Dealing with larger attackers

Hi guys, thanks for sharing your thoughts.

Mick,
nice to read your post, I hope you've been doing well.

I'm only talking out of my own humble experience and that's what's worked for me -and as I've pointed out before, I'm not a fighter or consider myself to be one...

Analyze a weakness, or strenghts, is something that I do every time I meet someone coming at me, big, small, male or female... It might not be a conscious process, more like getting a "feeling" about someone - but - I do. And I think that more people does that - in one way or another. To find the best way in, or out... Why don't you agree with that option, or do you?

Of course a big guy can fight "nasty" too. That's a real problem for me - a quick, fast, balanced, nasty playing guy - I wouldn't even dream of fighting that if I didn't have to. Why risk it? But just because a big guy is BIG he doesn't necessarily have to be quick and balanced - I've avoided attacks by just slipping out of the way and getting the guy to fall on his face.

I'm not sure I understand what you mean when you say "just try harder"?

It's just as important for a little guy or girl, if not even more so to learn the proper way to strike/kick/punch and learn how to use them properly and with power... There are really no shortcuts, in just learning how to fight "dirty", but I believe the best way is to really learn it all and then learn to think and then use one's head in a creative way if the situation occurs...

If someone can't teach you how to hit with power then maybe that's a weakness in the teaching and not the size of the student.

I believe one must assume that someone willing to do me harm is coming in with just as nasty tricks as me - Maybe that's what you mean too?

Still, I believe that realizing that a "bad" guy (bad being someone coming at you to do you harm ) won't fight or "play" nice - is even more important to someone small and/or vulnerable... If I'm small and weak and don't have any good punches, can't get any power in, well, then fighting "dirty" is the better option everytime to getting moshed... Just hope that I'm the first one thinking of that option ... As you said - there's no monopoly for the little guy to be nasty...that option is available to anyone...

Or am I getting you all wrong (?) - please feel free to elaborate...


Take care
Lynx

Your post really got me thinking , Mick.

I might be back later if I get it together to something useful - but for now this thought is going through my head:

Maybe not just try harder, but be smarter...

Too me: A fight is not just about blows, punches etc it's also about the tactical and strategic use of those in the context of the fight. How one does that can make, or makes all the difference... Keeping the initiative, or regaining it. Keeping distance, knowing how and where to focus one's hits in an attack...

That's just how I think. If I'm all hopelessly lost here -let me know. I'm all in for learning...


Lynx

Mick,

It is not that big guys don't know how to fight inside it is about the unexpected. You are tall from what I have seen of your excellent work in the Cross Training DVD so generally will not deal with too many people much taller than yourself, so in my case (being quite short) I had never had to deal with someone shorter and the punching angles etc. were unfamiliar.

Andrew

cfadeftac...
(that one wasn't easy to spell )

I've been thinking about your short post a little. Made me think about how it would be to be tall vs shorter and how different it would be... It does make you think about WHAT you do and HOW you do it and WHY...

And on another level - how important it is while teaching, to make sure that you mix the group up in order for the students to learn properly. If you always put the equals with each other then what do they learn?

Just a thought...


Take care,
Lynx

Lynx,

That was exactly my point, it is easier to react to something if you have seen it before. I've hears of many boxers being caught flat footed by a backfist just because it is not an angle they are used to.

As well I had a two guys fighting in my lobby yesterday and the gentleman with a baseball bat scored a beautiful knockdown with a left to the eye socket before I arrived to break it up, all the guy who got hit could see was the bat in the guys right hand. Glad he wasn't mad at me though he was handling that aluminum bat like a piece of rattan.

Andrew

Yesterday morning a coked up sted head decided he wanted to kick my teeth down my throat for no apparent reason. Due to alcohol and adrenalin in the moment I wasn't fussed about his size I was more worried about a big right hook. Anyway, I grabbed my mate who said I was with him and the guy apologised and bought me a drink.

Once he stepped back, I was like "Fook he's freakin huge". I just wanted to run away when I realised how big he was (never mind the fact his whole head was covered in big ass scars). Leaving wasn't an option for various reason so I just stuck to my mate like glue as the incredible Hulk glared at me over his champagne glass.

I couldn't get passed the thought in my head that if I didn't finish him with one strike I'd probably need reconstructive facial surgery.

There's definately an instinctive mental barrier against bigger adversaries, but its only a problem if you think about it

Jan,

Got to say mate, it's a problem whether you think about it or not - and not just on a psychological level!

Am I getting labelled as a 'negative thinker' here, or as some kind of 'spoilsport'? The fact remains, larger, heavier and stronger individuals have a genetic advantage when it comes to combat.

This can be matched, to a degree by training and superior tactics, etc, or by 'tooling up', but these factors are not exclusive to the smaller individual, should the big fella choose this path also, the advantage remains.

Unfortunately we play the hand we are dealt, to a point we can ask for new cards, but that's the measure of things in the real world.

There might be a 'way to do absolutely anybody' but it may not always be one-on-one, face-to-face - that's just romantic lunacy in some cases, another dangerous 'soundbyte'!

