Stop Using This Overused Excuse in BJJ (Bigger Girl BJJ Problem)

Strength is often a physical attribute that gets a bad rap in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu.
BJJ is all about technique and many people cry foul when someone uses a little bit of power or strength to make things happen.
One of our friends recently sent in a question regarding this issue. She is a BJJ White Belt who started training Brazilian Jiu-jitsu and Judo and loves it. She is a strong woman with a background in olympic weightlifting. So she's strong.
Many of the people she rolls with get upset saying that she is just using strength and not properly using technique. And she is worried that she is not being a good partner in her Brazilian Jiujitsu training.
In this video I touch on this subject and get a little hyper as this is a subject close to home for me. Haha.
But the jest is, if you're a bigger stronger person practicing BJJ. As long as you're attempting to use technique. It's ok to use your strength. It's a physical attribute that you possess.
A person who is flexible, or fast or has great endurance won't refrain from using their gifts. And likewise you shouldn't either.
Thanks for watching!
-Chewy
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[@AmbientFire]

Pfft. You just beat me cuz you're better at grappling!

[@BigDuttyDeezeHD]

Iv said this for ages, don’t let people make you feel bad about being strong. Strength is a skill that takes years to achieve. If your big use your size, if your flexible use your flexibility, if your fast use your speed. Training with big people makes your grappling honest.

[@K33176]

Also when fat dudes use their muffintop to trap your arm. It's just part of the game

[@joshuamichael4312]

HowToAdvanced lmfao!

[@soulburst]

HowToAdvanced damn right

[@the_real_ch3]

HowToAdvanced don't hate the player

[@bacon8353]

HowToAdvanced Lmao

[@kyokushinnojoe]

I use my gut to counter spider guard

[@Thebonesoftrees]

I'm starting BJJ because of your videos​ at the young age of 43, Thank you for your channel.

[@Chewjitsu]

You're welcome!

[@Clark3218]

boobs lol young age of 43 hahaha but go for it man! theres a 3 stripe brown belt in my gym thats 68 if you actually go for it you'll get your black belt! i started at 13 so im a lil different but yeah man you'll love it trust me

[@bendover4393]

strokerman01 I totally agree. I don't care about belts as long as I'm learning and having fun

[@0fficer_friendly]

Are you still doing it?

[@dgma626]

Old

[@TheLZempir3]

Hear it all the time, don't care. I'm a white belt, I suck at BJJ. If you can't beat me, you aren't very good either. Sorry if you are training strictly for competition, but if you want to rely on BJJ in a self defense scenario, better learn how to beat me.

[@yanniszaxaro]

you cannot rely only in bjj for selfe defence scenario, as bjj is a rolling wrestling style with different techniques. there are moves to protect you in a defence scenario but you do not want to be on the ground in an IRL scenario, outside a gym or a tournament

[@BeamMonsterZeus]

Dark Souls: "You beat me because you're using a Katana/Long Sword" "cause your internet sucks" "cause you no life the game" "cause you're a higher level" etc Thank goodness this conditioned me to deal with excuses and taught me how to show the other person that even without those "advantages" I would still win because I put in the time. Now to start BJJ

[@DogginsFroggins]

I think the whole BJJ dogma of technique>strength has become a bit too ingrained. Being strong is a good thing, most people can be reasonably strong if trained. I think its good to work this in when looking at longevity and equalizing the playing field.

[@RobinHood-yk8og]

"If your technique isn't good enough to overcome my strength, that's probably something you should fix":/

[@dgma626]

Not necessarily If someone is similar skill level to you but way stronger than you they generally have the advantage

[@freddykingsley]

@@dgma626 So they should develop their technique more to overcome the strength gap?

[@joshlionbjj]

Boyd belt's

[@parluhutansagala1882]

@@dgma626 thats why when fighting bigger guys...you gotta rely more on speed dumbass

[@brandonovich6063]

@@parluhutansagala1882 why so rude? You need to go train more and calm down

[@the_real_ch3]

as a big not overly athletic guy (6'2" 240) i like to say that i'll stop using my size when smaller guys stop using their quickness. we all got bodies with different strengths, find the techniques that work for yours and don't apologize for it!

[@jryde421]

Using strength to "win" in class where you *learn.....is definitely not the point of going to learn bjj..because you dont learn...your competing..you airhead dont take classes, just take a fight.

[@jryde421]

If you go into a real boxing, kickboxing or mma class and try to "use strength to win" and not learn, you are gonna DIE💀💀💀

[@chr1smy3rs]

When I started I got this all the time, along with the related backhanded compliment of, "You're so strong." It was frustrating to me, because I focused on having good technique, not spazzing, and using my strength when it made sense. Recently, while training out of town, one of the blue belts I was rolling with told me: "You're so technical, well done." Couldn't tell the guy, but because of all the times people had insinuated that I relied on strength to get by, it was one of the best compliments about my game I've ever gotten.

