A ranked list of the most reliable BJJ Fanatics instructionals for escaping north-south. We weighted r/bjj sentiment, clarity of system, applicability, instructor authority, and production quality.
Pin Escapes & Turtle Escapes: Go Further Faster
A complete escape system with detailed north-south answers and decision rules.
First Principles Escapes: Headlocks, Side Control & North South
A simple, posture-based escape system with a full north-south module.
Escapes: Old School Evolution
Old-school mechanics for modern pins, including crisp north-south escapes.
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🥋 #1 Pin Escapes & Turtle Escapes: Go Further Faster by John Danaher
Instructor: John Danaher
Style: System Based, Conceptual
Best for: All Levels
Format: Both
Runtime: 11 hours and 57 minutes
Volumes: 8
Biggest takeaway: Three modes define escapes
Techniques: North South Escape, Double Under Escape, Over Under Escape, Bridge, Shrimping, Turtle Escapes, Pin Escapes
- First Principles Escapes: Headlocks, Side Control & North South (Whittier) – Faster to implement and explicitly covers north-south with simple frames.
- Fundamentals of BJJ Escapes (Lachlan Giles) – Concise decision trees and strong pedagogy if you want brevity.
- Escapes from Everywhere (Bernardo Faria) – Beginner-friendly breadth including north-south options.
You will learn a repeatable framework for escaping north-south against double-under, double-over, and over-under configurations. You also get pin-escape principles that generalize across side control, knee-on-belly, and turtle. You will not get brevity; the value comes from methodical, layered detail.
✅ Pros
- Covers all major north-south control variations with clear mechanics.
- Links positional escapes into a coherent decision tree you can test live.
- Outstanding conceptual depth that improves your whole bottom game.
⚠️ Cons
- Very long; requires focused viewing and note-taking.
- Dense explanations can overwhelm newer students without coaching support.
- High list price compared to alternatives.
💡 I recommend this if you want the most explicit north-south layers. Recommendation: Wait for daily deal.
🥋 #2 First Principles Escapes: Headlocks, Side Control & North South by Stephen Whittier
Instructor: Stephen Whittier
Style: System Based, Conceptual
Best for: All Levels
Format: Both
Runtime: 4 hours and 52 minutes
Volumes: 6
Biggest takeaway: Principles beat move memorization
Techniques: North South Escape, Iron Pillow, Running Man, Over Under Escape, Double Under Escape, Headlock Escape, Side Control Escape
- Running Man & Baby Bridge (Priit Mihkelson) – Great side-control survival that connects to north-south defense.
- Escapes from Everywhere (Bernardo Faria) – Breadth-first option with dedicated north-south chapters.
You will learn posture-led escapes that hold up in gi and no-gi. The north-south module covers both-arms-under, over-under, and double-under with back-take counters. You will not get endless variations; the focus is reliable principles and a few high-percentage routes.
✅ Pros
- North-south section is concise and easy to recall under pressure.
- Principle framework transfers across pins and submissions.
- Good price-to-value for a complete escapes starter system.
⚠️ Cons
- Sparse live-sparring footage compared to some competitors.
- Production quality on some earlier Whittier sets drew criticism.
- Not as encyclopedic as Danaher for late-stage specifics.
💡 I found his first-principles approach the fastest to implement in rounds. Recommendation: Buy it now.
🥋 #3 Escapes: Old School Evolution by Fabio Gurgel
Instructor: Fabio Gurgel
Style: System Based, Conceptual
Best for: All Levels
Format: Both
Runtime: 3 hours and 12 minutes
Volumes: 4
Biggest takeaway: Elbow position drives the escape
Techniques: North South Escape, Elbows Inside Escape, Elbows Outside Escape, Kesa Gatame Escape, Side Control Escape, Mount Escape, Turtle Escape
- Pin Escapes & Turtle Escapes (Danaher) – Most exhaustive north-south decision tree.
- Escapes from Everywhere (Faria) – Budget-friendly breadth with north-south chapters.
