dealing with someone much bigger

[psi_radar]

I'm smaller than you--5'7 and 165, so I know where you're coming from.

A lot of good stuff has been said here already--try to get some continuous training, perhaps at a boxing gym to get good with basics and build stamina fast.

You have the advantage of training against a particular opponent. The simplest thing to do is to just avoid this guy if he's trouble. If you absolutely must fight, observe his weaknesses. Is he slow? Does he look like he'd try to grapple or strike you? Knees in particular are vulnerable areas for big guys.

If he doesn't have any training, he'll probably try to use his mass in a straight line against you. Get off that line and strike low, then high. Repeat.

If you can't get off the line, then he will probably go for the most common attack I've seen, the multiple right-left, right-left, aimed to the head. Use your arms to defend against these as MJS said. We call this the cage. Move in close so you don't bear the brunt of the attack. Absorb the hits in this manner, then right after he lands one and there's a pause before the other one, put him off balance with your arms, pushing up and back (rocking him back on his heels) and repeatedly knee him in the groin and lower abdomen. As he bends from the waist, elbow in the face, perhaps an uppercut or two, then escape to safety.

Just one approach.

 

[the_kicking_fiend]

There's no set plan of action for any situation despite what some may think. When it comes to it, its just instinct and adrenaline that you rely on and the training will do its job itself.

Everyone goes down the same way if you hit them hard enough. It doesn't matter how big they are, you get in there and throw your strongest technique, by which I mean power. I think personally I would favour a punch that's a cross between an uppercut and a hook smashing into the jaw because it's hidden and rips your head off.

What I'm saying is don't matter how big they are, everyone will go down if you kick them in the balls or punch them in the jaw or if you like kick them in the head.

d

 

[7starmantis]

Really good stuff so far !
A couple things...
1. Drop your center (get lower)
2. Throat and knees

A soft jab to the throat even using fingers is enough to create a good diversion, try it full force, just dont kill anyone!

7sm

 

[theletch1]

Groin shots are good for a diversion on someone larger. Just don't count on them to take the opponent out. You'd be really surprised at how quickly someone can come back from a groin shot (been there done that). It is a natural reaction to cover, though and that can give you a split second or two of additional time.

 

[hardheadjarhead]

Hey, if you ask me, size shouldn't matter.

Ever mindful of the risk of facing the obvious vulgarities this topic can bring up...I have to say, as I've said elsewhere...size matters. It has always mattered. It will always matter.

The bigger (and I assume stronger) fighter has greater reach, greater power, greater ability to take a shot, often greater mobility (as measured in step length when doing footwork).

While training in the arts can make up for disparity in size, the little person has to do a LOT of training to compensate for his/her lack of mass and reach.

I'm not saying it isn't possible...but it is an undeniable variable of combat, and one that shouldn't be taken lightly.

What I'm saying is don't matter how big they are, everyone will go down if you kick them in the balls or punch them in the jaw or if you like kick them in the head.

No. They won't.

Some of the members of this forum are quite small and don't weigh much. Their opponents might be quite large, on drugs or alcohol, and/or psychotic.

Making a blanket statement like this propogates the myth that certain techniques will work ALL the time for EVERYONE.

People can get shot or stabbed in the heart and still have the ability to kill. Pat Rogers, an excellent pistol craft teacher with a wealth of experience, has seen (i.e. personally witnessed) a number of stopping failures of handguns, shotguns and rifles. If a point blank shot with a shotgun or a rifle isn't guaranteed to stop an aggressor, how can we rely on a kick or a punch?

A punch to the jaw? That has never failed you? A kick to the head? How does a woman who is 5'4" do that to an assailant 6' 3"?

Rely on absolutes if you must.

Maybe I'm too cynical to do so, age having wearied me and the years condemned. I simply won't rely on any one technique nor will I place faith in "old tried and true" techniques that have been tried and found to have truth only...ONLY...when delivered in the proper context.

Regards,


Steve

 

[Cruentus]

What I'm saying is don't matter how big they are, everyone will go down if you kick them in the balls

Sure...A good ball massage always gets me to go down...

 

[RCastillo]

No matter who, what they are, they must be able to breath, and be able to see. Tempoarily take one of those away, and you're in like Flint!

 

[Rich Parsons]

Originally posted by RCastillo
No matter who, what they are, they must be able to breath, and be able to see. Tempoarily take one of those away, and you're in like Flint!

Ricardo,

Are you picking on my home town of Flint Mi, again?


Everyone,

I think that absolute statements are tough. I agree that people do need to be able to breath, and most people react when they cannot see. Even though I agree with Ricardo here about these techniques, I do not think they are complete 100%. I have practiced before still doing some techniques while in a choke. Yes, the person was not really trying to kill me, yet, I did need a few minutes to recover, yet I did get out. Also, I was hit so hard one of my eyes crossed, and I just closed it and continued to fight. Why? Because if not I would have been on the ground getting kicked by the bad guys and their wanna be combat boots.

Good strategy and mind set are what I think are important.


