Big Guy Against Small Guy

[Sean Dempsey]

I like what bhothak said.

I'd give MUCH more respect to mental discipline, pain threshold, amount of courage, and just testicular fortitude before size and strength and "bigness".

And there is little corolation between discipline/courage and size/strength.

"Little guys fight til they're burger."

[ryanhall]

I'm not sure why people use the Gracies as an excuse to justify the claim that grappling is the best range for a smaller fighter to defeat a larger one. It is true that size is just one attribute, but it can be an important one. Grappling is the art of manhandling an opponent, whether you use skill in doing it or not. This means that size is a factor, as is strength. Tom Yum is correct, though, as strength isn't usually much of an issue unless the disparity is huge.

However, the fact that Royce or Rickson Gracie can beat opponents much larger than themselves is really immaterial. They have been training from the cradle up to kick your ass, so their skill level is incredible. But what is YOUR skill level? Can YOU really do what they can do? Almost certainly, the answer is 'no.' Is it GJJ that allows them to torch everyone, or is it the fact that they have trained hard their entire lives, and GJJ is just a very solid method of delivering that skill? This is why I don't believe in an 'ultimate martial art.' There are good ones and there are great fighters. Put the two together, and you have someone who will be hard to beat. Period.

In a ring setting, I find it difficult to bet against a high-ranking GJJ player, as they have all day and all night to wait for an opening to submit you once you are on the ground. In a real confrontation, however, you don't have all day, and you may need to get up very quickly.

[Sean Dempsey]

/shrug

I ain't getting any bigger or taller, so I'll just work with what I have.

They have been training from the cradle up to kick your ass, so their skill level is incredible. But what is YOUR skill level? Can YOU really do what they can do? Almost certainly, the answer is 'no.

I absolutley cannot do what the Gracies do.

And probably neither can the guy across from me.

[number18]

Originally posted by ryanhall
They have been training from the cradle up to kick your ass, so their skill level is incredible.

That line. Is hilarious.

[ryanhall]

That line. Is hilarious.

I have my moments.

[tigerjab]

It's been billed that BJJ allows a smaller person to defeat a larger opponent. This is true if the larger person has no idea about grappling. However, if both combatants are skilled in BJJ, the more experienced will most likely win. If they're both equal in skill, I would say the larger person has the advantage.

Therefore, the initial statement regarding size applies to any effective martial art and not just BJJ. A little guy that is skilled in MT will very likely mess up a larger opponent with no training.

BJJ IS an effective strategy. But I thing whoever made the initial statement was promoting the art for financial reasons. And "yes" there are certain truths to the claim: a BJJ guy may have a chance against an amateur boxer, but that's trivial... We may never know.

Thanks for the accurate analysis.
Since Royce's appearance and winnings in the early days of UFC, group of fanatics start to grow here in this country, thinking that if you know BJJ you can defeat any size of opponent, the late Master Helio Gracie use to say the same thing. We all saw what happened when fighters learned BJJ little by little we saw the BJJ experts getting beat in the Octagon.
Royce Gracie loosing to Sakuraba, Royler loosing to Mario Sperry, Royce Gracie again loosing to Wallid Smaill and going to sleep due to a clock choke
and the list goes on. Now, I'm not trashing BJJ here, these days if you are one dimensional fighter you have no business in professinal fighting.

You may have a chance with somebody with no skills, as far goes for self-defense in real fights with no mats, no referees, and no space, you better have more tools other than BJJ alone.

[shuyun]

skill level my foot,

i train, i fight, i have experience, but it still gives me no license to dis a 250 pound muscle bound thug.

He can still get at me with a lucky punch. Yeah, your martial art "doesn't require strength". Really? What are all those mat cleaning exercises for, to dirty your gi? What's all the push ups for? What's a 90 pound weakling of a blackbelt going to do?

Everything even the "gentle way/method" requires strength. Seen any MMA event with BJJ competitors fight with spaghetti arms and brings an asthma inhaler to ringside?

Size matters. You may find a way to win and you may win, but not every time. To discount size just because you have "perfect technique" well that's your funeral.

[black knife]

Conditioning is everything...if you are out of shape then all the techniques in the world are not going to help you. At the same time if you use strength through out your whole fight then you will gas out faster.

When I go against bigger and stronger guys I know I have to conserve my energy or I will gas out and die. So I always try to relax when I roll around with big guys. I concentrate on my breathing because this keeps me relaxed. I will use technique and speed to fend off the bigger guys attacks. When they push I pull...when they pull I push. I also listen to their breathing and the faster they breathe I know they are getting tired so I will make my move to finish them when I know they have blown their load and can't use their strength to resist me. This is what Jiu-jitsu is about...use your opponents strength against him. Remember their strength only comes into play if I try to resist them but if I go with the flow then their strength is not an issue. This way of sparring takes a long time to get down...so spar spar spar

[ProKarateShop]

I would have to say that old saying of size does not matter, still stands.. Experience is always key, btw, there are times when a smaller person can be at an advantage. I think a person has to look at ALL of the variables involved in a match.. I think you should look at every variable.

[jubaji]

I would have to say that old saying of size does not matter, still stands.

That 'old saying' is pretty stupid.

[Bootweasel]

I think it's kinda crazy to say that size doesn't matter. I train with a guy who has wrists and forearms the size of my freakin legs and I have no end of trouble getting locks on the guy.

Height and weight seem to be less relevant to ground work than to stand up: http://www.unbreakablemindset.info/A...g-a-bigger-man

[Kneevsface]

Its all boils down to who has a better technique an who wants it more. Im 65 kilo an ive taken guys who are over 100 kilo with a single thigh kick. Shure they have huge power but are slow as a smaller guy is like lightning an realy on a good technique. So both big an little dudes have there cons an pros. In the end simply the beter fighter will win

[jubaji]

There are lots of big guys who are very fast, and not every little guy is "as fast as lightening" with really good technique just because they are little. That's just silly shit.

[Kneevsface]

Well if the dont have a good techniqe they wouldent be that fast would they =p

[Bootweasel]

Thirty posts in and nobody has mentioned fighting on stilts?