[@craigchkw]

Massively feel you on this.im about 6 weeks in now and every ‘win’ I get it’s always “you’re too strong” some people use it as a compliment whilst others say it out of frustration. I get obsessed with things quickly so I’ve been hammering the classes, going home watching videos, drilling at my weight lifting gym etc so it was frustrating that people would just comment on my strength, of which I tried to keep at a minimum. Anyway this week someone said I was surprisingly fast and had really good balance and I can’t even tell you how refreshing it was to hear. One guy asked if I’d had previous experience as I seemed natural with it, although maybe I’d disagree it felt great to have someone comment on something other than strength. I’ve rolled with people now who outweigh me and are stronger than me, and had the better of the roll, which confirmed to me that I’m more than a strength bully

[@kieronhoswell2722]

So true. I'm 230 lbs. Yes I use my mass...and my arms and legs...because that is what I have. People like me are why smaller guys need BJJ anyway!

[@kylehowell5610]

Your name is very similar to mine but way more interesting. Nice.

[@TheSwiftFalcon]

I remember back when I was doing judo, grappling with a brown belt who was way, way weaker than me. That's when I learned how effectively a good grappler can deal with a stronger opponent. First he got me in an armbar, but the strength difference between us was great enough that I was able to brute force my arm out of it. That didn't help me one bit, though. Seconds later, I was in a choke hold, and too exhausted to brute force myself out of it. So yeah, being strong is an advantage, but it can certainly be overcome with skill.

[@xowktigergmailcom]

"You beat me because you're strong." "No, I beat you because you're weak."

[@goodbadluck5486]

'You beat me because I'm weak.' 'No, I beat you because I'm strong.'

[@Mugiwarajj]

flexibility and being in shape are things that deserve to be commended tho. being strong because you binge eat and weigh 200lbs doesn’t deserve to be commended. thats the difference. that being said I wouldn’t use size as an excuse even if it is valid.

[@Ios13056]

@@Mugiwarajj Dont diss powerlifting like that

[@Mugiwarajj]

Smug St-Pierre was I wrong tho?

[@Ios13056]

@@Mugiwarajj In point and spelling though, yes you are wrong

[@anthonyla3104]

im not all that great and have only been doing JJ for a month and a half. It seems to me once you let go of the ego / winning /loosing thing its then you can really enjoy it and apply the technique. letting go of my ego has been one of the best things that's happend to me thanks to ju jitsu.

[@RobinHood-yk8og]

'Leave your ego at the door' is a 180 degrees wrongly worded saying. It is ego which drives us to want to be 'better'; to improve our technique or another attribute and apply it in rolling. A properly functioning ego allows a mediocre practitioner to recognise that they are only mediocre and that there are areas for improvement in their game. Leave your ego at the door and you'll be one of those people who have no idea where they fit in their club's ranking or that it's OK to tap to someone who's better, regardless of age, gender, belt colour or any other irrelevant detail for any given situation.

[@anthonyla3104]

yeah I can see where your coming from. That's what I love about martial arts there's so many different ways and reasons we do it and every one gets joy out of different things. I personally don't have anything to prove I just enjoy being there. Later on in my just jitsu journey my answer mat be different I suppose.

[@BuddyLee23]

It's not really fair to your jits skills/abilities to judge yourself when you are still so fresh in the game. If it really takes 10 years on average to get a BB, and you are 1.5 months in, you would be only 1/80th(!) the way there! That said, I had 3 stripes on my white belt by the end of 2003, been training ever since, and I'm "not all that great" either, so...

[@jimmyalderson1639]

Strength is gained over many years of training - strength is a technique

[@colormesarge]

Eh, it's body type too. I haven't spent a whole lot of time strength training, but my I am stronger than smaller people who lift constantly.

[@KatherineRoman]

I'm only 5'1, white belt so of course even when I roll with new guys they beat me most of the time cause they're stronger but I also know it wouldn't be like that if I had better technique. I never blame it on my partner I know it's my fault

[@DeadDiznee]

Katherine Roman That attitude will get you far in Jiu-Jitsu. Keep it up, sister 👍

[@KatherineRoman]

That's the plan. Thank you ;)

[@KatherineRoman]

I will :) Thank you:)

[@MikeLibbie]

The most honest comment on KZbin I've seen about Jiu Jitsu. I was tapped the other day by a new guy (bigger, stronger) and I've been training for about a year. I was just being playful, and got caught. For some reason I don't get worried about this.

[@KatherineRoman]

We all have bad days, right? No need to worry about it

[@mountainman3046]

Also isn't one major draw to bjj being able to beat big stronger opponents?

[@shanepedroza3341]

MountainMan yes, but in lots of cases, people only roll with similar sized people. A technique will most likely have to adjust to the person you're applying it on, which is what some people have trouble with. It usually comes with experience

[@MikeLibbie]

Beat bigger, stronger opponents, yes...unless they are also training the same thing you're training. Hence, weight classes in competition.

[@BuddyLee23]

Probably a sub-draw of whatever "why" makes people want to be able to defend against, defeat, or otherwise "beat" opponents. One of the primary reasons it's more achievable to prevail against larger, stronger opponents (more than most pugilistic, standing martial arts, for example) is that ground fighting CAN nullify much of a strength/weight advantage. Gravity is your friend, and putting someone in an inferior position can be tantamount to "beating" in many cases. But unless you're starting mounted on the other guy, you still gotta get him there. That can be where the oft-forgotten aspects of BJJ come in (e.g. street jits, for example).

