u/NaturalLatter8740

How do you spar with bigger beginner women, as a coach

I’m a female coach, about 145lb, so not that big not that small when it comes to other women. With beginner women, I always play off back and only take top position for short periods, and never use pressure.

I usually have no trouble with this with women much larger than me. However, I sometimes have women who are much bigger but also very strong and athletic. For example there’s a new lady who just started who is half my age, at least 30kg bigger and very athletic. I swear if I let her get mount it’ll be hard to get out lol. I’m confident I can manage that, but I don’t really want to put myself through rounds where I’m having to work so hard, just for her to have an easy round.

I feel like with men this is so much easier, I can’t imagine a male coach worrying about the same with new men. I think men expect to get ‘beat up’ by the coach when they start. But with women I feel like there’s an expectation I should take it very easy.

If I wasn’t the coach, I’d be happy to just keep top position and use gentle top control. As I write this, I feel like this is the answer.

Also to add, this is nogi. I don’t do any gi at all, but I imagine in the gi it would be easier to control large beginners.

I’d love to hear experiences from others, from coaches perspective and especially from the perspective of women who have had female coaches.

reddit.com
u/NaturalLatter8740 — 5 days ago

Starting gi for the first time as a purple belt

When I first started bjj, I did both gi and nogi for about six months. Absolutely loved nogi and did not enjoy the gi at all. Part of this, with hindsight, is that 95% of my training was with white belt men which was not fun.

I switched to a nogi gym and swore that I’d never wear the gi again. My gym has now introduced gi classes and we have a nice handful coloured belt gi players. So I’m thinking of giving it another chance. Even if I just drill the technique to start with, and maybe do playful rolls with people who won’t just kill me.

Can anyone share their experiences with making this jump? I will be embarrassed to wear my purple belt but will have to just suck it up.

reddit.com
u/NaturalLatter8740 — 12 days ago