Tips for "short" fighters fighting taller opponents??

**Shokei Marcsui** · 11-07-2006, 02:36 PM

OSU!

I am 5'6 (170.69 cm) and have a broad shoulders so i'm not a skinny fellow. Everyone in class is slightly taller than me 5'9 - 6'0 (179 - 183 cm) and it would appear that the average kyokushin fighter (tournament wise) is around 5'10 to 5'11.

In kicking range i'm at a loss due to reach and inside i'm at a loss inside if the person I am fighting is stronger than I am.

I've been working on body conditioning and getting my mawashi geri high enough to hit within clinch distance with tai sabaki movement out of the clinch (sen(m)pai Phil. OSU!)

My biggest problem is trying to bridge the distance between kicking and clinch. Some advice was given to me that shorter fighters SHOULD fight in closer to negate the ease of headshots from the taller fighter. I find it easier to bridge that distance with someone that I am stronger than, but if my opponent is equally strong or stronger than I, taking a kick coming in is much harder to bear.

So does anyone have any tips for shorter fighters in kumite?

Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated.

Billy no mates · 11-07-2006, 03:53 PM

Just as a taller fighter poses you certain problems you yourself will pose different problems to a taller adversary and you shouldnt lose sight of that fact .
The advice youve been given on distance is sound if you fight at your optimum distance it will automatically detract from their techniques and you may find them hoping backward to try and get their distance if you follow them up you will end up making them retreat and frustrating them into the bargain .
You might also try working on your inside low kicks in order to bring them down by those few inches you need to make the mawashi geri jodans you are practicising that bit easier and effective to execute .

Bruce · 11-07-2006, 07:36 PM

To give you a tall guy's (6,3) point of view I've always found that I can push smaller fighters away as they charge in with a thrusting mae geri keeping them at the sort of range I like (i.e kicking range) - It's the smaller fighters who can move in or round that kind of defence that I have trouble with!

Lucy · 11-07-2006, 10:26 PM

Keep in close: a taller opponent will find that fustrating as it takes them out of their comfort zone, they can't find their range and that will hamper their ability. Also being shorter has the advantage that you can move quicker around them getting good low kicks and body shots in when their hunting your head!

**Shokei Marcsui** · 11-07-2006, 11:17 PM

I'm having trouble with getting around those kicks and into the "clinch" zone. Against an opponent that i'm stronger than, it is not a problem. Eating a kick of someone that is stronger than or equally strong as I am is hard. Trust me, i've eaten a few kicks from fake mae geri into mawashi geri into the head....

Also, I am working on getting comfortable in the "clinch" zone. Unfortunately because of my previous style of martial arts, my comfort zone is kicking range which is not optimal for a short person in full contact kumite.

ojgsxr6 · 11-08-2006, 09:39 AM

Understand that I'm still learning so take my advice with a grain of salt. As a smaller fighter these are things I am trying to incorporate into my sparring.

I try to use footwork to create angles (Sabaki). And I try to get to the opponents weak side usually left, but sometimes I go towards the power side and I hear that's a bad habit.

I try to play a more of a counter game. A parry can give you the opportunity to move into a better position for you.

Now what can work is a Blitzkrieg approach where you come out aggressive and try to close the gap as fast as possible, I usually get hit a lot when I try this.

Now my one of my main problems is most of the time I get too close which not only neutralizes my opponents power but my own. So what I'm trying to work is moving in and out of range.

Kris · 11-08-2006, 10:45 AM

Don't forget that besides the technical skills it is also mental. Even a bigger opponent will be intimidated if you put on a stone face an attack with no fear. I am 173 cm 67 kg and have the same experience as you. My sensei here in Japan is 165 cm 62 kg and there is no way me or any other fighter will win over him only because of size. A shorter fighter will have to scare the bigger fighter just to level the playing field, that is my take on it.

Spirit · 11-08-2006, 01:38 PM

As a teen I was small and always fought the big guys in the dojo (because everyone was big) What was always brought to my attentions was that each person I face is not tall or small they "ARE".
Meaning everyone was a weakness and I need to learn to fight each person not sizes of people. Now that did take some time to workout and to train myself to react to each attach seperatly.
Now that I stand 6' plus I understand fighting both body types.
I always tell my shorter students that tall fighters have more to hit... they are a bigger target and shorter people are a smaller target. Use your skills to your advantage not
letting your target (no matter size) stop you from doing what you know how to do.
Do not see size see targets.
I realize it is easy to write and hard to understand or apply (it is easy to be coach). With most people it is not the wall that stops them from climbing it it is the fear of falling or failing.
Also try to find a good fighter that is smaller than you reverse the situation and learn from the taller persons veiw........
I was lucky when I was small their was two yudansha that both stood 5'3".
Each fought in different manners one like a bull of 7' tall and the other using his smaller size to capitalize on my larger (5'6" to 5'10") size.

