North-South position

[Jack321]

I know this move is in Judo, but I've seen wrestlers use it in Pride. Since I'm just a novice, can you tell me why and when one would use it? In addition, was it originally a wrestling move that Judo adapted. Thanks

 

[jadizm]

I never knew this originated from Judo. I guess it depends if your in MMA or tournaments when this position can be effective

 

[paulchu]

i was actually in the northsouth position at a class, i didn't know wtf i was supposed to do, so i just took my legs and got him in a headlock with them. while he was trying to release my legs from off his face, i rolled him over and went into side control.

 

[hamoom]

kimura, lots of chokes, stuff of that nature. there are things you can do from there. if you toe holds too if he brings his knees up

 

[SmashiusClay]

There's a really sweet arm lock from there called the elbow hook, sort of like a heel hook but (suprise suprise) its on the arm. mind you the best thing to do from north south is throw knees.

 

[Balto]

North-south is very useful against people who are good at shrimping to guard. It is the top position that places your body as far away from your opponent's legs as possible. It is also fairly easy to control your opponent's hips with your body weight.

I find it mainly useful when the opponent begins to shrimp to guard from side control. By transitioning to north-south, I can shut down his shrimping and still attack with nearly every upper body submission.

 

[DMcKayBJJ]

North-south is very useful against people who are good at shrimping to guard. It is the top position that places your body as far away from your opponent's legs as possible. It is also fairly easy to control your opponent's hips with your body weight.

I find it mainly useful when the opponent begins to shrimp to guard from side control. By transitioning to north-south, I can shut down his shrimping and still attack with nearly every upper body submission.

Good post.
I'll add that you can also control your opponent's hips quite easily with your arms/hands, if he's trying to move them around to escape.
It's a pretty fundamental position in BJJ, from what I've been taught, and we practice the transition from side control to north-south all the time. Keeping your body weight heavy to maintain a good pin is what makes it so effective.

 

[Adino]

If you ever saw Kevin Randelman fight in his first Pride fights he almost did a handstand and then rain knees down ontop of his opponent. Devistating strikes, just watch Arona/Sak match brutal.

 

[b0b]

Also, you can smother the guy on bottom and tire him out.

 

[zicherja]

if the opponents hands are in tight in side control, I find moving to north south enables me to get my elbows into their armpits and eventually control them. Put all your weight down to control hip movement. Can go for chokes, trap arm to armbar, or take opponents back rather easily.

 

[Gsoares2***]

kimura, lots of chokes, stuff of that nature. there are things you can do from there. if you toe holds too if he brings his knees up

What he says..
Some judo guys are amazing at pinning from this position.. but without a kimono it is a position that quickly turns to other things.....Devisatating strikes to the top of the head, or positional changes mostly.
Guys can take your side, back, and mount quickly from north south.. so its versatile to say the least.

 

[Soulfly]

Also, you can smother the guy on bottom and tire him out.

Agreed. I used this last night during newaza practice. Just use the same catch chest pressure tactic (on your balls of your feet, putting all the weight foreword) on their head/chest. He tapped out from the pressure.

 

[b0b]

Agreed. I used this last night during newaza practice. Just use the same catch chest pressure tactic (on your balls of your feet, putting all the weight foreword) on their head/chest. He tapped out from the pressure.

Also, just the gi itself can block their nasal passages. When I am mounted in the N-S position, I try to just lay there and not expend any energy until they try a sub or something. (BJJ)

 

[Jimmy Cerra]

Agreed. I used this last night during newaza practice. Just use the same catch chest pressure tactic (on your balls of your feet, putting all the weight foreword) on their head/chest. He tapped out from the pressure.

I won a few matches with that actually against less experienced dudes. I used wrestling jargon and called it a front-face lock, since it wasn't really a BJJ move... However, it won't work against more experienced people, who will just look at you funny...

 

[killakoy]

kamishio gatame is one of the most devastating pins in judo... imo.

 

[Brendon Katz]

There's a really sweet arm lock from there called the elbow hook, sort of like a heel hook but (suprise suprise) its on the arm. mind you the best thing to do from north south is throw knees.

explain?

 

[SmashiusClay]

explain?

eesh, this one's a nit awkward to explain but I'll give it a go cos this is a great move if you get it right, let me know if any bits are unclear.

Starting from north south you grab one of your opponents arms and over hook it so it wraps your body around the waist.

Pressing down on their other shoulder with your other hand you kick your legs to the side that you have the trapped arm and bring them underneath you so that you are sitting by his side with your feet by his knees. This is very like reverse scarf hold with their arm trapped under your armpit.

In order to prevent your opponent rolling backwards out off the lock hook your closest leg over the top of theirs, remaining face up.

From here you need to move your hips down so that they are as close to level with theirs as possible.

The arm that has theirs trapped should now cradle their elbow in a position very similar to that of a heel hook. Now bridge backwards and twist like in a heel hook and this willl put a lot of pressure on the shoulder.

Be very careful with this one as it is potentially very damaging.

 

[Stickan_swe]

if the opponents hands are in tight in side control, I find moving to north south enables me to get my elbows into their armpits and eventually control them. Put all your weight down to control hip movement. Can go for chokes, trap arm to armbar, or take opponents back rather easily.

exactly.. it

 

[thecas]

eesh, this one's a nit awkward to explain but I'll give it a go cos this is a great move if you get it right, let me know if any bits are unclear.

Starting from north south you grab one of your opponents arms and over hook it so it wraps your body around the waist.

Pressing down on their other shoulder with your other hand you kick your legs to the side that you have the trapped arm and bring them underneath you so that you are sitting by his side with your feet by his knees. This is very like reverse scarf hold with their arm trapped under your armpit.

In order to prevent your opponent rolling backwards out off the lock hook your closest leg over the top of theirs, remaining face up.

From here you need to move your hips down so that they are as close to level with theirs as possible.

The arm that has theirs trapped should now cradle their elbow in a position very similar to that of a heel hook. Now bridge backwards and twist like in a heel hook and this willl put a lot of pressure on the shoulder.

Be very careful with this one as it is potentially very damaging.

If I get it correctly it is something like an Americana. Is it a variation of it?

 

[SmashiusClay]

If I get it correctly it is something like an Americana. Is it a variation of it?

Sort of its a shoulder lock with the same rotation direction, it is much more powerful and is very easy to set up when you get used to it.