The north-south choke is a strangle from north-south, chest to chest facing your partner's feet, where your arm and shoulder close both sides of the neck.
- In BJJ: a no-gi finish from north-south and from side control; BJJ Heroes calls it the Monson and lists the gable grip as a way to finish it.
- Needs: no gi grips. It relies on body position and a tight shoulder.
- Common entry: an armbar attempt from side control that the partner defends by hugging the arm.
What is the north-south choke?
The choke looks like a hug. Your arm wraps around their neck from the top so the biceps sits on one side of the neck, your shoulder drives into the other side, and you lower your hips toward the mat and slide your chest toward their chin. The neck is closed between your arm and your body, with their own shoulder often adding the third wall. BJJ Heroes also mentions the S-grip as a way to complete the north-south choke.
How do you do the north-south choke?
- Move to north-south. From side control, walk around their head until your chest is on their chest and your head is beside their hip.
- Wrap the neck. Slide your arm on one side under their neck so the biceps sits against the side of the neck and your hand comes out on the far side.
- Set the shoulder. Drop your shoulder on that side into the other side of their neck, with your head low beside their body.
- Lower your hips. Sprawl your legs back and let your hips sink toward the mat, so your weight settles through your chest.
- Squeeze slowly. Pull your elbow toward your own ribs, slide your chest toward their chin and tighten until they tap.
The common mistake is wrapping the neck and squeezing with the arm while your hips stay high; the choke then sits on the jaw and tires you out. Hips low, shoulder in, and let the chest do the squeezing. It comes on slowly and quietly, so watch for the tap on your back.
Is the north-south choke legal?
In BJJ the IBJJF Rules Book's table of illegal moves does not list it; for children under 16 the table bans chokes combined with a spinal lock. In judo, collar chokes are legal and a tap scores ippon; the IJF Sport and Organisation Rules penalise with shido a choke made with the belt, the bottom of the jacket or the fingers alone.
Where does north-south choke fit in a game?
The north-south choke is a quiet finish for a position most people treat as a transition. It pairs with the kimura and the armbar from north-south: when they hug their arm in to defend, the neck opens. Rash guards and mats for drilling it are in our BJJ training gear.
Sources
- BJJ Heroes calls it the Monson, BJJ Heroes
- IJF Sport and Organisation Rules, International Judo Federation
- IBJJF Rules Book, IBJJF
Related terms
North-south, Side control, Arm triangle, Kimura, Chokes, No-gi.