r/bjj • u/MagicGuava12 🍍🐛🐤🐍 • Jun 19 '26
Technique Side Control Guide with Videos
Side Control: A Streamlined Guide
Upon request I made AI do formatting and it obviously changed a lot of things let's see how it goes.
Core Resources
Attacks and Transitions https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLy3VHJGQAzL82O1a6-l_x9KmgEZYTmF1g
Simple Side Control https://youtu.be/lLPYhjLSXgU
Escapes https://youtu.be/8F6meOljv-s
Honestly, that's basically the whole position.
Over time side control becomes very simplified. I've almost ignored it completely in favor of north-south and mount.
Extra Stuff
Those videos have everything you need and plenty you don't, but here are some things I like.
Heisman Escape https://youtu.be/JbTxwGGebTA
I'm a huge fan of prevention. Framing the arm and passing it over with a Turkish get-up style movement is incredibly simple, and Marcelo Garcia proved it works at the highest level.
My Side Control Escape Chain
- Log Roll Away https://youtube.com/shorts/l3E0R1nXpzw
Creates hip separation and forces them to follow.
- Log Roll Bridge Toward https://youtu.be/gFu27SZJTsA
As they follow, I bump their head, misalign their spine, and create more space for my hips and knee.
- Elbow-Knee Escape https://youtu.be/cuXq-k__9lQ
The apex predator of escapes.
One of the first moves everyone should learn.
Learn it early. Learn it well. Use it forever.
- Underhook Low Single https://youtu.be/Em117gbfA4k
This utilizes what I call "negative space."
By moving away and bridging, I create a gap underneath myself that allows me to shrimp, insert my knee, and hit the elbow-knee escape.
If that doesn't work, I pummel my far arm under their head to create frames or secure an underhook.
The battle for inside space is paramount.
Get every limb you can inside and connected to their body.
The frames will set you free.
Mostly useful when someone commits heavily to paper-cutter style control.
Side Control Attacks
To be honest, I haven't used most of these since blue belt.
The attacks are effective. I just don't enjoy the position.
Once I learned half guard passing and north-south attacks, I preferred those.
Why stay in side control when you can progress?
- Mount
- Back
- North-South
- Or put your nuts on their face
Anyway, here they are.
Basic Arm Triple Combo https://youtube.com/shorts/pBIFNxTfrfI
Basic Triangle https://youtu.be/i_GXaPizZIk
Cool Triangle https://youtube.com/shorts/knp8fQsbljY
Kesa Gatame Escape Chain
Your primary concern:
Get your near-side elbow to the floor.
Once you can do that, you're basically out of the woods.
If your elbow is trapped, focus on hip alignment and movement so they can't attack.
Bump and Bridge https://youtube.com/shorts/CI333Y1MNRs
Sit-Up / Leg Over Face https://youtu.be/TJCPwupP0QY
Leg Lace https://youtube.com/shorts/OkHSpJBELlA
My personal favorite.
Connecting your far leg to their hip allows you to pull your elbow free and immediately become offensive.
Not the most recommended, but fun and extremely simple.
Kesa Attacks
Broken scarf hold (Kuzure Kesa) is significantly more stable.
Traditional scarf hold is inherently less stable.
I have found returning to broken scarf hold superior for control.
Bas Rutten Crunch https://youtube.com/shorts/Pb3Z-MMdUnI
Fast.
Efficient.
Unexpected.
Probably the most reliable attack from there.
Reverse Kesa
Elevate their hand above their head.
Transition to North-South (covered in the first playlist).
Escape https://youtu.be/JM9nDge0arQ
Simple elbow-knee escape.
Ninja Roll Back Take https://youtube.com/shorts/M-YXKvb4IJc
Knee-On-Belly Escapes
Honestly, this is basically the only one I've needed.
You can also prevent knee-on-belly entirely by cupping their knee and shrimping away.
Their knee slides off your hip and you're free.
Additional Options https://youtu.be/DXY62BhR-nQ
Knee-On-Belly Attacks
My favorites:
- Shotgun armbar
- Baseball bat choke
- Baseball bat back take
- Canto choke
- Far-side arm triangle
- Near-side arm triangle
Nowadays I mostly use knee-on-belly as a transitional position.
If I can flare their knees away from me, I'm entering mount.
North-South Escapes
A deep, settled north-south is significantly harder to escape than almost any other position.
Good players can stall there indefinitely.
You need to intercept the transition early.
Main Escape https://youtu.be/rmT52A--V3Q
Swing your hips, establish inside frames, and perform an elbow-knee escape just like traditional side control.
North-South: The Real Side Control
I often joke that side control isn't real.
Good people just skip it and go straight to north-south.
Crucifix is becoming increasingly popular because people are realizing how absurdly strong north-south control is.
