tactics for small guys

[integrityma]

small guy

Best strategy, stick close to your attacker, but away from his front, where big guys have the advantage. Keep moving. Never stop striking and moving. If your smaller and trying to kick, that puts you right in his punching range. all grappling arts mentioned are good, but require lots of training, and never address multiple attackers. Try a few arts, and see what works best for YOU. good luck.

[Wilks123]

Actually I am also looking into getting a martial art to defend myself,but i havent found any places which are very practical. Mainly not very good teachers or just teaching the flashy unrealistic stuff.

Im from South London, surrey in the suburbs, does anyone know of any good places around here they would recommend.

Id be grateful for any info thanks.

[bodhisattva]

Isn't GRAVITY awesome?

Yes. In fact, Gravity, coupled with a persons tendency to fall clumsily (if they don't wrestle/grapple) work together really well.

[bodhisattva]

Although I am a big fan of all the above, all four arts are focussed around and operate within weight categories. Therefore I'm not sure that is what the guy was looking for. Would the attributes taken from any of those arts help him in a fight? Sure, but its perhaps not the specific answer to the problem posed, IMO.

they all fight with weight limits because they are both assumed to be equally trained.

It doesn't change the fact that if you want to learn to hit HARD with WHAT YOU'VE GOT then boxing is the way to go.

If you want to learn to control another man's weight, even when he's much larger, then wrestling and judo have it.

And if you want to learn to control another man on the ground, and submit him, then it's BJJ, in my book.

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Sure, they fight within weight classes. What should we expect, 115 pound men fighting 215 pound men, both of them well trained, both of them in good condition?
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Weight classes exist because both fighters are trained. There is no "Magic Way for Small Guys" outside of good striking skills, good throwing skills, and good ground skills.
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At SBGi Portland, I'd see large, built construction workers, body builders, and others come in the gym's front door.

They'd get OWNED by the little guys there - in boxing, throwing, and ground. OWNED.

Why? Because those arts are great when a little man has to fight a big man.

[KingKrav]

I recommend Krav Maga. Krav Maga is a martial art in which everything you learn is designed for street fighting and it teaches you tactics in which you can overcome bigger, stronger opponents, even those that may be armed with knives or pistols and it also teaches you to fight from disadvantaged positions, such as against multiple attackers, when exhausted, when dizzy, ect. It is also very quick and easy to learn, in the few weeks I have trained, I've already learned three ways to defend against knife threats, defenses against three types of chokes, defenses against bearhugs, holds and hay makers, pre emptive strikes and what to look for in a person who may be a threat.

I'd advise you to check out what is in your local area, visit each training center/dojo and check each place out and do some research on different martial arts you choose. Remember, it's up to you to choose which art fits you best and watch out for flashy gimmicks.

[Ryan Bellegante]

Look at Russian Systema

[Tant01]

Terra Firma (Terrain)

Learn to use weapons, it's always better to have a force multiplier. My favorite weapon is one I have with me nearly all the time and it's my favorite thing to hit to hit people with, it's the Earth. Learn to throw people.

Isn't GRAVITY awesome?

[formulab]

Thanks for all the advice,
has any of you guys executed "throw moves" in street fights against bigger guys? or what's your experience of fighting bigger guys?

[TTEscrima]

Learn to use weapons, it's always better to have a force multiplier. My favorite weapon is one I have with me nearly all the time and it's my favorite thing to hit to hit people with, it's the Earth. Learn to throw people.

[DonKey]

I'd tend to agree with that, not much gentle about the judo I've seen.

Fact of the matter is that strength and size does matter, and a smaller guy is going to have to work harder to fend off someone bigger and stronger.

Get good at western boxing, then throw in some Judo or BJJ. Kali for weapons and other interesting dirty tricks and you're set.

[Adept]

The guy asked about an art or a training method that is based on the specific concept and strategy of handling someone bigger and stronger.

Wouldn't be using the leverage principles of BJJ or Judo be just that?

Sorry for my poor insight. It just looked like to me your previous post was stating that arts like BJJ or Judo wouldn't be what he was looking for because they train in weight classes.

It's just that my own personal experience with BJJ, I've rolled and trained with bigger partners.

[Tant01]

That's the beauty of Judo... It doesn't take much force to topple or choke. When you need to apply torque to destroy a limb you can use both hands and arms, both legs and your whole core against one joint...

Targeting specific "vital" areas is not unique to judo.

Gentle is sort of a mis translation of "JU"...

People are breakable.

The guy asked about an art or a training method that is based on the specific concept and strategy of handling someone bigger and stronger.

If you train to fight someone in your weight category, then you aren't training to fight someone bigger and stronger. That isn't to say it won't assist your fighting attributes, but it isn't the specific solution he asked for.

Further to his request, I offered examples of arts and methods that were formed and are based around his specific need. I'm struggling to see the confusion in this, but maybe thats just me.

[Adept]

Although I am a big fan of all the above, all four arts are focussed around and operate within weight categories. Therefore I'm not sure that is what the guy was looking for. Would the attributes taken from any of those arts help him in a fight? Sure, but its perhaps not the specific answer to the problem posed, IMO.

I got kind of confused on this one. Weight categories? I don't think he is fighting MMA trained guys.

Judo and BJJ were developed so the smaller guy can overcome the bigger one. Those I can vouch for. I'm sure boxing and wrestling can do the same, but I can't vouch for them.

But either way, the attributes developed from learning and training in those arts can help him in a fight, yes.

I will agree that Jeet Kune do concepts is a very good 'art' to 'learn'. It is more designed for the street than MMA. Not to say MMA is street useless, but you catch my drift.

[Hardball]

Time for me to move on, eh? Getting too predictable...

Yea better brush up on your Kuzushi!! LOL