North-South Top

Jan 23, 20268 min read

North-South top is one of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu’s most dominant pinning positions, characterized by perpendicular chest-to-chest alignment where you distribute your entire body weight across your opponent’s upper body while your heads point in opposite directions. This position offers exceptional control with relatively low energy expenditure once properly established, making it ideal for recovering stamina while maintaining offensive pressure.

The strategic value of North-South top lies in its dual functionality as both a control position and a submission platform. The crushing chest pressure restricts your opponent’s breathing and movement while your hands remain free to isolate arms, set up chokes, or control the head. Unlike parallel positions like side control, the perpendicular alignment provides unique leverage for specific submissions like the North-South choke while making certain escapes more difficult for the bottom player.

Establishing effective North-South control requires precise weight distribution and arm control. Your chest must create continuous downward pressure across the opponent’s chest and shoulders, not their stomach or hips. The pressure should restrict their rib expansion and breathing while your weight distribution prevents them from bridging effectively. Hand positioning varies based on your control strategy - you can secure underhooks, control arms directly, or establish grips for submission setups.

The position serves as a critical checkpoint during guard passing sequences and transitions between dominant positions. Skilled practitioners flow seamlessly from side control to North-South to mount, using the perpendicular alignment to consolidate control or set up submissions. Understanding when to maintain North-South versus when to transition is crucial - the position excels at control and specific submissions but may not be optimal for all finishing sequences. Mastery requires balancing pressure maintenance with transition timing and submission recognition.

Position Definition

  • Top player’s chest maintains continuous downward pressure across bottom player’s chest and shoulder area, with body weight distributed to compress their rib cage and restrict breathing while heads align perpendicular to each other
  • Top player’s hips remain relatively low and base-wide to prevent bridging escapes, with weight forward over opponent’s upper body rather than sitting back toward their legs where control weakens significantly
  • Top player controls or restricts bottom player’s arms through underhooks, overhooks, or direct arm control to prevent defensive frame creation that would create escape space and reduce pressure effectiveness

Prerequisites

  • Bottom player’s back is flat on mat with guard passed or position entered from side control
  • Top player has achieved perpendicular body alignment with chest over opponent’s chest
  • Top player controls or restricts at least one of bottom player’s arms
  • Top player has established base and pressure to prevent immediate escape

Key Offensive Principles

  • Distribute body weight across opponent’s chest and shoulders, not stomach or hips
  • Keep chest pressure constant while hands work for arm control or submissions
  • Maintain low hip position with wide base to prevent bridge and roll escapes
  • Control opponent’s arms before attempting major position transitions or submissions
  • Use shoulder and head pressure to restrict opponent’s head movement and breathing
  • Transition to mount or other positions when opponent creates defensive frames
  • Balance between control maintenance and submission hunting based on opponent’s reactions

Available Attacks

North-South Choke → Won by Submission

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 30%
  • Intermediate: 50%
  • Advanced: 70%

Transition to Mount → Mount

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 45%
  • Intermediate: 65%
  • Advanced: 80%

North-South to Kimura → Kimura Control

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 35%
  • Intermediate: 55%
  • Advanced: 75%

Armbar from Side Control → Won by Submission

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 25%
  • Intermediate: 45%
  • Advanced: 65%

Transition to North-South → Side Control

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 50%
  • Intermediate: 70%
  • Advanced: 85%

Americana from Side Control → Won by Submission

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 20%
  • Intermediate: 40%
  • Advanced: 60%

Side Control to Mount → Mount

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 40%
  • Intermediate: 60%
  • Advanced: 75%

Knee on Belly → Knee on Belly

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 35%
  • Intermediate: 55%
  • Advanced: 70%

Spinning Armbar → Won by Submission

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 15%
  • Intermediate: 30%
  • Advanced: 50%

Reverse Armbar → Won by Submission

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 20%
  • Intermediate: 35%
  • Advanced: 55%