[@santiagoraigoza8577]

Yes, but weight does matter. I weigh 135lbs and if I grapple with a 200lb guy with the same amount of technique as me he is going to win. Now if I grapple with a 200lb with less technique I will probably win. Rener Gracie says every 20 pounds equals a belt. What he means by that is that the bigger you are the more advantage you have.

[@ethangraves2890]

You have the best outlook on life and BJJ. Keep up the great work sir.

[@BJJJUDO]

Great topic and great video. As a big guy I refuse to appologize for my physical conditioning. I spend a lot of time on it and it is part of the game. Yes, there will always be someone stronger just like there will always be someone faster or better. Shin Gi Tai, physical conditioning technical ability and fighting spirit. You need all three.

[@videojunkie1981]

Great video!! I am 5' 10" 220 lbs and I have a judo background. My base is solid. As a matter of fact, it is all I have right now in BJJ. I have been told this as well in my BJJ gym and it really screwed up my game for a while. I never want to be "that guy" and I am very reluctant about being a douche. Due to not wanting to be an ass, I really started to make it a point to not use my strength or base. I got my ass handed to me!! It became frustrating and it sucked. I felt like a complete puss. it took me a couple of months and conversations with purple belts that were around my size to really embrace my size and strength. Now I use it to adapt my game and use it to make others adapt theirs. Its all about getting better now.

[@pedrotl6196]

Thanks a lot for this video. I felt this many times, specially when I was a white belt. People were always telling me that submitted them because of my weight or because of my strength, they make feel guilty of being big. Backthen, This kind of comments make me change the way I roll... Nowadays, I simply don't care.. Being big Is one side of my game so people have to deal with it...

[@MrQilvin]

6’4 and 220. Hear about it every time I win or lose.

[@jayleecason1982]

Thank you for this I’ve dealt with it since day one great answer!

[@g7sky]

Thank you for making this video, I been through similar experiences

[@Native_love]

Beautiful! Because I started in judo and wrestling i used to hear that a lot

[@necrospiderjay6315]

but people do tell me "oh just cuz you're flexible" 😭

[@colormesarge]

As an older, bigger fella, I definitely say this.

[@dw4696]

Thank you so much for this.

[@shonethockley5167]

Really appreciate this video. I just started bjj and there are mostly men in my group, of all sizes, and I'm a woman of 5'9" and strong/heavy. I'm worried about crushing people when we roll, but I've found everyone super patient and focused on techniques, which means I don't get hurt from being a newbie and I don't inadvertently injure anyone due to being heavy. It's such an intimate thing and you have to be super tuned into your partner's movements, strengths and use what you have to get the upper hand, without anger. I think having patience and humility helps a lot. Great experience for me so far. I imagine I will get lighter from doing bjj, so it's good to feel comfortable enough to start training without worrying about being a "small" woman first! I'm never going to be small but i can be smart.

[@guam58]

When I train I always try and go against the the heaviest or strongest guys possible. Against the heaviest guys I learned if on bottom half-guard is the much better game for me. I got smashed so much that it quickly improved my game from kneel shield to half guard to lock down to deep half. It really helped me build the different half guard games at each half guard technique. For the stronger guys, I use patience, pressure if on top and controlling arm/posture if on bottom (shoulder crunch best control while breaking posture). Butterfly is often what I like to use on stronger guys. What I have going for me is my endurance and my age (48 years young). Chewy you have the best channel for really making juijitsu fun.

[@TheBohemianCactus]

This is such an important video. I'm a heavyweight (100kgs) with a background in weightlifting/powerlifting. On a good day I'm about as flexible as a fully grown tree, but have an absolute crap tonne of brute strength. So as a white belt yeah I could probably sub all whites and probably some lower blue belts with just brute force if I really tried hard enough. BUT, in saying that, if I do play that way, I will never learn to properly use my strength. Coming in to BJJ in these past few months as a total beginner it's been my goal to try and be as technical as possible, learn as much as possible to be the best I can be. Martial arts like BJJ and a few others have helped my flexibility and mobility (albeit very slowly), and realistically I'll probably never catch up to most in that regard. Flexible and agile people have subbed me on many occasions, and I, them. Learn to use your own gifts and learn from the gifts of others. And spend as much time in the gym on the mats as possible

[@Stonehenger420]

Agree, I love to go with someone bigger/ stronger cause you have to try harder and you get better at defense.

[@CamachoBJJ]

I'm early AF. always look forward to the daily ChewJitsu video for life and Jitz advice

[@Chewjitsu]

Glad to hear it! Thanks for the comment.

