The Micro BJJ program was created for the smaller grappler, but smaller doesn’t necessarily mean shorter…
If you haven’t heard of Micro BJJ by now and you weight less than 160 pounds, you should definitely look into it. One of my good friends and instructors, Coach Dan Faggella, has put together hours of instructional footage designed to help the smaller grappler be successful.
Ryan Hall is a good example of a taller but smaller grappler
One of the best parts of the Micro BJJ program is that Coach Dan will take reader requests from people in the Micro BJJ community. Smaller grapplers from all around the world can share thoughts, ask questions, and analyze the game while getting solid feedback.
Dan also runs a website called Science of Skill, where he writes articles, and posts the answers and feedback to some of the reader requests he gets from the Micro BJJ community.
Recently, Dan got a question from one of the Micro BJJ community members that I thought was a very interesting question. The guy who sent the question in was a lighter weight guy, but also very tall. In the article (click here to read full article), Dan goes on to show some Micro BJJ techniques for the taller grappler.
This now poses the question, how can a taller lightweight grappler use Micro BJJ to his or her advantage?
Closed Guard
A tall guy with spider-like limbs and a viscous closed guard. I’m sure most of you have seen this guy before. Maybe some of you know him. Maybe you are him.
It seems to me that a lot of taller guys prefer to use closed guard. There is nothing more frustrating than when you are trying to break a guys’ closed guard and he locks a body triangle on you. I personally think that closed guard is a great game to play if you have the length for it.
In the video, Dan explains that he has seen closed guard work very well for taller but lighter guys. He then shows a nice little technique on how to get to closed guard while avoiding getting squashed by the top guy.
Like I said, closed guard is awesome if you are taller than most. I know from experience that the guys that give me the most trouble are the lanky guys at my own weight. If I am rolling with someone who has long limbs, I try to avoid getting stuck in closed guard, for it can be a dangerous place if you are not careful.
Avoiding Getting Squashed
Another thing that the reader mentioned in his request is that guys were sometimes able to manipulate and pin his legs down because they were longer than most. Essentially, his legs were being eliminated from the picture and he was getting squashed by guys.
Rafael doing a great job bracing and framing off of Rodolfo
Dan addresses this by going into a bit of conceptual stuff. He explains that techniques like the de la riva guard are good for longer guys because they enable you to play and inside game without the threat of being squashed.
He also mentions that in order to not get squashed by your opponent, you have to constantly use your limbs to brace off of your opponent. This means always having a wall of some sort in between you and your opponent. Whether it be a knee across the torso, forearm against the neck, or foot against the hip, bracing and framing will always insure that your opponent will not have the opportunity to squash you.
I completely agree with this for a few reasons. The first being that this works well for any smaller grappler, tall or short. I play a bottom game that involves bracing and framing, and I am constantly trying not to end up flat on my back where I get squashed.
Secondly, being a shorter and smaller guy myself, I know that when I face a taller guy, my goal is to avoid his long limbs by removing them from my path and immediately closing the distance once they are no longer a threat.
So Remember:
If you are a taller but smaller grappler, the closed guard and de la riva guard may work well for you. Also, if you use your limbs as braces and avoid getting pressure applied to your torso, so will avoid getting smashed by guys trying to pass your guard.
Hope you enjoyed, make sure to check out www.MicroBJJ.com and www.ScienceofSkill.com for more on the lightweight grappling game and reader requests!
Chube Jitsu 