You don't engage a tank with a rifle, you withdraw and get the right tool for the job!

There's no guarranteed technique or tactic for fighting bigger guys, no special move that is the sole preserve of the smaller individual.
When I said 'try harder' earlier, I meant just that - if no escape is possible, and no weapons are available/accessible, you get stuck in at 200%, with as much subterfuge as possible to get that first, second, third and fourth shot bouncing off that big old head, to facilitate the rest!

Forget any notion of kicking knees out, body shots - or anything remotely grappling-related, stick to switching the monster off at the mains.

In my experience anyway!

Mick

Jan and Mick, thanks for sharing...

Jan - I remember feeling like that a few times. Especially growing up, I was strongest and relatively tall until the guys outgrew me in their teens. I was 16 the first time I realized - "shit I'm in trouble now!" fighting a guy to get the hierarchy settled yes I know, silly! But it wasn't deadly serious, luckily enough for me!

Mick - I just want to say that I did not mean to "label" you or anyone else. Don't think any of us were?! Personally, I was just asking - as I wasn't sure if I was getting you correctly. I'd rather do that than misunderstand someone. So thank you for getting back to us - I think I see where you're coming from. So....

Am I getting labelled as a 'negative thinker' here, or as some kind of 'spoilsport'?

Don't worry about it.

The fact remains, larger, heavier and stronger individuals have a genetic advantage when it comes to combat.

Yes. That's true but being small I don't surrender because of it. And I don't think that's what you're saying either?! At least I get that from this:

Unfortunately we play the hand we are dealt, to a point we can ask for new cards, but that's the measure of things in the real world.

There might be a 'way to do absolutely anybody' but it may not always be one-on-one, face-to-face - that's just romantic lunacy in some cases, another dangerous 'soundbyte'!

I like the romantic lunacy - I think that's what one has to be careful about - being small. And that's what I mean when I say that I have to use my head...

Thank you for answering my question what you mean about "just try harder":

When I said 'try harder' earlier, I meant just that - if no escape is possible, and no weapons are available/accessible, you get stuck in at 200%, with as much subterfuge as possible to get that first, second, third and fourth shot bouncing off that big old head, to facilitate the rest!

Forget any notion of kicking knees out, body shots - or anything remotely grappling-related, stick to switching the monster off at the mains.

Now I understand and it makes a lot more sense to me.
(Great points in that last paragraph btw.)


Take care.
Stay safe, everyone...
Lynx

I just remember it crossing my mind that even if I panned his head with his own champagne bottle I wasn't sure he'd go down

Big guys can hit harder and take more punishment, it sounds like fun taking them on (but then again it's not like you have a choice)

Jan,

That's about the strength of it mate!

I'm 6' 4" and over 17st - I know first hand how that gives me an advantage, which is why I always chuckle when the usual 'just do this....' comes up in these debates/discussions!

I wish this was the case and it was so simple, but there's really no separate game plan for dealing with the big 'uns, other than 'more effort'!

I also know first hand how extra mass and strength can tip the scales against me when I'm facing some monster - and how I've really got to 'go' just to level things out.

Once again, this may go against some notions, and spoil others - but reality has a nasty habit of ruining theories and lovely positive assumptions.

Mick

I guess all of us can think about situations where you MAY be able to outfight a bigger person, if this or that applies.

But one thing is certain. Each and every one of us would be a better fighter if we could develop an extra 30lbs of functional muscle. That says it all for me.

I'm 6' 4" and over 17st

Bloody shortarsed lightweight aren't ye then? (Says me 6'8 and 21 stone)

Nick

PS: Now I know what I'll get ya for your birthday Coup...some "be taller" boots and a can of weight gain powder.

Does anyone have the guide "The Beginners Guide to Fight Promotion?"

I'd make a packet if I got these two together......

PS: I don't know if it's as dire as everyone is pointing out. Remember the old adage it's the fight in the dog, not the dog in the fight. Wolverines rip the hell out of, and regularly beat, grizzly bears in fight despite a humungous weight and size difference (Wolverines weigh about 55 pounds, grizzly's weigh approx 1500 pounds).

Tony Quinn and Malcolm Anderson, both small, regularly beat the crap out of larger opponents and groups of larger opponents.

I think the key is that they were supremely well trained and their opponents were just big untrained lugs.

If two guys are equally well trained and one is bigger then my money is on the bigger one. If on the other hand the little one is trained (properly) and the big one isn't, my money is on the little guy.

Balls, throats and eyes can't be toughened by weight training, nor can jawbones. Hit 'em hard and hit 'em right and they go down like everyone else.

Nick

At a most basic level i.e no weapon equaliser etc, etc, I would say that the basic strategy of a constant offence, targeting the jawline/neck area is my main priority regardless of size!

Keeping it that simple takes away the decision to fight in either "big guy mode" with a particular strategy or "small guy mode" and a corresponding and possibly different strategic approach.

But remember,

The bigger they are.......the harder they hit!

The bigger they are.......the harder they fall....but less often!

Jon