How To Fight A Shorter Opponent
This page focuses on techniques used to fight a shorter & faster opponent who looks to move inside and negate your reach advantage. For additional sparring techniques, please visit the main Kumite & Sparring section.
Instructions for Technique
- Shorter fighters will try to get in close in order to neutralize a taller opponent’s reach advantage.
- Taller fighters should try to stay out of range where they can land jabs and roundhouse kicks without being hit by the shorter opponent.
- Taller fighters will need to focus on evading a smaller opponent. Smaller fighters will try to trap taller opponents against the ring.
- Taller fighters should take advantage of a smaller opponent when they try to move in close. The taller fighter can try to land strikes like an uppercut punch as the shorter fighter moves into range.
- Be aware that when a small opponent gets in close, he/she is likely to use short-range strikes such as hook punches, knee strikes and elbow strikes (depending on what is allowed in your type of martial arts training).
- Moreover, if you are a mixed martial artists, smaller fighters are likely to try various take down techniques(i.e. Single Leg Takedown) in order to bring the fight to the ground and help neutralize the taller opponent’s punching & kicking reach advantage.
Boxing Video – How To Fight Someone Shorter & Faster Than You
Boxing Video – How To Deal With Shorter & More Evasive Fighter