You will learn elbow-in and elbow-out north-south escapes that lead to guard recovery or back-takes. Instruction is sparse and to the point, ideal if you like minimalism. You will not get a sprawling encyclopedia; this is refined, fundamentals-first teaching.
✅ Pros
- North-south elbow frameworks that convert to strong back-takes.
- Clear, minimal explanations that are easy to drill immediately.
- Trustworthy fundamentals from a legendary coach.
⚠️ Cons
- Less footage and ancillary material than newer releases.
- Not as comprehensive as larger modern systems.
- Production feels simple compared to top-tier sets.
💡 I like how his elbow-in and elbow-out rules make choices obvious. Recommendation: Wait for daily deal.
🥋 #4 Escapes from Everywhere by Bernardo Faria
Instructor: Bernardo Faria
Style: Technique Collection, Conceptual
Best for: Beginner
Format: Both
Runtime: 2 hours and 52 minutes
Volumes: 4
Biggest takeaway: Breadth first, then specialize
Techniques: North South Escape, Over Under Escape, Both Arms Over Escape, Side Control Escape, Mount Escape, Turtle Escape
- First Principles Escapes (Whittier) – Simpler framework for fast recall under pressure.
- Pin Escapes & Turtle Escapes (Danaher) – Deeper late-stage coverage including multiple north-south styles.
You will learn foundational escapes across positions, including north-south against both-arms-over and over-under controls. The teaching is steady and confidence-building for newer grapplers. You will not get the depth of a heavyweight system; use it to cover gaps, then specialize.
✅ Pros
- Dedicated north-south section with multiple grip scenarios.
- Approachable pacing and tone for newer students.
- Great sale value to round out fundamentals.
⚠️ Cons
- Less organized than modern system-based curricula.
- Limited late-stage escape troubleshooting.
- Not ideal if you already have a strong structure.
💡 I think of this as a practical gap-filler for newer belts. Recommendation: Wait for daily deal.
🥋 #5 The Buchecha Escape Series by Marcus 'Buchecha' Almeida
Instructor: Marcus 'Buchecha' Almeida
Style: Technique Collection, System Based
Best for: Intermediate
Format: Both
Runtime: 2 hours and 46 minutes
Volumes: 4
Biggest takeaway: Direct actions create quick exits
Techniques: North South Escape, Inverted Triangle Escape, Inversion Escape, Side Control Escape, Mount Escape, Back Escape
- Escapes: Old School Evolution (Gurgel) – Minimalist mechanics without inversion reliance.
- Pin Escapes & Turtle Escapes (Danaher) – More exhaustive north-south troubleshooting.
You will learn quick routes out of north-south, including an inverted triangle exit, plus concise answers from side, mount, and back. The teaching favors direct action over long theory. You will not get an encyclopedic breakdown; it is a streamlined toolkit.
✅ Pros
- Dedicated north-south chapter with clear sequences.
- Simple instruction that is easy to drill and recall.
- Good complement to theory-heavy systems.
⚠️ Cons
- Less depth than exhaustive sets.
- Some entries assume inversion and mobility.
- Not ideal if you want long conceptual lectures.
💡 I like pairing this with a principles course to cover both speed and structure. Recommendation: Wait for daily deal.
How we ranked north-south escape courses
We weighted r/bjj community reception (40 percent), clarity of a coherent escape system (20 percent), applicability across gi and no-gi and body types (15 percent), instructor authority and track record (15 percent), and production quality (10 percent). Tie-breakers were recency and distinctiveness of approach. If two sets taught the same north-south ideas, the one with cleaner decision rules and better sequencing ranked higher.
Practice plan: groove north-south escapes in 30 minutes
5 min: posture and frames check (no hands on face, elbows glued or guarded). 10 min: progressive resistance on both-arms-under and over-under entries. 10 min: positional sparring from north-south starting flat and on-side, rotate roles every minute. 5 min: link the escape to guard retention or immediate back-take. Keep notes on what stalled and add one constraint next session.
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