I have a small stocky build (165 punds) and when I roll no-gi with the big guys (250+ pounds) I usually end up in the guard for obvious reasons. I do alright from that position but find that I tend to injure my knees quite frequently when playing butterfly guard. Is that normal or do I just have weak knees? Is there an excerise I can do to strengthen my knees to prevent injuries from butterfly guard?
I'd say don't play butterfly with big guys, or change how you play it so that you're not meeting force with force.
That said, I'd look at your range of motion. Try some yoga classes and see what you have difficulty with, it might point to a problem that's also leading to the knee injuries.
Butterfly with guys that big is tough. You probably don't have the strength to be able to lift with your hooks anyway. I prefer spider guard with guys that big. That way i can keep their weight off me easier. Yes, lots of exercises you can do to strengthen the joint. Google is your friend on that...
Butterfly is one of the best guards to play against a big guy - it gives you options of armdrags, singles and even the hook sweep if you catch them just right.
What exactly are you doing to hurt your knees? What is your exact knee injury?
Wutang - Butterfly is one of the best guards to play against a big guy - it gives you options of armdrags, singles and even the hook sweep if you catch them just right.
truth