Yesterday we received a new partner at our class. He is a purple belt in Bjj, but we think he has a blue belt technique level. He is 5'8 and 220 pounds more or less.
I am used to roll with guys that their wight is 190-200 and they are white or new blue belts, and more or less i can fight against them and submit them.
But yesterday i rolled with this new guy, 220 and arms the same wide as my legs. Incredible strong, knowing how to place his weight and very good coordination. He is purple, but when you roll with him, he has moment that looks like a black belt, and other times like a white belt. Is weird, but i don't know how to analyze it.
Anyway, the thing is that i felt for the first time in my life somebody that is less technique than me, and when i tried something on him, i felt absolutely not able to do nothing against him. I tried for example a leg lock attempt, he was stand up and i tried to make him fall and later apply the leglock, but i felt as i was trying to apply the leglock against a tree. He tried a couple of submissions (leg subs) and he achieved them.
The conclusion i am trying to explain is that i felt absolutely far from being able to submit him. It was like he was from other galaxy. Have you ever had this feeling? My trainer is strong but is the same weight than me (175-180 more or less), blackbelt, and he is able to dominate him only with technique (and power too of course). I thought i was in the right way, because i was able to submit people 3 times stronger than me only with technique, but seeing this kind of guys make me feel like i am a white belt again.
Is it normal? Is normal that when you are in a club, you are tapped out by guys stronger than you but with less level? Have i to start to get used to it?
I think that i am used to see guys like Marcelo Garcia tapping out bigger guys and i think is normal :-)
For me it is pretty normal.
I feel that my skill level is slightly below average. I have been training for almost 5 years and I walk around at 165. There are some other blues who have been training for about 2 years who are about 190-200 and they can pass my guard and tap me quite frequently. (I think their skill level is slightly above average).
Of course they are using the greater part of their strength and weight to pass and submit me, while I focus on technique (since I have no strength). When we go "light" they find it impossible to pass.
Jeebus... did Jeff Monson join jour class?
I can't really imagine someone 5'8 and 220 lbs AND in good conditioning.
strength matters a great deal. especially in the gi. Everyone twenty or so pounds is a belt level IMO
I wouldn't go that far, but if someone has an extreme strength advantage, it's going to amplify their technique. Especially if they have good functional strength.
the classic, "his technique isn't that good, but my god his strength."
be true to yourself, and train more.
maybes hes strong and has good technique, and hes bigger than you. BJJ aint magic.
Why don't you get your strength up if it's an issue? No-one cries because a guy has more skill, more cardio, or more flexibility. But if a guy is strong, they use that to discount his technique.
How can someone tap you with stength? I mean, strength can help someone finish a technique like an armbar or leg lock once they have it, but it doesn't make him set up the technique. His skill allowed him to get your arm, neck, or leg. His strength might have helped him finish it but that's about it.
His strength might have helped him finish it but that's about it.
Pure strength can pull you into an armbar if the puller is significantly larger (for instance, a 260 lb. guy literally pulled my little 150 lb. arm into an armbar). Strength can get you alot. I just try to be extra quick and not get caught in certain positions.
Thanks everybody
when i wrotte this thread, i only wanted to share with you what i felt this day. I felt for the first time in my life a level i will never achieve in my life.
I felt this man absolutely strong and imposible for me to submit in my life. But i saw a black belt submiting him being like me, 5.9 and 175 p. and not doing special things.
anyway, i will follow the advises of some of you, and i will try to improve my fitness :-). perhaps next time i will be able to see the action in a different way.
We have a guy like that. Decent technique but Hulk strength. Be glad you have those guys to train with. Rolling with them will force you to get better.
true that^
I feel your pain. I'm about the smallest and weakest person in my club (I'm female) and altho' I've been doing BJJ for two years, a bigger white belt is able to "guard" an armbar I'm trying (with the correct technique) because his Hulk-like arms are stronger than my body. I've actually been lifted up entirely off the ground by a strong guy's arm that I'm wrapped around!
That being said, I work on speed like another poster mentioned. I also work a lot on collar chokes as it doesn't matter how strong you are if there's no air going to your brain!
Overall, I think it really helps my training because when I compete with someone my own size/weight/gender I usually do very well.
I rolled with a 275 judo brown/All-American wrestler and I'm about 170. I hurt all over.
for me, the problem is not so much being able to hang with or defeat bigger guys. When you roll with someone significantly bigger, it puts tremendous stress on your body. Long-term that isn't good.
The Gimp - for me, the problem is not so much being able to hang with or defeat bigger guys. When you roll with someone significantly bigger, it puts tremendous stress on your body. Long-term that isn't good.
you just need to get better.
eventually you will do well against bigger opponents as long as their skill isn't much better than yours.
billcosbiguez -The Gimp - for me, the problem is not so much being able to hang with or defeat bigger guys. When you roll with someone significantly bigger, it puts tremendous stress on your body. Long-term that isn't good.
you just need to get better.
eventually you will do well against bigger opponents as long as their skill isn't much better than yours.
thats the thing i wanted to ask. that if i have to get use to it, get tapped against bigger/stronger/heavier guys that are less level than me (in experience and belt and of course i am not talking about two months white belts :-) ). If its something normal in class for non black belts.
2leftfeet - I feel your pain. I'm about the smallest and weakest person in my club (I'm female) and altho' I've been doing BJJ for two years, a bigger white belt is able to "guard" an armbar I'm trying (with the correct technique) because his Hulk-like arms are stronger than my body. I've actually been lifted up entirely off the ground by a strong guy's arm that I'm wrapped around!
That being said, I work on speed like another poster mentioned. I also work a lot on collar chokes as it doesn't matter how strong you are if there's no air going to your brain!
Overall, I think it really helps my training because when I compete with someone my own size/weight/gender I usually do very well.
It doesn't take that much strength to lift someone though. It's pretty much a deadlift when they're standing and defending the armbar. I weigh like 215lbs and I've been lifted by a guy who weighed 150lbs...
bandwidth -
thats the thing i wanted to ask. that if i have to get use to it, get tapped against bigger/stronger/heavier guys that are less level than me (in experience and belt and of course i am not talking about two months white belts :-) ). If its something normal in class for non black belts.
relax, it's normal.
ability is comprised of a combination of technique and attributes (cardio, explosiveness, size, etc.). to be better than the next guy your combination has to be higher than his and of course you should try to increase both tech. and attributes.