unified MMA — Legal defensive technique
Unified Rules of MMA, August 2025PDF— IBJJF — Legal — escapes and sweeps are fundamental to BJJ...
IBJJF Rules Book v6.0, June 2024PDF— IJF — Legal
IJF Sport and Organisation Rules 2025, Article 27PDF— 4 from mount/back
ADCC Rules Update, April 2025PDF— FIAS Sport Sambo — Legal
FIAS International Sambo Competition RulesPDF— FIAS Combat Sambo — Legal
FIAS Combat Sambo RulesPDFTraining Notes
✓The shrimp north-south escape uses hip escaping to angle the body and thread the legs back between you and the opponent to recover guard (Saulo Ribeiro, Jiu-Jitsu University, 2008)
✓Frame on the opponent's hips with both forearms, shrimp to one side, and begin threading the near-side leg between you and the opponent
✓Multiple shrimps may be needed to create enough angle — each shrimp rotates your body further toward perpendicular
✓Once the legs are threaded between you and the opponent, close guard and establish control
✓The shrimp direction alternates if one side is blocked — shrimp left, then right if needed
✓The shrimp north-south escape is the most fundamental and highest-percentage north-south escape
✓Timing: shrimp when the opponent shifts their weight to set up an attack — their weight shift creates space
✓The goal is to rotate your body from parallel (north-south) to perpendicular (facing the opponent in guard)
Common Mistakes
!Shrimping without the hip frame — the frame creates the initial space that the shrimp expands
!Only shrimping once — north-south escapes often require 3-5 shrimps to fully rotate to guard
!Shrimping in the wrong direction (straight back) — shrimp to the side to create an angle
!Not threading the legs through the created space — the legs must enter the gap between you and the opponent
!Giving up arm position to push — keep elbows in and use forearm frames
!Shrimping and then resting — each shrimp should flow into the next
!Ending perpendicular but not closing guard — close guard immediately upon reaching the facing position
Related Techniques
Counter Techniques
Setup Chain
1Frame on Hips — place forearms against the opponent's hip and shoulder to create space
2Hip Escape (Shrimp) — push off the frames and slide hips away from the opponent
3Insert Knee — bring the inside knee in as a shield between you and the opponent
4Recover Guard — pull the leg through to re-establish guard position
Sources & References
Primary Source
Jiu-Jitsu University (Saulo Ribeiro, 2008)
1BookJiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008)
Alias sources — [1] Jiu-Jitsu University (Saulo Ribeiro, 2008) [2] Kodokan Judo (Jigoro Kano, 1986)
2BookMastering Jujitsu (Gracie & Danaher, 2003)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Jiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008)
3OtherJapanese Martial Arts Hybrid Terminology
Mixed Japanese-Western terminology — combines traditional Japanese terms with katakana loanwords
4CitationJiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008)
Alias sources — [1] Jiu-Jitsu University (Saulo Ribeiro, 2008) [2] Kodokan Judo (Jigoro Kano, 1986)
5CitationMastering Jujitsu (Gracie & Danaher, 2003)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Jiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008)
Community
Athletics
Requires
hip escape (shrimping) speed, framing strength, timing
Favours
flexible hips and quick lateral movement
Key muscles
hip flexors, obliques, triceps (framing), core
Sub-techniques
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do with my arms when I'm trapped in north-south position with one arm free?
Hide the trapped arm from the opponent's face so they can't control it with the kimono grip. With your free arm, pass it under their body and out to the side to start your escape.
How do I use the elbow push escape from north-south?
Once you've passed your arm under your opponent, reach their elbow and push it outward while keeping your arm extended and your head up. Rock your feet and sit up to create space as you push them over.
What's the key detail about arm positioning when defending the trapped arm?
Keep your arm positioned away from the opponent's face and point your elbow downward—never turn it upward, as this prevents them from controlling you with the kimono grip.
What should I focus on once I reach the opponent's elbow during the escape?
Once you reach and extend their elbow, you've achieved a position where they cannot easily return to side control. If they try to grip your hand, pull their arm away to maintain control and continue your escape.
How does the Shrimp North-South Escape work?
The Shrimp North-South Escape uses hip escape movement to create enough angle and distance to recover guard from the north-south position. The shrimp from north-south is more challenging than from side control because the opponent's weight distribution pins the chest directly, making initial hip movement difficult.
Where does the Shrimp North-South Escape come from?
The shrimp from north-south is an adaptation of the fundamental hip escape applied to the unique challenges of the head-to-head position. It is taught as the primary north-south escape method in most BJJ curricula.
Is the Shrimp North-South Escape legal in competition?
Unified MMA: legal — Legal defensive technique; IBJJF: legal — Legal — escapes and sweeps are fundamental to BJJ, sweep from bottom scores 2…; IJF: legal — Legal; ADCC: legal — Legal, sweep scores 2 points (4 from mount/back); FIAS Sport Sambo: legal — Legal; FIAS Combat Sambo: legal — Legal
How dangerous is the Shrimp North-South Escape?
Danger rating 3/10. Moderate — bottom escapes from mount/side control; bridge and hip escape mechanics (Ribeiro 2008)
How do I set up the Shrimp North-South Escape?
The standard setup chain: Frame on Hips → Hip Escape (Shrimp) → Insert Knee → Recover Guard.
How do I defend against the Shrimp North-South Escape?
Standard counters include: Crossface — drive forearm across the face to prevent the hip escape / Underhook — thread arm under the far shoulder to control upper body rotation / Knee-on-Belly — transition to knee-on-belly to maintain pressure and mobility.
What are the variants of the Shrimp North-South Escape?
Common variants: Shrimp to guard (framing and hip-escaping to recover full guard or half guard); Underhook escape (winning the underhook and coming to knees or reversing); Bridge to knees (bridging into the opponent and transitioning to turtle or…); Ghost escape (inverting under the opponent to re-guard from the opposit…).
How effective is the Shrimp North-South Escape in competition?
Used in BJJ competition.
What are common mistakes when doing the Shrimp North-South Escape?
Top errors to watch for: Shrimping without the hip frame — the frame creates the initial space that the shrimp expands / Only shrimping once — north-south escapes often require 3-5 shrimps to fully rotate to guard / Shrimping in the wrong direction (straight back) — shrimp to the side to create an angle / Not threading the legs through the created space — the legs must enter the gap between you and the opponent.
What are other names for the Shrimp North-South Escape?
The Shrimp North-South Escape is also known as Ebi Nanboku Nige, North-South Hip Escape, Kami Shiho Shrimp.