fighting a faster opponent

[lonecoyote]

There is a great thread here about fighting someone who is stronger and bigger, but I think its important to remember that the big guy isn't always the bad guy. There are some truly dangerous and mean smaller guys out there. sometimes the guy who looks like the underdog is actually the sociopathic jerk. Strength and size isn't always much protection against these people either. So how do you beat someone who is probably much faster, and is also tough, crazy, and has some strength too? My two cents- if you aren't sucker punched and are facing each other in a closed stance, step forward into an open stance, slapping your lead leg into the back of their lead leg. use it to immobilize him and you've got the backfist, hook, and buckling the leg as well as a stepping side to the rear knee and pretty good position for a pivoting aikido style throw. Any thoughts?

[Baoquan]

Speed only counts over a distance - close the gap, remove the advantage. I rugularly spar with a guy who has amazing foot speed...but it only counts when i'm at that range. As soon as i get inside, speed advantage negated and i monster his speedy little @ss.

:asian:

[shesulsa]

Control the elbows for fast-handed opponents.

[lonecoyote]

Range is definitely the thing. Ring awareness, or room awareness or whatever has sometimes allowed me to back some people into a corner, and gain the inside. How might one control the elbows? And also, getting attacked by a smaller guy just flat is a bad scene. It either looks you're a terrible guy beating up a smaller guy (legal implications) or a total wimp getting whipped by that little bitty crazy fella. Can't win, really.

[Littledragon]

Take it to the ground because then speed does not matter.

[Bammx2]

Quote: "I'm not fast.....I'm deceptive." ...........Bruce Lee.

just a little something to ponder......

[kenpo tiger]

Take it to the ground because then speed does not matter.
I would not, for a few reasons, not the least of which is that it makes escape that much more difficult. And, what if this little guy knows what he's doing insofaras grappling is concerned?

The only way I would want my attacker on the ground is if he's unconscious -- or worse.

Shesulsa - how would you recommend controlling his elbows? KT:asian:

"Take the measure of your opponent and then give him half again."

[muaythaifreak]

Take it to the ground because then speed does not matter.
I disagree with you on that. A grappler can be fast and furious just like a striker can be. Little fast guys who can grapple are very hard to deal with.

[Gary Crawford]

I like the idea of controling the elbows!This situation has too many possible solutions to have one good answer.A smaller or even sized fast guy with a lot of strength is a tough opponent for anyone.Not a good thing to deal with.If you are a really experienced grappler,go ahead,take it to the ground,if your not so good at grappling(no matter how strong you are),avoid that unless there are other people around who might help you.The only decent advice I have for this is fight dirty,use the hardcore targets:shins,stomp the top of his feet,groin,throat or eyes.Question:What do you call a guy who fights fair? Answer:Looser!

[Zepp]

Being one of the faster, smaller guys myself (I'm 5'7", about 135 lbs.) I'm enjoying just reading this thread. :EG: I usually get complimented on my speed. Lemme just say that the bigger guys have the advantage sparring me when they know how to use their longer range and keep me at a distance.

If an opponent is faster than you, and is about your same size, you've got a problem. If you need to defend yourself in this case, I like Gary's advice. Fight dirtier than he does.

[Mark Weiser]

Dusting off the ole Law Enforcement Hat.

When it comes to fighting people that are faster and "crazy" lol. You have to gain control of the problem.


Hands up in a defensive posture
Use calm voice and redirect opponent from the issue at hand
keep or maintain a safe distance between you and the aggressor.
If the aggressor runs at you or grabs you then you have to raise the bar of response.
Use of PR-22 if you a Police Officer is effective.
For us Civilians we have to use what is available. Chair, Pool Cue, Beer Bottle, Stool, Bartender, your Mother in law if you do not like her. Throw your table over and use it as a barrier until Police arrive lol. Unless the guy is completely insane and leaps over the Table and latches onto you like a leech. Then all H*** breaks loose and you scream "ALL MY GOD!"
Ask someone to call the Morgue because at this point I think Lethal force is required.
Sincerely and sitting in the corner watching for bad guys and gals,
Mark E. Weiser

[Han-Mi]

I'm one of those smaller faster guys.:ultracool

My suggestion would be to get into your most comfortable fighting situation; i.e. ground for grapplers, close standing for strikers, distance for kickers. That way at least you are comfortable and at your full fighitng potential. Then, If you can take a hit, go in for a full attack and get them off balance. Without balance, everything is gone, including speed. Granted you may have to take some punishment for this one. If you have better timing though, just use that, I am a big advocate of timing, the observation and mental reaction before normal standards, over power and speed.

[8253]

Ground fighting is an excellent damper to their speed.

[shesulsa]

First of all, ground fighters can be quick on the ground - it's what they work for - so taking someone to the ground doesn't necessarily take their speed away, AND once things get the gound, it gets nastier anyway.

If you have to get in tight with a fast-handed fighter, you need to keep your face covered, of course, and while your hands are up, close the gap and get closer in and block at the elbows till you tie 'em up, then slam them - tying up the arms opens the ribs, kidneys, makes the knees more susceptible - rake the shin, stomp the feet, whatever is appropriate for the situation. This works better, of course, if you can sandwich the opponent to the wall or some object behind them, but you can still tie up the arms to the elbow with some good evasion and blocking skill.

HWARANG!

[OC Kid]

I believe stand in a nuetral stance or maybe one foot fwd

Take you right hand and place it palm to palm with your enemy.

