North-South

Family

Translation: north-south

Range & classification

Overview

The North-South family covers the top control position where the controlling fighter lies chest-to-chest with the opponent but in opposite direction — head-to-feet — creating a 180-degree orientation. ^[1] North-south provides strong pinning pressure and is frequently used as a transitional position between side control and other positions, as well as a platform for kimura and north-south choke attacks. ^[1],[2] The position's chest-to-chest compression makes it very difficult for the bottom fighter to create space or bridge effectively. ^[2],[3]

Also known as

North-South Position^[1]Kami Shiho GatameJP^[2]69 Position^[3]

Used in

BJJ MMA Judo Submission Grappling Catch Wrestling

History & Origin

North-south control has roots in judo's kami-shiho-gatame (upper four-corner hold) and was further developed in BJJ as both a controlling position and a submission platform, particularly for the north-south choke and kimura. ^[1] It is a standard position in both judo and BJJ. ^[2],[3]

Country of origin· shown in random order

BrazilBJJ, MMA, Submission Grappling
Japan南北(Nanboku)BJJ, Judo, Submission Grappling
USAMMA, Submission Grappling, Catch Wrestling
EnglandCatch Wrestling

Effectiveness

North-south is a strong pinning position that provides chest-to-chest pressure while controlling the opponent's upper body, making it difficult for the bottom fighter to create space. ^[1] The position provides access to the kimura, north-south choke, and transitions to side control and mount. ^[2]

Lineage

North-south is a top control position in BJJ and MMA where the attacker lies chest-to-chest facing the opposite direction from the opponent. ^[1]

Competition Record

North-south is used as a control and submission position in BJJ and MMA competition. ^[1]

Images

No images yet for this technique.

Biomechanical Mechanism

Primary Action — Perpendicular chest-to-chest control — pinning the opponent's upper body while maintaining mobility

Joints Involved — Attacker's chest (primary contact), hips (sprawled or driving), opponent's near shoulder and hip (controlled)

Force Vector — Downward and lateral — chest pressure pins the opponent while hip positioning prevents escape

Positional Mechanic — Crossface and underhook combination controls the opponent's head and near arm, preventing bridging or turning

Position & Entry

From guard pass — After passing the guard, settle into side control with chest on the opponent's chest, perpendicular body angle

From takedown (top landing) — Complete a takedown and transition to side control by establishing crossface and underhook

From mount (transition down) — When the opponent bucks or rolls from mount, transition to side control to maintain top position

Videos

Great Grappling

North South Submission North South Choke

North-South·Great Grappling

In this video I show a very basic but important choke, the North/South Choke. There are many different theories on the …

1 video

Learn This Technique

No instructional courses yet for this technique.

Ratings

Danger Rating

Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to

Moderate3/10

Top positions enable pressure and striking; rib compression risk under heavy pressure

Difficulty

Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably

Intermediate

Competition Legality

Whether this technique is allowed under major competition rule sets

— IBJJF — Legal, mount scores 4 points — highest-scoring po...

IBJJF Rules Book v6.0, June 2024PDF

— pin

IJF Sport and Organisation Rules 2025, Article 27PDF

— ADCC — Legal, mount scores 2 points

ADCC Rules Update, April 2025PDF

— Unified MMA — Legal dominant position

Unified Rules of MMA, August 2025PDF

— UWW — Legal, back exposure scores points, pin ends match ...

