Headquarters

Headquarters is a transitional position in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu where the top player establishes a dominant posture while controlling the bottom player’s legs to prepare for guard passing. This position is often used to neutralize Open Guard defenses and create opportunities to execute precise Guard Pass Overview like the Guard Passes/Knee Cut, Toreando, or Over-Under Pass. The name derives from its role as a "central hub" for controlling the opponent and dictating the pace of the exchange.

Key Features of Headquarters

Leg Control

  • One of the opponent’s legs is pinned or controlled between your legs (often their shin resting on your thigh).
  • The other leg is monitored or pinned with your hand, knee, or shin to prevent their guard recovery.

Posture

  • Maintain a low and stable base with your hips close to the opponent’s legs and your back straight to prevent sweeps or counters.
  • Your hands should actively grip their pants, belt, or collar to maintain control.

Weight Distribution

  • Shift your weight onto their pinned leg to restrict their mobility.
  • Avoid leaning too far forward to prevent sweeps or submissions.

Angle Control

  • Stay slightly off-center to reduce their ability to off-balance you while you monitor their hips and leg movement.

Objectives of Headquarters

Control the Guard

  • Limit the opponent’s ability to establish grips or guard variations like De La Riva, Butterfly Guard, or X Guard.
  • Neutralize their mobility and posture by pinning their legs.

Prepare for Passes

Deny Offensive Options

  • The Headquarters position minimizes the bottom player’s ability to sweep, submit, or transition to aggressive guards.

Common Guard Passes from Headquarters

Guard Passes/Knee Cut Pass

  • Pin their top leg with your shin, control their upper body with grips, and slice your knee across their thigh to pass.

Toreando Pass

  • Control their legs with grips, create an angle, and circle around their hips to Side Control.

Smash Pass

  • Pin both legs together and drive your weight forward to flatten the opponent and pass.

Over-Under Pass

  • Scoop under one leg while pinning the other with your chest, driving forward to secure a pass.

Defending from Headquarters (Bottom Player)

Establish a Guard

Attack Their Base

  • Sweep attempts like Balloon Sweep or off-balancing them can disrupt their position.

Grip Fighting

  • Break grips to reduce their control over your legs and hips.

Tips for Effective Headquarters

  • Maintain a strong base by keeping your hips low and your weight balanced.
  • Actively grip fight to maintain control and prevent the opponent from setting up attacks or recovering guard.
  • Use angles to stay out of alignment with their hips and legs, increasing your passing efficiency.
  • Combine weight distribution with precise pressure to limit their ability to move or counter.

The Headquarters position is a critical point of control in guard passing strategy, allowing the top player to dictate the pace of the exchange and seamlessly transition into effective passing sequences. It embodies key principles of pressure, distance management, and connections in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Advancing Headquarters

Headquarters serves as a strategic hub for controlling the opponent's guard while providing numerous pathways for attack, defense, and advancement into dominant positions. Mastering the mechanics of this position ensures fluidity in passing and creates offensive opportunities.

Transitions from Headquarters

To Knee Cut Position

  • Shift your weight forward, pin their shin with your knee or shin, and adjust your grips to prepare for the Guard Passes/Knee Cut.

To Smash Pass Position

  • Pin both of their legs together with your arms and hips, driving your weight forward to set up the Smash Pass.

To Over-Under Pass Position

  • Scoop one leg under your arm while pinning their other leg with your chest, transitioning into the Over-Under Pass.

To Toreando Setup

  • Grip their pant legs, back out slightly to create space, and angle yourself for a Toreando Pass.

To Combat Base

  • Post one foot forward, maintaining pressure on their shin, and adjust your posture to enter Combat Base for mobility.

Submissions from Headquarters

Straight Ankle Lock

  • Transition to a leg entanglement by isolating their ankle and applying pressure with your grip.

Kneebar

  • If their leg is extended during a pass, trap it and attack with a Kneebar.

Guillotine

  • If they reach forward or attempt to sit up, wrap their neck and finish with the choke.

Darce Choke

  • When they turn into you during a pass, thread your arm under their neck and lock in the choke.

Sweeps from Headquarters (Bottom Player Defense)

Lumberjack Sweep

  • Pull their weight forward while pushing their knees out to unbalance them and sweep.

Push Sweep

  • Use your legs to push against their hips or thighs to destabilize their base.

Balloon Sweep

  • Elevate their hips using your legs and grips, flipping them forward.

Hook Sweep

  • Insert a hook under their leg while gripping their collar or arm, then tilt them to the side.

Guard Passes from Headquarters

Guard Passes/Knee Cut Pass

  • Pin their shin with your knee, control their upper body, and slice your knee across their thigh to transition to Side Control.

Toreando Pass

  • Control their pant legs, backstep, and circle around their guard to pass into a dominant position.

Smash Pass

  • Flatten their hips by pinning their legs together, then drive through their guard to pass.

Over-Under Pass

  • Scoop one leg while applying chest pressure on the other, driving forward to secure the pass.

Leg Drag Pass

  • Redirect their leg across your body and pin it, then step around to secure control.

Escapes from Headquarters (Bottom Player)

Recover Butterfly Guard Shrimp your hips out and use your feet to reinsert hooks, transitioning to Butterfly Guard.

Frame and Shrimp

  • Create distance by framing against their hips and shoulders while shrimping out to Closed Guard.

Invert to Escape

  • Roll under their control to recover guard or transition to an Open Guard variation.

Stand-Up Escape

  • Use their forward pressure against them to post and return to a standing position.

Takedowns from Headquarters

Trip from Combat Base

  • Transition to Combat Base, then use your grips and pressure to trip their posted leg.

Guard Pull to Sweep

  • Pull guard strategically and use their reaction to initiate a sweep.

Snap-Down to Front Headlock

  • If they lean forward during grip exchanges, snap their head down and control the position.

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