The Shoulder of Justice Top position represents the offensive perspective of this devastating side control variation where the practitioner applies intense, focused shoulder pressure directly into the opponent’s jaw and facial structure while maintaining superior positional control. From the top position, you command complete control through biomechanically efficient pressure application that creates both physical discomfort and technical dominance. This position excels at breaking the opponent’s defensive structure and forcing reactive movements that open submission and advancement opportunities.
The Shoulder of Justice Top is characterized by driving your shoulder blade deep into the opponent’s jaw at an angle toward their far shoulder, creating a pressure vector that travels through their cervical spine and limits head mobility. Your chest remains heavy and perpendicular to their torso while your hips stay low and connected to their near hip, preventing shrimping movements. This position creates a powerful psychological effect where opponents must choose between enduring the relentless pressure or making defensive movements that expose them to kimuras, americanas, arm triangles, and position advancements to mount or north-south. The effectiveness of this position lies in its ability to simultaneously attack comfort and technical position, forcing opponents into defensive reactions that create offensive opportunities for the top player.
Position Definition
- Your shoulder driven deeply into opponent’s jaw/chin area with sustained pressure directed at an angle toward their far shoulder, creating significant discomfort and limiting head rotation completely
- Your chest positioned perpendicular to opponent’s torso with weight distributed efficiently through shoulder blade and connected hips, pinning their near shoulder flat to the mat
- Your hips low and heavy, connected directly to opponent’s near hip line, preventing shrimping movements while maintaining the pressure vector from your center of mass through your shoulder
- Your base established with far-side knee posted wide for stability and near-side foot positioned for mobility and pressure adjustment, creating a stable platform for sustained control
- Opponent flat on their back with head turned away from pressure source, shoulders pinned, near-side arm typically trapped or controlled, and limited ability to create effective defensive frames
Prerequisites
- Successful establishment of side control from guard pass, scramble, or transition
- Opponent positioned flat on back with chest facing upward
- Control of opponent’s near-side shoulder and head achieved
- Proper weight distribution understanding to drive pressure through shoulder rather than arms
- Base positioning knowledge to maintain stability while applying maximum pressure
- Recognition of opponent’s defensive structure to identify shoulder pressure insertion point
Key Offensive Principles
- Drive shoulder blade deep into jaw line at 45-degree angle toward opponent’s far shoulder rather than straight down
- Maintain low, heavy hips connected to opponent’s near hip throughout all movements and pressure application
- Keep chest perpendicular to opponent with weight driving through shoulder point of contact consistently
- Control or trap opponent’s near arm immediately to prevent defensive frames from creating space
- Establish wide, stable base with far knee posted and near foot mobile for pressure adjustment and transitions
- Read opponent’s defensive reactions to pressure and immediately capitalize on exposed opportunities
- Adjust shoulder angle and pressure direction continuously based on opponent’s head position and escape attempts
Available Attacks
Kimura from Side Control → Kimura Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 52%
- Intermediate: 67%
- Advanced: 82%
Americana from Side Control → Americana Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 47%
- Intermediate: 62%
- Advanced: 77%
Transition to Mount → Mount
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 58%
- Intermediate: 73%
- Advanced: 87%
Transition to North-South → North-South
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 62%
- Intermediate: 77%
- Advanced: 90%
Side Control to Mount → Knee on Belly
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 50%
- Intermediate: 65%
- Advanced: 80%
Arm Triangle → Armbar Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 38%
- Intermediate: 53%
- Advanced: 70%
North-South Choke → North-South
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 33%
- Intermediate: 48%
- Advanced: 65%
Position Change → Scarf Hold Position
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 55%
- Intermediate: 70%
- Advanced: 84%
Transition to North-South → Kesa Gatame
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 48%
- Intermediate: 63%
- Advanced: 78%
Decision Making from This Position
If opponent attempts to create frames or push away with near-side arm to relieve pressure:
- Execute Kimura from Side Control → Kimura Control (Probability: 72%)
- Execute Americana from Side Control → Americana Control (Probability: 67%)
If opponent shrimps away or attempts to recover guard by creating distance:
- Execute Transition to Mount → Mount (Probability: 77%)
- Execute Side Control to Mount → Knee on Belly (Probability: 70%)
If opponent turns toward you to escape shoulder pressure or go to turtle:
- Execute Transition to North-South → North-South (Probability: 82%)
- Execute Position Change → Scarf Hold Position (Probability: 74%)
If opponent brings far arm across to defend face from shoulder pressure:
- Execute Arm Triangle → Armbar Control (Probability: 65%)
- Execute North-South Choke → North-South (Probability: 58%)
If opponent flattens out completely and stops resisting to conserve energy:
- Execute Transition to Mount → Mount (Probability: 80%)
- Execute Kimura from Side Control → Kimura Control (Probability: 68%)
