Somewhat discouraged after sparring....

[naja]

a guy much bigger than myself. It was light sparring, since I haven't been training very long. Still though I figured I would be a lot faster than this guy and would be able to get inside and connect some. Man was I ever wrong. We've been training for about the same amount of time, but this guy is easily 100lbs over me (mostly muscle too) and about a foot taller than me.

Did I have the wrong game plan or what?

[Phrost]

a guy much bigger than myself. It was light sparring, since I haven't been training very long. Still though I figured I would be a lot faster than this guy and would be able to get inside and connect some. Man was I ever wrong. We've been training for about the same amount of time, but this guy is easily 100lbs over me (mostly muscle too) and about a foot taller than me.

Did I have the wrong game plan or what?

Umm, size matters and anyone who tells you otherwise is generally selling you something Martial Arts-related.

It takes a significant amount of skill and athleticism to overcome a size advantage like that.

[WinterPalm]

Umm, size matters and anyone who tells you otherwise is generally selling you something Martial Arts-related.

What does that even mean? The first part makes it seem like you would suggest a phony martial art or something and then you just say martial arts related... I don't get it?

That said, you need to learn how to overcome his size through your strengths. The best motto I can come up with, aside from the basic of "know thyself" is to do what you do better than what he does.
It takes a long time and often the times you get destroyed in sparring are some of the most inspirational and motivational.

[Phrost]

What does that even mean? The first part makes it seem like you would suggest a phony martial art or something and then you just say martial arts related... I don't get it?

It's pretty self-evident. People who tell you size doesn't matter in a fight are generally selling you some garbage training or are themselves scrawny, nerdy Bruce Lee devotees who get stuffed into lockers and desperately want to believe you don't need strength and athleticism to be good at fighting.

[Pk_StyLeZ]

It's pretty self-evident. People who tell you size doesn't matter in a fight are generally selling you some garbage training or are themselves scrawny, nerdy Bruce Lee devotees who get stuffed into lockers and desperately want to believe you don't need strength and athleticism to be good at fighting.

you dont
i wreslted people 50-200 pound heavier than me
and i took them down with ease
and they were never able to take me down
i weight 130 at the time
just have to know what you are doing
skills > weight

[ShaolinWood]

Hi guys,
I think both are good points. Size does matter when your skill isn't developed to a certain level yet. Intimidation, sheer strength and advantage in reach can be a hard obstacle for any beginner or low-skilled fighter. It takes a while to desensitize and look past the threats.

Superior skill can indeed beat a bigger opponent, but it does take time. I've also met many small guys that tried martial arts for a while and after meeting someone in sparring left with the excuse that it doesn't work.

Martial arts does work, but it relies on the practitioner. If you're a fighter by nature you only need a little training to become a better fighter, where someone who isn't will need a lot more.

Don't be discouraged. Know your weaknesses and work on it. Keep sparring with bigger guys and train harder. There's NO martial art that will make you invincible in a short time (well you'll never be invincible) but if you feel it works for you keep at it. Train hard and see every defeat as a learning curve. (I know it sounds like Mr Miagi but believe me it's the only way)

[Phrost]

you dont
i wreslted people 50-200 pound heavier than me
and i took them down with ease
and they were never able to take me down
i weight 130 at the time
just have to know what you are doing
skills > weight

AOLSpeak circa 1996 username and a burning hatred for the English language aside, you completely failed to comprehend what I wrote. Unless you meant to quote someone else, in another thread, on another planet or something.

You must have missed the part where I said:

It takes a significant amount of skill and athleticism to overcome a size advantage like that.

[naja]

"It takes a significant amount of skill and athleticism to overcome a size advantage like that."

Yea, I think I already knew that in the back of my mind but it took something like this to really make me understand that size does matter to a certain extent.

I think the biggest problem I have with this is that I'm wanting to get into something like mantis that isn't kick heavy. I have fast hands, but I guess I didn't realize how hard it would be to get to someones head if they are so much larger than me.

bla.

[sanjuro_ronin]

Size matters, HOW MUCH it matters depends on your skill level, like it was mentioned AND your game plan.

Reach matters a great deal in the striking arts, take thins from a 5-6 fighter

Some guys have arms longer than my legs !

Kicking is irrelevant to beating the size game, it actually plays in favour to the bigger, taller fighter, pretty obvious.

You wanna get IN on taller fighter, not stay outside where their reach advantage and size will count more.

Fast hands mean crap if you can't get in, you need good foot work to get in, you need to be able to move off his move, go to the outside to get inside, you need to fight YOUR fight not his.

I can't over emphasie the importance of footwork when facing someone bigger.

[naja]

sanjuro...I'll try and keep that in mind next time I spar with anyone. You and I are about the same height, and I weight 160lb. I think you’re right on though. If I hadn’t gotten intimidated early I may have been able to get in and do some damage, or I may have been able to get behind him as well. I pretty much stood my ground after the first few attempts didn't work out.

I’m going to try and focus on the positive side of all this and take it as a learning experience. At least I know what I need to work on!


naja

[Becca]

a guy much bigger than myself. It was light sparring, since I haven't been training very long. Still though I figured I would be a lot faster than this guy and would be able to get inside and connect some. Man was I ever wrong. We've been training for about the same amount of time, but this guy is easily 100lbs over me (mostly muscle too) and about a foot taller than me.

Did I have the wrong game plan or what?

You assumed you would be faster. You have been training the same amount of time and I'm guessing in the same class, too. Any yet you assumed. You didn't know. Me thinks you might want to pay a bit more attention at class. I am well aware of which of my class mates is fast, slow, soft hitting, hard hitting, likely to kick high, likely to use spinning techniques, ect...

[Pork Chop]

how'd you set up your entry?
or did you just try to bumrush in?
reach is a pain in the hiney and is often a bigger problem than weight.

[Pk_StyLeZ]

AOLSpeak circa 1996 username and a burning hatred for the English language aside, you completely failed to comprehend what I wrote. Unless you meant to quote someone else, in another thread, on another planet or something.

You must have missed the part where I said:

i just randomly quoted someone......
gee ppl here are so offensive

[naja]

You assumed you would be faster. You have been training the same amount of time and I'm guessing in the same class, too. Any yet you assumed. You didn't know. Me thinks you might want to pay a bit more attention at class. I am well aware of which of my class mates is fast, slow, soft hitting, hard hitting, likely to kick high, likely to use spinning techniques, ect...

LOL....actually, no this was the second class I had with him. He was there at my second class, went MIA, then showed up the other night. He has been there longer, but what I gathered from him was that he can't come a lot because of his college schedule. From what one of the black belts was telling me tonight when I talked to him about it was that this guy also plays arena football for an amateur team. The guy definitely has more athleticism than I do.

[naja]

how'd you set up your entry?
or did you just try to bumrush in?
reach is a pain in the hiney and is often a bigger problem than weight.

Well, I really can't answer those questions! This was "light sparring", so we could see how we would/wouldn't use the techniques we had been studying.

I agree with you on reach. I dont' think I really thought about the reach factor until after the other night.