And if the guy is bigger than me, I will either buy him a round of drinks or a doughnut and coffee of his choice.

 

[RCastillo]

Originally posted by Rich Parsons
Ricardo,

Are you picking on my home town of Flint Mi, again?


Everyone,

I think that absolute statements are tough. I agree that people do need to be able to breath, and most people react when they cannot see. Even though I agree with Ricardo here about these techniques, I do not think they are complete 100%. I have practiced before still doing some techniques while in a choke. Yes, the person was not really trying to kill me, yet, I did need a few minutes to recover, yet I did get out. Also, I was hit so hard one of my eyes crossed, and I just closed it and continued to fight. Why? Because if not I would have been on the ground getting kicked by the bad guys and their wanna be combat boots.

Good strategy and mind set are what I think are important.


And if the guy is bigger than me, I will either buy him a round of drinks or a doughnut and coffee of his choice.

You continued? Stay off the roids!

Gimme the doughnut!

 

[KennethKu]

Do u wanna spar him or fight him? If u just wanna fight a bigger opponents, then go for pressure points. Eyes, nose, throat, neck, groin, knees, shins, feet. BTW, the groin is over rated as target. Most males instinctively know to protect the family jewel and in case after criminal case, attacking the groin is most likely be ineffective and results in enraging the attacker further. BE REALLY CAREFUL.

Practice lunge attack at those vulnerable targets. Get the precision and the force right. Your life may depend on your training. Fighting for your life is NOT the same as sparring in the ring.

 

[The Hammer]

check out www.attackproof.com

 

[Gotkenpo?]

what the hell was that?

 

[2fisted]

I'm 5'3, so naturally I love this thread!

One thing I've always done is ALWAYS train techniques with big people. I mean BIG people. If I can't do it against someone huge, I generally don't worry with it. You'd be suprised at what a little person can do and what advantages they can find. To respond to a previous post in this thread, yes we REALLY have to train harder. The big dudes can just absorb impact better and hit harder. The focus of our training has to be how to react to that.

Did that make any sense?

 

[hardheadjarhead]

One thing I've always done is ALWAYS train techniques with big people. I mean BIG people. If I can't do it against someone huge, I generally don't worry with it.

Hear, hear.

To respond to a previous post in this thread, yes we REALLY have to train harder. The big dudes can just absorb impact better and hit harder. The focus of our training has to be how to react to that.

I couldn't agree more.

The smaller person can prevail against a bigger person provided there is a sufficient disparity of skill between the two, AND provided she/he has realistically analyzed what works and what doesn't work. The defender also has to have the sense to apply the appropriate technique at the appropriate time. There also needs to be a proper mental and emotional mindset on the part of the defender, as has been mentioned elsewhere if not here.

We can't allow ourselves to fall into the trap of thinking a particular technique is foolproof. This is naive at best and at its worst it is dangerous.


Regards,


Steve

 

[Tony]

Well I'm only 5'7 and I would like to think that my training could work on someone twice my size! when I was much younger I would get into fights with much bigger kids than me and I wouldn't worry about getting hurt but rather about defeating them! I have sparred with guys in my class bigger than me and usually accidentally kicked them in the groin! Acceptable in the street but not while training! Its bad enough having to deal with an opponent who is big with no knowledge of Martial Arts but it would make things very tricky if they were very knowledgeable and 6'6" built like the proverbial!
My instructor is only about 5'3" and very good at what he does and I don't doubt he could handle himself against a much bigger opponent!
But whenever we have to go through any two man drills for anything including self defence he tells us to partner up with someone roughly the same size! But who am I to question his wisdom! certainly I think we should spar with different sized people to see what works and what doesn't!
God just hope I'm not attacked by a 7ft 300 pound wrestler!!

 

[Black Bear]

I bought Attack Proof's original book when on of their reps posted to a MA expert board I was on maybe about 3 years ago. The material's fairly good but as someone pointed out to me a newbie who picked it up and tried to run with it wouldn't really get far.

 

[moving target]

In my opinion people drop to the ground from groin shots because they can. In sparring and in ring sports groin shots are usualy off limits, so you can take a breather if you take a serious hit because the fighting stops. But rarely is it so painfull that you can't fight.

If you expect to fight someone I would suggest you don't treat it as a contest. Don't just box someone or wrestle with them or spar them or what ever. It seems like common sence, but a few people I know have gotten into fights where they were hurt or could very well have been hurt because they didn't treat the fight like a fight, they thought of it like competition and didn't do unsportsmen like.

 

[tkdguy1982]

More than likely you will get hit, a big guy like that, take out those legs. That would be my first & foremost area I would strike.

 

[Black Bear]

tkdguy is correct. Also, close-quarter fighting to take away the reach advantage. The optimal range of a big guy is longer than the optimal range for a little guy. If you're inside and moving in on him, that is your best opportunity.

 

[tkdguy1982]

I am going to have to agree w/ black bear on that.... naturally if you move inside its going to make it harder on someone much bigger & larger. Do that & take out the legs, you will be ok, if the problem ever presents itself. No legs= No fight