Fighting that Big Guy

[KarateTips]

One thing to keep in mind. Im many places if you strike first then you are the instigator, even if you FELT that they were gona attack you. Ya gota be sure.

 

I disagree. If you wait then you're giving your opponent an opportunity to harm or even kill you. Obviously you don't just go around hitting people because they look at you funny. You need to know the signs of attack and once you know them, as soon as you see them you must act first.

 

Do you wait for the guy to pull out his weapon and then attack, or do you strike when he says, "I'm gonna cut you" and sticks his hand in his jacket? I'd rather his weapon be in his jacket than in his hand.

 

If they were faking or calling your bluff, it's their bad luck. It's simply proactive self defence, not assault.

 

"It is better to be tried by 12 than carried by 6."

[G95champ]

One thing I need to add. This is another reason everyone must be knowlegable about using chokes. Again I don't care how big they are if they can't get air they can't fight.

 

Someone posted about watching the first move and shifting and attacking. Again this IMO is not ture no more than it is true of a small guy. Yeah some people you can judge but it has nothing to do with size. I am 6'1 315. I used to play OL in football I got really good footwork. Short quick steps that allow me to move and change direction and keep balance.

 

Again too many times people think well big men are slow or big men can't move. That is false. It may be more ture but it is not always ture. Attack low and used chokes and PP atacks. I don't care if the guys is 135 or 400 it will always work.

[WhiteShark]

I gotta aggree with G95champ, but my perspective comes from the opposite side. I am a 5'6 1/2" (gotta have the half!) light welterweight. I train Muay thai in a gym with a lot of good fighters and the smallest guy I train with is about 40 pounds heavier than me and they are all taller. One thing you guys are missing is you can't always break somebodies knee or attack the groin! In sparring classes and competition you still have to learn how to deal with bigger opponents. That being said I have been taught and learned a few techniques.

 

My coach has a good boxing background so he has passed on a lot of that knowledge about range and movement. I think that is where this advice comes from.

 

Every fighter has a most effective range. Bigger fighters have longer range. Smaller fighters have shorter range. This seems like a big disadvantage, it's not you just need to learn how to work around it. When I first started sparring with a certain partner who was taller than me and had very long legs I would constanly get kicked in the left side (my forward side and their back leg) I was confounded by this because I thought I was out-of-range, and I was, out of MY range. You need to be aware of your opponents range too and be outside that! Now comes the tricky part, you are out of your opponents range, and out of your own range by a good foot sometimes. You have to learn how to close the gap, thus getting in your own effective range and INSIDE their range. Remember range has an inside limit too. The best time to change ranges is as your opponent is withdrawing a strike. For example my 6'3" opponent throws a jab at my head I parry it or lean out and as soon as the hand starts heading towards their body I follow it in and deliver attacks to the body and chin. I finish my combination and try and duck back out of range, back to safety.

 

Now that I know how I like fighting bigger opponents they have bigger targets and are easier to hit!

[BlackI]

Always look for the vital strikes when in true combat.

 

I must admit I have trouble point sparring taller people. this is only because I am overly consciounous of getting hit......

 

But point sparing will make my overall fight game better

[KickChick]

I'm sure we all heard this one!

 

"Its not the size of the dog in the fight, its the size of the fight in the dog!"

[SBN Doug]

what about the fact that the bigger stronger person can also do your leg and groin kicks with more power and range, or does one assume that they're just mindless brawlers. only shorter weaker people think when fighting right?

 

At this point, you look at both G95's and Angus' comments about "big guys" kicks. That big guy had better have extremely quick legs (as well as hands), because once he throws that leg out there, I've got about 2 dozen counters that will land him on the ground. I'm actually more comfortable fighting a big guy when he does try and use kicks. (Probably won't apply to G95 and his brother though )

[G95champ]

LOL KSN I don't know if I would say that. I have been taken down more than a few times by the same mover over and over. LOL.

 

Types of Big guys

 

Fat Guy - The big guy who is slow and has some power mostly because of his body weight. Not real athletic. When you spar them you can land pretty much what you want when you want to. However because of his padding he keeps comming back. Plus you fear them landing that one big punch.

 

The Tall Guy - Someone over 6'5. They are not fat but because of there ht. they are just so much bigger than you. They got range advantages but otherwase are no differant that the avg. Joe. Manny times this guy may be skinny.

 

The Athletic Fat Buy - Someone who is what we call stalky. They are big from lifting weights, playing sports, chopping wood, etc. (This is what I think I fit in because of my past in football) This is a big guy who has power but can move for his size as good as most what you would consider middle weights.

 

The Athletic Tall Guy - Person over 6'5 that is both heavy and tall. 90% of the time this guy will be athletic as well because he should have been in sports at one time or another. (my borhter 6'7 295). Reach is still the big thing. Grappeling becomes had because their limbs are just so much bigger than yours. LOL. Only real chance aginst them is to hit and run. Because their size relates to good power.

[shotochem]

Good points G95. There are many types of "BIG"

 

guys.

 

You can work around the Fat Guy if you dont try to over power him.

 

The Tall Skinny Guy, if you fight in close you can jam them and take their long legs out of the picture. Be prepared to take a shot or to in the process .

 

The Athletic Fat Guy is much more difficult, he may be just as fast as the little guy only the little guy tends to be much quicker side to side where as the big guy tends to be quick in and out.

 

The Athletic Tall Guy is a nightmare....

 

Hit and run has yet to work on my own "Goliath"!!!

 

Im still working on that one, maybe Ill get him next time.....

 

[BlackI]

I must admit that tall atheltic dude is a mother. My instructor is built like that. I think I might over think sometimes when I fight with him, but as I get my rhythm and my techs together it is becoming better

[G95champ]

No question my brother is 6'7 295. He plays football at WVU. He has not done much karate with me but he will spar with me just for fun. When he swings those big 70lbs legs at you its something to think about. The key with them in real life is much differant. I know I can take his knee out at will. This is the weakness of any big man. However you don't do that in class and to friends and family.