Is it possible to beat someone who's bigger then you in a fight if you've both been training in martial arts

Question

for the same amount of time?

Answer 1

Of course it is possible.

I recommend the study of Sun Tzu, The Art of War.

The size of a person or a military unit is only one factor to be considered in battle. In this scenario we would need to know which style had better defense against another style.

To use the beginning of the Ultimate Fighting Championships as an example, Royce Gracie was the smallest competitor and the ultimate winner.

But, when you consider the other factors this is not so surprising. There were no time limits or rounds, which plays into the hands of the patient Jujitsu style. There would be no "standing up" by the referee. This allowed the smaller Gracie to lay in his guard all day if needed, which is a position that all the other fighters had been trained to believe was the most vulnerable. Next, although some of the competitors had some submission training, none were even familiar with BJJ. I remember Ken Shamrock kept saying he was waiting for Royce to try to throw him, like a Judo player. That was the final match of the tournament.

This example applies to almost all combat. If you know a very large fighter is going to come out swinging like a windmill, then you only need to circle away from him until he gets tired. Boxing is a martial art, but most boxers have no experience with the take-down. They become like a turtle on their back and the first instinct is to roll to their stomach. Anyone who has even seen a BJJ match on TV knows what to do when you have someone's back.

In summary: Size of the opponent is a factor, but it is not the only factor and size alone will not guarantee victory. From the smaller army of Alexander the Great, to the tunnels of Vietnam, size, speed, terrain, intelligence, deception, attitude, and motivation are all factors in combat.

Answer 2

It really depends on the people, the skill level the two have, the level of weight difference, and the art(S) have some degree of validty as well.
The people: We are all different. Having extra size doens't always heed people from ability in fitness and technique, nor does being smaller make it better. It's subjective.
Skill level- Though the two people would have been in the class for a long time, that still doesn't mean they are at the same level of skill. What if one of them practiced the techinques everyday? What if one of them competed in competitions every chance he/she got? What if the smaller person has trained themself to fight against opponents of varying sizes and fighting ranges? It's really complex here too.
The level of weight difference combines with the art (And their ability) to be even more complex. :P
In something like BJJ- A major weight difference (Combined with skill) might be a big thing to overcome, but it's possible. It depends on the people. BJJ is about leverage: You don't need intense strength to be a good BJJ grappler.
Tae Kwon Do or Karate- The sparring is about striking, and speed is of the essence. That isn't to say that the bigger person is slower (Or that the smaller person is automatically quicker), but either one of them can use that as a great advantage because the art is about good striking techinque with speed and power. Being able to take someone out with one hit is fine, but if you can't catch them: You have to hope you get a lucky shot. :p
So it's very possible, but it depends on the people, their experience, the attributes they have, et cetera...

Answer 3

Yes it is possible.

Size is only one advantage, you could counter it with skill, speed, strenght (size does NOT guarentee superior strength), experience and so on.

Training the same amount of time does not imply the same amount of skill, as some people absorb more information faster than others, and some are naturally more skillful.

It also depends on the martial art in question, you could master muay thai in 2 years provided you train very hard, but kung fu takes many many years to master.

An average person taking brazilian jiu-jitsu would probably get a blue belt in a year (considering he trains hard), but if you are BJ Penn in that time frame you'd be already a black belt.

I hope this information was useful

good luck!

Answer 4

I say ABSOLUTELY. If you put your mind to it and convince yourself that you can do it, it is very possible. Size is not the most important thing, it is a lot about speed and alertness. Everyone can have off days also where they are not as focused. Anyone can beat anyone else on any given day. I remember once when I was 13 yrs.-old sparring, (me being only 5 foot 3) against a high school football player who was much larger than me. This challenge actually gave me an extra rush of adrenaline an motivated me even more. I did end up beating him and taking the first place trophy that tournament in sparring. Never give up, don't let size scare you!

Answer 5

Yes... When it comes to a fight between two well trained martial artists, it's a crap shoot. Maybe you get in a good cross right, maybe they were a bit susceptible to a certain throw you've been working on. It comes down to percentages. If they win 60% of the time and you win 40%, but you only fight once... you might win 100% of the tested time, which is 1 of 1.

Answer 6

Maybe if you train hard and more focused.

The problem is size is a real advantage which is why all the combat type sports have weight classes - Boxing, Kickboxing, Wrestling, BJJ.

Royce Gracie is an unusual case because he came in at a time when few people knew jujitsu. I can't see one of those smaller guys hanging with the heavyweights today because now the technique is more common.

Answer 7

Yes.It's the fight in the dog, not the size of the dog that is important-call it "fighting spirit".
The ability to go on fighting even if hurt-that is the difference between a winner and loser.Someone maybe technically better but without the spirit to continue if hurt they will lose-this applies to all aspects of life .

Answer 8

Heh. I've proven victorious in a fight with someone who is almost a foot taller than I am. I have had no martial arts training, and he has had over seven years of it. If you weren't meant to fight well, then you just can't.

Answer 9

Yes, provided the difference isn't too huge. Like if your opponent can easily grab you and throw you across the room, then you obviously stand no chance.

You need to be faster, more agile and flexible to beat this bigger guy, so that you can dodge and attack when and where he least expects it.

Answer 10

Absolutely YES