One issue that arises at some point and time during your BJJ training and it is, “How do I train with females or smaller guys and without injuring them and for me to get a workout?” Hum, good question. I tell my students and other students to train with everyone to get better. I also say that you can’t roll with a larger person or a smaller person the same way you would with a person that is your size. This is called adapting.
You can practice your techniques on them and get your muscles remembering the movers. You will have to adjust to be able to apply the same techniques on different sizes. This will help develop your game as you may encounter this on the street in real life. For as live rolling, if you weigh 200lbs and have a 140lb partner, it doesn’t do you any justice nor your partner if you apply all of your weight and strength against that person, providing that the skill levels are close. Ex. 140lb blue belt vs 200lb white belt. The smaller person will struggle and you will get a false sense of your skills. Let’s roll by being loose and moving freely utilizing your techniques versus using that size and strength.
We can appreciate the smaller person’s ability to use their movement and technique to neutralize the larger person while we try to improve our game by being a larger opponent that is countering with skills versus muscle. Both students will learn from transitioning through different positions and the smaller student will not feel overwhelmed nor get injured. If the smaller person is doing everything right, let them work and do not muscle them. They may submit you and that’s ok. Use your technique to get out and technique to control and submit your smaller partner. Now, go train with all sizes!!