Fighting bigger opponents

Principles: Weight, Connection, Posture, Grips, Kuzushi...,Strategy & Tactics,Self-Defense,Competition

August 20, 2020

Fighting bigger opponents: Jiu jitsu is one of the few combat sports that still allows open weight competition where smaller athletes can be matched against much larger opponents. In addition, in daily training at the dojo we are routinely matched with larger training partners. Whenever faced against someone bigger and stronger than yourself I always advise - GET BEHIND THEM TO STRANGLE OR ATTACK THEIR LEGS. These two approaches to victory have proven more successful in my experience watching my students over quarter of a century than all others. There are other good methods - I think the guillotine works well against bigger opponents, but nothing has had the level of success of back strangles and ashi garami based leg attacks. The back makes good sense. A big opponent can’t crush you with his weight when you’re behind him and strangles can be applied even on very big people. An opponent can use simple strength to push or pull someone behind him. In the case of leg locks, most people are inherently less coordinated with their feet and often more careless and forgetful of foot/leg placement than they are of hand/arm placement. The most incredible athlete I ever worked with regards competition against bigger opponents was Garry Tonon - he took on some absolute monsters and emerged victorious almost every time by emphasizing this strategy of constantly attacking back and legs. Here he is on the way to winning another EBI title at 205 pounds - incredible given that he was the 155 pound champion ( as well as every other weight division between!). When it’s time to take on the big fellas, think about BACK and LEGS as your path to victory!