How to spar with someone much taller than you?

[LKC]

Hello all, long time lurker / newly registered here!

I am a low-level (green belt) practitioner of Goju Ruy Karate Do, and I am looking for suggestions and insight on how to spar with someone much taller.

I am myself quite a short guy (~5' 6"), middle-aged and not very strong. In our dojo there are several guys of the same level who are around 6' 4", and I am always totally incapable of sparring with them. Their legs and arms are so much longer than mine, that they can easily reach me before I am close enough on them. Next December we're all going to the blue belt test and sparring will be a part of it (it has been a part of all our belt tests, it's just that those tall guys weren't there at the same time as me). Our sparring isn't really any serious yet, but at least I don't want to be totally clueless by then, about how to handle the situation.

On one hand, I thought about trying to do some takedowns. Unfortunately I am not that good yet with such techniques, so the risk of failing miserably is quite high. Also, I would still need to get pretty close to them first.

Another idea often going through my head is to "attack their attacks", such as trying to grab/capture their arms as they punch me, or hit their legs as they kick me. These ideas too require some pretty confident techniques tho...

So what would you normally do, when you have to spar with someone much taller?

[sensei8]

Welcome to KarateForums.com, LKC; glad that you're here!!

Simply put, stay up and close; jam them as often as possible by being that pain in the neck. Techniques can't be executed if they can't be completed.

Angle in and out; staying personal with your opponent by managing the effective available space. But, YOU must manage the space, and prevent your opponent from managing the space.

Move...BUT..only at optimized moments that you create, and that you take advantages of whenever necessary.

[P.A.L]

My 2 cents here : if you attack them ,they will get you every time. you got two counter ways. assuming you do point sparring:

1- fake an attack , let them throw you a technique then you do your counter

2- keep the distance and let them throw the kick , you counter on all the front kicks and side kicks, you just keep the distance on all the round house kicks.

some points : tall people can let you in , then they pull back and throw you a round house kick . they can fake a front kick and turn it to round house kick. these are two common ways they can knock you down with kick.

you can throw your round-house and reverse round house from inside . they throw while pulling back. so once you are in , you stay with them (you can control them at their elbow, face to face) until "yame". since you do Goju, try to fight close to sanchin dachi, never spar while turning to your side.

in youtube search for " all japan open kumite" in open weight sometimes you can find very tall people. or search " tall guy kumite"

some years ago, during a belt test a 6'-6" 3rd dan was sparring a brown belt 5'-5" (going for black). the 3rd dan was killing him. the brown belt wanted to win and attacking while the tall guy was waiting then tagging him every time. he only managed to pass once but it was a beautiful throw he did. so my advise is to play it very defensively.

[OneKickWonder]

The diagonal is your friend.

Stay just out of range until they attack. The instant they fire a kick or a punch, move diagonally forward and sideways so that their attack goes past your side, and you end up by their side instead of in front of them. Strike and keep doing so rapidly for either as long as your rules allow, or until they compose themselves. Then escape to the rear of them. Unless they have awesome spinning kicks, you'll be out of range again by the time they turn to face you again.

3 things are needed for this tactic to work.

1. Timing. You need to develop a sense of timing that allows you to act at just the right moment.

2. Speed. Once you move, you need to go off like a rocket.

3. Precision. Step out too wide, and you're still out of your range but in theirs. Too narrow and you don't evade their attack.

The aikido dudes have an excellent concept for this that might be worth looking up. It's in all styles I bet. I know it's in karate. But the aikido dudes take it to the next level. That is tai sabaki. They also have many drills for practicing it. It's worth a look if you haven't encountered it yet.

[MatsuShinshii]

Counter and close the gap. As a tall person myself it took years for me to buy into and become proficient with close range fighting. The natural range for those with longer arms and legs in long range. If you allow a taller person to utilize this range it's hard to beat them. They can cause damage while feeling safe from damage. By countering and closing the gap you take away their range of motion and cause them to move back to regain the range. Defending while moving backwards is not ideal and this gives you an advantage as long as you can maintain the range.

[shortyafter]

The diagonal is your friend.

Stay just out of range until they attack. The instant they fire a kick or a punch, move diagonally forward and sideways so that their attack goes past your side, and you end up by their side instead of in front of them. Strike and keep doing so rapidly for either as long as your rules allow, or until they compose themselves. Then escape to the rear of them. Unless they have awesome spinning kicks, you'll be out of range again by the time they turn to face you again.

3 things are needed for this tactic to work.

1. Timing. You need to develop a sense of timing that allows you to act at just the right moment.

2. Speed. Once you move, you need to go off like a rocket.

3. Precision. Step out too wide, and you're still out of your range but in theirs. Too narrow and you don't evade their attack.

The aikido dudes have an excellent concept for this that might be worth looking up. It's in all styles I bet. I know it's in karate. But the aikido dudes take it to the next level. That is tai sabaki. They also have many drills for practicing it. It's worth a look if you haven't encountered it yet.

We drilled this a lot at my old dojo, we called it "cut to the corner defense". Apart from tall guys, it also works against any guy who is scary and you don't want to face straight up. I like it.

[sensei8]

Be quite mindful to the reaching abilities of the taller practitioner. If not, you'll be walking into the business end of a technique that you wish you hadn't. You have to get in YOUR range for your techniques to have any chance of success. But while you're attempting to get within YOUR range, you're ALREADY IN THE TALLER PRACTITIONERS RANGE; be assertive while being aware to the Nth degree, all at the same time.

[singularity6]

Be quite mindful to the reaching abilities of the taller practitioner. If not, you'll be walking into the business end of a technique that you wish you hadn't. You have to get in YOUR range for your techniques to have any chance of success. But while you're attempting to get within YOUR range, you're ALREADY IN THE TALLER PRACTITIONERS RANGE; be assertive while being aware to the Nth degree, all at the same time.

This is when I block with my face.

[SenNoSen]

Tall guys will most of the time attack the head area because easier target for them. They also need more energy to strike

So I would change direction randomly and try attack in the attack or upper block and counter attack at the same time.

I would also impose my own rythm

[LLLEARNER]

Be mindful of your telegraphing. This lets them counter easily.

Stay close. If you are inside their kick, they have a hard time kicking. They may not be too close for a kick of your own.

Tai sabaki. Move. Angle. Get close and to their 45 then strike.

Keep in mind Mugsy Bogues and Spud Web. They not only competed but succeeded.

Get fast. Work on speed.