North-South bottom represents one of the most challenging defensive positions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, where you face your opponent while trapped beneath their chest-to-chest pressure with heads pointing in opposite directions. The crushing weight across your upper body, combined with limited arm mobility and restricted breathing, makes this position particularly difficult to escape without proper technique and timing.
The fundamental challenge of North-South bottom stems from the opponent’s ability to distribute their entire body weight across your chest and shoulders while controlling your arms. This pressure not only restricts movement but also creates a psychological burden as breathing becomes labored under sustained pressure. Unlike side control where you can face your opponent and use frames more easily, the perpendicular alignment of North-South limits your visual awareness and framing options.
Successful escape from North-South bottom requires a combination of hip mobility, strategic frame creation, and explosive timing. You must generate space through precise hip movement while preventing your opponent from securing arm control or transitioning to mount. The key is understanding that small movements compound over time - each minor hip escape or frame adjustment brings you closer to a full escape sequence.
The position demands mental toughness and technical precision. Panic and explosive scrambling typically fail against experienced top players who can ride out frantic movements and reestablish control. Instead, systematic escape sequences focusing on hip mobility, shoulder frames, and knee insertion create reliable pathways back to guard or neutral positions. Understanding your opponent’s weight distribution and balance points allows you to time your escape attempts when they’re most vulnerable during submission attacks or position transitions.
Position Definition
- Bottom player’s back remains flat on the mat with chest facing upward, head aligned roughly perpendicular to opponent’s body with skulls near each other, creating the characteristic head-to-head alignment that defines North-South positioning
- Top player’s chest creates continuous downward pressure across bottom player’s chest and shoulder area, with their body weight distributed to restrict rib expansion and limit breathing capacity while maintaining heavy control
- Bottom player’s arms are either controlled by top player’s grips, trapped beneath top player’s body weight, or actively fighting to establish defensive frames against the chest and shoulder pressure to create escape space
Prerequisites
- Top player has established chest-to-chest pressure from perpendicular alignment
- Bottom player’s back is flat on mat with limited hip mobility
- Top player controls or restricts bottom player’s arm positioning
- Bottom player’s guard has been passed or position entered from side control transition
Key Defensive Principles
- Create frames using forearms against opponent’s chest to establish breathing room
- Generate hip mobility through small shrimping movements to create cumulative space
- Time explosive escape attempts during opponent’s weight shifts or submission setups
- Prevent arm isolation by keeping elbows tight and hands fighting for inside position
- Target opponent’s balance points when they transition or attack submissions
- Knee insertion between bodies is critical gateway to guard recovery
- Maintain mental composure under pressure rather than explosive panic movements
Available Escapes
Elbow Escape → Closed Guard
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 25%
- Intermediate: 40%
- Advanced: 60%
Bridge and Roll → Side Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 20%
- Intermediate: 35%
- Advanced: 50%
Turtle Transition → Turtle
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 35%
- Intermediate: 50%
- Advanced: 65%
Hip Escape → Half Guard
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 30%
- Intermediate: 45%
- Advanced: 60%
North-South Escape → Open Guard
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 20%
- Intermediate: 35%
- Advanced: 55%
Frame and Shrimp → Butterfly Guard
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 15%
- Intermediate: 30%
- Advanced: 50%
Granby Roll → Turtle
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 10%
- Intermediate: 25%
- Advanced: 45%
Technical Stand-up → Standing Position
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 5%
- Intermediate: 15%
- Advanced: 30%
Decision Making from This Position
If opponent maintains heavy chest pressure with arms controlled:
- Execute Create frames with forearms → Breathing space (Probability: 60%)
- Execute Small hip escapes → Cumulative space creation (Probability: 50%)
If opponent attempts North-South choke:
- Execute Frame against chest → Half Guard (Probability: 45%)
- Execute Hip escape to side → Open Guard (Probability: 40%)
If opponent transitions toward mount:
- Execute Insert knee shield → Half Guard (Probability: 55%)
- Execute Turn to turtle → Turtle (Probability: 50%)
If opponent isolates one arm for kimura:
- Execute Bridge and roll → Side Control (Probability: 35%)
- Execute Defend grip and frame → Closed Guard (Probability: 30%)
Escape and Survival Paths
Immediate escape to guard recovery
North-South Bottom → Frame Creation → Hip Escape → Half Guard → Closed Guard
Turtle transition to guard
North-South Bottom → Turn to Turtle → Sit to Guard → Butterfly Guard
Reversal to top position
North-South Bottom → Bridge and Roll → Side Control → Mount → Submission
Success Rates and Statistics
| Skill Level | Retention Rate | Advancement Probability | Submission Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 15% | 20% | 5% |
| Intermediate | 30% | 35% | 10% |
| Advanced | 50% | 55% | 20% |
Average Time in Position: 45-90 seconds under sustained pressure before escape or submission
Expert Analysis
John Danaher
North-South bottom represents a critical test of systematic escape methodology. The position’s biomechanical challenges stem from perpendicular body alignment that restricts traditional framing angles. Your escape success depends entirely on understanding the relationship between frame creation, hip mobility, and timing. Most practitioners fail because they attempt explosive full-body movements against superior positional control. The solution lies in breaking the escape into discrete steps: first establish breathing frames against the chest, then generate small hip movements that compound over time, finally time your major escape attempt during your opponent’s weight transitions. The mental game is equally important - you must maintain composure under crushing pressure and trust your systematic approach rather than panic. Focus on winning small positional battles that accumulate into complete escape sequences.
Gordon Ryan
Getting stuck in North-South bottom sucks, plain and simple. In competition, this position can drain your gas tank fast if you don’t handle it right. Here’s what actually works: the second you feel that chest pressure coming, you need to start framing immediately - don’t wait for them to settle. I focus on getting my near-side elbow inside and creating even a tiny bit of space to breathe. From there, it’s all about patience and timing. Most guys blow their load trying to explode out and just give up their back or get submitted. Instead, I wait for them to go for submissions or try to mount - that’s when their weight shifts and you can actually move your hips. The turtle transition works great in competition because refs hate stalling, so if you can get to your knees, you’re usually safe from getting called for passivity. But the real key is not getting there in the first place - if you’re constantly ending up in North-South bottom, you need to fix your guard passing defense earlier in the chain.
Eddie Bravo
North-South bottom is one of those positions where you gotta stay creative and unconventional to escape. Traditional escapes work, but if you’re fighting someone who knows what they’re doing, you need some wild card options. I teach my guys to think about the Granby roll as soon as they feel that pressure coming - it’s unexpected and most people aren’t prepared for it. You can also look for the lockdown on their far leg if they’re not careful with their base - yeah, it’s unconventional from North-South, but that’s the point. The other thing is breathing technique - in 10th Planet we drill being under pressure a lot, so you learn to stay calm and not waste energy. Sometimes the best escape is to weather the storm, control your breathing, and wait for them to make a mistake when they go for that North-South choke or try to take mount. That’s when you hit the technical stand-up or granby and blow their mind. Don’t be predictable - if everyone expects the standard hip escape, give them something they’ve never seen before.