In sparring matches, either practice or competitive, opponents are generally of different body sizes and shapes. Some may be shorter, equal or taller in height. Some may be light-, medium-, or heavy-weight. Some may possess equal, less, or more strength. Irrespective of the physical characteristics of an opponent, fighting any opponent is a challenge because a fight is always unpredictable and uncertain. Nonetheless, usually, it becomes more challenging if the characteristics are different, because the difference in the height, or weight, or strength can be used advantageously by the opponent.
The impact of height, weight, strength
Competitions are categorized as light, medium, and heavy according to weight, so that opponents are within the same weight-range. Although the opponents may have similar body-weights, yet they may have different heights and different levels of strength. For example, one competitor may be 55kg, 5’3″, and bulky, while the other competitor may be 57kg, 6’2″, and lanky. Both have almost similar weights, yet one may be bulky and short, while the other may be lanky and tall. The bulky gets the advantage of greater mass, which is an advantage because with the same speed, more mass has more impact. Likewise, the taller gets the advantage of longer reach, which is an advantage because with the same speed, a longer reach strikes the target earlier.
Taller versus Shorter
If one is taller and the opponent is shorter, then one takes care that the opponent does not close the distance. Fast footwork by getting back or sideways may help to maintain a long range. Straight punches, jabs, and kicks may prevent the shorter opponent to close the gap.
Shorter versus Taller
If one is shorter and the opponent is taller, then the shorter opponent attempts to close the distance and use close range fighting techniques.
Normally, fighters train in all ranges, so clinches, knee strikes, sweeps, submissions, and chokes may be utilized in close range, while front or side kicks, straight jabs and punches at long range may be effective against shorter opponents.
Does height, weight, or strength matter?
Height, weight, and strength have some impact, but for skilled fighters, they do not matter since skill can overcome everything. For a skilled fighter, an opponent is merely an opponent, who may have the height, weight, or strength of a dwarf, an average person, or a giant. Skill can overcome all advantages/ disadvantages and for a skilled martial artist, it is possible to fight any opponent of any physical characteristics.
Skill is a very broad term that has many constituents like a fighting spirit, winning mindset, physical fitness, resource utilization, strategies, techniques, discipline, courage, bravery, belief in oneself, confidence, and much more. Among these, the most important is the fighting spirit. This is the spirit to go on fighting irrespective of any and all odds. The fighting spirit is so important that it is embodied in the tenets of all martial arts. For example, in Taekwondo it is known as the indomitable spirit.
Every martial artist possesses this fighting spirit due to which all obstacles are overcome.
This fighting spirit is not exclusive to martial artists, rather it is found in every human being. Every human being is a fighter, and it is due to this spirit that every human being fights every battle that life may present.
For example, a Biblical story tells the tale of a shepherd named David, who due to his fighting spirit and skill, defeated a giant named Goliath.
A fighting spirit is a prime constituent of skill, which can overcome any disadvantage. However, there are also other constituents of skill, and with the combination of all the constituents, skill can be successfully employed via strategies.
Few strategies of skill
Skill exhibits in strategies, but not everybody is skilled equally as different martial artists have different levels of skill, and thus, every martial artist has a different strategy. However, few strategies have proved to be effective almost across all levels of skill. Few such commonly used strategies that help in fighting opponents of different physical characteristics, are briefly explored below. Although the strategies are common for all levels of skill, yet their effectiveness varies depending upon the level of skill attained by the martial artist.
Few strategies for all levels of skill, to fight opponents who differ in height, weight, or strength:
—effective footwork
—angular movements
—closing the gap
—speed-timing-precision-power
—targeting the body
—using leverage
—tiring the opponent
—center of gravity
—rhythm of the fight
Effective footwork
Footwork can help to maintain balance, move in or out of range, control spatial positioning, and also to create kinetic energy in kicks, blocks and punches. While fighting a taller, shorter, or a stronger opponent, footwork needs to be effective, so that one may, just like the legendary Muhammad Ali, float like a butterfly and sting like a bee.
