How to grapple with a much bigger opponent

[hypotyposis]

I'm a pretty small guy 5'6" and 125 pounds, so I'm ALWAYS smaller than my opponent.

One of my best friends that I grapple with is 6'4" and 155 pounds, so he's pretty skinny but he has tons of height.

Whenever we first started grappling we would both always go for chokes, then I started pulling guard and going for armbars, triangles, and kimura's. However he caught on after I won a few quick tapouts.

One of my main weaknesses in grappling with him is I HAVE to be on the ground. If we stand up, my head is right at his armpit and he just guillotines me every time and pulls me straight off the ground so all my weight in choking me. I'm looking for a good technique to escape that standing guillotine.

Also, when we're grappling and I have open guard with him standing and he starts to lean in and I close my guard, he usually just stands up, and his hips pull me off the ground, so unless I want to get slammed, I have to let go, and he usually keep doing this until he can circle around enough times and he gets side control. Any way to combat this?

Any other tips or techniques would be much appreciated too. I'd grapple with others, but all my other friends/training partners weigh at least 170+, granted they are shorter but they have a much more significant weight advantage on me.

 

[GetBeasty]

For one, you may want to put on some muscle weight. Even at 5'6" your frame should be able to hold more than 125. I would suggest trying to utilize a deep half guard game, it usually helps me with taller opponents.

 

[Jagcorps_esq]

At 5'6" you are not probably very lanky limbed. You should watch a lot of Marcelo, who uses the "ball under a plate" concept quite a bit. It'd be better for you to be on top, using your mobility against larger guys to get to their back.

But, if you're stuck on the bottom you can not get flattened out, or it's effectively over for you.

 

[thedon_1]

I'm a bit bigger than you but i get into similar situations. I've also looked at other small but more experienced guys in my gym.

Firstly, you need to go for different takedowns. If he's catching you in a guillotine, maybe a standard double isn't the right thing. A single and then tripping the back leg is fast and get you into a half-gaurd/ side control position where you can escape any choke attempt.

When he stands up while in your gaurd, try to sweep by grabbing the ankles and putting your feet on his hips. Another move i really like when they stand is quickly spinning to my knees and and going right for a shot. Good way to quickly get a take down.

Another thing is get stronger. I know jits is about technique, but a bit of strength training really helps.

 

[bnosam]

Keep your head tucked down to make it harder for guillotines. Try to get single leg takedowns on him, but if you can't get them, grab the other leg to double leg him.

 

[hypotyposis]

I'm a bit bigger than you but i get into similar situations. I've also looked at other small but more experienced guys in my gym.

Firstly, you need to go for different takedowns. If he's catching you in a guillotine, maybe a standard double isn't the right thing. A single and then tripping the back leg is fast and get you into a half-gaurd/ side control position where you can escape any choke attempt.

When he stands up while in your gaurd, try to sweep by grabbing the ankles and putting your feet on his hips. Another move i really like when they stand is quickly spinning to my knees and and going right for a shot. Good way to quickly get a take down.

Another thing is get stronger. I know jits is about technique, but a bit of strength training really helps.

He's so much taller than me that I can't put my feet on his hips unless I'm basically standing on my head.

Other than that, good info thanks!

At 5'6" you are not probably very lanky limbed. You should watch a lot of Marcelo, who uses the "ball under a plate" concept quite a bit. It'd be better for you to be on top, using your mobility against larger guys to get to their back.

But, if you're stuck on the bottom you can not get flattened out, or it's effectively over for you.

Where do I find Marcelo? Also, I'm not familiar to "ball under a plate" and google did not help. I'm very new to grappling so thank you in advance for your patience.

 

[TheMadHatter]

him being 155 isnt much larger, but you should prob put on some weight to help with the strength part of bjj, because it isnt all technique, strength helps too

 

[suckerpunch]

oh man..I am not evan as close to small as you and I get stuck with bigger guys. I am like a fat guy...so I get stuck in "the big guy group."..I am like 5'10 and about 225 however I get stuck with like 6'3 240 type guys. I have found that if I want to work on my technical guard or half guard stuff these are the wrong types to do it with, especially if they have a wrestling background.

you have to change your game plan for big guys. work on sweeps never get flat on your back and don't expect one move to work. I myself have to keep shrimping (spelling?) and going for sweeps and sprawling take down attempts. make it so they can never get comfortable on top.

Its also hard when the do they forearm in your throat thing.. bigger guys will have a tendency to tire quick or become exhausted enough for you to get on top once you do keep it don't do anything fancy...go for chokes..nothing they can power out of..

ok so for me in a nutshell is

# keep moving
# dont go for fancy submissions from bottom
# position!!!
# get to top

Also I have had to do extra conditioning stuff in addition to class....(I am like 35)...but its the only way I can beat strength cause I am not that strong

 

[Proteus900]

When I first trained BJJ I was the smallest guy in our group. I'm 5'6 150 so I've got some bulk but no reach. Half guard is where I felt the most comfortable, and there are some really good sweeps from half guard. Far side Kimuras were something I found really effective, and transitioning from a Kimura attempt into a guillotine and back was something I liked.

Good luck.

 

[hypotyposis]

him being 155 isnt much larger, but you should prob put on some weight to help with the strength part of bjj, because it isnt all technique, strength helps too

Sorry, but you are completely wrong on this. 155 from 125 is 24% larger.

That would be like someone who is 170 fighting someone who is 205, or someone like Fedor (who is 230) fighting someone who is 285, its a HUGE difference.


As for everyone else thank you for the advice. This forum is much nicer to be around than the heavies! I'll be practicing my halfguard for sure!

 

[Jagcorps_esq]

He's so much taller than me that I can't put my feet on his hips unless I'm basically standing on my head.

Other than that, good info thanks!



Where do I find Marcelo? Also, I'm not familiar to "ball under a plate" and google did not help. I'm very new to grappling so thank you in advance for your patience.

Sorry, I sort of named ball under a plate to help me visualize it. A ball under a plate sort of allows the plate to roll where it wants, and just shifts the momentum that way.

Marcelo Garcia is the person and you can find any number of his videos on youtube.

 

[Rod1]

YouTube - Tony Cecchine's American Catch Wrestling: figure 4 choke and its pretenders

Try a fireman carry or getting his back and do a tani otoshi, you are smaller that doesn't means you are disadvantaged you can move quicker to his back, you ahve a lower center of gravity and there are many things you can do, as the weight difference isn't that great. You can also go for a kosoto gake or a single leg, very good for no gi.

Another thing, is don't work from the bottom with much bigger guys.

 

[MMA RLZ]

If you get stuck in a standing guillotine, just pull the Wanderlei v. Sak move, pick him up by his leg, and drop him on his head. What the problem is?

 

[ToxicShocker]

he starts to lean in and I close my guard, he usually just stands up, and his hips pull me off the ground, so unless I want to get slammed, I have to let go

try hooking behind one of his knees with your arm, and pull so he can't stand.

im 140-155 lbs and I grapple with 225 lb noobs.