**Shokei Marcsui** · 11-08-2006, 03:24 PM

Thank you for all the tips. Everyone's incite is very helpful and I can relate to a lot of the advice because it is sound and from experience.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ojgsxr6

I try to use footwork to create angles (Sabaki). And I try to get to the opponents weak side usually left, but sometimes I go towards the power side and I hear that's a bad habit.

I never really thought about exposing the opponents weaker leg. I've been told about creating angles (sabaki tai movement) and am still working on that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ojgsxr6

Now my one of my main problems is most of the time I get too close which not only neutralizes my opponents power but my own. So what I'm trying to work is moving in and out of range.

I too have that same problem. Once I am inside I find that i'm too close for a body punch because I have to move out and to give one, which means i'm open for other things as well. So I end up throwing a knee into the body or arms. I was also instructed that it is legal to punch the leg as well so i'm trying that out while in close and following up with a knee to get out. Also, along with your sabaki advice above, move out in angles and mawashi geri out.

But I can definitely relate with the problem of neutralizing my OWN power zone by being too close.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kris

Don't forget that besides the technical skills it is also mental. Even a bigger opponent will be intimidated if you put on a stone face an attack with no fear.

I think that's the major difference between a 10th kyu and a 1st kyu (other than techinical differences) is the mental aspect. Something I definitely have to work on.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jap man

I always tell my shorter students that tall fighters have more to hit... they are a bigger target and shorter people are a smaller target. Use your skills to your advantage not
letting your target (no matter size) stop you from doing what you know how to do.
Do not see size see targets.

That's a great philosphy. I never really looked at it that way.

Thank you all for the great advice.

**Shokei Marcsui** · 11-08-2006, 08:43 PM

Just an added thought: Perhaps I can use sweeps in order to counter high kicks from taller people when in kicking range?

Lucy · 11-08-2006, 09:03 PM

That would be a good technique to work on! soon put them off and unnerve them. Tall people have a far longer way to fall! Thats very unsettling sweeping! Make it your speciality!

ojgsxr6 · 11-08-2006, 10:05 PM

I think a good point was brought up with sweeping. If you completely shutdown their kicks to the point where they are afraid to throw them, either with sweeps or counters, then you've closed the range that you said had the most difficulty with. So with that I remembered this which I found on another site I frequent. Now I haven't gotten this down as far as applying it, but it seems like something I could use, so I decided to share it.

http://www.bullshido.net/forums/show...hlight=counter

Bruce · 11-09-2006, 12:52 PM

Lucy

I'm going to be watching out for that now when we spar next!!!

Bruce

Lucy · 11-09-2006, 12:57 PM

Bruce

ha ha i dont use it do i but its a good idea never really considered it! Im usually the taller one when i spar in knockdown especially but i will practice this technique and hopefully suprise the taller members of our dojo!! Wow i like that idea now thankyou

Bruce · 11-09-2006, 01:18 PM

Lucy

Well if you can use it successfully against the big boys it should be a formidable weapon when you come up against your own size opponents when you fight in your next competition. I managed to leave out the word 'teeny' as that would be disrespectful - but it was hard! Just don't go sweeping me until my ankle has fixed itself!

Bruce

**Shokei Marcsui** · 11-09-2006, 02:47 PM

After a little kumite with Sen(m)pai last night, it seems I was confused about the distance for being "in close".

He also pointed out that another reason why smaller fighters want to be close is because if you are shorter your power will still be equally strong in close quarters opposed to a taller, lankier person whose arms are not able to retract full power within such a small space. Same goes for legs I suppose.

sas · 02-20-2007, 11:24 PM

did you ever try to avoid taller fighters?
that's an advice from a 1.90m guy!

**Shokei Marcsui** · 02-21-2007, 08:25 AM

Ha! I wish that where the case sas. Unfortunately I am the shortest one in my class (5'6) and everyone is at least 5'11 or higher. Sempai I believe is 6'1

bwownwice · 02-23-2007, 10:58 PM

Hi all!

Being vertically challenged myself, I draw a lot of inspiration from a certain Mike Zambidis; 5'6, 70kgs(not sure lbs, maybe 140ish, dunno). You can check him out @ youtube....doesn't seem that I can post links till I have submitted more posts. In these clips, I think all his opponents are taller than him. Though he is fighting a different style to us with different rules, certain dynamics remain universal. Good strong center is one of these universals, and IMO, a shorter person learns to maintain his center quicker than a taller person, though I'm probably over simplifying and generalising.

Really hope that this provides some inspiration

OSU!

orisha66 · 03-30-2007, 04:26 PM

I am also shorter fighter, but my sparring partners and opponants have most of the time, been taller because of my weight. One tip that i can tell anyone out of my years of training is this...You already have the techniques, so now work on "Distance and Timing" waza. if you have no sence of these two key factors, "closing the gap", making distance between you and the opponant, and countering will prove even more difficult.

Funakoshi says; "Think of the opponents hands and feet as swords."

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