Technique or Strength?

[Simon Hayes]

Every academy in the world has some guys who use technique to make up for their lack of strength,and other guys who use their strength to make up for lack of technique.

These academies also have guys who are blessed with both,naturally or through hard work.They are the ones that win Gold Medals.

Simon@Carlsons

[mafmaa]

My strength (and weight) is a weakness, as I use it to my advantage all the time and dont seem to progress my technique.
I'm very close to my blue (or so my instructor says) but I'm affraid that if I get it I will want to win every fight and revert to my usual north south belly flop. As a white at the moment I dont mind loosing as long as I get to try new things or things out of my comfort zone.
Any tips on stopping this?

[Malcontent]

At the moment all I have is my strength.

It has become quite apparent to me that I do not have a natural aptitude for BJJ. However, I thoroughly enjoy it so I shall persevere regardless.

I struggle with my technique. My concentration and my memory are part of the reason that I struggle.

I can watch the instructor go over a technique four or five times and feel quite certain that I understand everything he's said. Yet when I sit down with my partner to try it out it's completely gone from my mind. It's almost as if I haven't been shown at all.

Very annoying.

I know that I've been able to escape a number of technically superior sparring partners submission attempts as a direct result of my strength. But what happens when I come up against someone who's as strong as me (if not stronger) and I haven't got my techniques down? It'll be curtains for me, that's what'll happen!

Right now I'd trade half my strength just to have a quarter more in terms of technique.

More matt time me thinks.

[Wikwit]

In an ideal world, I'd like to have both - enough strength to apply the techniques that I've worked hard to master.

In reality, I have neither - as I am a noob and a weakling.

But I'm working very hard to rectify that.;)

[Andy K]

i'm sure onecould win gold medals with pure technique.....

[Malcontent]

Whenever I go on youtube and watch UK BJJ fights this guy (Michael Russell) always impresses me with his technique.

The background commentary is pretty funny and the fight itself is worth watching till the end IMO.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Volf4p_alas&feature=related

[Simon Hayes]

i'm sure onecould win gold medals with pure technique.....

If technical expertise in 2 fighters is level,strength and conditioning will be the deciding factor.


If strength and conditioning in 2 fighters is level,technical expertise will be the deciding factor.

[creonte]

my fren if strength condition an techniqe is same brazilian vitamin an acai gonna be decide fact for sure.

[Andy K]

Simon: you are indeed correct, however, I really love to watch someone roll who just flows and can negate strength, to me this is real BJJ and the reason why I for one started BJJ.

Creonte: you are a LEGEND!

[Manik]

At the moment all I have is my strength.

It has become quite apparent to me that I do not have a natural aptitude for BJJ. However, I thoroughly enjoy it so I shall persevere regardless.


Excellent attitude to have and it will take you far




I struggle with my technique. My concentration and my memory are part of the reason that I struggle.

I can watch the instructor go over a technique four or five times and feel quite certain that I understand everything he's said. Yet when I sit down with my partner to try it out it's completely gone from my mind. It's almost as if I haven't been shown at all.


I always try and say the steps to each technique in my head, then say them aloud as i do them in sequence eg grab arm, move hips, posture up
after the basics, drill drill drill until you dont remember the technique but your body does, i'm sure someone could explain it using neurones and sunapses and stuff :)





I know that I've been able to escape a number of technically superior sparring partners submission attempts as a direct result of my strength. But what happens when I come up against someone who's as strong as me (if not stronger) and I haven't got my techniques down? It'll be curtains for me, that's what'll happen!

Right now I'd trade half my strength just to have a quarter more in terms of technique.

More matt time me thinks.

well at you have spotted what you are doing which a lot of strong guys dont, you'll just have to consciously try and not use your natural advantages which isn't easy. just say to yourself before a particular roll, no spazzing out!

and your strength is an asset, especially when properly applied!

I'm by no means an expert just commenting on what I have observed on the matts

[1inchPonch]

I hate rolling with guys that purely rely on strength. They always seem like an accident waiting to happen and i always come away thinking they are a bit of an arse.

I think i've got some kind of natural aversion to developing strength as i never seem to get any stronger no matter how hard i train or lift weights. I've therefor got no option but to try to develop good technique which is also shit at the moment. I'm getting pretty good at getting smashed though.

[Malcontent]

I always try and say the steps to each technique in my head, then say them aloud as i do them in sequence eg grab arm, move hips, posture up
after the basics, drill drill drill until you dont remember the technique but your body does, i'm sure someone could explain it using neurones and sunapses and stuff :)



That's a good way of looking at it.

I think I'll start bringing a notepad and pen and try to make notes.

[david5]

technique then strength.

by that i think you could benefit from having a decent game (purple/brown) before you start to get jacked on weights

[Wikwit]

That's a good way of looking at it.

I think I'll start bringing a notepad and pen and try to make notes.

I've found writing the techniques whilst on the train ride home help me break down the techniques into stages, and I guess the process helps me relive it my mind.

