Pulling a large opponent into a closed guard

[gzk]

Had a class tonight and I was partnered with someone much larger than I. I'm about 5'10", 200 (I know, I'm gonna lose weight..), he was about 6'4", 260 or so, and I couldn't close my guard around him. I tried to get my hips as deep as I could, tried to find the narrowest part of his waist, tried pulling him in with his gi as close as I could but I still couldn't do it.

Any tips?

[ninjer]

There are other types of guard besides closed. Against someone who's that big, you're best bet is playing butterfly guard or spider guard, so as to keep his weight off of you. It will also give you more sweeping options, a good bet against opponents that are larger than you.

[gzk]

Ok, haven't been taught those yet (though I am aware of them), will keep them in mind. While the closed guard might not be tactically advantageous, for the purposes of a drill, should it be possible to close guard around virtually any size opponent with correct technique?

[ps1]

Ok, haven't been taught those yet (though I am aware of them), will keep them in mind. While the closed guard might not be tactically advantageous, for the purposes of a drill, should it be possible to close guard around virtually any size opponent with correct technique?

No. That's what BJJ is all about. Everyone has different body types. I'm pretty average size and there are people who have short legs that can't close guard around me. Those guys need to utilize their open guard more often.

[ninjer]

If his waist is longer than your legs, then you obviously wont be able to close your guard around him. An option to this is using your shins in your opponents shoulders as if to create space and prevent him from crushing you down. Since in this scenario your opponent will be putting his weight on you, you'll find that the same basic moves you use from closed guard (i.e. triangle, armbar, etc) will still work just as well because your opponent insists on staying close to you.

[koryustudent]

For me, at 5'8" 155 lbs, I am the smallest person in my class. I found when I did play from the guard against a larger opponent that there were two approaches that I tried to use. I would try and kick their knee out and break them flat, or I would try and get to the side of them and close my guard. There are a few chokes that you can do from the side and an arm bar or two.

After being a a tournament and playing from the guard in a match, the ref ruled in my opponent's favor. He said that because my opponent was being the aggressor as he was on top. That actually made me change my game quite a bit and I stopped playing from the guard. I'm much more comfortable getting in somebody's guard and then passing it. If my opponent chooses not to play from the guard either, I have found techniques like the baseball choke and hiza-gatame that I can perform while on my knees. I guess it is different for each person

[ps1]

If the opponent is larger than you it's always a good idea not to be underneath them. That means getting your hips away and using the open or butterfly guard. Once your guard is good you will find that you flow from closed to open to butterfly to spider in a seamless fashion. It will just depend on what your opponent is doing. Just keep practicing your hip movement, never let the oponent control your hips or head and you can usually escape anything.

[AndrewGreen]

One of the biggest mistakes new people make is to lie on there back, hook there feet, and basically cling on.

As long as you are flat on your back, chances are you will get nothing done. Especially against a bigger guy. You need to open your guard, and move. You need to constantly be working to break his balance, keep his weight off you and attack.

A closed guard can work, but only if it is being used aggressively, that means getting out then closing, climbing up the back, keeping your hips mobile, But never just hook and hold.

[TheRenegade]

If you can hardly, or not at all, even execute a closed guard, physically, you don't need to be doing one.