BJJ Graph

North-South to Kimura

Jun 15, 20256 min read

North-South to Kimura

bjjtransitionnorth_southkimurasubmission

Transition Properties

  • Transition ID: T912
  • Starting State: North-South
  • Ending State: Kimura Control
  • Success Probability: Beginner (50%), Intermediate (70%), Advanced (85%)
  • Execution Complexity: Medium
  • Physical Attributes: Grip Strength, Core Control, Shoulder Mobility
  • Risk Level: Medium - requires precise control and exposes practitioner to counters
  • Energy Cost: Medium - demands controlled movement and pressure maintenance
  • Transition Type: Positional to Submission Control

Transition Description

The North-South to Kimura transition represents a high-percentage submission pathway that converts a strong controlling position (North-South) into a powerful shoulder lock setup (Kimura Control). This transition exploits the opponent’s arm positioning and defensive reactions to isolate and manipulate the shoulder joint while maintaining upper body control. Unlike maintaining North-South purely for positional dominance, this transition creates an immediate submission threat that forces specific defensive reactions, often leading to a cascade of submission opportunities or positional advancements. The technical execution focuses on precise grip establishment, body positioning, and leverage application to secure the figure-four grip on the opponent’s arm while maintaining dominant pressure, exemplifying BJJ’s principle of exploiting limb isolation from controlling positions.

Visual Execution Sequence

Detailed description for clear visualization of the transition in action:

From a secure North-South position, your chest presses heavily on your opponent’s torso, knees tucked under their shoulders, and arms framing their hips to prevent escapes, you establish weight distribution to control their movement. You identify and target their exposed near-side arm, often the right arm if you’re oriented to their left, securing initial wrist control with your right hand to prevent retraction. You create space on the target side by slightly shifting your weight to your left, maintaining chest pressure with your left shoulder to block their turn, while your right arm prepares to thread under their upper arm. You thread your left arm under their right upper arm, reaching for a figure-four grip, connecting your hands palm-to-palm or with a wrist grip to lock their arm in place. You adjust your body position by sliding your hips slightly to the right, aligning perpendicular to their shoulder to maximize leverage, ensuring your chest remains connected to prevent space for escapes. You stabilize the final Kimura control position by posting your left knee near their head for base, maintaining weight distribution to counter their defensive reactions like bridging or rolling. Throughout the sequence, you anticipate common counters such as arm tucking or grip fighting, adjusting your pressure and grips to maintain control continuity, demonstrating the precision and strategic flow of this effective transition.

Template: “From North-South, chest heavy on torso, knees under shoulders, arms frame hips for control. Target near-side arm, secure wrist control with one hand. Create space on target side, shift weight slightly, maintain chest pressure. Thread other arm under upper arm, connect hands for figure-four grip. Adjust hips perpendicular to shoulder for leverage, keep chest connected. Stabilize Kimura control, post knee near head for base, counter defensive reactions. Anticipate counters, adjust pressure and grips for control continuity.”

Execution Steps

  1. Establish a secure North-South position with proper weight distribution, chest pressing heavily on opponent’s torso, knees tucked under their shoulders, and arms framing their hips to prevent escapes.
  2. Identify and target the opponent’s exposed arm, typically the near-side arm, securing initial wrist control with one hand to prevent retraction or defensive tucking.
  3. Create space on the target side while maintaining chest pressure with the shoulder on the opposite side, ensuring control to block their ability to turn or escape.
  4. Thread the non-control arm under the opponent’s upper arm on the target side, reaching to establish a figure-four grip by connecting hands, typically palm-to-palm or with a wrist grip.
  5. Secure the figure-four grip, locking their arm in place, ensuring the grip is tight to isolate the shoulder and prevent defensive hand fighting.
  6. Adjust body position to maximize leverage on the isolated shoulder, sliding hips slightly to align perpendicular to their arm, maintaining chest connection to limit space.
  7. Stabilize the final Kimura control position with proper weight distribution, posting a knee near their head for base, ready to apply submission pressure while countering defensive reactions like bridging or rolling.

Key Details

  • Arm Isolation: Creating and maintaining separation of the target arm from the opponent’s body to enable submission setup.
  • Grip Sequence: Progressing from initial wrist control to a secure figure-four lock for shoulder manipulation.
  • Weight Distribution: Shifting from centered pressure in North-South to targeted side pressure for grip establishment.
  • Space Creation: Strategically managing space to enable grip transitions without losing control.
  • Body Positioning: Aligning relative to the opponent’s shoulder for optimal leverage and submission mechanics.
  • Pressure Maintenance: Ensuring continuous control throughout transitional movement to prevent escapes.
  • Defensive Awareness: Anticipating and countering common defensive reactions like arm tucking or bridging.
  • Shoulder Alignment: Achieving critical positioning to maximize mechanical advantage on the shoulder joint.

Success Modifiers

Factors that influence the success rate of the transition:

  • Arm Isolation Effectiveness: Quality of initial control over the target arm before grip setup (+15%)
  • Grip Security: Strength and precision of the figure-four grip to prevent breaks (+10%)
  • Weight Distribution Control: Maintaining pressure to block opponent escapes during transition (+10%)
  • Space Management: Creating just enough room for grip establishment without losing dominance (+10%)
  • Experience Level: Familiarity with North-South control and Kimura mechanics (+5% per skill level)

Common Counters and Counter-Attacks

Analysis of opponent responses with success rates for counter-attacks after the transition:

Decision Logic for Opponent Behavior

If [opponent tucks arm] to avoid isolation:
- Adjust [[Space Creation]] to force exposure with shoulder pressure (Probability: 60%)

Else if [opponent bridges explosively] to disrupt control:
- Reinforce [[Weight Distribution]] to maintain chest pressure (Probability: 55%)

Else if [opponent fights wrist grip] early:
- Use [[Grip Sequence]] to overpower with secondary grip (Probability: 50%)

Else if [opponent turns away] to protect shoulder:
- Transition to [[Back Control]] if Kimura setup fails (Probability: 45%)

Else if [opponent connects hands] to block figure-four:
- Apply [[Arm Isolation]] to break defensive frame (Probability: 40%)

Else [maintain control]:
- Proceed with standard [[Figure-Four Grip]] establishment (Probability: 70%)

Variants

  • Classic North-South Kimura (traditional approach with direct grip establishment)
  • Step-Over Kimura (incorporating leg positioning over opponent’s body for added control)
  • Short Grip Kimura (variation with modified grip for quicker setup)
  • Running Kimura (transitional flow variation with dynamic movement)
  • Reverse Kimura (attacking opposite side arm for strategic surprise)
  • Near-Side Kimura (targeting arm closest to head for faster access)
  • Far-Side Kimura (targeting arm furthest from head for alternative leverage)
  • Kimura/Armbar Combination (dual-threat approach to force defensive reactions)

Expert Insights

  • John Danaher: “Establishing complete control of the opponent’s upper arm before attempting the figure-four grip is paramount. Create mechanical disadvantages through precise positioning that render

Graph View

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