Does weight "outweigh" technique BJJ?

[MMAProfessional]

Okay I'm coming to the right forum this time so hopefully I get actual insight. I recently started training at a local gym (Bed Rock) and have no belt in bjj. I rolled with a couple of guys there in BJJ and honestly they weren't very good. I actually was better then a lot of them believe it or not. Since then I've been training with my buddy who use to train there but stopped when he won a bjj tournament. He said the only guy who tested him there was the coaches which tells me I would be wasting my time there.

When we grappled I went for submissions and actually almost had him a couple of times but he had good defense. I attacked to many times for submissions he ended up catching me. This happened two times (I got submitted pretty quickly the second time) because I was very impatient. The third time we rolled I decided to be patient and not force anything. He went for a lot of submissions but I defended them all. The problem that I had was when I was on bottom and he made a mistake or got tired when attempting a submission I was defending well I had a very hard time taking advantage . For instance he got my back and attacked my neck but I grabbed one of his arms and grabbed my wrist and tucked my chin. I could tell he was really tired so I exploded to get on top and be in his guard but he scrambled and was too heavy for me to keep the position. I said, "damn if you weren't so heavy I would have reversed you". He said, "It's not the weight it's my scrambling from wrestling, that's something you can't teach". I weight 160 and he weighs 210.

I'm not saying he couldn't teach me new things but I feel like a lot of the reasons why I couldn't finish him and take position was due to his size not his skill. After we were done he even said our bjj was pretty even. So from people that have more experience grappling different skills and sizes do you ever grapple a bigger guy that you feel you have better technique then but you just can't implement it because of his size? Also if you were a really good black belt would you be able to negate such a large weight advantage?

 

[Wanderlei Industries]

Just ask Fatlardo Gracie:

 

[raty tat tat]

I would thank so since there are weight classes in combat sports.

 

[freaky]

If you are more skilled you would be able to reverse him. It's all about using your opponent's weight against him. But if both players are similarly skilled then I'd imagine the heavier guy will have the advantage.

So don't think if he is lighter or if you are stronger you would win. Especially, at your current level.

 

[dmwalking]

Weight becomes a factor when skill level is equal. What rank are you? Why don't you try out Team Empire? I think you'll find better training partners there.

 

[Patrick F Carey]

Honestly?

Your friend doesn't sound very skilled, and you sound worse.

That gym you visited sounds very shitty.

 

[Darwinambrosius]

If skill is comparable, weight can be an advantage. It's not always a definite "yes," but weight classes exist for a reason.

However, there are a lot of other variables even when considering weight and skill.

 

[MMAProfessional]

Weight becomes a factor when skill level is equal. What rank are you? Why don't you try out Team Empire? I think you'll find better training partners there.

Thanks man. I figured he was going to be good considering he won a tournament but he wasn't all that good which makes me think the tournament was weak. Is there a Team Empire in Rochester? There are only a few out here but I know there's a 10th planet out here I might try them out.

 

[MMAProfessional]

Honestly?

Your friend doesn't sound very skilled, and you sound worse.

That gym you visited sounds very shitty.

That's what I took away from it. He even said we were pretty even which we shouldn't be considering I've only watched MMA never trained it. His striking is better then mine though I'll probably have him train me in that if not join a gym. My problem is that I work in a hospital and I get weird looks when I have bloody knuckles.

 

[Ton]

That's what I took away from it. He even said we were pretty even which we shouldn't be considering I've only watched MMA never trained it. His striking is better then mine though I'll probably have him train me in that if not join a gym. My problem is that I work in a hospital and I get weird looks when I have bloody knuckles.

Yeah.. if you only had access to one training partner before this and you're a whitebelt you shouldn't be as good as an instructor... Lol

As far as weight goes I think there is a saying that every 30lbs is a belt level, or something along those lines.

 

[SteelHammer]

Weight matters a lot. 50 lb is like having an extra belt.

 

[j123]

My problem is that I work in a hospital and I get weird looks when I have bloody knuckles.

?

 

[Commissar]

It sounds like everyone in that story is terrible at jiu jitsu.

Find a legitimate club to join.

 

[HtomSirveaux]

As far as weight goes I think there is a saying that every 30lbs is a belt level, or something along those lines.

Weight matters a lot. 50 lb is like having an extra belt.

This is great news. Forget about the grind of training 10+ years. I'm going to spend a month eating at a buffet and go straight from blue to black

 

[Russky]

As far as weight goes I think there is a saying that every 30lbs is a belt level, or something along those lines.

I am 145lb, and I think after ~200lb weight becomes disadvantage as they start slowing down a lot. 180-200 seems to be optimal.

 

[Uchi Mata]

It sounds like everyone in that story is terrible at jiu jitsu.

Find a legitimate club to join.

People who go to a BJJ club and get their ass kicked don't feel the need to post about it, understandably. But yeah, in almost all these cases it's some in shape wrestler or MMA guy going to a garage gym and being surprised when some out of shape blue belt or 'catch wrestler' or whatever with delusions of grandeur can't beat them up.

I've actually seen another side of this too which is both funny and a little sad, which is the out of shape blue belt or guy who went to one Erik Paulson seminar and now thinks he's a badass comes to a legit BJJ school and gets destroyed. I had this happen once at a place I used to train, this guy called us up and basically said he wanted to come train but that we should be ready as he was a badass, and we pretty much ran a train on him (not in a mean way, we just went hard until it became clear he sucked). He was super respectful about it, but I thought he was going to cry. It was clear that whoever he trained under had been lying to him about his skill level and was probably a fraud himself.

Lots of BS in martial arts.

 

[Bunkai]

If anything out weighs your technique it's because your technique is not strong enough.

...that journey is ever lasting.

part of the game/art.

 

[Jinn]

To beat strength with technique your technique advantage needs to be bigger than your opponent's strength advantage.

To beat technique with strength your strength advantage needs to be bigger than your opponent's technique advantage.

It's no more complicated than that.

 

[Bunkai]

To beat strength with technique your technique advantage needs to be bigger than your opponent's strength advantage.

To beat technique with strength your strength advantage needs to be bigger than your opponent's technique advantage.

It's no more complicated than that.

Yup.

 

[dmwalking]

Thanks man. I figured he was going to be good considering he won a tournament but he wasn't all that good which makes me think the tournament was weak. Is there a Team Empire in Rochester? There are only a few out here but I know there's a 10th planet out here I might try them out.

Yeah Team Empire is 10th Planet. I call it Team Empire because it's more than just 10th planet. 10th planet is just the basis for the ground game. But they also teach Bang Muay thai, judo, sambo, and wrestling. It's a pretty well rounded group and the instruction is damn good. Expect some fun rolls. And if you roll with the head coach, don't let him keep your posture broken for too long. His squeeze is painful.

It's good because there are enough white belts to have fun getting some taps, there are enough purples to give you some trouble. And the browns and black will kick your ass back to humility.

http://teamempire.us/schedule.php