UWW International Wrestling Rules, January 2026PDF

— FIAS Sport Sambo — Legal, pin scores points

FIAS International Sambo Competition RulesPDF

Training Notes

✓North-south position places the top player head-to-head with the opponent (facing opposite directions) with chest-to-chest pressure — it is a high-control pin that offers unique choke and transition opportunities (Saulo Ribeiro, Jiu-Jitsu University, 2008)

✓North-south is entered from side control by walking the body over the opponent's head — the top player's chest ends up on the opponent's chest, both facing the ceiling

✓The north-south choke (arm around the neck from north-south) is one of the tightest chokes in grappling when applied correctly

✓North-south control uses: chest pressure, arm control (overhook or underhook the opponent's arms), and hip positioning

✓North-south is a transitional position: it is used to set up the north-south choke, transition to the other side (switching side control), or advance to mount

✓The position is difficult to escape: the opponent's hips are free but their upper body is completely pinned by the chest pressure

✓In MMA, north-south is used for knee strikes to the head (in some rule sets) and as a control position during ground-and-pound sequences

Common Mistakes

!Not driving chest pressure into the opponent — the chest must be heavy and actively pressing down

!Allowing space between the chest and the opponent — eliminate all space for maximum control

!Not controlling the arms — the opponent's arms must be pinned or overhook'd to prevent frames

!Staying in north-south without attacking the choke — the north-south choke should always be threatened

!Keeping the hips too high — the hips should be close to the mat for a stable base

!Walking to north-south too slowly — the transition from side control should be smooth and quick

!Not transitioning out of north-south when the opponent begins escaping — switch sides or return to side control

Related Techniques

Escape — the bottom player's primary objective from this dominant position Transition — movement between this position and adjacent positions in the hierarchy

Counter Techniques

Bridge (Upa) — explosive hip elevation to off-balance the top player Elbow-Knee Escape (Shrimp) — create space by driving elbow to knee and hip-escaping Frame — establish forearm frames to prevent the top player from settling weight

Setup Chain

1Pass the Guard — clear the opponent's legs to advance to this dominant position

2Settle Weight — distribute body weight to maintain heavy pressure

3Control Arms — manage the opponent's arms to prevent frames and escapes

4Threaten Submissions — attack to force defensive reactions and maintain dominance

Sources & References

Primary Source

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: Theory and Technique (Renzo Gracie & Royler Gracie, 2001)

1BookJiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008)

Alias sources — [1] IBJJF Rules and Regulations [2] Kodokan Judo (Kano, 1986) [3] Jiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008)

2BookBrazilian Jiu-Jitsu: Theory and Technique (Gracie & Gracie, 2001)

Effectiveness sources — [1] Jiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008) [2] Mastering Jujitsu (Gracie & Danaher, 2003)

3SyllabusKodokan Judo Institute — Official Waza Names

Standard Japanese martial arts terminology (kanji/hiragana)

4OtherJapanese Martial Arts Standard Terminology (武道用語)

Established Japanese martial arts naming convention — native Japanese term (和語/漢語)

5CitationJiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008)

Alias sources — [1] IBJJF Rules and Regulations [2] Kodokan Judo (Kano, 1986) [3] Jiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008)

6CitationBrazilian Jiu-Jitsu: Theory and Technique (Gracie & Gracie, 2001)

Effectiveness sources — [1] Jiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008) [2] Mastering Jujitsu (Gracie & Danaher, 2003)

Community

Athletics

Requires

chest-to-chest pressure, hip positioning, crossface control

Favours

broad chest and shoulders for heavy top pressure

Key muscles

pectorals, deltoids, core, hip extensors

Sub-techniques

Find by what a technique does — not its name

Every move, in any martial art, shares a few universal traits. Mix and match below to pinpoint the right tool — or compare equivalents across styles.

Attacking North-South

SubFamily

The Attacking North-South subfamily covers north-south configurations specifically set up for submission attacks, particularly the kimura and north-south choke. [1] Attacking north-south positions use specific grips that enable immediate submission threats while maintaining the north-south control. [1,2] The kimura grip north-south is the most common attacking configuration, providing a powerful bent-armlock opportunity from the position. [2,3]

1 genera·1 techniquesExplore

Standard North-South

SubFamily

The Standard North-South subfamily covers the basic north-south control position where the top fighter lies chest-to-chest in opposite orientation, using bodyweight and arm control to pin the opponent. [1] Standard north-south is primarily a controlling and transitional position, used to maintain dominance while setting up attacks or transitions to other positions. [1,2] The standard north-south uses underhook control on both sides to prevent the bottom fighter from creating frames or turning. [2,3]

1 genera·1 techniquesExplore

Notes

North-south (kami-shiho-gatame in judo) is a controlling position where the attacker's chest covers the opponent's face. It does not score points in IBJJF but is a strong submission setup position. (Ribeiro, Jiu-Jitsu University)

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the most important detail when setting up a North-South choke?

