BJJ Graph

Headquarters Control Bottom

Dec 09, 202513 min read

Headquarters Control Bottom represents the bottom player’s perspective in the headquarters position, where you maintain defensive frames and structural integrity against a passer who has established connection to your knee shield or half guard. This position is characterized by your ability to create distance through systematic framing while maintaining offensive opportunities through sweeps and re-guards. The bottom player uses their outside leg as a primary defensive barrier, shoulder frames to manage distance, and hip mobility to prevent the pass while setting up counter-attacks.

From the strategic standpoint, headquarters bottom is neither a pure defensive position nor a submission-hunting guard—it’s a transitional control state where you’re working to either improve to a more offensive guard (closed guard, butterfly, open guard variations) or execute sweeps to reverse position. Success in this position depends on maintaining active frames, controlling the passer’s posture, and reading their pressure to time transitions. The position requires constant adjustment and micro-battles over grips, frames, and base.

The headquarters bottom position is particularly valuable in modern no-gi competition where knee shield retention and systematic guard recovery are essential skills. Understanding how to manage the pressure, create angles, and time your offensive actions from this defensive structure is crucial for preventing passes while maintaining submission and sweep threats that keep your opponent honest.

Position Definition

  • Bottom player maintains outside leg (far leg) as knee shield or butterfly hook creating distance between their hip and opponent’s chest, with shin/knee pressing into opponent’s torso or shoulder to prevent chest-to-chest contact
  • Bottom player’s inside leg (near leg) is either hooked behind opponent’s near leg in half guard configuration or positioned as secondary hook/frame, maintaining connection to prevent full pass and providing leverage for sweeps
  • Bottom player maintains upper body frames using hands/forearms on opponent’s shoulders, biceps, or hips to manage distance and prevent crossface or heavy chest pressure from settling
  • Bottom player’s shoulders are elevated off mat (not flat) with active core engagement and posture, maintaining ability to adjust frames and create angles rather than being flattened and immobilized
  • Top player has established some passing pressure and grips but has not yet cleared the knee shield/leg frames—pass is in progress but not completed, creating transitional battleground

Prerequisites

  • Opponent has initiated guard pass and established grips or pressure on your guard structure
  • You maintain at least one leg frame (knee shield or butterfly hook) preventing full pass completion
  • You have established at least one upper body frame to manage distance
  • Your hips retain mobility and are not completely controlled by opponent’s weight
  • You maintain awareness of opponent’s base and weight distribution to time counters

Key Defensive Principles

  • Maintain active frames with outside leg knee shield—never let it collapse or become passive barrier
  • Keep shoulders elevated and posture active—being flat makes all defensive actions significantly harder
  • Create angles with hip movement rather than trying to frame statically against superior pressure
  • Use opponent’s forward pressure against them by timing sweeps when they commit weight
  • Constantly battle for inside position with your frames to prevent crossface or underhook control
  • Maintain connection with inside leg to prevent leg weave or complete pass
  • Read opponent’s pressure direction to time re-guards, sweeps, or transitions rather than fighting strength against strength

Available Escapes

Underhook Sweep from Half → Standing Position

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 35%
  • Intermediate: 50%
  • Advanced: 65%

Deep Half Entry → Deep Half Guard

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 40%
  • Intermediate: 55%
  • Advanced: 70%

Re-Guard from Headquarters → Butterfly Guard

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 45%
  • Intermediate: 60%
  • Advanced: 75%

Old School Sweep → Standing Position

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 30%
  • Intermediate: 45%
  • Advanced: 60%

Shin Shield Recovery → Open Guard

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 50%
  • Intermediate: 65%
  • Advanced: 80%

Lockdown Sweeps → Lockdown

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 25%
  • Intermediate: 40%
  • Advanced: 55%

Opponent Counters

Counter-Attacks

Decision Making from This Position

If opponent drives hard with forward pressure attempting to flatten your frames and settle weight:

If opponent maintains upright posture and works grip fighting without heavy pressure commitment:

If opponent attempts to step over knee shield or clear leg frames laterally:

If opponent secures crossface or underhook and begins pressure sequence:

Common Defensive Mistakes

1. Allowing frames to become passive or collapsed under pressure

  • ❌ Consequence: Opponent easily flattens you and completes pass with minimal resistance
  • ✅ Correction: Constantly pump and reset frames actively, treating them as dynamic tools not static barriers—if one frame weakens, immediately establish alternative frame

2. Keeping shoulders flat on mat instead of maintaining active elevated posture

  • ❌ Consequence: Loss of hip mobility and ability to create angles, making all escapes and sweeps significantly harder
  • ✅ Correction: Keep shoulders elevated with active core engagement, maintaining ability to shift weight and adjust frames throughout the position

3. Fighting opponent’s pressure head-on with strength rather than using angles

  • ❌ Consequence: Exhaustion without progress as you try to bench press heavier opponent’s weight
  • ✅ Correction: Create angles with hip movement, redirect pressure rather than opposing it directly, time movements when opponent commits weight

4. Failing to maintain inside leg connection allowing leg weave or complete pass

  • ❌ Consequence: Opponent easily steps over and clears both legs, completing pass unopposed
  • ✅ Correction: Always maintain inside leg hook or frame preventing opponent from establishing both-leg control, treating inside leg as critical anchor