Sometimes effective footwork can merely be a jump, which can be combined with a deadly strike.
Angular movements
Angular movements avoid head-on attacks by moving at angles, usually laterally, to dodge the opponent’s straight kicks or punches. Moving laterally can help to dodge, feint or fake attacks, and to capture the blind side, besides finding brief openings, which may be speedily exploited.
Generally, every fighter aims to attack the head, as it can result in a knockout, but every fighter is aware of this and thus, every fighter protects one’s own head in different ways. Therefore, attacking the head is difficult. The advantage of moving at angles, is that it can provide angular openings, which help to attack the head more easily than straight openings.
Closing the gap
Taller fighters tend to maintain the gap by jabs and kicks, while shorter fighters tend to close the gap by staying low and moving in quickly. Both use effective footwork and angular movements to maintain or close the gap. Generally, stand-up fighting transitions to ground-fighting, and so every fighter learns to fight in both circumstances. While standing, they are comfortable to fight at all ranges and if the fight is taken to the ground, then they are comfortable to execute ground-fighting techniques. For the fight to go to the ground, the gap needs to be closed. Skill can close the gap, irrespective of the height, weight, or strength of the fighter or the opponent.
Speed-Timing-Precision-Power
It is said that precision beats power and timing beats speed. If one has less power, then it may help to be precise, and similarly, if one has less speed then correct timing may help.
But what if they are all combined together? For example, precision, power, timing, and speed may be combined, which would result in powerfully precise and speedily timed movements. Such a combination is extensively seen in Nature, where it is used by all animals to hunt or to escape from being hunted. For instance, the strikes of an eagle are precise, powerful, timed, and speedy.
Likewise, exceptional martial artists also combine speed, timing, precision, and power, all together.
Targeting the body
Although the head is a favorite target, but instead of the head, targeting the body with fast body shots may also win fights.
For a taller fighter, the head of a shorter fighter is at a lower height. Therefore, kicks to the head can be used with relative ease. Likewise, for a shorter fighter, the lower body of the taller fighter is at a lower height than the head. Therefore, low kicks, sweeps, and takedowns can be relatively easier. However, ultimately, shorter or taller, whoever is more skilled, usually wins the fight.
Using leverage
A lever consists of a fulcrum, a load, and an effort. These components can vary in their relative positions, which determines the type of lever. The benefit of a lever is that it can move a heavy load with minimum effort. The parts of a human body can also be used as a lever, which means that martial techniques can be applied with minimum effort. Leverage helps to equalize the advantages/ disadvantages of height, weight, and strength.
Tiring the opponent
Dodges can tire out opponents. It tires them out physically, as their strikes fail to make contact; thereby, the kinetic energy of the strike gets dissipated in the air. It also tires them psychologically, as the failed strikes fail to provide the psychological satisfaction of delivering a strike. The failed strike merely wastes away by hitting the air and the desire to win by hurting the opponent is also not gratified. Thus, the opponent tires out both physically and psychologically.
Center of gravity
Balance is maintained when the center of gravity remains within the base of support. By pushing and pulling the opponent, it is possible to move the center of gravity outside the base of support, which disbalances the opponent.
Disbalancing the opponent can also be combined with leverage as is seen in various types of throws. By this combination, a shorter-lighter-weaker person can defeat a taller-heavier-stronger person.
Rhythm of the fight
Nature is rhythmic. Everything in Nature has a unique rhythm of its own, which contributes to create and recreate, endlessly, an all-encompassing overall rhythm of Nature.
Likewise, a fight also has a rhythm. Skilled martial artists can feel this rhythm and they manipulate it to their advantage, which seems almost effortless.
Conclusion
A bigger opponent normally uses kicks, jabs and punches to maintain the striking distance, while a smaller opponent targets the lower body to close the gap. Both opponents may use several techniques and strategies; however, the fighting spirit plays a decisive part, as it overcomes height, weight, and strength of an opponent.
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