You can use the three joint precedence controls to alter how the IK Solution is calculated.
The default joint precedence is 0. This is suitable for many IK solutions. It assumes that joints closest to where a force is applied (the end effector) will move more than joints farther from the force.
values are calculated by assuming the root of the entire hierarchy has a precedence value of 0 and each child has a value equal to 10 times its depth from the root. In a four-object hierarchy starting with the root, the values would be 0, -10, -20, and -30.
To assign a precedence value to an object manually:
 Select an object in an HD IK Chain.
 Select an object in an HD IK Chain.
                Hierarchy panel, open the Object Parameters rollout.
 Hierarchy panel, open the Object Parameters rollout.
               To assign Child->Parent precedence to all objects in a kinematic chain:
 Select all objects in an HD IK chain.
 Select all objects in an HD IK chain.
                Hierarchy panel, open the Object Parameters rollout.
 Hierarchy panel, open the Object Parameters rollout.
               To assign Parent->Child precedence to all objects in a kinematic chain:
 Select all objects in the kinematic chain.
 Select all objects in the kinematic chain.
                Hierarchy panel, open the Object Parameters rollout.
 Hierarchy panel, open the Object Parameters rollout.
               To reset the default joint precedence:
 Select all objects in the kinematic chain.
 Select all objects in the kinematic chain.
                Hierarchy panel, open the Object Parameters rollout.
 Hierarchy panel, open the Object Parameters rollout.
               
Three controls set precedence:
Automatically sets joint precedence to decrease in value from child to parent. Causes joints closest to where a force is applied (the end effector) to move more than joints farther away from the force.
You almost always assign Child->Parent precedence to an entire kinematic chain.
Child->Parent behaves like the default precedence settings but is more flexible if you want to go back and manually change the settings.