Muay Thai a sport for a shorter fighter??

[Aimhigher38]

i'm just started taking Muay Thai about 2 months ago and I totally love it...I love it for the fitness training and the hands on sparring. I would say Ive improved a lot since Ive started and I just recently started sparring atleast once a week... My question is.. I'm fairly short 5'3" Would you guys say that this MA good for self defense for us shorter guys? or am I taking the wrong MA when it comes to self defense? Im asking this because since Ive started sparring..i'm noticing that when punching I have a short reach and dont think I'm too effective when it comes to throwing a powerful punch without leaning in... Is using kicks more benefiical for us shorter guys? Is this the same in the ring and on the street? I know theres a lot of shorter guys that are professional MT fighters..especially in Thailand so i want to see what u guys think is the most effective type of fighting for me...thanks

[Tom Yum]

Ever watch some of the smaller Thaiboxers train or go at it? They are tough as nails and impressively quick. Some of those little guys can fold bags with their kick

As a smaller fighter, you should work on fluidity, speed, timing and fitness - don't try to compete with the weight training, but do stay in shape.

Bigger fighters will naturally build their power first; they'll wind up and throw a kick that will rock a house. Smaller fighters should try to be quick.

While power comes easy for some bigger people, speed doesn't. If you build proper technique with speed, you will generate decent power; enough to smack a bigger fighter when it counts. There's a rumor that Don the Dragon Wilson (186 lb) American Kickbox champ fought against a 138 lb muaythai fighter and lost...

Keep up with it!

[Khun Kao]

It wasn't a rumor, Don did lose. But from what I've read, there was a huge misunderstanding between camps regarding weights, so Don was forced to drop a lot of weight prior to the match, and he had gotten some kind of stomach flu or diarrhea as well while in Thailand, so he wasn't at his best in the ring.

Props to both Don for going to Thailand to fight (many people won't do that) and props to the Thai for beating a considerably bigger opponent.

Actually, if I recall correctly, the Thai he fought was none other than Samart!

[TheDeadlySquid]

I agree

Size doesn't matter for MT!

I do agree that a smaller person should focus on speed and endurance.

TheDeadlySquid

[Harry]

I was told that small fighters should work on speed and learning how to dodge things as a priority, I was also told that being small isn't a disadvantage, tall fighters and small fighters have different styles, both having disadvantages and advantages.

A question, what do you consider small? I was told by a brown belt that im quite short in terms of kickboxing because im 5ft9?

[Yaberdaber]

I believe size doesn't matter for kickboxing... A friend of mine is only 5'6, and he's 2nd place champ here for kickboxing in my area. He worked hard on speed and toughness.

[Aimhigher38]

thanks for all the input.... I figured that in MT..sizes doesnt matter too much...but I guess since I've only trained for 2 months...Im trying to figure out how I can fight a person that is taller than me... I'm quite short for a guy...only 5'3" and I figured that i have a big disadvantage... I guess I'll just have to train longer and see how things go...

[Yaberdaber]

thanks for all the input.... I figured that in MT..sizes doesnt matter too much...but I guess since I've only trained for 2 months...Im trying to figure out how I can fight a person that is taller than me... I'm quite short for a guy...only 5'3" and I figured that i have a big disadvantage... I guess I'll just have to train longer and see how things go...

Hey, why not getting closer to the tall guys when you fight? It prevents him/her to getting the full extent of the kicks and you have the advantage with your reach by then. However, it's those darn knees you gotta be careful. Anyways, just a suggestion, I've always found it better to fight tall guys closer.

~Ya

[Ikken Hisatsu]

you'll find that because muay thai is divided into weight classes you will generally fight people your own size. Fighting someone much taller than you is an almost impossible task, unless you are far better than them.

having said that as a smaller fighter you should try to get on the inside where a taller persons punches are more awkward, while yours are at the right length. just be careful of the knees and elbows of a bigger person.

[Kyoshu]

It's no worries.

I'm also a shorty at 5'5 and currently weight in at 67Kg/147.71 lbs (Welterweight). I find fighting at this weight most of my opponents are taller than me anyways, but so are the people I spar with so I'm used to it.

How much do you weight?

Here's what works for me:

Try to get used to sparring taller guys both in and over your weight range. Faint your jab a lot, explode in for your attacks (like going from 0 to your top speed). Also 2nd phasing your attacks and changing angles on your 2nd phase of attack works well. Work on speed and combinations when you are exploding in. Also learn to bang the body on the inside to make openings to the head or bang at the head to make them cover up and go for the inside leg (works for me since my legs are shorter).

If your not comfortable in the clinch against taller fighters, explode out once you have finished your combo. Exploding out also gives you a chance to draw them in and to load your attack.

Thanks,

Oscar

[Aimhigher38]

THANKS OSCAR...good to know certain pointers for Shortys like ourselves.I'm happy to know youre doing great and still able to hang with them taller guys...i'm about 140-143 lbs and i'm 5'3"... i'm sure when im ready to fight in the ring...most of my opponets will be taller than me...theres not that many fighters around my height...i'm trying to prepare and train...I know my camp wants me to start fighting to inprove and give me more confidence in myself... I feel like I have such a disadvantage cuz of my height.... I will keep in mind of the things you have mentioned above.. Most of my sparring partners are also taller than me so ive been noticing that i have a shorter reach when it comes to punching and kicking...Ive been lundging forward when throwing a punch but my Cru also tells me not to do that since I'm stepping into my opponents reach.....more practice...will make me more comfortable....thanks

[Kyoshu]

No worries, bro. Always good to help.

A good fighter to watch that's 5'4 and fights at 70Kg+ is Mike Zambidis of Greece. He's just recently joined K-1 Max, but he's had a heap of Thai Boxing fights before that. You can probably get tape/DVD of him in last years K-1 Max final when he got ripped of a win against Masato and from this years K-1 Max final, but he's better to watch under Internation Thai Boxing rules, than he is under K-1 rules.