Sparring with different sized opponents

[ShotokanKid]

I'm 14 years old and about 5'2" or so and i was sparring a kid about 2 inches taller than me. I'm famous in my dojo for sweeps (or at least I was as we haven't sparred in a long time) Anyway, I couldn't take this guy down. Two days later I sparred with a guy that's almost 6 feet tall and I took him down without really any difficulty. Why couldn't I take the smaller one down?

[scottnshelly]

well, was he countering, avoiding, stepping back... what was the shorter guy doing that the taller guy wasn't? or were they both standing exactley the same when you attempted the sweeps?

[ShotokanKid]

I think I must have been able to sweep the taller one because I distracted him with face level attacks and then when he's high up I took out his legs. The shorter guy's Center of Gravity is lower than the taller guy's. Can anyone give me tips to get the stockier ones?

[ShotokanKid]

Oh, and the taller one was also skinnier than the shorter one.

[Cobosan]

In our club ( and in many others i believe ) they "make" us spar with all "dimensions" of people so that when push comes to shove u can react at any time. It depends on the style u train aswell ( if its just sports u have categories if its something usefull and there are no rules ( lets say on the street ) ) u never know what u r gonna get.

 

I m 6"6 tall and i sparred with 250 pound gorillas and with 100 pound 5 foot women ( one of them inflicted a knee strike roght to my forehead ) it didnt hurt much but she learned how to deal with a larger opponent.

[shotochem]

Some people are just harder to sweep. But anyone can be swept. You just have to get him before his weight is planted on his leg. If I am paired up with someone I know is a good sweeper, I am conscious of the possibility at all times and go out of my way not to get caught off balance.

 

I just try to not put myself in a bad position where my balance is compromised ( no jumping kicks or ariel displays I stick to low-mid level kicks and try to keep both feet on the ground as much as possible).

 

I tend to be more of a counter punch defensive fighter so I am more of a sweeper myself. My opponents tend to either charge me or back out of sweeping range. Each situation presents a different opportunity. The overly agressive ones get the side step counter treatment and the ones that try to keep out of range get the steamroller treatment.

 

You infamy may have caught up with you, try not to sweep as much. If they are so set on not being swept, it will leave them open in other ways.

 

Mix it up a little.

[Killer Miller]

Sweeping is only effective, and only should be used, when a person is moving from one point to another - this means they have comitted to a body movement in a forward or rearward direction. You must sweep when one foot is firmly planted and the other foot is not (the foot to be swept) and weight has "just" been put on the foot to be swept but hasn't firmly been planted yet. You are taking advantage of their commit to a change of weight distribution when they are in a relaxed state of an inhale, and sweeping the foot that will become the primary supporting foot before the greatest portion of weight is placed on that foot. The result is that they go down "hard" and "easily.'

 

However, if an apponent is firmly planted on "both" feet - DO NOT ATTEMPT TO SWEEP! Some karate-ka are like this and rarely move and rely in this strong base to attack you like a locoalmotive train... These are commonly previous restlers, etc. Thus, you must pick up their "breathing timing" and force them to become unplanted for a moment, while in a relaxed state (MAKE THEM MOVE!), so you can affectively sweep them off of their feet.

 

Some karate-ka will act like the firm planted tough guy that's not going to move and mow you over. That's OK, just understand the mechanics of sweeping, understand your oponent's breathing timing and what makes him/her move, now make them move and sweep them off their feet. The more firmly planted they are, the harder they fall, but they are also more difficult to sweep.

 

Hope this make sense because I just woke up and in the middle of my first cup of tea - I'm a tea drinker...

 

- Killer -

[AngelaG]

However, if an apponent is firmly planted on "both" feet - DO NOT ATTEMPT TO SWEEP! Some karate-ka are like this and rarely move and rely in this strong base to attack you like a locoalmotive train... These are commonly previous restlers, etc. Thus, you must pick up their "breathing timing" and force them to become unplanted for a moment, while in a relaxed state (MAKE THEM MOVE!), so you can affectively sweep them off of their feet.

 

"Sweeping" a rooted opponent can still be useful for a distraction technique. If you take a pop at someone's ankle it forces their attention down there, which may well leave you with an opening elsewhere!

[Killer Miller]

We're talking about two different things here Angela. My post was in reference to the actual sucessfulness of an effective sweep to take an oponent down. Your reply refers to applying "shock" to an oponent to create an opening or offset their breathing timing for an attack - such as "kake waza" (fake punch or applying shock with a counter one nano-second later as they are relaxing and exposing vital organs). Two different concepts...

 

I think it must be clear that we clarify the difference or the readers will get confused and not understand the differences.

 

- Killer -

However, if an apponent is firmly planted on "both" feet - DO NOT ATTEMPT TO SWEEP! Some karate-ka are like this and rarely move and rely in this strong base to attack you like a locoalmotive train... These are commonly previous restlers, etc. Thus, you must pick up their "breathing timing" and force them to become unplanted for a moment, while in a relaxed state (MAKE THEM MOVE!), so you can affectively sweep them off of their feet.

 

"Sweeping" a rooted opponent can still be useful for a distraction technique. If you take a pop at someone's ankle it forces their attention down there, which may well leave you with an opening elsewhere!

[AngelaG]

We're talking about two different things here Angela. My post was in reference to the actual sucessfulness of an effective sweep to take an oponent down. Your reply refers to applying "shock" to an oponent to create an opening or offset their breathing timing for an attack - such as "kake waza" (fake punch or applying shock with a counter one nano-second later as they are relaxing and exposing vital organs). Two different concepts...

 

I think it must be clear that we clarify the difference or the readers will get confused and not understand the differences.

 

- Killer -

 

Sorry, I felt I was making it clear it was two different ideas behind the attack, but if I didn't I apologise.

 

I just think sometimes people forget the use of a "sweep" as a distraction technique. It still has to look like a sweep though or you run the risk of being DQed for a low level kick!