NS choke

NS choke is the no-gi abbreviation for the north-south choke — a front-headlock strangulation applied from the north-south top position in which the attacker’s body is head-to-feet with the opponent’s, controlling the head and one arm while the choking arm compresses the neck.

Etymology. The abbreviation expands to “north-south” — itself a compass-direction name for the top position in which the attacker faces the opposite direction from the opponent, creating the head-to-feet alignment. The NS prefix is no-gi-standard shorthand in coaching vocabulary, drill notes, and competition commentary. Marcelo Garcia is most strongly associated with the technique in modern no-gi, though the configuration appears in earlier BJJ, judo (under different position labels), and catch wrestling material.

Mechanics. The choke requires bilateral compression of the carotid arteries — typically the attacker’s biceps on one side and forearm on the other — and the chest-to-shoulder connection maintains the closed loop as the opponent rotates to defend.

Cross-reference. Full “north-south choke” remains the primary written form. Full mechanical coverage on North-South Choke.