Opponent Escapes

Escape Counters

Decision Making from This Position

If opponent maintains flat back with arms controlled:

If opponent creates frames and begins hip escape:

If opponent exposes near arm during escape attempt:

If opponent turns to turtle:

If opponent extends both arms for frames:

Common Offensive Mistakes

1. Sitting weight back toward opponent’s hips instead of forward over chest

  • ❌ Consequence: Reduces chest pressure effectiveness, makes bridge and roll escapes easier, and loses primary control mechanism
  • ✅ Correction: Keep weight distributed forward over opponent’s chest and shoulders with hips relatively low and base wide

2. Allowing opponent’s arms to remain free and create defensive frames

  • ❌ Consequence: Opponent establishes space for hip escapes, reduces pressure effectiveness, and creates escape opportunities
  • ✅ Correction: Immediately control at least one arm through underhooks or direct control before settling into position

3. Lifting head and chest up during submission attempts

  • ❌ Consequence: Creates space for opponent to hip escape or bridge, loses positional control while hunting submission
  • ✅ Correction: Maintain heavy chest pressure even during submission setups, use shoulder and head pressure to keep opponent pinned

4. Staying in North-South too long when opponent creates defensive frames

  • ❌ Consequence: Wastes energy fighting against established frames, allows opponent to systematically escape over time
  • ✅ Correction: Recognize when opponent establishes frames and transition to mount or side control rather than fighting position

5. Reaching too far for submissions without securing control first

  • ❌ Consequence: Creates balance opportunities for opponent to bridge and roll, exposes your own position to reversals
  • ✅ Correction: Establish secure arm control and base before committing to submission attacks, keep weight distribution stable

6. Using only upper body pressure without engaging hips and core

  • ❌ Consequence: Creates unstable pressure that’s easier to escape, fatigues upper body muscles unnecessarily
  • ✅ Correction: Engage entire core and use hip positioning to drive weight forward, pressure comes from body structure not arm strength

7. Allowing base to narrow when opponent begins escape attempts

  • ❌ Consequence: Makes position vulnerable to bridge and roll escapes, reduces stability during opponent’s explosive movements
  • ✅ Correction: Widen base and lower hips immediately when sensing escape attempts, use sprawl-like posture to prevent rolls

Training Drills for Attacks

North-South Control Maintenance

Maintain North-South position against progressively resistant partner for timed rounds. Partner works systematic escapes while you focus on weight distribution, arm control, and pressure maintenance. Reset each time opponent escapes. Develop endurance and positional awareness.

Duration: 5 minutes

Submission Setup Flow Drill

Flow between North-South choke, kimura, and armbar setups while maintaining pressure. Partner provides light resistance. Focus on seamless transitions between attacks without losing positional control. Build muscle memory for submission chains.

Duration: 4 minutes

Transition Sequences

Practice flowing between side control, North-South, and mount in continuous sequences. Partner provides moderate resistance to transitions but not full escape attempts. Develop smooth positional flow and weight distribution adjustments between positions.

Duration: 5 minutes

Pressure Resistance Training

Maintain maximum chest pressure in North-South while partner attempts only frame creation and breathing (no full escapes). You adjust weight distribution to counter their frames. Builds sensitivity to pressure points and control maintenance.

Duration: 3 minutes

Optimal Submission Paths

Direct North-South choke finish

North-South Top → Arm control → North-South Choke → Won by Submission

Kimura to mount control

North-South Top → Kimura Control → Mount → Armbar from Mount → Won by Submission

Mount transition to submission

North-South Top → Mount → High Mount → North-South Choke or Armbar → Won by Submission

Back take from turtle

North-South Top → Opponent turns to Turtle → Back Control → Rear Naked Choke → Won by Submission

Success Rates and Statistics

Skill LevelRetention RateAdvancement ProbabilitySubmission Probability
Beginner50%45%25%
Intermediate70%65%45%
Advanced85%80%65%

Average Time in Position: 60-120 seconds of control before transition or submission

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