Art or Sport

[Taikudo-ka]

- "Using your own example - imagine Bruce Lee and Arnold Schwarzenegger...who do you think would win out of those two? (Or people or similar height, weight, training and strength)"

 

Bruce Lee by a long margin. He was a highly trained martial arts machine, able to deliver lightning fast blows with awesome force and precision. Arnie is just an aging pin-up boy who once pumped a lot of iron and looked buff, but nowdays has a penchant for expensive cigars, jet planes, and the good life.

 

What could he actually do in a real fight, apart from present a bigger target to Bruce?

 

BTW, Shotokan was developed by guys who were quite small and thin. Funakoshi was only about 5' or so, maybe 120lbs...

 

In a "big guy" vs "little guy" match I think the little guy would have more of a chance with a striking art like shotokan, than some of the other suggestions made like judo or jujitsu.

 

The prob is when it comes to grappling, the big muscles and body weight matters more, and allows the big guy to "power" through the techniques without needing much technique.

 

Then imagine throwing a guy twice your weight...not impossible, but you'd have to be good! NO forcing your way through.

 

On the other hand, a small guy CAN still hit hard enough to do some damage. A big guys eyes, groin, throat, etc, are still just as soft and easily damaged. And all the strength won't help if you can't actually hit your opponent...