Technique should be easy? Size and Power don't matter?

[Adonis]

First studying the martial arts over a decade ago. I got that impression throguh class and studying books and articles on Martail Art traiing that Size and and stregth don't matter technique can defeat that. As well as technique if done right should be easy.

After years of training though I soon found out size and stregth do matter may not be conciously mostly I was wondering what I did wrong in my technque, why wasn't it easy? I guess I should keep working on it more.

Those were my thoughts, however later on I realize that technique is fueled by attributes, technique is great for leverage, but athleteicsm, size, strength, flexbility, speed, ect,ect,ect fuel the techniques.

Lets take a big guy who lifts an object up but has horrible form(lifting with the back instead of the legs) , but he feels it was still easy to lift the object up. Then lets take a smaller person who uses proper technique to lift something and it still feels heavy to them.

It all seems like common sense to me now. I just found it funny over the years of training that it took me so long to accept that belief.

I am sure many others have simular experiences to share right? Please do!

Thank you!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

[ps1]

When all other things are equal, size and strength will matter greatly.

[tallgeese]

Yup, size and strength are both attributes that can aid a ma-ist. They are the reasons that weight classes exsist in most all combat sports.

Yes, form is important. And practiced skill and knowledge is probiblly the most important factor that goes into dramatically improving and building a fighter. Still, sheer mass and muscle is another attribute that feeds into every otehr aspect of your game.

Definalty important.

[Kruczek]

I think one of the things many schools have lost over the years is body conditioning. Or at least the emphasis on it has been lost.

I also think that without proper technique any and all strength and size is meaningless.

I a tall strong fighter who can't judge distance (technique) will miss with a lot of power. Whereas a small guy who can hit a bigger guy in the throat with accuracy and less power will win.

The two are important but mean very little when you compare them to technique.

[joesteph]

If dealing with a mugger, a drunk, even a rapist, Adonis, that attacker is likely stronger, but faithful training in martial arts techniques does give a person the greater likelihood of escaping from the situation. Your early impression wasn't exactly off the mark, at least in my book. And "easy" is a misconception that practically everyone who starts a martial art leans towards; I know I did. But though we can react from startled to afraid when meeting up with an actual attacker, at least we have something to go by.

Realization is a sobering experience. It wasn't that your technique was "wrong," it was the unsettling discovery that it wasn't "easy," but you didn't give up; instead, you worked harder.

Those were my thoughts, however later on I realize that technique is fueled by attributes, technique is great for leverage, but athleteicsm, size, strength, flexbility, speed, ect,ect,ect fuel the techniques.

Here, Adonis, are you speaking of the criminal, or against a fellow martial artist, such as in a full-contact bout? There are different goals in mind when dealing with these opponents.

When we think about what Kruczek said:

I also think that without proper technique any and all strength and size is meaningless.

I personally think of the criminal element. Although what Tallgeese noted:

Yup, size and strength are both attributes that can aid a ma-ist. They are the reasons that weight classes exsist in most all combat sports.

Is a completely different set of circumstances.

[DWx]

IMO technique is the primary factor. With good technique the smallest old man could throw somebody twice his size and half his age. Strength and size are important though especially when technique is evenly matched. If you want to get all mathsy about it, Newton's 2nd law of motion demonstrates that the guy with more mass can generate more power. Having said that though, the little guy can often be faster and that may cancel out some of the difference.. IMO get the technique right, work on speed and strength and flexibility and you can get the best possible power out of your movements.

[tori]

Myself as a Martial Artist and a woman, I have to recognize my own strengths and weaknesses. No, I am probably not going to be stronger than a possible attacker, but I have been trained to find weaknesses on the attacker to bring him to my level and then down.

I also know that in a self defense situation, once I have defended myself, I am not going to stick around to see if he gets up.

I consistantly train in situations where my attacker is much stronger than me and prepare for what I would do to defend myself.

I do care of conditioning, but realistically, I could lift weights everyday of my life and I am still not going to be stronger than the crazed individual who is attacking me. Proper training, accurate strikes, and realistic thinking about oneself's abilities is what I focus to work for me.

[tallgeese]

Yes, combat sports are a different set of circumstances. But they are sports derived from combat, which should say something.

Technique is a valuable tool. It will ceratily enhance the capabilities of the big, heavy fighter. And yes, good technique can help to off set the natural advantages taht a bigger attacker possesses.

I just think that the size factor gets down played too often by ma-ist of all varieties. That's all.

Just because you hit an attacker in vital areas dosn't mean he's going to stop or that the tactic will be effective, even if it is deployed perfectly to vunerable. The ability of an untrained, heavy strong fighter to tackle and bear you to the ground should never be underestimated (which is why some form of grappling training is highly useful). This can present a seriois problem for any trainied fighter.

Again, it's not that these are unsurmountable advantages, but they are advantages that deserve respect and realistic evaluation.

[Rateh]

I've never believed the "size doesn't matter". Mostly because I'm 5'3" and was 105 as a full grown adult. My instructor would say "size doesn't matter, see how I can throw so and so, who is like 6'2" and 250 pounds?" I would look at him and think yes....but the difference between you and him is the same difference as between me and you....do you really think I could do a hip throw to a guy whos over double my weight and almost a foot taller? Hip roll, yeah I could pull that off, hip throw? No, I've tried, I just don't have the size or strength to lift him.

Of course technique helps. But it doesn't completely negate size and strength differences.

Also when grappling someone much larger than myself, I sometimes have to tap out because of being smothered by their sheer weight. So grappling is great and all, but size deffinitly plays a factor there as well.

[NightOwl]

Size and strength is HUGE. Skill can overcome streangth to be sure, but the amount of skill has to make up for the deficit in strength. If you are 90lbs and your opponent is 205lbs, that's a lot to make up. Grappling, especially on the ground can help (I've been outweighed by over 100 lbs before...NOT fun! ) but it still doesn't cover everything.