tall vs short

[daikento shukokai]

It's experience, skill and mentality then.

We agree on the factors, but you have them in the wrong order. Any fighter can be skilled, but the application of the skill is through their confidence.

A larger fighter may be able to generate more power based on size, but will often be slower in delivery, where as smaller fighters will be quicker and more agile. The question is, when the action starts whose punch is the most effective?

This will depend on the fighters power to weight ratio. Once the damage has been caused through the successful delivery of a blow any additional power over and above that required has no relevance.

If the guys in your bar are being schooled by larger untrained guys then they need to train harder or study a different martial art.

Without confidence and self belief (mentality) your skills will fail you.

[bushido_man96]

It always seems to me that tall has an advantage for one simple reason: reach. Even an uskilled opponent can still heckle a smaller fighter with his reach; if he is a skilled fighter, he will know how to use his reach to his advantage.

The short guy would have an advantage with a lower base, and therefore a lower center of gravity. He may be able to take a tall guy down easily, but I don't know for sure. Once the short guy gets in, he needs to keep the tall guy's limbs occupied on something like blocking, or trapping his arms/legs to stall him.

[bushido_man96]

The size of a person has little relevance. Anyone who has the ability and confidence can finish a fight irrespective of their size. A taller person may be at a dissatvantage in so far as they will automatically think that they would be able to overpower a shorter person.

Experienced Martial Artist know that this is definitely not the case.

It only takes one blow to finish any oponent big or small. Either could land it. Confidence,skill and luck are the deciding factors, not size.

that is VERY untrue. size matters on a lot of different levels. Now, that said, size becomes more of a factor as skill levels become equal. the big, strong, UNTRAINED guy can give a smaller, trained guy fits, but he's beatable. Against a big, strong, TRAINED guy, my money is on the big guy. Why do you think they have weight classes in organized fighting? because size matters.

height matters from a strategy perspective. if you are shorter, you have to be able to get inside of the tall guy in order to be effective, otherwise you won't be able to touch him. Watch tyson in his prime. He was a master at getting on the inside, so even though he was always shorter, he overcame the reach disadvantage. Now, watch his fight with lennox lewis. Lewis ate him alive because he couldn't get inside. That is a perfect example of why these things matter.

As far as finishing with one blow... good luck. That is more the exception than the rule.

I have to agree with you, elbows_and_knees. It is the main reason why so many professional athletes in general are tall. Size makes a difference. I am 5'7", and wish I had another 4 inches.

I do believe that us little guys can make up for a lack of stature, but it will ALWAYS be just a little harder for us than for the tall guys.

[younwhadoug]

i'm 5'8'ish i think the tall one has the advantage. i wouldn't want to fight a tall guy on the streets without knowing what i have learned through martial arts....

but when i was a little younger and confronted by tall bullies or short ones or gangs or any other threat for that matter... i acted nuts, totally psycho and when you do that you have to act onb it, grab one or two of em and go crazy. i can also remember a few times i got beat down for the same thing. i grew up in the poor a$$ part of denver. fun fun

[Sohan]

I tend to be somewhat unemotional in a fight or in sparring. Always been that way. I don't really feel adrenaline until after, when it all hits me. I prefer to not have to think or overreact and let me body do it's thing.

Height indeed has its advantages, but we all have our strengths and weakneeses. It's how we use them that matters.

With respect,

Sohan

[bushido_man96]

Perhaps, but I'm no so sure grappling is that much better to short people than to tall people. And it's not THAT easy to get in close in a steet fight, the tall guy might have a chance to land a solid one before the shorter one can even make an attack. I'd advantage the taller guy.

Do me a favor and go get ADCC 2003. Abu Dhabi is basically the super bowl of grappling. Marcelo Garcia won the all around competition(no weight restrictions). Garcia was the shortest man in the whole tournament. I think height has MUCH more to do with striking then grappling.

You are very correct here. However, when a fight starts (self-defense), then both fighters start standing up, where the height matters.

[elbows_and_knees]

i'm 5'8'ish i think the tall one has the advantage. i wouldn't want to fight a tall guy on the streets without knowing what i have learned through martial arts....

striking wise, the tall one does have the advantage on the outside - the short guy needs to master his footwork. without that, he's helpless. On the inside, the shorter guy has the advantage.

grappling wise, the taller guy generally has the advantage with sweeps and some takedowns. With shots and hip loading throws, the shorter guy has the advantage.

[KarateK]

Im 5.11. I do sometimes feel I have an advantage psychologically - when you go up against someone bigger than you and have to look up slightly it can be a bit disconcerting - and in your sub conscious mind you are probably more likely to be afraid of someone bigger than littler.

I don't know about street fighting - but when I end up sparring with some of the smaller cadets who come up to my arms they manage to get a few strikes in - its hard to see where their shoulders etc are aiming for.

And women - there's always one kid who "accidentally" gets your chest isnt there!!!

[Kajukenbopr]

if you are taller, you dont need as much skill(if you are also heavier).there are moves that will work with brute strength and be higly efficient.

I guess it will depend on how well the 2 of them move...

[getawaytkd]

today, at tkd, a 5'9? black belt third degree sparred a guy 6'4? second degree. it looked like a pretty close fight