[@stuartarms]

Love your videos. As a white belt myself I have found your videos a great help. Do you have any recommendations for how I should set up a strength and conditioning plan? I have 3 days to this and 3 days for bjj (that's the only classes I have where I am)

[@kiaabbasian2665]

The thing about strength is it can be used to force a submission or position. If someone has your gi or arm or whatever, you cant use flexibility or speed to get out of it, you need technique. Strength isnt the same. It doesn't matter how good the hold is, if you have enough strength you can force them to let go. If you have a guillotine on, flexibility and speed won't injure the other person's neck. When you have someone pinned in side control, all you have to do is just lay there and they're stuck. A knee ride from a bigger person is not the same as a knee ride from a quick or flexible person. Of course there are ways to escape, but there is a very good reason there are weight divisions. I'm a smaller guy but I am bigger than some (not many though) and I can see others struggling with my weight. Its one thing to use your strength to win, but if you're sacrificing technique for strength just to win, then thats BS. I have dudes that are way bigger (like 20/30 kgs+) and its the same story. No one wants to lose to the smaller guy so some will literally force a submission like a kimono or Americana. I've been on the wrong end a few times, especially with neck related chokes where injuries just happen because they wanted it too much. Sometimes they just don't know their strength and those guys are cool, but like I said, some just want it too bad. In saying that though, not everyone is insane. Bigger people usually know to not force things or throw themselves on someone smaller. But it's extremely frustrating when you're beaten because of raw strength rather than technique.

[@vitaly6312]

“We have this big guy Jack who’s 300lbs” - me as a 6ft 300lbs guy about to start 🥺

[@selmaessahlivik1199]

Could you maybe make a video where you talk a little bit about smart things to do when you're rolling with bigger/stronger opponents when you're kind of small?

[@shamanlama8]

6’4 285er here Thanks for the perspective professor!

[@bman1235]

Exactly! When I lose to people who are physically better in any way than I am I note it, I take it into account but I try to work around it. I try to play to my advantages. Take it into account, but work past it.

[@ThatJamesGuy88]

I’m 33 years old, and in decent shape at 179ish lbs. I’ve been training a couple times a week for a month. Yesterday I rolled with a 120 lbs teenager who’s been training for years, and a 230 lbs 60 year old on his first day. Both of them maintained a dominant position for the rolls. The older guy didn’t have enough technique to submit me. The teen only submitted me once in 5 or 6 minutes whatever the timer is. Size and strength matter. But rolling with me helps the kid get better and he was a great training partner. We called a blue belt over to help the older guy start learning technique. Good training + good attitudes = good outcomes

[@HR-pk5dy]

I’m a 145 lb female who’s been on the being “muscled” side of things before against strong fellas. I’ve literally been bench pressed out of mount and side control lol. But I don’t view this negatively, I try to learn from everyone. Training with them helps me to learn hooks and pressure. And sometimes it helps them to focus on technique more, just like you said. Thanks for the great videos! U are great at explaining things!

[@bigmember5908]

that was my newb defense against knee on belly with people lol

[@iammrsnesbit9729]

Dude I'm a blue belt and I subbed a brown belt the other day and he said that same shit to me too! (We rolled 4 times) Strength is a skill just like technique.When proper technique is paired with strength. Some training partners will go straight to the physical rather than think and review what they are lacking technically. Thanks Chew your a boss

[@kristenmoon9964]

i'm 5'10 , 310 lbs . I get people saying this to me ALL ... THE... TIME. Like yeah I got more mass, but it comes down to technique. That's the point of doing bjj/judo. Anyone who does proper technique and thinks clearly should be easily able to overcome sheer strength.

[@NickAbdallah]

My advice also is to seek out the bigger stronger people in your gym that way you can improve your technique. I'm new to Ji Jitsu and am running in that problem somewhat. I'll win but I don't feel that good about it, because I was able to pin their arm and pass their guard. I won't be able to do that as easily with bigger dudes. I seek out the bigger dudes so I can make sure i'm shrimping, I'm posting. Finding Position then submission. Finding position then sweep. Finding position then whatever...

[@66Chapa]

"back to the ramble!" - the motto of Chewy

[@crashendodt]

Yesterday we had a guy with about 300+lbs and nobody cried... Just shut up and make a plan on how to beat bigger people...

[@celiad5719]

An other great video. Thank you

[@ray3149]

I'm a 2 stripe white belt. The other day I got paired up with a first time student taking a demo class. He was young ~23, and was a wrestler in high school. I tapped him with a collar choke from guard, then showed him how to defend it so he would not get harassed by it in the future (like I use to when I just started). He was going gorilla and I was easily passing his guard and sweeping him. He quit after 5 min from gassing out and left the class in a huff. - Should I feel bad? My instructor said I handled the situation perfectly. My son wrestled in high school, so I know how tough wrestlers are. That is the only reason I tapped a bran new guy.

[@ccradock620]

You did exactly what you were supposed to do and handled it perfectly. Don't feel bad. That kind of stuff happens all the time. I've been training for 5 years now and it's nothing to feel bad. Some people can't handle the damage to their ego. It is what it is.

[@ray3149]

I thought that the case. It probably made it worse for the guy that I was a white belt and old enough to be his father. That just shows the power of BJJ.

[@MikeLibbie]

We had a new guy come in the other day, and I allowed the roll to get to the point where he had a good choke on me, and I had no options for getting out. I just kept experimenting with the roll and allowing myself to get in worse positions until, uh-oh. What do you do there? I just shrugged my shoulders, and finished the 6mins with him.