Optimal Submission Paths
High-percentage kimura path from pressure reaction
Shoulder of Justice Top → Kimura from Side Control → Kimura Control → Kimura finish (when opponent frames with near arm)
Arm triangle from defensive arm position
Shoulder of Justice Top → Arm Triangle setup → Armbar Control → Arm Triangle finish (when opponent defends face with far arm)
North-south choke from turning escape attempt
Shoulder of Justice Top → Transition to North-South → North-South → North-South Choke finish (when opponent turns away from pressure)
Americana from isolated near arm
Shoulder of Justice Top → Americana from Side Control → Americana Control → Americana finish (when near arm is trapped and isolated)
Mount advancement to submission series
Shoulder of Justice Top → Transition to Mount → Mount → Armbar from Mount or Americana from Mount (when opponent shrimps or flattens)
Back take from turning defense
Shoulder of Justice Top → Opponent turns to turtle → Transition to North-South → Back Control → Rear Naked Choke (when opponent turns to escape pressure)
Success Rates and Statistics
| Skill Level | Retention Rate | Advancement Probability | Submission Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 68% | 48% | 38% |
| Intermediate | 82% | 63% | 55% |
| Advanced | 94% | 80% | 73% |
Average Time in Position: 1-3 minutes depending on opponent’s pain tolerance and defensive skill
Expert Analysis
John Danaher
The Shoulder of Justice Top position represents one of the most biomechanically efficient applications of pressure in all of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. From a systematic perspective, this position exploits a fundamental weakness in human anatomy - the temporomandibular joint cannot effectively resist pressure applied at an oblique angle toward the far shoulder when the opponent is supine. The key to mastering this position from the top perspective lies in understanding the pressure vector: your center of mass must travel through your shoulder blade and into the opponent’s jaw at approximately 45 degrees toward their far shoulder. This creates a situation where their defensive structure cannot mechanically resist the force being applied. What makes this position particularly effective is the dilemma structure it creates - the opponent must choose between enduring significant discomfort or making defensive movements that open specific offensive pathways for you. When they attempt to frame with their near arm to relieve pressure, you have the kimura. When they turn away to escape the pressure, you have north-south or the back. When they bring their far arm across to shield their face, you have the arm triangle. Every defensive option they have is technically inferior to simply accepting the position, yet psychologically that is the most difficult choice. This is systematic control at its finest - forcing your opponent into a position where all their options lead to your victory.
Gordon Ryan
From the top in Shoulder of Justice, you’re basically torturing someone in a technically legal way, and it’s one of my favorite positions in competition because it absolutely destroys people’s will to fight. I’ve used this position to submit black belts, win ADCC matches, and break opponents who thought they had good defense. The secret isn’t just the pressure - it’s the combination of physical misery and technical dominance. When you get your shoulder in there deep and at the right angle, they can’t think about anything except getting away from that pressure, and that’s when you capitalize. Every single defensive movement they make is predictable and creates an opportunity. They frame with their near arm? Kimura. They turn into you? North-south or take the back. They shrimp? Follow them to mount or knee-on-belly. They bring their far arm over? Arm triangle all day. In my matches, I use this position specifically against opponents who have good defensive awareness because even when they know what I’m doing, the pressure is so uncomfortable that they make mistakes anyway. The retention rate from this position at the high level is probably over 90% if you do it right, and the submission rate is insanely high because people would rather tap to a kimura than spend another thirty seconds with your shoulder in their face. This is one of those positions where physical and technical dominance meet, and from the top perspective, you control absolutely everything.
Eddie Bravo
Shoulder of Justice Top is straight up one of the most evil positions in no-gi especially, and I teach this extensively in the 10th Planet system as part of our top pressure game. What I love about this position from the top perspective is that it’s creative torture, man. You’re not just controlling someone - you’re making them so miserable that they forget everything they know and just react on pure survival instinct. In no-gi, this position is even more effective because they can’t grab your gi to create frames or distance, so that shoulder just sinks deeper and deeper into their jaw. From the top, you have infinite options and they have zero good options. You can adjust your shoulder angle, walk your feet up toward their head for more pressure, threaten mount, threaten north-south, threaten submissions - you’re in complete creative control while they’re in survival mode. I like to think of this as offensive meditation because you’re in this relaxed state of applying constant pressure while they’re panicking and making mistakes. We drill specific pressure angles in 10th Planet, and we practice reading reactions instantly so you can flow from pressure to submission seamlessly. The position also translates perfectly to MMA, where this kind of shoulder pressure can absolutely gas someone out in the first round and make them quit mentally before you even go for a submission. From the top perspective, Shoulder of Justice is pure dominance with unlimited creative expression.