tall vs short

[elbows_and_knees]

the tall guy has the advantage unless he sucks at fighting

he loses his advantage once the short guy gets inside on him. As stated previously, mike tyson in his early days is a perfect example of this.

[Akaratechick]

I would say tall, reach is important, and if the opponent is shorter I can usually see everything open, everything. of course you have to be a good fighter and be able to manuever on the ground as well if it comes to that.

[Anbu Alex]

ima tall guy with long arms and ill tell you reach has its advantages but with close fighting if you only have reach youy are dead, i was lucky enough though to have friends who were shorter and my current sensei who taught me how to fight a shorter person (my first kung fu would drill me into being able to fight a smaller person) i will say still today i fear the shorter guy but im better suited due to training than other guys my size or taller, i just recnetly noticed that.

[Karateka_latino]

Reach and weight are usually the advantages of the tall person.

That's one of the reason i never felt confortable when I was in TKD and we sparred with WTF sport Rules.

[Azula]

I say it matters only one the fighting style each fighter knows. For taller fighters Muay Thai, boxing, kickboxing, and some grappling forms would be good, but for short people like me Aikido does the thing. Aikido is perfect for a short person against a taller person. A short person has an advantage if he/she begins the fight offensively and moving inward, being quick, as Soke always says, smaller fighters need to be quick and agressive, while taller fighters need to keep their distance for reach. So i say the more experienced and trained in the more useful art(for him/herself) would have the advantage. BUT... if none of the two fighters did not know how to fight and they just threw a street fight, i'd have to say the taller would win simply because of physical strength and more reach.

[al.karate]

Who do you think would have an advantage in a street fight, a tall person or a short person? I'd say the short person because most street fights are in close quarters and short people are more suited to fighting in close range. Many street effective styles such as hung gar and wing chun are designed to work for shorter people.

i would say short because the small guy has nmore area to hit and to tall guy be able to hit tyhe small guy unless u kicks him cuase the small guy would guard his head.

[Jiffy]

You raise a good point. The problem I guess is that although the short guy can get underneath, the tall guy has longer limbs.

[bushido_man96]

I would guess that, all things being equal, the taller person would have the advantage. But, things are seldom equal, and you have to take into consideration what the strengths and weaknesses of each fighter are. The strategies of each fighter must be considered as well. Some fighters are very good at maximizing their strengths and minimizing their weaknesses.

As I said, things are very rarely equal, so it is kind of a moot point to state, but hey, its out there to debate now.

[elbows_and_knees]

Reach and weight are usually the advantages of the tall person.

That's one of the reason i never felt confortable when I was in TKD and we sparred with WTF sport Rules.

and rightfully so - TKD is a distance oriented sport. In muay thai, where the hands and elbows_and_knees are just as useful, angling and footwork kill the advantage of reach.

[elbows_and_knees]

I say it matters only one the fighting style each fighter knows. For taller fighters Muay Thai, boxing, kickboxing, and some grappling forms would be good, but for short people like me Aikido does the thing. Aikido is perfect for a short person against a taller person. A short person has an advantage if he/she begins the fight offensively and moving inward, being quick, as Soke always says, smaller fighters need to be quick and agressive, while taller fighters need to keep their distance for reach. So i say the more experienced and trained in the more useful art(for him/herself) would have the advantage. BUT... if none of the two fighters did not know how to fight and they just threw a street fight, i'd have to say the taller would win simply because of physical strength and more reach.

boxing and muay thai can be great for shorter guys.