[@bigmember5908]

depends on your definition of perfect. for me we usually tell wrestlers you cant treat a bjj match like a wrestling match. in wrestling you can't be slowed down by gi grips AND you only have to go for like 6 minutes to have a conclusion. in bjj the upper levels are like 10 minute matches or more at times. so you can't go with 6 minute intensity for 10 minutes....we don't have too many wrestlers quit so I think this must be a good way to get trhough to them

[@lindsyburton4967]

U didn’t do anything wrong Bjj isn’t for everybody

[@sebastiansuarez8384]

Thanks for the video Chewjitsu. I find it very relatable because I am a 21 year old male, 6'5 and 222 pounds white belt. I often roll with higher belts ranging from blue to black because I am very strong and also very heavy. Also because I tend to beat lower ranked belts from white to orange. In my opinion when they give excuses like that is because they are whiny and can't accept the fact that they got their asses handed to them because they are stronger.

[@Ebenezer563]

Sebastian Suarez tbf, you wouldn't compete with them in most competitions because of weight classes. If someone is much quicker or more flexible but the same weight, you'll still have to fight them

[@sebastiansuarez8384]

Thanks for the reply Ebenezer, sir. I wouldn't expect anything less. I am simply stating a fact. My original post isn't meant for an ego boost. If my opponent is flexible and quicker good for him, I wouldn't be whining oh you're so flexible, you beat me because you're flexible. Instead I would just accept defeat and try to be better next time. In return I would expect the same thing back if I beat him with my strength. It is what it is. Some people will always whine about strength in ju jitsu unlike flexibility or quickness.

[@wesleykomnick8972]

I get this from time to time and as a personal solution i usually back off and play defensively still using my strength in a passive way but now its their technical job to infiltrate that.

[@tomedwards3767]

this guy is the Elliot Hulse of Jiu Jitsu

[@lizziek9517]

I had a girl stop rolling with me because my legs are so long and strong that she couldn’t get out of my guard. She would tell me it’s an unfair advantage that I’m 5’10” and she’s 5’1”. It kind of sucked to have her avoid rolling with me because of that. So instead of taking it personally, I showed her ways that work for my body type to get out of my guard or avoid it. It’s all about lifting up your friends with you at the gym.

[@ChamorruWarrior]

I love this video. I'm not a big guy, I'm a pretty average sized person who is pretty athletic and rely a lot on my cardio and patience. However, I always felt like the "You're just strong." or even the "You're just really aggressive, you're not good." were HUGE cop outs. It's so annoying to hear because for years I spent the first 4 years of my BJJ journey in a gym full of HUGE people and I'd beat a lot of them and got pretty comfortable with being able to throw me around or muscle out of stuff and adapting to it. ProTip: Idc how strong you are, if you're in a RNC you're fucked...

[@vikingbjj7]

When in class, unless you're training for a competition or fight. Put your physical attributes in your back pocket. Try to work technique as much as possible. Where you're wrong is its not a cop out. Larger/stronger people often times force a technique or escape against smaller people. Then it becomes habit for them. Then when they try the same escape against someone stronger than themselves, its not working. You are correct in saying the smaller guys use their speed in the same fashion. But larger people rolling with smaller people really need to focus on not using power, just as much for their own benefit as their training partners.

[@davidhickey4836]

I was usually bigger than most of the guys in the gym..I would get very frustrated when people said that to me..Especially when guys would come after me hard..I won't just lay down..Don't care what anyone says..STRENGTH MATTER'S..in a fight and in tourney..I was snazzy but understood I was knowingly putting myself out of my comfort zone..I use jiu-jitsu to combat fears in every day life

[@sigimem]

I am not doing BJJ a lot but have done it for 2 semesters. I was very blessed because everybody wanted to roll against me when I started (they even asked me to come to theri class before I thought about doing that). I felt like they all wanted to see what BJJ can do for them against a big guy (265lbs). I still like it a lot. Some parts of my BJJ have become slightly better but there has been someone who says I am only using strength and should use more what I learned (he told me I did learn). As far as rolling I don´t use full power all the time but I like that I can use it without problems for example when fighting for a position. It´s also nice to see how little strength is needed when someone perfectly executes a technique. So sometimes I kind of give less ressictance. Not to sound cocky because when the technique is good the other person should get anyway you but sometimes when it´s to much of a size difference you could power out or tire the other person out. So I think even If you are strong you don`t have to use it all the time. And people will respect you for who you are after a while and not because of your build.

[@sommerjordan3835]

sigimem I agree... My training partner (male) is right at 6 foot and almost 300 pounds of pure muscle..... I'm a little over 6 foot and 230 of mostly muscle (female)..... I have a lot of respect for my training partner not due to his size but due to his training..... my legs are longer my arms are longer my torso is a hair shorter... but I can't bulldoze him like I tend to do without thinking to some of my smaller partners.... when I try I tend to get picked up with one arm and slammed..... just part of the game

[@ayoung8764ize]

I have a similar issue! I'm 5'10" 170. My height has actually been more of an issue, plus the fact that at the gym I used to train at, I was the only girl. So when I used to roll, I was always weaker, so I worked really hard to get strong enough to stand up with them. Now at my new gym, there are a lot of women, which is awesome. The blue/purple belts crush me, and they're closer to my strength. But every new white belt is either 5'2" or I can push them over to sweep like nothing.

