General Tips vs big opponents

[OldTimey]

I've been playing a lot of bottom game, and it's been going well. However, it doesn't go so well vs. a much larger opponent.

I usually go for butterfly hooks and shin guard.

I'd like to hear some general strategies that people have vs larger opponents, especially from half guard. My instructor said to just stay on top, and that bottom is death vs a much larger opponent.

Thanks !

 

[FatherSauce]

What's always given me trouble as the top/heavier guy is a good knee shield half guard. Little 16 year old girls give me fits with passing this type of guard.

 

[Pirat]

DLR, shin on shin spider, spider DLR, maybe lasso, all the goodies that allow you to keep the oponent at distance and prevent him from smashing you.

 

[NateTx4112]

Keep distance and arm drags.

 

[Einarr]

Take their back > Bow and Arrow Choke.

 

[SuperSuperRambo]

Everything is less effective against someone who is bigger and stronger. That's just something we should make clear up front. Your A game will be a little less A against someone of the same skill but bigger. Butterfly and shin/seated guard is a fine strategy against a bigger guy, in fact it's what I do. But your instructor is right, you don't want to be on bottom.

I also like to use submissions like omoplatas and leg locks (specifically heel hooks and toe holds) to sweep, because their defense opens up opportunities to get on top or take the back. It's good against a big guy because you can devote your body to attacking a single limb, and there's less of a stack potential, especially with the omoplata.

Just keep doing your thing. Eventually you'll get good enough at what you're doing to deal with a bigger guy. But it takes a while.

 

[BJJ_Rage]

I've been playing a lot of bottom game, and it's been going well. However, it doesn't go so well vs. a much larger opponent.

I usually go for butterfly hooks and shin guard.

I'd like to hear some general strategies that people have vs larger opponents, especially from half guard. My instructor said to just stay on top, and that bottom is death vs a much larger opponent.

Thanks !

well, while your instructor is right, dont be on bottom, the reality is, most of the times thats not your choice, unless have a very big advantage on the stand up department, the reality is you are going to be ending up on bottom most of the times in a real match.... much worst if you start on your knees, midget wrestling iwth a big dude is a waste of time (actually all midget wrestling is a waste of time) So you either stand up and fight for the td (which like I said, unluss you are a very good judoka/wrestler, you are going to be ending up on bottom) or dont waste any time and energy and just accept the fact that you will be on bottom... now, dont let the guy put his weight on you, that means lots of open guard, and half, use knee shield and keep the distance..

 

[Ishaq]

Well, it's not so simple as saying always stay on top against bigger guys. Bigger guys will rarely concede top position in opening stages of fight or roll.

 

[Fightshopca]

Stay on top and use movement to go around them vs trying to stop their movement.

 

[Glokta]

Half guard is going to plain suck vs a guy with a weight advantage unless your significantly better them him. I find vs bigger guys range control is key, you either want to be outside or fully engaged. Hanging about in the mid ground just gets you smashed. I found I had alot more sucess vs big guys by reseting hard following a meh entry rather then attempting to make the best of wherever I've ended up.

 

[Covaliu]

You're going to have a hard time finishing from the bottom (or I do against someone bigger, anyway), and will likely have a hard time getting the takedown or forcing the top position from "midget wrestling" (great term). So you need to work out routes to the back or the top, while minimizing the other guy's ability to grind the life out of you with his weight. My way of doing this is to play a lot of butterfly guard, where I can keep the other guy's weight off me, and look for sweeps from there or transitions to x-guard to sweep, or arm-drag to go for the back. I'm short and have never gotten much mileage out of spider guard, but that seems like a pretty solid choice too.

On top I try to be a bit patient and conservative, as I know it could be pretty grueling trip to get back there.

Also, I lose a lot.

 

[tenniswhiz]

If you end up on your back, don't let yourself flatten out. Always angle towards your opponent.

 

[BrainBar]

SuperRambo is right. If the bigger, stronger guy has equal skill, or even skill that is close to yours, its gonna be hard. Its why UFC and grappling tourneys have weight classes.