Turning your opponent's face away with your ribcage is the single most important element. Great Grappling emphasizes that if you turn their face away and dominate their head, when they bridge they won't be able to move you because you'll be positioned on their head, not their body.

How should I set up the head lasso from side control?

When you scoop the head with a head lasso, your fingertips need to be pushing into the floor—if you don't, you risk getting reversed. Great Grappling recommends starting the North-South choke from side control with a head lasso, then bringing your arm over the top of the head and coming back underneath.

Do I need both hands to finish a North-South choke?

If you execute the technique correctly, you should only need one hand in practice; in tournament, both hands will squeeze together. The key is that the initial setup and lasso mechanics do most of the work, so excessive squeezing is not the primary mechanism.

How does the North-South choke actually cut off blood flow?

Great Grappling uses a straw analogy: when you pull both ends of a straw tightly apart, it doesn't cut off blood flow in the middle but creates an irregular stretched pattern that restricts it. The cutoff comes from squeezing, but pulling the head lasso away also contributes to restricting blood flow without requiring extra power.

How does the North-South work?

The North-South family covers the top control position where the controlling fighter lies chest-to-chest with the opponent but in opposite direction — head-to-feet — creating a 180-degree orientation. North-south provides strong pinning pressure and is frequently used as a transitional position between side control and other positions, as well as a platform for kimura and north-south choke attacks.

Where does the North-South come from?

Is the North-South legal in competition?

IBJJF: legal — Legal, mount scores 4 points — highest-scoring position; IJF: legal — Legal, osaekomi (pin) — 10-19 seconds scores waza-ari, 20 seconds scores ippon; ADCC: legal — Legal, mount scores 2 points; Unified MMA: legal — Legal dominant position; UWW: legal — Legal, back exposure scores points, pin ends match by fall; FIAS Sport Sambo: legal — Legal, pin scores points

How dangerous is the North-South?

Danger rating 3/10. Moderate — top positions enable pressure and striking; rib compression risk under heavy pressure

How do I set up the North-South?

The standard setup chain: Pass the Guard → Settle Weight → Control Arms → Threaten Submissions.

How do I defend against the North-South?

Standard counters include: Bridge (Upa) — explosive hip elevation to off-balance the top player / Elbow-Knee Escape (Shrimp) — create space by driving elbow to knee and hip-escaping / Frame — establish forearm frames to prevent the top player from settling weight.

What are the variants of the North-South?

Common variants: Standard side control (crossface and underhook, chest on chest); Kesa gatame (head control with arm trapped, hip facing the opponent); Reverse kesa gatame (facing the opponent's legs with arm control); Modified side control (arm under the head, leg-side arm controlling the hip).

How effective is the North-South in competition?

North-south is used as a control and submission position in BJJ and MMA competition.

What are common mistakes when doing the North-South?

Top errors to watch for: Not driving chest pressure into the opponent — the chest must be heavy and actively pressing down / Allowing space between the chest and the opponent — eliminate all space for maximum control / Not controlling the arms — the opponent's arms must be pinned or overhook'd to prevent frames / Staying in north-south without attacking the choke — the north-south choke should always be threatened.

What are other names for the North-South?

The North-South is also known as Nanboku, North-South Position, Kami Shiho Gatame, 69 Position.

north-south kami shiho gatame top control kimura north-south choke pressure pin