[@gibbacool2009]

I’m a 36 year of age Brazilian and started my old dream journey (jiu-jítsu) here in Japan,I’m 5’ 11.26 inches almost 6’ and 185 lbs so not big ! But still as I’m a fast learner, I am going through the same !!! Every time I pass somebody’s guard or get off their closed guard or even submit here and there or set myself to just defend and not be submitted and am successful at that I hear instantly from the ones watching “ he’s strong “ so frustrating because I studied and am planning every movement I make and am thinking along as I do them ....

[@ynothughes]

Yes. I've also dealt with some weird infighting being a new big guy at multiple gyms. I've also heard small guys hint that jiu jitsu just isn't for larger people. As if they are the gate keepers... Fuck em.

[@theodorewurz8424]

In Catch Wrestling we don't say this, it is a compliment to be strong. That said, IF you aren't developing technique because you can just manhandle everyone, you won't get good.

[@jessm8734]

Little people who are whining to the big people should be told to simply improve their game, that's the entire point of bjj!

[@denniswm81]

I agree but also some people rely on strength instead of technique. So it can be frustrating for smaller guys when they just get bench pressed off. But in all honesty it's hurting the big guy more in the long run. Because when they get used to pushing small guys around and using strength instead off technique. They get smashed buy other big guys because they didn't take the time to practice technique on the smaller guy

[@bigmember5908]

this is a pretty good vid but one thing where my instructor would always say and it was like a one line fix of the problem, the little person would be like 'man that guy beat me because he was stronger then me' and he would ask them "well did you slow down so they could catch you easily? no? you wanted to use your speed right? so why s houldn't he use his strength?" it's a single setnece that basically killed that complaint in our gym!

[@lilosnitch3247]

When i roll with bigger and better people i just laugh and internally cries while my opponent just RNCs me 😂

[@WAATOORMELOON]

i disagree very heavily. the advantage that strength and size gives you is much greater than speed, flexibility, and any of that combined. this is why there are weight divisions in mma, throw a heavyweight and a featherweight together in the ring and see whose groundwork is better.

[@claytonlachance4920]

My brother used to get frustrated when we rolled at home. ( we have mats) but eventually he figured out little tricks and variations to keep me from using my size. Then when we were at the gym the guys he would roll with that were his size he seemed to dominate them. I feel like his training with me, being twice his size, helped him to improve so much faster then when he rolled with his skill level, and his size guys.

[@scottchappell6456]

Well the flexibility and speed works for small guys against any opponent. Strength and weight only works against a smaller opponent... therefore it's doing a disservice to themselves when they have to face their own weight.

[@PhenominalCat]

PS, SAFETY! if it’s such a strength difference and not enough technical knowledge and experience to make up for it, the more athletic person needs to listen and roll back on intensity. I’m a big girl. 5’11” and 170 lbs. I’ve never had someone complain to me (to my face anyway) about being too big. They may complain about my legs being annoyingly long, but that’s fine cause I’ll complain about their annoyingly short sneaky elbows. You have to match intensity and focus on different abilities of your own depending on who you roll with. I’d never say don’t use your physical advantages, but within reason. Pretty sure this is about a white belt, and I feel for her, but that’s also what can make it scary for her training partners. They see the belt and don’t feel safe with someone that much stronger who may not know the limit. Their complaining is kinda a sign of that.

[@bryantharris5914]

I find that smaller more compact people pick up leverage a lot more quickly, they have no choice as they likely won't be able to stumble through it until they get that leverage right. Bigger guys pick up spacing more quickly. I'm 6'3" 230 and keeping everything tight is a challenge. I'm always looking for ways to transition in moves while keeping things as tight as possible. If I don't I'll lose it. I have no choice but to work on keeping things tight. The great thing about bjj is that you can mold it around your own physical strengths and weaknesses.

[@jasonmarion5609]

Yea people like that make excuses for why they suck in every aspect of there lives. Excuses are for people who need them.

[@jessicab7994]

There’s a difference between being large and using that to your advantage when grappling and being large and only using that.

[@isabellarincon3983]

I have the same problem/ bless because I have been the only girl in my MMA classes for a like 3 month and that actually helps me to become stronger and more technical.

[@jaypills12]

so right bro..

[@reiniervanramshorst1031]

I started bjj with no martial arts experience whatsoever as a 250 lbs 6" 4 (kinda fat) weightlifter and got my ass handed to me in a handbasket by a 140 lbs brown belt. taught both of us things. maybe her training partners just aren't as technical as they think!

[@CarsickPig]

I am a white belt, and this mornings gi class I tapped a blue belt twice with a bow and arrow choke. He said after the second one he could of kept defending but there was no point. It was tight. He compliments me on my game but it seems to be a backhanded compliment. Anyway, it just annoys me and I enjoy the actual roll with him, just not our chats at the end.

