
The headquarters position is commonly used when trying to pass in an open guard scenario. In todays video, we start with the uke (partner receiving the technique) on bottom sitting upright on their butt with the tori (partner performing the technique) on top attempting to pass from a standing position. The first step for tori to begin their pass is to sit the uke flat to their back. As we illustrated in the video below, the partner on bottom is likely to implement a butterfly guard. To eliminate one hook, tori takes a step to the side and pummels one leg inside to establish the headquarters position. From here, tori takes a stutter step to their right hand side. From here, tori drops his outside knee onto ukes ribs, pressuring unto ukes thigh. Toris’ other leg pressure inward, sandwiching ukes’ leg and making it very difficult for uke to extend and kick away. As tori pressures inward, uke will likely react by kicking away and attempting to extend their leg. From here tori pressures ukes shin downward and kicks his inside leg up and around in a similar motion to a modified X-pass.
Our second pass starts the same way, but addresses the problem of the uke using their remaining butterfly hook to follow the leg, preventing tori from stepping up and around the guard. Instead of kicking back in the pattern of the X-pass, this time tori circles their inside leg over ukes head landing in side control.

The next passing option that Coach Brian discusses in this video starts the same way, getting to the side headquarters position with duke’s leg sandwiched between toris’ legs. In this pass, tori takes ukes top knee and pushes it down to the side to set up a reverse knee-cut. Tori places his top shin on ukes’ top thigh and slides down, cutting from the outside to inside once again landing in side control.

The final pass that Coach Brian shows covers if the leg turns inward. If uke begins to push on toris’ knee to shrimp away, tori must immediately use their far hand to block the thigh and far armpit to block the knee-shield as they set up a traditional knee-cut pass.

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About the Author
Oliver Swanson is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu blue belt and amateur boxer. An avid martial arts practitioner, Oliver teaches kids and adult classes 6 days a week at Precision Boxing and MMA. When he’s off the mats he loves spending time on the beach and laughing with his family and friends.