I'm finding that I'm doing fairly good against much taller and heavier guys these days. Part of the reason is because my technique is getting better from all positions and part of it is because although those guys are heavier and stronger than me, I'm much faster and can use that especially with my arm drags, snap downs and ankle/knee picks from my butterfly guard.
There are, however, a few guys in my gym who are not only bigger and stronger than me, and with a bit less technique than me - but also have insane CARDIO and EXPLOSIVENESS. And I'm NOT really faster than those guys so it's hard to play the speed game against them. I'm finding it somewhat difficult to deal with those guys. I can usually tap them out in the end, but they're still giving me problems.
So do you guys have any special strategies against those guys?
Against the big, fat guys, I like using my butterfly guard from the bottom and use arm drags, snap downs and ankle/knee picks. But against the cardio exploders, that type of guard can sometimes be a bit loose. Maybe the nature of the half guard can be better to slow them down? Or maybe you have other ideas?
Also from the top positions, I have a feeling that the knee on stomach position is one of those positions you can use against the cardio exploders and not tire YOURSELF out from top too much. Sometimes it can even be tiring to be on top of those guys!
I'm a mid-level blue belt, by the way. Maybe I'll get somewhat close to purple after a year or so, but we'll see.
Are you just now having this problem? I've been having it since I
started BJJ. As a whitebelt, most of the guys I wrestle are also
whitebelts and they tend to go apeshit with explosive cardio and
strength. Did I mention that they are, invariably, a lot bigger and
stronger than me?
For me, pretty much every roll is a COMPETITION!!! GO AS HARD AS
YOU CAN!!!!1 I watch the upper belts roll--effortlessly, creatively, and
with technique and experimention and flow--with drooling envy.
What's the solution? Your guess is as good as mine. Of course, you
want to be on top, but that can be prohibitively difficult against these
kind of guys. The best kinds of guards to use are "closed" positions
that slow down the pace so you can work. That means closed guard
and half-guard positions; with the gi, you can add spider guard and
delariva type positions. The problem with "open" positions like
butterfly and feet-on-hips guard is that if you lose tempo (ie, if they
are suddenly controlling the pace) you have to really hustle to keep
them from passing and eventually they will as you get tired.
I also hear you about being on top. It's like a freakin' rodeo! I think the
easiest way to do it is to play north-south and move around their head
back and forth. Then take the back when they roll to their knees.
No, no. I used to have a problem with a variety of grapplers, but now it seems to be mostly this type.
One of my thoughts was that the half guard might be good against them, even though the half guard is often not so great against very fat guys.
The reason is that fat guys will block so much of your movement from your half guard and the "cardio exploders" are tough to deal with from your closed guard without a gi because they can simply explode their posture upwards to get out of most submissions - but exploding upwards really doesn't help them against the half guard.
Hard to say what to do exactly. They can be tough. I try a lot to get on cross side top and make them tired through weight and moving from side to side and also I'll mount them and as soon as they start to defend I actually get off and go to cross again or knee on belly.
From bottom I look to get to my knees/stand or sweep and then some subs might open. Go for a slow set-up sub like you do on most people and they will rip out. Also, I like to go two on one a lot with these guys. Always hanging on their arm with two of mine and making them carry me. Also hang from their neck and address everything they do early. If they start to get posture and put elbows on my legs I disarm that ASAP. I find I must constantly react to every grip they get or positional improvment they try to make right at the start, always trying to stifle their progress. Don't know if that helps at all