[@jrtien]

When I roll with smaller people I try to give them opportunities to work past me after I get dominant position. Maybe I'll get mount then I slow down and go for a choke or armbar with without as much force or urgency. I roll with stronger guys and I try to really get some good technique in because I know that even if I can explode or out stamina them in the long run that won't always be the case. I'm trying to up my game as much as I can, but I really need a dedicated partner to drill specific situations and moves with.

[@paultaylor107]

Dude I wish I lived closer to your club would love to train with You. you seem such a cool and friendly coach...... Sadly I live in the middle of VERY rural Scotland and my nearest club is 50 miles away....... Do you think there is any point in training with grappling dummies? If so what dvds would you recommend (I am not completely inexperienced as I was a judo black belt)

[@StanleyPinchak]

Did you ever find anybody local to train with?

[@paultaylor107]

@@StanleyPinchakI got the gracie combatives and a dummy and hammered it. I have found a bjj coach but due to the pandemic I can only get private lessons which are reasonably priced but no sustainable long-term.

[@StanleyPinchak]

@@paultaylor107 glad to hear you are getting after it. Can you try to get a grappling buddy through your coach, so you can make your privates more affordable and review the things between privates. I hope your gym opens back up soon.

[@VentureDad6]

I'm 6'1" 190 a general big guy, but spent the first year training a lot with the bigger 230+ guys in the gym, one a former wrestler. I got smashed for almost a year, then as the techniques became more fluid I was able to anticipate and hit the windows before they had me locked down. That's the key. You got to catch them in the transition. You get locked down in side control it's too late. Hit them before or you have to wait until they move again.

[@josealvarez6187]

The other day I did a tomo nage style sweep from DLR with a spider hook. Then finished with baseball choke. Guy I rolled with: "man I just can't do anything because of how strong you are." Haha

[@mystyle999999999]

Yeah thats a big reason why i just doe wrestling now i hate this people often say you use too much strenght doesnt matter when you beat someone than you beat him because your strong when you lose than you lose because you just use strenght. in wrestling they have alot more respect for power and strenght thats a big reason alot of brazilian jiu jitsu fighters just cant wrestling and get beat up on there back waiting for an armbar they are not ready to get stronger or fight for there double leg or whatever

[@DeanGodwyn]

are you going to do a video on steroids in bjj and the miyao situation?

[@Chewjitsu]

What kind of question do you have on the subject?

[@toadamine]

There's a reason they have weight classes in most forms of fight competitions. 😉👍

[@brendanspencer2550]

Technique > strength

[@tristinwilson8223]

If someone is using too much strength they will significantly sacrifice their cardio, however if someone is using a great deal of strength and maintaining their intensity throughout the round then they are being efficient, and efficiency and effectiveness are the core of technique. People often tell me boy you are strong after we roll , little do they know I use very little brute strength and rely purely on positing and leverage to impose my will. Yes I’m stronger and bigger than some but bjj has taught me to maximize these attributes tenfold.

[@kristenmoon4405]

I’m 5ft 10 with a background in Kenpo and wrestling. I’ve always been stronger than most, but I’ve had so so so so many times where people try to use my strength as an excuse. Like I try so hard to focus on technique, I can’t help that I’m just strong too. I try to not hurt people, of course.

[@apaiva788]

When im rolling with someone stronger or faster i find myself complimenting them like damn man your fast..holy shit dude youre pretty strong

[@grahamvandyke]

Right before my literal first roll the guy I was going against said "You're going to beat me because you're bigger" (I was +30 pounds and was taller). We were both white belts but he had been training longer, and I dominated the roll. A part of me has always thought he psyched himself out beforehand and that let me muscle him around with 0 experience in grappling.

[@reinoutgeerdink5508]

Technique is just the most effective way of applying strength. If you're strong you can get away with being less technical, if you are weak you can generate more strength/power by being more technical.

[@alefaen]

when i was training weekly i was often rolling with this big russian, heck, i wanted to roll with him, since he was stronger than me. To match him i had to get better, i had to win with technique, and that drove me forward. I liked that.

[@reidgarrison9629]

So relatable

[@gerasbetlas]

Ima strong 80kg guy just starting and i roll with 120kg guys at our gym, its a constant lack of oxygen under the belly you want to quit, some guys dont even bother to apply techniques, they just squish you for 2min and finish you with something basic, IT is what IT is, if you want to chalenge your mind pick the biggest guy in the room first on open matt day, see how that 5 min reflects in the rest of the training. Survive if you can, its a tough sport, deal with IT.

