The headquarters (HQ) position is a pressure-based top control where the passer stays high with both knees in the opponent's armpits. It's extremely heavy, restricts movement, and creates submission opportunities while maintaining positional control.
The HQ position occurs when both your knees are positioned inside the opponent's arms (in the armpit area) while you stay high on their chest. Unlike knee on belly or traditional side control, the HQ position gives you access to submission from a stable, heavy control point. Most importantly, the opponent cannot establish any guard or hook-based escape.
Control in HQ is about weight distribution and preventing the opponent from creating space or establishing hooks. Keep your torso upright but engaged. Use hand control on their far shoulder or head to prevent them from turning into you.
From HQ, establish one arm triangle using your arm and their shoulder to create the choke setup. The tight positioning of HQ makes arm triangles particularly tight.
Cross your hands using the opponent's gi collar (in gi) to create the bread cutter choke. Very effective from HQ position.
The primary escape is bridging explosively while trying to get one arm inside your armpit space. Once you establish one inside hook, you can work toward underhook escapes or frame-based movement.
Yes. Headquarters is one of the most dominant positions in BJJ because it restricts all the opponent's primary escape options and creates tremendous pressure.
Get the free BJJ White Belt Guide plus technique breakdowns, training tips & exclusive content every week. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Get Free Access βNeck strain often comes from trying to use your neck muscles to hold the position. Instead, drive your chest down into your opponent's chest and use your shoulder to pin their head, creating a strong base without relying on neck tension.
To counter a larger opponent's buck, focus on lowering your hips and driving your weight *down* through their center of gravity, almost like you're trying to sink your hips into the mat. Maintain a tight chest-to-chest connection and use your legs to create a frame against their hips to prevent them from generating upward momentum.
A common mistake is not controlling the opponent's hips effectively, allowing them space to shrimp or bridge. Ensure your hips are lower than theirs and use your leg closest to their head to hook their hip, preventing them from creating space and driving your weight forward.