How Rolling with Dudes Twice My Size Helped Me

by Lea Park

Yes, you read that right. After all of these years (and belts), I’m finally admitting that rolling (safely) with guys that are twice my size has helped improved my Jiu-Jitsu. I know that must sound crazy… to hear an older, 5 ft tall female, saying that rolling with much bigger guys helps. In fact, when I was a white belt through purple, I was the only female training and the guy closest to my size still had about 20-30 lbs on me. I often viewed this as an adversity; but later realized it had been a blessing in disguise all along. Here’s what it taught me:

Communication is key. You obviously want to be picky about who you train with, especially with a large size differential. Always observe the way that others roll, especially if you are considering training with them. You definitely do not want to choose the most aggro guy in the gym, but rather, someone who knows how to use technique and be able to push you in training. This should also be someone who you know and have a rapport with in the gym because if something should go awry in training, you are able to communicate clearly with them to stop, slow down, or use less pressure to prevent you from getting injured unnecessarily. When you train with someone you don’t really know, you aren’t always forthcoming with feedback if something doesn’t feel right.

Train smarter, not harder. When Caio Terra coined the term, “Technique conquers all,” he wasn’t making this stuff up. You might not realize it when you’re a white or blue belt, but technique really does come in to play when rolling with someone who is larger (or even smaller) than you. Early on during my white belt days, I got really frustrated with being continuously smashed by everyone so I forced myself to move quicker to avoid getting my guard passed or when trying to pass their guards. Despite feeling like having a huge disadvantage because of my size, I also had to learn how to make adjustments to be able to stay in control when in mount, side control, and on the back without getting bench pressed or flung off of them. While it was a lot of trial and errors to figure out what worked and what didn’t, I eventually figured out how to use my size to my advantage.

Professora Lea Park using technique to overcome body size differences. Photo: Lea Park

You can learn something from everyone. I think that there is a misconception that people can only do things that their size allows. This is definitely not true. For example, Buchecha is flexible and moves like a little guy and Renato Tavares feels like he’s 1,000 lbs when he puts the pressure on. Using some of the “big boy” techniques and adding my modifications for size, I’ve been able to replicate some of their moves and make it my own while still feeling “small.”

Appreciate differences and embrace them. The biggest take away from this is that I used to think that my size was the biggest adversity for me in Jiu-Jitsu. However, it has become my greatest asset and has taught me that I can have a great training session with someone twice my size using technique, good communication and a solid pace. It has helped me face some fears about getting injured or angry when training with someone larger who will use my size to their advantage. It has also helped me gain the confidence to know that my technique works against people of all sizes.

This is not to say that you should call out all the big boys at your gym. Be smart and diligent about your training, ladies. Your safety should be the most important thing when choosing who to roll with. There are guys who know how to train with females of all sizes and there are also guys who do not. Communicate effectively, train smart, and above all, have fun. It’s crazy the amount of things you learn when you’re not focused solely on the results but rather, the process.

While it was a lot of trial and errors to figure out what worked and what didn’t, I eventually figured out how to use my size to my advantage.
PROFESSORA LEA PARK

Lea Park

Lea is a Gracie Barra black belt formerly out of Seattle, WA. She has over 10 years of experience writing for numerous Hawaii MMA publications, MMA Sucka, and Grapplers Planet. Most notably, she was the Creative Director for ALLDAYBJJ.com and is the proud owner of Choke Aloha, a Hawaii inspired lifestyle Jiu-Jitsu brand.