Then move it up and down in a movement perpendicular to the ground.

Next you both move rigorously to a local Starbucks and buy each other a cafe mocha. Then talks about your kids/school ect.

The only time speed really effects this technique is how fast you can reach your hand out to touch his.

[kenpo tiger]

Dusting off the ole Law Enforcement Hat.

When it comes to fighting people that are faster and "crazy" lol. You have to gain control of the problem.


Hands up in a defensive posture
Use calm voice and redirect opponent from the issue at hand
keep or maintain a safe distance between you and the aggressor.
Sincerely and sitting in the corner watching for bad guys and gals,
Mark E. Weiser
Yes, that has worked for me twice now. Luckily for me -- and the potential attacker.

As to all the other suggestions to 'fighting dirty' -- that's kenpo. And we don't consider it fighting dirty - just intelligently!:ultracool

Seriously, thanks for the good advice, except for the Starbuck's lattes - too many calories.:) KT

[Littledragon]

I disagree with you on that. A grappler can be fast and furious just like a striker can be. Little fast guys who can grapple are very hard to deal with.
Ye well I am talking about you being a grappler and getting the little guy down, if he is little and fast just use yoru strength to choke him out.

If it is a quick grappler then it will be tricky but you can still use your own grappling skill and strength to overcome them.

I will not play tag with him standing up. I will just choke him out.

[ppko]

Ye well I am talking about you being a grappler and getting the little guy down, if he is little and fast just use yoru strength to choke him out.

If it is a quick grappler then it will be tricky but you can still use your own grappling skill and strength to overcome them.

I will not play tag with him standing up. I will just choke him out.
If we are talking about actuall street fighting I wouldn't recomend taking them to the ground as you don't know if the person has friends around or if there is anything on the ground that can hurt you. The best way to beat a faster opponent in my oppinion is to try and attack them and keep them on there toes, hopefully you can end the fight rather quickly. Littledragon you are farelly knowledgeable for your age you just lack experience, I have enjoyed your posts and hope that you keep writing them.

Best Regards
PPKO

[captnigh]

I would be hesitant to go to the ground in a street situation unless I was positive the threat of his friends jumping in was negated....
You can get this guy in the best choke or lock in the world, but if his friends are lurking around you will get your head kicked in......

[ppko]

I would be hesitant to go to the ground in a street situation unless I was positive the threat of his friends jumping in was negated....
You can get this guy in the best choke or lock in the world, but if his friends are lurking around you will get your head kicked in......
my point exactly.

PPKO

[Littledragon]

If we are talking about actuall street fighting I wouldn't recomend taking them to the ground as you don't know if the person has friends around or if there is anything on the ground that can hurt you. The best way to beat a faster opponent in my oppinion is to try and attack them and keep them on there toes, hopefully you can end the fight rather quickly. Littledragon you are farelly knowledgeable for your age you just lack experience, I have enjoyed your posts and hope that you keep writing them.

Best Regards
PPKO
Thank you.

[Tony]

I noticed when I've been sparring that no one can spar conintuously for great lengths of time so its a matter of anticipating when the attack is coming and attack as your opponent is preparing his attack.
I noticed last night my partner was using feints but it was so obvious he was just about to attack me and I took advantage of that and attacked first.
And when you do get in close use knees. It was quite funny last night as it was turing into a Muay Thai fight because we had beend using round kicks and then we were allowed to use knees.

[The Kai]

faster guys (or gals) tend to be smaller, use range against him. When he tries to set kicking range, you use long range hand techniques. When he goes to hand techniques clinch him and use your weight to your advantage. Works well, unless the other guy is savvy

Todd

[7starmantis]

I think the key is feeling your opponent. Close the gap and get in close. If you stay connected with him/her you will feel what they are going to do before they pull it off, thus allowing you to be either out of the way, or attacking yourself. You can stay connected at the elbows and use their own force against them putting them off balance and thus open for your own attack. It doesn't matter how fast they are if you can feel where their energy is going and be out of the way when it gets there.

7sm

[Tony]

7* sounds like principles from Chi sau. Its unfortunate a lot of systems don't really do this as Taekwondo seems to be mainly a kicking art so hard to get close if your opponent is a good kicker because he can keep you at a distance with his legs.
Last night i was actually beginning to use some of the Mantis form moves while lightly sparring. Mantis is very fast with very fast hand speed.
We were even learning about the pressure point techniques involved in the form.
I remember a story of Bruce Lee back in the days when he lived in Hong Kong how he defeated a boxer. He was boxing aswell but basically using his Wing Chun skills to beat the other guy.

[OC Kid]

Ive been talking over and over about wakling away and making friends with my/your enemy. I still think that is the way. Enemies have friends they will come after you no matter how big a jerk there friend is. So fighting you just create more fighting but if you have to, no other way out

Then, all fighting whether it be against a faster opponent, stronger opponent, multiple attackers, whatever boils down to 3 things only,
1) Timing
2) Distancing
3) Footwork

The technique to be used is based on the DISTANCE, striking with the technique is based on the TIMING setting up the technique is based on the
FOOTWORK
Inna nutshell there is nothing else left regardless of system whether MMA TMA CMA what ever nothing else.
If you miss one of those or your enemy has better, you might as well go home and forget it .
I personally would rather just by them a cafe mocha and talk about whats playing at the movies....