5. Holding frames rigidly in same position without adjusting to opponent’s movements

  • ❌ Consequence: Opponent finds timing to collapse or bypass static frames, as they’re predictable
  • ✅ Correction: Constantly adjust frame positions based on opponent’s pressure direction—frames must be dynamic and responsive, not frozen

6. Waiting passively in position without attempting sweeps or re-guards

  • ❌ Consequence: Opponent has unlimited time to find passing solution with no offensive threats to manage
  • ✅ Correction: Continuously threaten sweeps and position improvements to force opponent to divide attention between passing and defense

Training Drills for Defense

Frame Maintenance Under Pressure

Partner applies progressive passing pressure while you maintain frames and shoulder elevation. Partner increases pressure incrementally (25%, 50%, 75%, 100%) while you focus on keeping frames active and shoulders off mat. Focus on sustainable frame positioning rather than maximum effort.

Duration: 3 minutes per round, 5 rounds

Hip Escape Chain Drilling

From headquarters bottom, practice chaining hip escapes in different directions based on pressure cues. Partner provides pressure in various directions while you execute appropriate hip escape and frame reset. Emphasis on creating angles rather than opposing force directly.

Duration: 2 minutes per round, 6 rounds

Sweep Timing from Bottom Headquarters

Partner attempts various headquarters passes while you work exclusively on timing sweep attempts. Focus on reading pressure commitment and executing sweeps only when opponent’s base/weight is vulnerable. Partner provides realistic but graduated resistance. Switch roles every 3 minutes.

Duration: 3 minutes per person, 4 rounds each

Guard Recovery Flow Drill

Start in compromised headquarters bottom position (opponent has good grips/pressure). Work through systematic recovery to better guards (butterfly, closed, open) using frames, hip movement, and re-guarding techniques. Partner provides realistic resistance but allows successful technique execution. Focus on smooth transitions rather than explosive scrambles.

Duration: 5 minutes continuous, 3 rounds

Escape and Survival Paths

Underhook to Back Attack Path

Headquarters Control Bottom → Underhook Control → Back Control → Rear Naked Choke

Deep Half to Leg Lock Path

Headquarters Control Bottom → Deep Half Guard → Ashi Garami → Heel Hook

Sweep to Mount Submission Path

Headquarters Control Bottom → Underhook Sweep from Half → Mount → Armbar from Mount

Re-Guard to Triangle Path

Headquarters Control Bottom → Butterfly Guard → Triangle Control → Triangle Choke

Success Rates and Statistics

Skill LevelRetention RateAdvancement ProbabilitySubmission Probability
Beginner45%35%10%
Intermediate60%50%20%
Advanced75%65%30%

Average Time in Position: 30-90 seconds in active competition, can be sustained 2-3 minutes in training

Expert Analysis

John Danaher

The headquarters bottom position is fundamentally about managing distance through systematic frame application while maintaining offensive capability. The critical insight is that frames are not static barriers but dynamic tools that must constantly adjust based on opponent pressure vectors. Your outside leg serves as the primary distance manager, but its effectiveness is entirely dependent on shoulder elevation and active posture maintenance. When students flatten to the mat, they lose the biomechanical advantage of frame leverage, making even strong frames ineffective against moderate pressure. The position requires understanding that you’re not trying to stop the pass permanently—you’re creating enough difficulty that the opponent makes tactical errors or exposes vulnerabilities you can exploit through sweeps or re-guards. Success comes from treating this as a transitional control state where you’re systematically working toward better positions while preventing immediate pass completion.

Gordon Ryan

In competition, headquarters bottom is where a lot of guard passers try to pin you down and slowly grind through your frames. The key is never letting them settle—if they settle into stable pressure, you’re getting passed. I’m constantly moving my hips, adjusting frames, and threatening sweeps even if I don’t fully commit to them. The threat alone forces them to adjust their base, which gives me opportunities to re-guard or actually hit the sweep. Against high-level guys, I focus heavily on the deep half entry from here because it’s lower risk than trying to re-guard against someone who’s already established good passing position. The biggest mistake I see is people being too patient in this position—you need to be actively working toward improvement or you’re just delaying the inevitable pass. Time your movements when they shift weight or adjust grips, and always have two or three options ready depending on how they react.

Eddie Bravo

Headquarters bottom is all about turning defensive positions into offensive opportunities, which is exactly the 10th Planet philosophy. From here, I’m always looking for the lockdown entry or the deep half dive—both of those take a bad situation and flip it into my game. The mistake people make is thinking they need to stop the pass directly. Instead, use their passing pressure to load the sweeps or entries. When they drive hard, that’s when deep half opens up. When they stay upright and grip fight, that’s when underhooks and old school sweeps are there. The key is being comfortable in uncomfortable positions—most people panic when someone’s pressuring their guard and they make rushed decisions. Stay calm, maintain your frames, and let them give you the opening by overcommitting to the pass. Also, never underestimate the power of making them uncomfortable with constant movement—if you’re static, they can problem-solve the pass, but if you’re constantly creating new problems with your frames and hips, they’re always adjusting and never settling.