Grappling Positions: North/South Position
A common ground maneuver, the north/south position can prove deadly for both the aggressor and the defender in many forms of organized combat.
In its most basic state, the north/south position shows two fighters on the ground, one on his back and the other on top of the fighter, facing the opposite direction, with his head over the combatant’s chest. From this position, the aggressor, or the fighter on top, can strike his opponent, or apply various grapples that will force the opponent into submission.
In BJJ, the position is easily comparable to the side mount. Sometimes, the aggressor will even hold his opponent’s belt in order to gain an even better advantage, making it hard for the defender to turn and wiggle out. Most effectively, the aggressor will try to keep his opponent’s hips pinned to the ground.
Two common pinning holds are derived from kami shiho gatame, which pins the opponents arms on his/her side, and grabbing the belt. To get an opponent into this position, a straight over throw can be utilized.
One of the best escapes from north/south is called the pendulum. This can be applied when the defender is facing the ground, as opposed to on his back, which is a variant of the north/south attack. The defender will pin the opponent’s arm to his body and left his left knee, kicking his right foot. This allows for a bit of momentum to place the opponent face down on the mat, allowing the defender to push his head into the opponent’s back. From here, the defender becomes the aggressor and twists the arm behind his back into a possible submission hold.
Overall, the aggressor in the basic north/south position is trying to beat his opponent into a knockout or submission. He can move into other different ground games, such as side control, or remain on top using knee strikes to force a knockout of some sorts. Check out the video below to see some north/south techniques.
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