Practicing with a bigger guy

[still learning]

Originally Posted by Jenny_in_Chico

I'm 5'4", so I'm shorter than almost everyone in my dojo. I regularly spar with men 6' and over, and one of my sparring partners is 6'6" and 260 lbs. So I am always interested in advice on how to neutralize a height advantage.

Clearly, in EPAK (and I assume other styles of kenpo) we are given techniques which allow us to cancel the height zone of a larger attacker. Knee shots, groin shots, sweeps, etc...all are good if your attacker is 1) not a trained MA and 2) committed to an attack that you've been trained to deal with (eg. right step through punch). But it's a different story when you are squared up with a guy who is trained and wanting to go toe to toe (and this difference has been discussed repeatedly in other threads). In this case, it becomes a huge challenge for a smaller person to overcome the natural advantage of more mass and greater reach that the larger opponent possesses.


I'm a yellow belt, so I'm a raw beginner. But I'm slowly starting to add some skills to my repertoire that I can rely on while sparring. Two things I've started using with really big opponents are low leg kicks ( I try to combine these with punching combos but I still suck at that), and getting inside his reach, latching onto him, and throwing knees. If he bear hugs me then I stomp feet and bite and reach down and squeeze that groin.

Additional advice would be appreciated!!

Hello, On the streets..if you are wearing shoes? ....kicking someone in the shins? ....usually will hurt your attacker...

Can be done fast and unseen...easy to do low kicks...then down them...stomp on the ankles and run...approx 42 bones in the foot...break a few...gives you a running advantages..

Aloha,

...If up close..perfer "side of the shoe" rake method... (steel toe shoes helps too) ..and still poke them in the eyes too....Ha! Ha! ...deadly touching..UM!

[Touch Of Death]

Don't over-reach or lean. Fight your fight at your level and don't expose your self to get a head shot. Learn to get and stay off the line of attack.
Sean

[Jenny_in_Chico]

Originally Posted by Touch Of Death

Don't over-reach or lean. Fight your fight at your level and don't expose your self to get a head shot. Learn to get and stay off the line of attack.
Sean

Good advice. I'm bad about over-reaching and leaning in, because my reach is so limited and I want to press an attack but I don't want to get my head punched. Last week I hunkered down a bit and focused on lower body and groin shots, which helped.