AskIt Logo
  • New to BJJ?Starter Guide
  • The RulesDos & Don’ts
  • White Belt Problems
  • Starting BJJ
  • Learning BJJ Faster
  • BJJ for Self Defense
  • BJJ Belts & Promotion
  • BJJ vs Other Martial Arts
Home » Starting BJJ » How do I stop bigger, stronger opponents from beating me?
1

How do I stop bigger, stronger opponents from beating me?

- John Q. Whitebelt

Posted by John Q. Whitebelt in Starting BJJ | 1 comment

Community Answers

  1. This solution has been deemed correct by the post author

    76
    7-8-13
    Aesopian says:

    The short answer: Jiu-jitsu.

    Sorry, that’s not very helpful, but what you probably mean is “Which jiu-jitsu techniques can I use to beat a bigger, stronger opponent?” Again, the trouble is that’s still too broad. The answer is “all of them” or “any of them” or “the right ones.” I don’t mean to get all Mr. Miyagi on you, so I’ll explain.

    Jiu-jitsu was developed to give a smaller, weaker person a chance to defend against and even subdue a large aggressive attacker. Good jiu-jitsu techniques achieve this through positioning and leverage, and they should work on a bigger, stronger opponent. That means you have the entire breadth of jiu-jitsu to look to for answers.

    There isn’t a single move, or even a specific series of moves, that will let you easily defeat a monster. I could show you my favorites moves, and another instructor could show you theirs, and that might help you. That’s the basis for Stephan Kesting’s DVD sets that are specifically dedicated to “How to Defeat the Bigger, Stronger Opponent,” like his most recent one with fellow black belt Brandon Mullins. Those DVDs, or any like them, will give you techniques and ideas that will help.

    So learning new techniques is helpful, especially if you don’t know very many yet, but it only goes so far. Eventually, you know enough techniques–maybe even too many–but you could still be having problems. That’s when it becomes a matter of gaining more experience (mostly through sparring), increasing your skill, and deepening your knowledge. How well do you know what you know?

    Let’s be honest, being big and strong is its own advantage. That’s why we’re having this talk. Beginners struggle with this problem, and given a big and strong enough opponent, even experienced guys do. They want solutions now. The trouble is that it simply takes a long time to learn jiu-jitsu, which is frustrating if in the meantime you’re getting smashed by big guys.

    My advice is the same as if you asked “How do I learn jiu-jitsu?” It’s simple and straightforward:

    • Go to class regularly
    • Pay attention to your instructor
    • Spar a lot (especially with big guys, if they are the problem)

    Stick with BJJ for at least 6-12 months, even if you don’t feel like you’re getting better. It may even take longer. But one day, you’ll know enough techniques and do them well enough that you won’t be worrying about this any more.

    You probably wanted something quicker and easier, and believe me, if I had that secret, I’d be selling it for millions!

    Log in to Reply
    +207

    Was this answer helpful?

    LikeDislike

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

IMPORTANT NOTE: By submitting an answer, you give permission for it to be published in future editions of the White Belt Problems book.

Ask a BJJ Question

Buy the Book on Amazon

Categories

  • BJJ Belts & Promotion
  • BJJ Books & DVDs
  • BJJ Competition
  • BJJ Etiquette
  • BJJ Fitness & Diet
  • BJJ for Fitness
  • BJJ for Kids
  • BJJ for Self Defense
  • BJJ Gis & Gear
  • BJJ History
  • BJJ Injuries
  • BJJ Lifestyle & Culture
  • BJJ Techniques
  • BJJ vs Other Martial Arts
  • Finding a BJJ School
  • Health & Hygiene
  • Learning BJJ Faster
  • Starting BJJ
  • White Belt Problems

Recent Questions

  • Youth to adult transition
  • private lessons when your a newbie worth it or not?
  • Is it good practice for a beginner to be at open mats?
  • Is it ok to wear shirts and gear of other people/academies that im a fan of?
  • Is an open level gym bad?

Recent Answers

  • dogs_bolx on Is it good practice for a beginner to be at open mats?
  • LittleAussieGrappler on Does Gi color matter?
  • LittleAussieGrappler on What makes a martial art effective?
  • LittleAussieGrappler on private lessons when your a newbie worth it or not?
  • LittleAussieGrappler on Does BJJ prepare you for self defense?

Categories

  • BJJ Belts & Promotion
  • BJJ Books & DVDs
  • BJJ Competition
  • BJJ Etiquette
  • BJJ Fitness & Diet
  • BJJ for Fitness
  • BJJ for Kids
  • BJJ for Self Defense
  • BJJ Gis & Gear
  • BJJ History
  • BJJ Injuries
  • BJJ Lifestyle & Culture
  • BJJ Techniques
  • BJJ vs Other Martial Arts
  • Finding a BJJ School
  • Health & Hygiene
  • Learning BJJ Faster
  • Starting BJJ
  • White Belt Problems
  • Home
  • About
  • Ask a Question
  • Beginner’s Guide to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
  • Contact
  • Dashboard
  • Edit Post
  • Rules
  • Sitemap
  • Your Profile
  • BJJ Belts & Promotion
  • BJJ Books & DVDs
  • BJJ Competition
  • BJJ Etiquette
  • BJJ Fitness & Diet
  • BJJ for Fitness
  • BJJ for Kids
  • BJJ for Self Defense
  • BJJ Gis & Gear
  • BJJ History
  • BJJ Injuries
  • BJJ Lifestyle & Culture
  • BJJ Techniques
  • BJJ vs Other Martial Arts
  • Finding a BJJ School
  • Health & Hygiene
  • Learning BJJ Faster
  • Starting BJJ
  • White Belt Problems