Side Control
A chest-to-chest pin perpendicular to your opponent, with knee-on-belly, north-south, and mount all one step away.
Note
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Overview
Core Mechanics and Concepts
Alignment in side control
Side control variations
- Standard crossface/underhook
- Kesa gatame
- Scarf hold
- Switch base/cross body
- Reverse underhook
Body positioning and controls
Cranial shift (forcing defender's knees to face away)
Controlling the near arm
- Switch base
- Turning opponent's hips
- Using the knee to pin
- Squashing frames
- Gaining inside position
- Inside bicep tie dilemma (elbows separated from body vs forced across centerline)
Controlling the far arm
- Using the head to trap
- Passing the arm across
Preventing common escapes
- Defending the hip escape
- Defending the underhook
- Defending against frames
Offense
Transitions
- To mount (standard and switch base)
- To back
- To north south
Submissions
- Head and arm choke
- Kimura
- Armbar
Knee on Belly
Entries
- Side control pop-up
- Knee drive from side escape
- Knee cut guard pass finish
- North south transition
- Mount dismount (baiting)
Maintenance
- Windshield wiping
- Posture breaking
- Pressure with grips (double collar ties, head-and-arm control)
Escapes
- Bridge and hip escape
- Inside spin/inversion
- Leg entanglement entries (cross ashi/saddle, backside 50/50)
- Octopus guard
- Turn-in to knee shield
North South
Transitions from side control
N-S kimura
- Getting the kimura grip (americana set up, KOB to up-and-crush, N-S to kimura grip)
- Finishing the kimura (chest position, connecting chest to forearm, legwork, body position, breaking the grip)
- Troubleshooting (they free their elbow, straighten their arm, turn to knees, grip too strong, frame your elbow, push you off)
- Alternative submissions (armbar, reverse triangle, tarikoplata)
N-S choke
- Entries (from protected posture, reverse underhook, darce to N-S choke)
- Finishing mechanics
- South north choke (from bottom)
Retention and maintenance
- Sprawling on frames
- Head and rotation control
- Blocking inverted spins
- Reverse tight waist
Defense and Escapes
Side control escape concepts
- Early prevention
- Primary sequence
- Understanding their controls
Frames
- Hip frame
- Forearm frame
- Inside leg frame
- Far leg frame
Side control escapes
- Frames escape
- Underhook escape
- Low on body escape
- Wrestling up (sit-up/heist)
- Forward hip escape and far leg framing
Defending transitions
- To mount
- To KOB
- To N-S
Switch base variant escapes
- Kesa gatame (get up, elbow pass, hip escape, underhook escape)
- Scarf hold (bridge and roll, tilt up, swing and free)
- Cross body (elbow pass, back take/get up)
N-S escapes
- Getting frames from double underhooks
- Escaping from double overhooks
- Building frames from over under
- Escaping to front headlock
- Escape to knees from chest to chest
- Leaning forwards to back take
N-S submission defense
- Kimura defense
- N-S choke defense
KOB escapes
- Bridge and hip escape
- Inside spin/inversion
- Leg entanglement entries
- Octopus guard
- Turn-in to knee shield
Summary
Coaching Guide
Common entries and sequences
Side control entries:
Side control pop-up to KOB. From side control, the top player pops up to place their knee on the opponent's torso to stabilize the position or collect points.
Knee drive from side escape. When a bottom player attempts an elbow escape from side control, the top player uses a knee drive to transition directly into knee on belly.
Knee cut guard pass. During a headquarters pass, the passer uses a cross knee cut to slice through the guard, landing directly in the knee on belly position.
Side control maintenance:
Top spin to switch sides. As the bottom player attempts to turn in, the top player uses a top spin to switch sides instantly.
Cranial shift. Forcing the defender's knees to face away, making it significantly harder for the bottom player to recover guard.
Inside bicep tie dilemma. Attempting to pull the defender's arm across their body, creating a dilemma: allow elbows to separate from body or have elbows forced across center line.
Hip blocking to N-S transition. When the bottom player works to connect knee and elbow, the top player blocks the hip and circles around the head to north south.
N-S entries:
From side control. Transition via reverse crossface (overback grip), grabbing the armpit and walking toward the head.
From turtle. Maintaining top position as defender rolls from turtle into N-S.
From front headlock. Entering N-S as opponent attempts to pull guard from front headlock.
Common problems and cues
Recommended games
Resources
- Side Control, Lachlan Giles (Submeta)
- Side Control Escapes, Lachlan Giles (Submeta)
- Side Control Escapes: Switch Base Variants, Lachlan Giles (Submeta)
- North/South Kimura, Lachlan Giles (Submeta)
- Side Control Reverse Underhook, Lachlan Giles (Submeta)
- North South Choke, Lachlan Giles (Submeta)
- North South: Escapes, Retention, Offense, Lachlan Giles (Submeta)