[@Griefer27]

Its interesting but if you training for a while you will notice that bigger people are not that technical even when they reach purple brown belt lvl... and i don't have anything against bigger people but i think its just the way it is. they relay more on the strength then technique for so long time that it developed to a habit. i see purple belts bench press escape from side control all the way and i think it is because they not used to be on the back.. play guard.. anyway my point is i think everyone should learn small man jiu-jitsu first

[@danielcho3270]

I understand what you are saying but, in my gym, there is a large heavy weight purple belt who is one of the MOST technical, clever and skilled guys in the whole gym. Even though we have completely opposite body types, I have learned a ton from him. Exceptions to every rule so let's not throw all our big men under the bus :)

[@caseyfilippo8768]

lolololol I get this a lot 6'7 255, the guy who always says this to me asked what my game plan was for the upcoming tournament and my response was I'm just gonna muscle my way through and he got so flustered lol

[@sonldpsdnk]

Im 5"11 and 160 lb, people dont expect me to be strong, when they say to me "you are strong" I just say thanks and take it like a compliment

[@gsx1138]

Rolled today with a female in my class for the first time. Her arm bars were legit. I outweigh her by 150lb and I really made an effort to not use strength.

[@user-kp3hd9wr4w]

I believe, it is okay to say that, as long as you are saying it without that face lol. I mean, yes, being bigger is having more advantage, but it is not something dirty, you should be proud of yourself because you have more advantage that you can use in real situation. people who make that face just envious people. I dont like those people that they are making friendship being ruined. but if someone saying that without the face, you shouldnt get feeling down about it, just be proud and maybe making a joke about it is good too

[@CaptPostmod]

Um. I'm flexible, 5'9", and 175 pounds. And I've totally had people say "Whoa. You're flexible!"

[@kiara-kh7nh]

CaptPostmod its almost always a compliment, though. It’s impressive, and never used as “you only beat me because you’re flexible.” The only person who told me not to use my flexibility was a brown belt of mine that advised me to stop being so reliant on something that diminishes with time.

[@MajorSezium]

Hi, need some advice. So I'm in my first month of BJJ, training with GB, I'm a no stripe white belt and I'm always trying to attend all possible training classes and try to teach myself stuff from online. I'm sometimes accused of using strength to win and as an overweight 16yo I can understand. But whilst sparring against other white belts some with less training and effort than me - I get beaten all the time. They pass my guard, get out my side and are extremely fast, I understand they'll try anything to beat me because they are white belts as well but I need some advice on how to improve myself and beat others. I know BJJ is a gentle art but it becomes frustrating when I get beaten and once in front of everyone at my gym, I was being choked by a white belt on their first day of training from guard and I was extremely angry and apparently according to a friend it was clear from my face. Would appreciate any advice to improve and get better, especially surpassing the fellow white belt adults I train with. I know I have to better myself and I know it's not all about Wining but it gets frustrating. Any advice appreciated - especially from chewjitsu Hamza 👍

[@bigmember5908]

the thing is emotions are difficult to control esp for a teenage kid. no offnse it's just the way it is hormones etc. you should try not to be concerned about if you lost but rather WHY you lost. how they managed to set it up. there is no scoreboard in training, if you are submitted 1,000 times this week but learned 250 things to watch out for that week is a win training wise. the problem is the mindset, no one celebrates training they only celebrate victories in competition so that is what everyone looks for. it's very hard to break out of that.

[@bigmember5908]

oh as far as advice for improving I'd try to pick two positions to make your focus, not real picky on what they are aside from to say one should be a type of guard and the other a top position. when I started the first two things I focused on were half guard and side control and I worked on having some type of options from those two places. that bit of focus helped me a lot when I started. the truth is tho it's as much about time as any specific training tip.

[@demz6365]

hey chewie, i..am a fat ass, in 16 about 6ft 260+lbs and I've been training for 6 months not counting a few years as a kid, but basically, I do not know what to do when it comes to using my weight, should i use it whenever I can or should i go near all technique in other words, aggressive or calm (currently I often find myself taking my weight off of people and it screws me over because they'll escape or something so I really do not know what to do.)

[@sommerjordan3835]

SKArobot666 DELIRIOUS I'm 6 1 and 230 lbs and not too much older than you.... I've been training for 4 years.... one of the techniques I like that helps me keep weight on the person is using my heels to slide under their back when they arch up.... it keeps them really really uncomfortable.. and keeps my weight down on their body... my other favorite technique to basically use my weight on their chest once I get any position where I can put weight on their chest to basically make it hard for them to breathe..... I stay there as long as I can and let them tire themselves out trying to get me off of them.... these two techniques only tend to work when I outweigh them by 40 to 50 lb or more... With people larger than me I work mostly technique and try to make them wear themselves out as much as possible by making them pick up my body weight (I stay as limp and uncooperative as possible (I think pudding with sticks in it) until I make a major mistake and then I capitalize on it) if it doesn't go my way I try and back out before they get anything I'm trying to tire him out a little more

[@josephmurphy9300]

I actually get it the same way on the other side. I am tall but thin and people will often say "Oh you just beat me cuz your small like a noodle and I can't grab you" I can't explain how frustrating it is when I beat someone 100 lbs heavier than me and they say I won because I'm smaller and I move around easier. It completely devalues all the effort I have put forward to learn the skill.

[@valizeth4073]

What's the highest rank or belt in BJJ? In ITF Taekwondo it's 9th dan. I see alot of professional BJJ folks at the mma gym wearing black belts so I asume that it's the highest grade, but some say brown.

[@shanesmith89]

I agree!