So I have mentioned it here before but I am a heavyweight, 6'4 and 250lbs. We have other big guys at our gym, but for whatever reason I do use my weight and strength to my advantage as much as I probably should because nobody likes "that guy" in their gym, and I don't want to be "that guy" in my gym. However this purposes a problem for me as I find myself not using my size and strength now just sub conciously. Do any of you bigger guys have this problem? And for the people here who roll with big guys what is your take on this?
Well I am not anywhere near as big as you (5'8 190ish), but I have a few guys in my gym that are your size and I while I am sure they are not going 100%, they do tend to go pretty hard.
My position is that I don't mind it as long as they are not spazzing. All these guys I am talking about above are Blues (I am a blue as well) and above. So I trust them. And I want both of us to get our work in.
i think using pressure/weight is something you have to use. I am a small guy and the only way a big guy is staying on me is full pressue and no room. I expect it.
I'm bigger, I look at it this way: they aren't going to move slower and use less flexibility because I'm slower and less flexible. If pressure is you're game use it. You're going to weaken your game against guys your size if you come off your base to use less pressure.
But like it was said before, don't just full over power them and use strength because they are weaker. 
I am a blue as well, I just have been on this forum for years and one of the biggest complaints people have is "this guy just smashes" people, etc. I do not want to do that to anyone, and I really try to dictate my pressure and how I use my weight to who I am rolling with. I have just noticed lately as I roll I am getting nearly swept, or almost put in a bad position because I am not using my full weight or full strength. I do not mind getting swept or tapped at all, in fact I learn more from that than when I try and "play it safe", but it feels like I am having my game suffer due to being self conscious about smashing someone. It is something I need to get past asap.
I noticed the same thing 303, I used to do the same thing and I was training at with a 2nd degree Pedro Sauers blackbelt and he made me immediately stop and never weaken my base again. My Master weighs about 170lbs and feels like 400lbs on top of you. So my whole team uses a lot of pressure. Anytime we roll with others everyone always says "you guys are so strong!" But it's just pressure, not strength. Also, make the little guy uncomfortable, it will make his game better too
My friend went to a Timm Sledd seminar that was all about pressure. Also last year Professor Dave from GB in Wi was visiting east coast family and stopped in and did a clinic (no affiliation just because he is a cool guy) and he showed us how to use your diaphragm to make even more pressure.
I think that's something to be conscious of as you prep for a tourney.
However, I don't mind the size/strength thing as long as you're not just squeezing a sub with your legs from closed guard or from the back. I find that ridiculous, as you're not training any technique there.
As long as your in good control of your body and are using body weight distribution and not just squeezing on some little guys face you're good imo
Seats Taken -I noticed the same thing 303, I used to do the same thing and I was training at with a 2nd degree Pedro Sauers blackbelt and he made me immediately stop and never weaken my base again. My Master weighs about 170lbs and feels like 400lbs on top of you. So my whole team uses a lot of pressure. Anytime we roll with others everyone always says "you guys are so strong!" But it's just pressure, not strength. Also, make the little guy uncomfortable, it will make his game better too
My friend went to a Timm Sledd seminar that was all about pressure. Also last year Professor Dave from GB in Wi was visiting east coast family and stopped in and did a clinic (no affiliation just because he is a cool guy) and he showed us how to use your diaphragm to make even more pressure.
Are you with a Pedro Sauer affiliate? I am with Team Relson Gracie and I believe it was Relson who gave master Sauer his BB.
The reason I say this is because my professor Steve Hordinski has told me that one of the trademarks of Team Relson Gracie guys is the amount of pressure they apply to their opponets. So it makes sense if you are a Pedro Sauer guy that you would be getting told the same thing as me. I think this is one of the things I am going to work on this week, applying pressure and making whoever I am on top of really uncomfortable.
I think Pedro Sauers got his BB from Rickson/Helio and his red/black from Relson. I train with a BB under Master Mike Moses who is a BB under Pedro Sauers, but they affiliate with TLI mostly. I don't know, I just train.