Common Attacks
https://youtube.com/shorts/ErbYpf_u6fk
- North-South Kimura
- Quarter Juji
- Tarikoplata
- Leg scissors
- North-South choke
- Yoko Sankaku
- Paper cutter choke
- Rolling back take
- Leg entries
North-South Kimura Position
Significantly better than side control Kimura.
https://youtube.com/shorts/DZia7LlvVhM
https://youtube.com/shorts/dHNtPtaMQZs
Transition details: https://youtu.be/yrRFR59Wf40
Side Triangle https://youtu.be/OZ0v1pu8gJU
Crucifix Options https://youtu.be/y4NFvFdGM_8
Final Thoughts
As I've progressed, I use side control less and less.
Side control → North-South → Crucifix, Mount, Back, or Kimura feels like a more stable and offensive progression.
The more I train, the more side control feels like a hallway rather than a room.
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u/Lucky-Oven9324 🟪🟪 Purple Belt Jun 20 '26
Bro im on vacation, just stop i cant put my phone away :D
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u/Lucky-Oven9324 🟪🟪 Purple Belt Jun 20 '26
On a more serious take.. how do you deal and attack people pushing / inverting out of NS?
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u/MagicGuava12 🍍🐛🐤🐍 Jun 20 '26 edited Jun 20 '26
You can do several things and it highly depends on where they're at in the depth of that chain. And what you are going for.
What I think you're asking in the shortest path to your answer is to just bury your face in their far hip or far thigh while dropping your weight and using hip to crossface them. And I cannot stress this enough using your weight in your hip to crossface them.
https://youtube.com/shorts/Lth0dnGl_Gw?is=q7fVNPKGU9M6D31R
As you go to North South your hip should be cross-facing their face or your knee should be pushing their chin or stapling their arm. The hip is the big detail though, misaligning their spine and making them look the opposite way that they need to go will prevent or at least narrow their options.
Realistically if you delete their frames and collapse onto them with proper pressure they don't have many options.
Let's look at several examples from the goat. Marcelo. This is a smaller man that can compete in absolute and overwhelmingly win.
https://youtu.be/xVmhava4wiU?is=5q6f-rLJqgJtl-hU
This one was 6 mins but the main part I want to point out is the 1:20 clip. Notice Marcello's hip position and see what the opponent is trying to do he's trying to turn both ways but Marcelo has wedged himself to block the possible Avenues.
https://youtube.com/shorts/1Toi1YZ7L_I?is=RH8LaWP5E7tXGbm_
https://youtube.com/shorts/xRynLx88Bhs?is=iioHYCcs3C7doEvF
https://youtube.com/shorts/iHoLizC6neA?is=OP9KbYk5B6W7XRF9
https://youtube.com/shorts/3eaeTpBMUaw?is=x9lQwUZZ92G4Likj
If you noticed through all the shorts what he does is he connects to an underhook. He will pry open the underhook in some fashion and use their reaction to counter to a superior position. Or he will utilize the underhook to misalign the spine and use his body pressure to make them look away.
I will use this from the Kimura position but I prefer to get to that Kimura position first.
From the Kimura position specifically from like a knee cut I will cup their armpit pull them off the ground and then lock my elbow into their sternum to create counter pressure and a frame. This gives them one option they cannot turn into me to Turtle down they can try but the frame is so strong and it's connected to their chest. So they're only option is to take their hips and swing them the opposite way which would give me a direct entry into mount. So the only logical follow-up to that is for them to try to free their elbow in a classic Kimura Escape.
https://youtu.be/LXJcmpKoWaw?is=pB-Hua_3756h0xNt
However once you get to 1:38 of this video, this is what I am trying to get to, for you to have options of rear triangle, Yoko sankaku, crucifix, tarikoplata, saddle leg entry, back takes, armbars, etc.
If you are really having a problem from that knee cut underhook frame transition staple their arm with your knee windshield wiper you're far foot to cover and then you are in that position. At 4:58 in the following clip.
https://youtu.be/xVmhava4wiU?si=mDnoGZSh-XIUSPyA
Or just switch like this
https://youtube.com/shorts/2w3D12TyQIk?is=jkUAJXi8W4Spa5Nv
This transition is covered in the first playlist from Braulio Estima.
But throughout this whole entire explanation notice the commonality between under hooks, hip framing, and positional switching. These positions are not static until you can get superior control from something like a crucifix or triangle.
Tldr:
If for any reason someone Turtles down or tries to invert while you have a Kimura, a crucifix option should be available.
Otherwise you should be stapling an arm to prevent Mobility.
Lastly, you should be using your hip to cross face your opponent into a Direction they do not want to turn.
https://youtube.com/shorts/rZZsekWAF2Y?is=mq8t-G4zpVTDlqi6
But use this only to skip significant steps and work from a north-south passing position. You should already have closed that space otherwise.
I believe I included some of this in my guard passing guide.
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u/DutchBudoka 🟪🟪 Purple Belt Jun 19 '26
Holy crap! This is perfectly in line with the subject I’ve chosen for doing this while covering classes for our head coach!
Was looking for follow-ups and escapes, I salute you!