North-South
Choke
The suffocating finish from north-south position. Use your body weight and shoulder pressure to seal both carotids.
Weight Over Squeeze.
Shoulder Over Strength.
The North-South Choke isn’t about crushing with your arms. Arm wraps the neck, shoulder seals the other side, and your body weight does the strangling. It’s a pressure choke.
Establish North-South
From side control, transition to north-south. Your head should be near their hips, their head near yours. Chest-to-chest, inverted.
Wrap The Neck
Slide one arm under their neck. Your bicep presses one side. Hand grips your own thigh to anchor. Don’t squeeze yet.
Seal With Shoulder
Drop your shoulder and armpit onto the other side of their neck. Lower your hips. Your weight, not your muscles, finishes the choke.
3 Grips.
Same Position.
The position is the same. The grip varies based on your preference and their defense.
Thigh Grip
North-South
Arm under neck, hand grips your own thigh. This anchors the choke and prevents them from turning. Classic Marcelo Garcia style.
Arm Triangle
Grip
Instead of gripping thigh, use figure-four grip (like arm triangle). Hands locked behind their head. More squeeze, less anchor.
Hip Grip
North-South
Arm under neck, hand grips their far hip. This prevents hip escape and keeps them flat. Good when they’re trying to turn.
The
Shoulder
Seal
The arm alone won’t finish it. Your shoulder and armpit must seal the other side of their neck. Think of it as a vise—arm on one side, shoulder on the other.
-
Arm Deep Under Neck
Slide your arm all the way under their neck. Your bicep should be against one carotid, not on the throat.
-
Drop The Shoulder
Lower your shoulder and armpit onto the other side of their neck. This seals the second carotid. Both sides compressed.
-
Lower Your Hips
Drop your hips toward the mat. This drives your weight through your shoulder into their neck. Pressure, not squeeze.
3 Mistakes
That Kill Your North-South
Squeezing With Arms
If you’re muscling the choke with your arms, you’re doing it wrong. The finish comes from body weight and shoulder pressure, not bicep strength.
Hips Too High
High hips means no weight on the choke. Lower your hips toward the mat. Think about driving your shoulder DOWN through their neck into the floor.
No Shoulder Seal
Arm alone won’t finish it. Your shoulder/armpit must press the other side of their neck. One side open = they can breathe and survive.
4 Entry
Windows
The North-South Choke comes from north-south position. Here’s how to get there and when to attack.
Side Control Transition
From side control, slide to north-south. As you arrive, arm is already near their neck.
Kimura Defense
They defend your kimura from north-south. Switch to the choke—their focus is on the arm.
Failed Arm Triangle
Arm triangle isn’t finishing. Transition to north-south and attack the North-South Choke instead.
Mount Escape Counter
They bridge from mount. You slide to north-south to maintain control. Choke is right there.
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