Are you considering competing in an absolute division? Or you simply have some heavy training partners in your BJJ academy? Whatever the case may be, the bottom line is: you’re going against bigger, heavier, and stronger people when you roll. And you’d like to know how to be more successful against them.
Coral belt Jean Jacques shares some his game plan for for beating bigger and stronger opponents in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
HOW TO BEAT BIGGER AND STRONGER OPPONENTS: DEFENSE
If you want to beat heavier opponents, then you first have to learn how to defend yourself against them! Here are great tips (all applicable from the bottom position):
1. Never let someone grab your head or get an underhook. You need to prioritize protecting your head, however; as it’s the basis of good defense and not getting smashed! So, to keep your head safe, control the opponent’s far arm – this will serve you well for attacks, too (for example, for setting up your Kimura Trap system).
2. If they get an underhook, you’ll be fine as long as you’re on your side with an overhook.
3. Keep their weight off of you. Makes sense, right? You can do this by prioritizing guards and submissions which keep your feet in front of your opponent. That will help you manage and keep distance.
4. Use your knee shield. It’s a great frame for keeping the opponent’s weight off of you.
HOW TO BEAT BIGGER AND STRONGER OPPONENTS: OFFENSE
Now that you know how to stay safe against your bigger counterparts, it’s time to go for attacks.
1. Taking the back is the best possible option for fighting bigger and stronger opponents.
2. Use your underhooks to take their back. Also, force your opponents to post their arm(s) onto the mat; it’ll make it easier for you to pop your head out (from bottom, that is) and take the back.
Additionally, make sure that you’re controlling their far arm in the process, so as to prevent your opponent from grabbing your head and/or D’arcing you.
3. Arm drags are a great way to free yourself from the opponent’s arm control and for creating a backtake opening.
4. Butterfly Guard (and sweeps from it) are great when rolling against stronger opponents, as you’re using your legs against them.
5. Load the hips over the center line. Your opponents will become light when their hips are directly over or past your hips.
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