To the second part, sounds right.
Don't forget that as a little guy, I need to evaluate when a move/position is a viable option against someone of a certain size. The risks and options of positions are different and I don't want to be under any false impressions.
Seats Taken -I think Pedro Sauers got his BB from Rickson/Helio and his red/black from Relson. I train with a BB under Master Mike Moses who is a BB under Pedro Sauers, but they affiliate with TLI mostly. I don't know, I just train.
I with you on the I just train part, but I am fascinated as to the history of everything. I guess that is just the way I am, if I am passionate about something I want to know everything about it including the history. The history of BJJ as of now is mostly just stories passed down from person to person, but one day as the sport continues to grow and get bigger the historical side of it will be more and more interesting. Like when I am 75 (and hopefully still training) I will be able to say I was around when this whole thing got started, Helio was alive, etc.
mrgoodarmbar that is a great point. I guess I am paranoid because at my old gym it was my brother and myself as the heavies, and then a bunch of 150-170lb guys and nothing would come of us smashing them. It put such a bad taste in in my brothers mouth I think it is one of the reasons he doesn't really train too much anymore. I just love this sport, and am using it as something I can focus on and set goals for myself due to my battle with cancer. It feels good to know I am on a team with instructors that will push me and get me as good as I want to be and can still be a champion one day.
Short answer: use your size/weight to help your jiu jitsu, but never use it as a replacement for doing things correctly. As you get better, you'll start to develop a sensitivity for when it's appropriate to use it and when it's not.
good point by green_machine as well...
just remember to communicate with your training PARTNER. What flies with one partner isn't going to with another or maybe it would but they have a sore rib that night or something. Just communicate and work with them to bring out the best in both of you and get the most out of your training together.
303 -Seats Taken - I think Pedro Sauers got his BB from Rickson/Helio and his red/black from Relson. I train with a BB under Master Mike Moses who is a BB under Pedro Sauers, but they affiliate with TLI mostly. I don't know, I just train.
I with you on the I just train part, but I am fascinated as to the history of everything. I guess that is just the way I am, if I am passionate about something I want to know everything about it including the history. The history of BJJ as of now is mostly just stories passed down from person to person, but one day as the sport continues to grow and get bigger the historical side of it will be more and more interesting. Like when I am 75 (and hopefully still training) I will be able to say I was around when this whole thing got started, Helio was alive, etc.
mrgoodarmbar that is a great point. I guess I am paranoid because at my old gym it was my brother and myself as the heavies, and then a bunch of 150-170lb guys and nothing would come of us smashing them. It put such a bad taste in in my brothers mouth I think it is one of the reasons he doesn't really train too much anymore. I just love this sport, and am using it as something I can focus on and set goals for myself due to my battle with cancer. It feels good to know I am on a team with instructors that will push me and get me as good as I want to be and can still be a champion one day.
Oh I know the lineage and history, just when you get into affiliations it seems like politics. Green Machine nailed it though.
If pressure is your game, play your game. It will make everyone you roll with better and make you better. I try to roll with everyone the same. I learned that after trying to roll super low pressure and technical against lighter guys in training and then I walked out on the mat to compete with someone in super HWT (bigger than me, I weigh 210, but it seems that in Bjj everyone over 200 is in the same class) and I got smashed and shut down. I roll now like I would in competition, not 100% but if I want to feel heavy on my opponent, I train to be heavy.
As a little guy I have no problem with big guys smashing me. But I don't have a problem with them freaking out and using spastic movements that don't give me time to protect myself.
That said I've never been injured by a big guy most of my injuries came from me making movements that I didn't control and torquing something.
i think its ok to smash. but keep moving against people who can't get out of your spot. then they won't think you are the dude who puts all his weight on and stalls.
i think its ok to smash. but keep moving against people who can't get out of your spot. then they won't think you are the dude who puts all his weight on and stalls.
weight is an asset just like speed or any other. if you got it, use it but don't abuse it. don't mind the haters.