Heavyweights: People are often surprised to hear that I train many heavyweights the same way I train lightweights. Too often people underestimate the degree to which bigger people can play a smooth and technically adept game that involves inversions and flexible guard play as well as many lightweights. When I come to asses to coach someone I don’t judge them by their WEIGHT and SIZE, but rather by their MOVEMENT POTENTIAL. Some big people can move extremely well and in these cases, I teach them the same program as the lightweights. Here is Big Dan Manasoiu, at six foot seven (200 cm) and over 250 pounds (115 kg) he certainly is big, yet you can see he inverts into leg locks as well as any lightweight. Don’t let people tell you how you should grapple based on size. I’ve see. Small people play a powerful top pressure game well against bigger opponents, I’ve seen big men roll around the floor with the speed and agility of a mongoose. Movement quality, not size is the best predictor of how you should play.
