Grappling opponents much larger then you

Posted by Matt Bryers in Grappling and Ju-Jitsu on 09 22nd, 2009 | no responses

Payback is a Bitch

For a long time I was considered “the big guy” in class. I weighed 260+ pounds and had no problem using my weight. In fact I enjoyed it! Squishing little dudes with my big ol’ gut was FUN! Well it seems that all my years of using my weight has come back to haunt me when I finally dropped weight (205lbs). I have a student who is a very talented wrestler, ex-football player, and very quick learned when it comes to grappling. He also weighs over 270lbs and extremely strong. He’s very good at controlling and using his weight, he recognizes how to keep an opponent down and how to use his weight effectively. To top if off, his takedowns are excellent too.

Recognizing an Opportunity

Some people would probably be “apprehensive” about fighting a big talented guy – complaining about the size difference, etc. But the way I see it and I am glad my students see it the same way is that fighting a big guy and having a big guy to train with is a HUGE (no pun intended) benefit. To put it simply, if a technique works on a big solid grappler, then chances are the technique will work on everyone.

Lessons in Humility

Regardless of the benefits, it can be quite frustrating and taxing to be underneath a large opponent. You are unable to move yourself and it is impossible to move him as well. Many times after I have failed a takedown or have gotten takedown, I find myself on the bottom quickly with my guard either passed or half-way to passed. I am a huge fan of half guard, but having difficulty executing the type of half guard game I like… And that is where a lesson in humility comes into play. If I was just focused on purely winning and nothing else, I would probably stall my ass off, pull guard or something, and try to do something “gay” that might allow me to pull off a win OR at least not lose. But I think that whole philosophy about just fighting to win is extremely counterproductive. There’s an expanded post on “Fighting to not lose” – check it out. So when I train with our resident big guy, I am “training” I am not fighting to win, I am fighting to learn. And because of that, sometimes I get tapped out too.

Fighting a Bigger Opponent Techniques

Through my ongoing experiences fighting as larger opponent, I am starting to learn and recognize some techniques and strategies that more effective then others. Here are some tips.

When standing grappling with a larger opponent, be aggressive, don’t let him control your body and movements. When you wait, he has the ability to use his power and size.
On the ground – be first. Don’t stall and wait for him. The longer you wait, the more time he has to setup.
When in guard, an open “mobile” guard or a tight closed guard (if you have long legs) are best. Half guard can be useful if you set it up correctly. If you are unable to get deep enough or on a hip, don’t even bother
Triangle chokes against opponents with large necks are very tough to execute. Most of the time they just lead to a guard pass
When on top – return the favor of pressure. Use your tools and pressuring tactics to keep him pinned. If you are much smaller, utilize movement and keep moving. Knee of stomach or sternum can be a very effective way to keep your opponent down
Move, Move, Move. Never stop moving.
If you’re not attacking, you’re defending. Always be attacking
Space is everything. Remember, you need space to move, and he needs to space to move. When you need to move, create space. If you don’t want him to move – eliminate it.

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