Front Headlock System — Full Expression
Mat mode
5:00
Tell the roomEstablish and keep the encirclement, then read: deeper turtle → back take; near arm extends → D'Arce; chin rises → guillotine; far arm available → anaconda. Follow sit-outs and stand-ups without losing the lock.
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Notes (this phone)
TOP PLAYER
POSITION
Behind the turtled player — no grip established. The front headlock must be earned before submissions can be attempted.
OBJECTIVE
Establish and keep the encirclement, then read: deeper turtle → back take; near arm extends → D'Arce; chin rises → guillotine; far arm available → anaconda. Follow sit-outs and stand-ups without losing the lock.
CONSTRAINTS
Elevated safety. Confirm tap-release reliability before running it. Reset when any win condition is achieved. Role rotates after each scored event. Default rounds 5:00.
WIN CONDITION
Force the tap with a strangle from the front headlock, take the back and hold for five seconds, or maintain continuous front-headlock encirclement for fifteen consecutive seconds.
BOTTOM PLAYER
POSITION
Turtle. Top starts behind with no grip yet.
OBJECTIVE
Use the full escape set: sit-out, stand-up, elbow strip, wrist control, chin tuck, hip extension, or guard recovery.
CONSTRAINTS
Same elevated safety and role rotation.
WIN CONDITION
Stand up with full hip separation, achieve guard position with the top player no longer controlling the head, or strip the front headlock and maintain neutral (no head control) for five seconds.
Original positional game. Front Headlock System — Full Expression. GAME-FHL-05.
Problem
Behind the turtled player — no grip established.
Setup
Behind the turtled player — no grip established. The front headlock must be earned before submissions can be attempted. Turtle. Top starts behind with no grip yet.
Score
Force the tap with a strangle from the front headlock, take the back and hold for five seconds, or maintain continuous front-headlock encirclement for fifteen consecutive seconds. Stand up with full hip separation, achieve guard position with the top player no longer controlling the head, or strip the front headlock and maintain neutral (no head control) for five seconds.
Rules
- Elevated safety.
- Confirm tap-release reliability before running it.
- Reset when any win condition is achieved.
- Role rotates after each scored event.
- Default rounds 5:00.
- Same elevated safety and role rotation.
Progressions
Harder constraint variants from the source. Same game, tighter problem.
- Submission-only scoring: Remove the back take and hold win conditions. Only submissions score. Forces the practitioner to develop finishing mechanics without positional fallback.
- Scramble entry: Begin on feet. Top player must earn the front headlock through a sprawl before the game begins. Tests the full chain from standing.
- Competition simulation: Two five-minute rounds with role rotation after each scored event. Competing against resistance with full role-reversal builds both attack and defence simultaneously.
front headlock
Wall card
Front Headlock System — Full Expression
Proficient
TOP PLAYER
Position
Behind the turtled player — no grip established. The front headlock must be earned before submissions can be attempted.
Win condition
Force the tap with a strangle from the front headlock, take the back and hold for five seconds, or maintain continuous front-headlock encirclement for fifteen consecutive seconds.
Constraints
Elevated safety. Confirm tap-release reliability before running it. Reset when any win condition is achieved. Role rotates after each scored event. Default rounds 5:00.
BOTTOM PLAYER
Position
Turtle. Top starts behind with no grip yet.
Win condition
Stand up with full hip separation, achieve guard position with the top player no longer controlling the head, or strip the front headlock and maintain neutral (no head control) for five seconds.
Constraints
Same elevated safety and role rotation.
Elevated safety. Confirm tap-and-release before the first rep. Stop at the tap. Do not run this if the room is not already serious about it.