Arm Triangle Choke from Mount - ArmTriangle Kata Gatame BJJ Grappling Judo Basics for MMA
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Arm Triangle — From North-South·Peter Mettler Martial Arts
Translation: Shoulder Hold / Head-and-Arm Choke — From North-South
Range & classification
Category
Strike & defenceLocksClose rangeFighting multiple people
Distance
CloseMiddleLong
Body target
Upper bodyMiddle bodyLower body
Overview
A head-and-arm choke applied from the north-south position. The attacker traps one of the opponent’s arms across their neck, drops the near-side shoulder beside the head, and sprawls chest and hips to seal the carotids. The angle removes bridging power and makes late escapes difficult. Often entered when the defender turns in or as a finish after sliding off from mount or side control.
History & Origin
Classic Judo kata gatame principle adapted to modern BJJ transitions, commonly chained after mount or side-control setups to maximize angle and remove bridging counters.
Country of origin· shown in random order
- BrazilBJJ, Submission Grappling, MMA
- Japan肩固め（ノースサウスから）(Kata Gatame — From North-South)BJJ, Judo, Submission Grappling
- USASubmission Grappling, MMA
Effectiveness
The north-south angle neutralises common hip-escape defences and increases compression through gravity-assisted chest pressure, making it effective against opponents who survive standard side-control finishes. [1]
Lineage
The arm triangle from north-south was developed as an advanced BJJ transition, catching the arm during north-south transitions. [1]
Competition Record
North-south to arm triangle transitions appear in advanced BJJ competition at black belt level. [1]
Images
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Biomechanical Mechanism
Action — Shoulder/chest compression against opponent’s neck with their own arm as the wedge
Joints Affected — Neck (carotid arteries); secondary pressure on shoulder
Forces — Downward chest pressure, shoulder drive, lateral squeeze, slight head turn to close space
Position & Entry
From side control, thread opponent’s far arm across their face and walk around the head to north-south while keeping head low. Block the hip with your hand or knee, drop shoulder by the trapped arm, gable/palm-to-bicep grip, sprawl hips, and “look away” while squeezing. Alternatively, attack from failed guillotine or when the turtle collapses to a hip.
Variants
North-south finish with walk-around head turn
Switch to side-control finish after locking
Hip-sprawl “lat shelf” finish for broad-shouldered opponents
Videos
Jiu Jitsu Technique - Arm Triangle from North South
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Arm Triangle — From North-South·wicombatsports
Mark Plavcan of Madison JiuJitsu and Twisted Fitness shows a sneeky Arm Triangle from N/S set up from side control. More…
Arm Triangle from North South
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Arm Triangle — From North-South·Tarik BJJ
Hey there, fellow BJJ enthusiasts! Join me as we dive into the intricacies of the Arm Triangle from North South position…
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3 videosWhat Instructors Say
The arm triangle from north-south position is a head-and-arm choke executed from side control, where the attacker isolates the opponent's arm and creates a triangular compression around the neck using the arm, neck, and body. All three instructors agree on the fundamental mechanism: the attacker's neck and arm form a triangle that compresses the opponent's neck, requiring proper body positioning and hip control to finish effectively. WI Combat Sports emphasizes the critical importance of maintaining low hips throughout the transition, warning that lifting the hips allows the opponent to tuck their elbow and escape. The instructor details the progression from heavy cross-body positioning, sliding the knee under the trapped arm, reaching deep to grab one's own thigh, then using hip movement away from the opponent while keeping body weight compressed. Peter Mettler Martial Arts, though focusing on the mount position variation, provides complementary technical details applicable to north-south: maintaining 90-degree angles with the forearm and upper arm, keeping the elbow on the floor, and emphasizing compression over pulling force. Tarik BJJ specifically addresses north-south entry challenges, explaining how to use the legs and hip angle to create access to the opponent's elbow when it's initially tucked tight, and highlighting the importance of keeping ribs close to the opponent's head to prevent elbow escape. All three stress that the technique requires constant pressure and body positioning discipline rather than muscular force alone.
Synthesized from 3 instructors
- WI Combat Sports — Jiu Jitsu Technique - Arm Triangle from North South: Detailed breakdown of hip-heavy positioning, knee slide mechanics, reaching deep for the grip, and the critical importance of maintaining low hips and body compression throughout to prevent elbow escape. Emphasized that lifting hips or leaning over the opponent allows them to tuck their arm and nullify the technique.
- Peter Mettler Martial Arts — Arm Triangle Choke from Mount - ArmTriangle Kata Gatame BJJ Grappling Judo Basics for MMA: Provided technical refinements on body angles, hand positioning, and finishing mechanics: maintaining 90-degree angles with forearms, keeping the elbow on the floor, minimizing chest-to-chest contact, and emphasizing compression of the neck rather than pulling or rotational force.
- Tarik BJJ — Arm Triangle from North South: Addressed specific north-south position challenges including how to use leg positioning and hip angles to create access when the opponent's elbow is initially tight, techniques for forcing elbow isolation, and maintaining rib-to-head connection to prevent escape during the finish.
Learn This Technique
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Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
9
Extreme9/10
Direct vascular choke; rapid finish when angle and shoulder depth are correct.
Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably
Advanced
Whether this technique is allowed under major competition rule sets
Illegal
FIAS Sport Sambo— no chokes in sport sambo, FIAS Rules 2024
Legal
IBJJFIJFUnified MMAADCC
Training Notes
✓Get your head deep first, then sprawl—don’t loosen the lock during the walk-around. Pin the opponent’s far hip to stop rolls. Think chest weight + shoulder wedge; hands only guide the squeeze. Micro-adjust by turning your head away and walking your hips a few inches.
Common Mistakes
!Arriving too high over the head
!Letting the defender’s elbow slip back across the chest
!Squeezing with arms only instead of using shoulder and chest pressure
!Failing to block the near/far hip, allowing a spin-out
Related Techniques
Counter Techniques
Tuck Chin — protect the neck by lowering the chin to prevent the choke from sinkingTwo-on-One Grip Fight — use both hands to strip the choking grip before it locksTurn Into — rotate toward the choking arm to relieve carotid pressurePosture Up — straighten the spine and create distance to break the choking angle
Setup Chain
1Achieve Controlling Position — secure the position from which the choke is applied
2Isolate the Neck — clear defending hands and establish access to the throat
3Set the Grip — lock the choking configuration (arm, lapel, or leg placement)
4Apply Pressure — squeeze to compress the carotid arteries for the finish
Sources & References
Primary Source
Kodokan Judo — Official Katame-waza Classification (肩固め Kata-gatame)
1BookKodokan Judo — Official Katame-waza Classification (肩固め Kata-gatame)
Japanese terminology sourced from Kodokan Judo — Official Katame-waza Classification (肩固め Kata-gatame)
Official Kodokan ground technique classification system
3OtherJapanese Martial Arts Standard Terminology (武道用語)
Established Japanese martial arts naming convention — native Japanese term (和語/漢語)
4CitationKodokan Judo — Official Katame-waza Classification (肩固め Kata-gatame)
Japanese terminology sourced from Kodokan Judo — Official Katame-waza Classification (肩固め Kata-gatame)
Community
Athletics
Requires
hip flexibility, long legs relative to torso
Favours
longer limbs for easier figure-four lock around head and arm
Key muscles
hip adductors, hamstrings, quadriceps
Notes
If space remains, “walk the legs” around the head a few inches or switch to side-control finish without releasing the lock.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the most common beginner mistake when finishing the arm triangle from north-south?
Pushing your shoulder into the opponent's jaw instead of positioning your forearm and upper arm at 90 degrees to their centerline. As Peter Mettler explains, shoulder pressure is uncomfortable but unlikely to force a tap, whereas proper 90-degree positioning creates real choking pressure.
How do I prevent my opponent from tucking their elbow and escaping?
Keep your hips glued to the mat and tight against their body throughout the technique. According to wicombatsports, if you lift your hips at any point, your opponent can tuck their arm underneath and escape the position.
Should I pull or push against the opponent's neck to finish the choke?
Push against the chin rather than pulling the neck, since opponents can resist neck rotation fairly well but have much less defense against chin pressure. Peter Mettler emphasizes that pulling creates unwanted rotation on the neck, making the choke much weaker.
What's the key detail when transitioning to the finish with the gable grip?
Bring your head down to the mat at the same time you secure the gable grip with your hands. wicombatsports notes that once your head is on the ground in this tight position, you're very close to finishing the move.
How does the Arm Triangle — From North-South work?
A head-and-arm choke applied from the north-south position. The attacker traps one of the opponent’s arms across their neck, drops the near-side shoulder beside the head, and sprawls chest and hips to seal the carotids.
Where does the Arm Triangle — From North-South come from?
Classic Judo kata gatame principle adapted to modern BJJ transitions, commonly chained after mount or side-control setups to maximize angle and remove bridging counters.
How dangerous is the Arm Triangle — From North-South?
Danger: 9/10 | Direct vascular choke; rapid finish when angle and shoulder depth are correct.
How do I set up the Arm Triangle — From North-South?
The standard setup chain: Achieve Controlling Position → Isolate the Neck → Set the Grip → Apply Pressure.
How do I defend against the Arm Triangle — From North-South?
Standard counters include: Tuck Chin — protect the neck by lowering the chin to prevent the choke from sinking / Two-on-One Grip Fight — use both hands to strip the choking grip before it locks / Turn Into — rotate toward the choking arm to relieve carotid pressure / Posture Up — straighten the spine and create distance to break the choking angle.
What are the variants of the Arm Triangle — From North-South?
Common variants: North-south finish with walk-around head turn; Switch to side-control finish after locking; Hip-sprawl “lat shelf” finish for broad-shouldered opponents.
How effective is the Arm Triangle — From North-South in competition?
North-south to arm triangle transitions appear in advanced BJJ competition at black belt level.
What are common mistakes when doing the Arm Triangle — From North-South?
Top errors to watch for: Arriving too high over the head / Letting the defender’s elbow slip back across the chest / Squeezing with arms only instead of using shoulder and chest pressure / Failing to block the near/far hip, allowing a spin-out.
What are other names for the Arm Triangle — From North-South?
The Arm Triangle — From North-South is also known as Kata Gatame — From North-South, North-South Arm Triangle, North-South Kata Gatame, NS Head-and-Arm Choke.