Nothing beats extra mat time though with a good training partner....

[diver]

How many times do you hear, yer he tapped me but he's stronger. When the smaller guy win's it because he's really good. Or did he, did he cheat by being faster? or more flexible? or his longer limbs?. The best bjj player wins. Play the game put it the time. Time rolling, time on cardio, time on strengh, if these are equal, the player who has spent more time on technique will win. There is always an excuse, he's stronger, faster, more flexible, more experience. If you lose its no shame, you entered you put yourself there. Stand proud in defeat. If you win it will be because at some point, cardio, strengh, flexibility or technique wise you out trained your oppenent. For this you can be very proud.

peace,

[123 MMA]

my fren if strength condition an techniqe is same brazilian vitamin an acai gonna be decide fact for sure.

LOL,

Whats Brazilian vitamin, roids?

[Meerkatsu]

I could not believe the amount of hard conditioning work my team mates went through in preparation for the Mundials. It was obscene torture they went through.
In the end, conditioning took them only so far. The guy with the better technique won through. But man, what guts they showed in the long training journey up to the event. Win or lose, they came back stronger in every sense both mentally and physically.

For me, at the lower end of the weight spectrum, I like to think my technique is better than any puny amount of strength I have. In the dojo technique helps me from being crushed by experienced big guys, and technique helps me attack less experienced big guys with confidence. However... in competition, I have noticed, better strength and conditioning in my opponents have often overwhelmed me.

[The Natural]

this is a subject that i have long battled with..

in the beginning all i had was strength..this caused almost everyone problems when rolling because of the strength factor..

i decided to side line the weight training and concentrate solely on ground fighting in an attempt to become more technical and understanding of the mechanics of high level rolling. I did some conditioning during this period..my raw strength went down alot, but my technique had risen and i did well in a few comps..

i since then had a roll with a guy who had some technique but was very strong and he caused me some problems..i did sub him but it reminded me of the fact that strength is a real natural advantage if used correctly..

I have since returned to 'the iron' and my strength levels have increased again quite rapidly..muscle memory i suppose and i am currently attempting to find some middle ground..

Now that is confusing:D ..if anyone has advice for me please feel free to reply as it would be appreciated.:cool:

what i can say is if the correct balance is struck..strength plus technique is the absolutely best combination.

[TotemMMA]

Got to have both, I concentrate more on technique then strength/power though. I do high reps (sets of 50) at 60/70% of my 1rm so I can maintain power without gassing out.

[Leigh]

I don't see why they need to be separated. I don;t care how much technique you have, if you are weak, you won't be able to do jiujitsu. That doesn't mean you have to be as strong as your opponent but you must be able to perform certain movements. If you don't have good strength, you won't have great mobility

Leverage is a good way to multiply your force but 10 times nothing is still nothing

I also like using strength to beat weaker guys and hear the contradiction that I only won cos I was stronger

[Rob T]

Using strength is only a problem if it's preventing you from, or slowing down your learning.

[mafmaa]

Agree, it's not about winning or loosing, it's about improving!

[The Natural]

Agree, it's not about winning or loosing, it's about improving!

Its ALL about the winning!!:D

[NeilD]

Like Simon and Leigh have said.. have both!

Having both strength/conditioning and techinque are not two mutually exclusive things.. and you don't have to give up one to develop the other. Just make sure you don't fatigue yourself too badly for a class to develop technique.

I've certainly won fights where my opponant has been equal to me technically (or better) but I've had better strength and conditioning.. I've been able to go harder, for longer.

Always technique 1st though, but develop both.

[Darkne$s]

I am blessed with neither, I am however blessed with luck. I constantly get triangles and armbars thru pure luck. It just happens.

[12oz]

ive lifted weights/powerlifted for 20years,i box(badly..)dabble in muay thai etc,ive trained bjj both gi and nogi for the past 3 years on and off,but having marcus nardini on my doorstep,ive been training in the gi regularly for the past 3 months. i tend to power through people,and my size doesnt correspond with my stamina when rolling.(i dont gas easily).what im finding is that im starting to think more about technique,positioning etc cause i feel im not really training bjj to its advantage.

[Wiegieboard]

Technique in my opinion goes hand in hand with strength.

Techniques require muscular movements and muscles are tissue that contracts. The faster, stronger and longer that the tissue can contract, the faster, stronger and longer that the tequniques can be applied.

[Malcontent]

Yeah but there are different types of strength and there are different ways of training for them.

Pure brute force

Explosive, fast power

Muscle endurance.

All these things are required, but I think you'd need to train differently to achieve them.

[NeilD]

Strength Vs Technique.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBQXngyL7tw

[pauljono1120]

I think strength is a must, its a pain in the ass trying to get subbs like arms locks, arm bars ect.. when there resisting and there alot stronger than you lol.

[NeilD]

I think strength is a must, its a pain in the ass trying to get subbs like arms locks, arm bars ect.. when there resisting and there alot stronger than you lol.

thats a situation where technique is more important imo