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North-South Choke

SubmissionTop chokeBelt: blue+Risk: lowIBJJFADCCNo-GiSub-OnlyMMA

The North-South Choke is a top-position submission applied from north-south, using your arms and torso to compress the opponent’s neck against your lat and the mat. It is a powerful no-gi option that bypasses common bottom defenses and is highly effective when executed with precision.

Start
North-south
End
Submission
Prerequisites: Cross-face control · Sprawling to north-south · Head positioning awareness · Shoulder pressure application

Steps

  1. 1
    Establish North-South Position
    From top, sprawl your hips low and shift to a perpendicular angle, chest heavy on opponent’s upper torso, with your head near their hip line.
  2. 2
    Isolate the Neck
    Thread your arm (nearest their head) under their neck, palm facing the mat, and position your lat against the side of their neck.
  3. 3
    Secure the Choke Arm
    Cup your choking hand’s palm on the mat, fingers spread for stability, while your elbow stays tight to minimize space.
  4. 4
    Block the Escape Route
    Use your non-choking arm to block their far hip or thigh with a C-grip, preventing them from turning toward you or reguarding.
  5. 5
    Drop Your Weight
    Lower your chest and rib cage directly onto their jaw and neck, shifting your weight so your lat compresses their carotid artery.
  6. 6
    Walk Your Hips Around
    Circle your hips toward their legs (clockwise or counterclockwise, depending on the choking arm), keeping your chest heavy and maintaining head control.
  7. 7
    Lock the Choke
    Slide your choking arm deeper, then clasp your hands together (gable grip or palm-to-palm) under their far shoulder for maximum pressure.
  8. 8
    Finish with Squeeze and Hips Down
    Drive your lat into their neck, flare your elbows out slightly, drop your hips to the mat, and squeeze your arms while keeping your chest connected for the tap.

Key details most people miss

  • The choking arm’s lat must seal tightly against the side of their neck—any daylight dramatically reduces pressure.
  • Your chest and rib cage should pin their jaw, not just their neck, to prevent head turning and create a tighter seal.
  • Walking your hips around increases the angle and compresses the neck more efficiently than just squeezing with your arms.
  • A shallow arm position (elbow not deep enough) results in a blood choke instead of an air choke—deeper is safer and more effective.

Common mistakes

  • If you leave space between your lat and their neck, they can turn into you and escape the choke.
  • If your weight is too far forward (over their chest), you lose pressure on the neck and the choke becomes ineffective.
  • If your non-choking arm doesn’t block their hip, they can recover guard or roll to turtle.
  • If you squeeze with your arms before sealing your chest and lat, the choke will be weak and easily defended.

Counters & responses

They try: Opponent bridges and turns toward you to recover guard.
You do: Maintain the hip block with your non-choking arm and circle your hips wider to keep them flat.
They try: Opponent frames against your neck or chest to create space.
You do: Drop your weight lower and walk your hips further around, collapsing their frames with chest pressure.
They try: Opponent grabs your choking arm to peel it off their neck.
You do: Switch to a palm-to-palm grip and drive your lat deeper, using your bodyweight to break their grip.
They try: Opponent attempts to turtle and scramble out.
You do: Follow their movement, keep head control, and transition to back control or re-attack the choke as they expose their neck.

Drill prescription

5 rounds × 3 minutes; partner gives 40% resistance (frames, hip escapes); goal: 4 clean north-south choke finishes per round, with no more than 10 seconds per finish.

How the masters teach it

Videos are still being curated for this technique. AI suggests these instructors:
Marcelo Garcia — Pioneered the north-south choke in no-gi, emphasizing chest connection and hip walking for maximum pressure.Lachlan Giles — Focuses on precise lat placement and incremental angle adjustments to maximize efficiency and minimize escapes.Saulo Ribeiro — Teaches strong positional control and hip blocking to prevent guard recovery during the choke setup.John Danaher — Details the importance of weight distribution and micro-adjustments for a high-percentage finish in submission grappling.
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