Taekwon-do sparring; How would you use being short to your advantage?

Question

I'm having some problems using my size to my advantage. I can get close easily and use fists, which would be great in a real fight, but that won't really give you any points in sparring. How would you suggest I use my size to my advantage? Of course, being short and light makes me much faster in moving, but not always fast enough to be able to retaliate quickly.

Thanks

In WTF Taekwon-do sparring, kicking below belt level won't grant you any points, so that is useless.

It's funny, actually - I never had a problem with my height at Karate. In fact, it was a major advantage.

I guess that's why I like Taekwon-do far more, which I've been doing for a year now. It's far more of a challenge for me, and would be more fulfilled when I do become competent at it, like I am at Karate.

Bushido - people like you are what's wrong with martial arts today. You are overconfident, bash other peoples abilities, bash other styles. An internet tough-guy, who has to make up for his own real life ineptitude by acting like he's worth anything on the internet. Way to go.

Answer 1

Hey Taekwondo friend,

I'm a second-degree blackbelt and have been doing TaeKwonDo 10 years. Ok, the best advantage that you're going to have being short is you can get close quickly, take your shot, and get out quickly. People are most likely going to have longer legs then you, and they can't knee you in TKD sparring, so they need to hit you with their feet. If you stay close, you're legs will be able to reach them but not the other way around. I know cause i'm tall haha, and little people really annoy me in the ring.

In a real fight, small people are really hard to get a hold of because of them usually being squirmy and fast, TKD is not useful for your height in a real fight, consider a grappling art.

Hope this helps... just stay in close and beat the crap out of em.

-Ezekiel

-Added : I wasn't talking about kicking below the belt. I mean kick their chest gear, staying close is still you're best advantage.

Answer 2

No offense to the new martial artists that are bringing in the new era of martial amazing ability.... but the man didn't ask you opinion on TKD... He also stated that below the groin kicks in this art art not permitted.... so your response should be as follows...

1. Do you practice the art and understand it so as to be able to answer in a manner appropriate to the question?

2. Are you going to answer the question to help, or to take down his martial arts form because you believe yours to be better.

3. Are you going to give him your opinion on what he should do after he clearly gave guidelines on what some rules are?

When I read that question I saw "I'm having some problems using my size to my advantage. I can get close easily and use fists, which would be great in a real fight, but that won't really give you any points in sparring. How would you suggest I use my size to my advantage? Of course, being short and light makes me much faster in moving, but not always fast enough to be able to retaliate quickly.

Thanks"

Not "Can you cuuuuel guyz tell me how neatzor my TKD is?"

TO answer your question its actually kinda simple... TKD is a lot like chess when you are sparring. You need to think a few moves down the line. What are you going to do if he does A, then B. You counter with ....... and so on.

I would say being smaller helps with speed which quite frankly.... is all TKD is about. get in fast, and tap him for a point. get out! then repeat. Now if its Olympic style instead of point sparring.... do the same thing just repeat it over and over.

Answer 3

MS... Listen to bushido. He's right. He may seem like a tough guy, but he actually know what he's talking about. People like him are the people that bring martial arts up to next level. You gotta to admit it there's many out of date styles out there today that could use some evolving.

Anyway to answer your question, if you're short, best thing for you to do is close gap and use your boxing skill or clinch and knees skill. That's why it's good to learn few other styles so you can mix them up. You don't try to fight someone with long reaches with your short reach! You take their reaches advantage away! You do that by close the gap or move to angle and attack.

Answer 4

dude use this to your advantage and do something no one expects. Most people only do round kick in Sparring. Why I don't know. They know so much more but think that is the only thing they can do. I am short and have short legs so I usually use a front kick to the gut. that gets them everytime. I don't have to stretch out to make some awesome head shot and since my legs are short I can do it from close range and it is effective and usually knocks them on the ground because no one expects a front kick.

Answer 5

Low attacks....lower body....legs, especially below the knees. Most martial artists are so focused on chest and head blows that they don't put much though into their legs...this give a decided advantage to those that have a more direct access to the lower legs. Sweeps, kicks to the shins or calves..also uppercut punches are easire for those of a smaller stature....easier to get inside and up the body...plus...having to be closer means that your opponent has to readjust thier stances, movements, punches and kicks so they don't over reach or underreach. Being smaller also allows you an easier time at ducking under both punches and kicks.

I learned alot about size differentials in my early training as my instructors had NO regard for size or age and I often found myself matched against opponents that were sometiems as much as twice my size so I learned how to to compensate for those diferences by trial and error..I learned what worked and what didn't

Answer 6

Learn your reach. Then when you are fighting, stay outside of your opponent's reach. As soon as your opponent tries to get in reach, block whatever technique he/she uses,and get him/her with a kick, and follow that up with hand techniques , until you have your opponent off balance. Once that happens, you will have control over the fight.

Answer 7

Since you are shorter than your opponent, it's always better to be close so he cvant kick you yet you can kick him. When close either do knees to the side or do a back spin straight to the head.

Answer 8

Amelia or Emelia Emilie- I suppose this spelling is cuter:) But Emmy itself is ultimate I suppose, even though it does not sound very legitimate I do not suppose any person could pass judgement on someones title by means of how legitimate it sounds.

Answer 9

no real martial artist focuses on your head or chest,no real martial artist would even consider kicking anyone in the head or chest in a real situation as the majority of real situations this is totally impracticle.have you ever been in a crowded bar and tried to kick someone in the head?if you have you need to remove your hand from the place you think with.the reason your having trouble is with this in tkd is they put to much focus on it.(not knocking the style-and even if i was it is an informed comment from someone that has a 2ndgree in it.me.)but you (MS)already new this because you've been traing in martial arts for three years so you must know everything.pleae train me.hahahahaha..paybacks are a ***** ar'nt they my friend.anyway like i told someone else your not short its just the gutters were built to close to your ****.

Answer 10

some body types are just not suited to some sports... sorry. Thats the truth.

perhaps you should start working on a full contact sport where you can use your height to your advantage?

Michael
www.bandconsulting.com