Techniques to Defeat Bigger and Stronger Opponents

A book to point out the keys to beat bigger guys, plain & simple.

This doesn’t happen often for me, but when I finished this book, it was as if Dan came to talk to me after getting smashed  by someone bigger than me.  I could all but picture him sitting down next to me, while I have my head down trying to figure out why I could not express my techniques well, putting his hand on my shoulder and giving me the 411.

This book does more than just suggest certain techniques to use, it gives you, as a small grappler, a set of principles and concepts to add to your overall Jiu-Jitsu philosophy in regards to fighting.

Sometimes, especially for me now that I am at purple belt, you don’t need to learn new techniques.  Sometimes, it’s about organizing your game plan to use techniques you already know in a strategic manner to help you excel.  I am a huge fan of systemized approaches because it just works well with my OCD tendencies.  I also need to see the big picture before I can truly buy in.

I read the book and I pondered it for some time.  I looked for some evidence that these tactics work via YouTube.  It made a lot of sense, and, empirically speaking, it worked.  But, would it work for me?

I have read this book twice now, and I can tell you that the big picture presented in this book has helped me a lot already.

There’s no way I could write about this book, without trying it out on the mats.  I owe myself that, and frankly, I owe it to you, too.  So, after a week of training and trying these principles out, I can flat out say that it just works.  The ideas and concepts in this book helped me level the playing bar against my bigger teammates and gave me an edge and extra dimension.

The best part about this book?  For me, hands down, is that I can read a chapter of the book and try it out IMMEDIATELY on the mats the same day and experience success.

Now, your mileage may vary.  We are all different, so I can’t say without a doubt that this will work for you (unlike my guides to washing white gis and washing black gis).  Shameless plug, lol.

However, I will say that it is DEFINITELY at least a starting point for you to start to consider what tools you will be using against bigger opponents.  It is DEFINITELY going to help you proliferate a more competitively strategic mind overall.  And, it is DEFINITELY going to increase your overall Jiu-Jitsu prowess.

Here are some of my personal favorite quotes from the book:

Remember, getting into locked orientations while on bottom is not what you want.  Your mobility is your best friend, and you need to utilize it if you want to win against the larger and stronger guys.

The closed guard is an absolute staple in the world of jiu-jitsu and grappling, however, it can be a double -edged sword against the bigger guys.

Mobility is key, guys!  I cannot stress this enough, and with submissions, this comes into play big time.  Avoiding positions where you have less mobility is key as well.  Instead of getting bench pressed from side control, try working from the knee-on-belly position so you can potentially spin to the back or capture an arm for the armbar.

The closed guard is probably the least preferable spot to pass from against a larger and stronger opponent.  You do not have any movement potential, your mobility is non-existent, and you are at risk for submissions.  So, the first thing you must do if you end up in the closed guard of a much larger opponent is get the heck out.

From those quotes alone, you get an idea of his conversational writing style.  This makes the book a easy read as well as dense in the sense of information.  There’s no fluff here.  And, like I said, it’s as if he’s talking to you directly about how to circumvent some of the issues associated with fighting larger grapplers.

You are essentially getting a private lesson for just under $10.  You just can’t beat that.

What belt ranks would benefit from this book?

I think it’s safe to say that this book will be beneficial to you from blue belt and up.  I would be remiss to say that everyone should buy this book, because, the honest truth as I see it, is that you should probably have a decent base from which to launch into the concepts of this book.  So, if you started jiu-jitsu a month ago, you are probably better served working on learning jiu-jitsu as a whole before diving into the nitty gritty of this book.

I’m a lightweight/middleweight and Dan Faggella is a rooster, is this book for me?

Yes!  This book is for everyone that ISN’T an ultraweight.  And, IF YOU ARE an ultraweight, perhaps you should consider picking this up so that you know what us sneaky small ninjas are going to be doing to you ;).  Stated bluntly, most of you are not the biggest guy at your gym, so it would serve you well.  Secondly, if you are a big guy and you are on the fence about this book, consider how beneficial this tool would be when you enter absolute open weight tournaments; it’s almost guaranteed someone bigger and stronger is going to be matched up with you.

Yeah.. I thought so.

There isn’t much more to say without divulging more information that I’m comfortable with.  I give this book 5 stars, and, apparently, so do a large number of others as it is now the #1 Best Seller in the Martial Arts category on Amazon.

Lastly, if you weren’t convinced that this book will give you the keys to beat bigger guys just yet, check out another rooster weight beating an ultra heavyweight using the exact same principles and concepts explained in this book:

[youtube=http://youtu.be/H4y470B-MWk]

You can pick up the ebook here.

*UPDATE*

Dan has put this out on paperback as well. If you prefer paperback, get it here.