The tall mans advantage?

[JeffGentry]

I'm going to say it again, in any fight the ability to control your FEAR is the biggest advantage, whether you are 6' 9" or 4' 11". If you can control the fear of getting punched, bit, kicked, throw or even Stabbed/cut you will suddenly see opening that your opponent doesn't even know are there, but if you fight scared not wanting to get hit you are already on the defensive and you don't even know it. Tall or short in a fight you or the opponent be coming afraid is the big advantage.

[Ryan Ricks]

i totally agree. i've trained with shane a couple of times. he's got to be like a foot taller than me. it takes a lot of nerve for me to stand there and try to execute a technique in that kind of situation. furthermore, hugh long, the guy i practice with in DC is like twice my weight, but about my same height. so i've got to figure out how to cope with people both much taller and much heavier.

this kind of training is pretty good for developing bravery. I wasn't nearly as scared during my second trip to virginia beach as i was during my first session. it's hard not to be scared, but i can decide not to be intimidated.

ryan

[JeanryChandler]

thats interesting because so many unarmed eastern martial arts derive from fencing historically, such as "Tai Chi" and Akido, and transitionally, escrima / arnis. I think the link between fencing with swords and unarmed combat is ancient and powerful.

Not to sound like a hippy.

DB

[JeanryChandler]

this kind of training is pretty good for developing bravery. I wasn't nearly as scared during my second trip to virginia beach as i was during my first session. it's hard not to be scared, but i can decide not to be intimidated.

You have got to learn to actually like that feeling of uncertainty. It's not enough to just swallow down your fear, you have to be confident enough in your ability to win that you actually like that little tingle you get when you are stepping up to the plate. After a while it kind of becomes like a drug.

The quasi WMA activities I engaged in as a kid definately taught me many important lessons which led me to learn how to fight for real when I had to. Keeping your head up, your eyes on your enemy, trusting your ability, thinking tactically, thinking ahead, never hesitating, remaining calm. These are probably the most important things you can ever learn about fighting for real, and you will learn all of these from sparring hard.

DB

[Andrey Lileyev]

In fact, many historical masters--Ringeck under Liechtenauer, for example--state that all fencing (fechten) comes from wrestling (ringen). Swordfighting is just wrestling with a long, sharp object, according to many historical masters. The longer I study the art, the more I agree.

And boxing is just fencing with fists <img src="/forum/images/icons/smirk.gif" alt="" /> I agree that wrestling and fencing are the two sides of one moon called fighting. But as I said their techique differs pretty much. As well as tactics. And you need to be very carefull trying to use ringen while your opponent can take your head away with his sword. I don't argue that beeng well-trained increases chance to do this but we talk about two opponents of equal skills. I don't say shorter one can't close to taller opponent and greap him but i suppose it to be not the-most-esy-to-do thing. IMHO the tactical principles that I've stated in my first post in this topic are much more simple and easy to use when fencing against taller opponent which has an advantage in range. Closing is one of possible tactical tricks but it doesn't indicate how to deal with all natural advantages and disadvantages of the taller opponent.

I don't mean TALLER, I mean the one with MORE USEFUL BULK. Let's say that there are two fit guys, both 5'10. One is 160 pounds, the other 185. If they are just as trained, just as fast as each other, and just as determined, who has the advantage? I say the guy with more useful bulk.

You'e absolutely right when it is about two opponents of low or averege skill. But as more ckilled are the opponents as less natural advantages metter and tactics becomes the most important reason. If they both are good fighters who has better idea for this sparing I think will win.

[Stacy Clifford]

Andrey,

And you need to be very carefull trying to use ringen while your opponent can take your head away with his sword.

I think we would all agree here that you should not attempt to close in and wrestle UNLESS you can either bind or avoid your opponent's sword during the moment of closing the gap. There are plenty of ways to do this, but they all fall under the general categories of attacking before or after or engaging and controlling the opponent's blade. You can rush a high guard with hanging or half-swording to protect your head, press or strike a pflug aside and move in, try to pin his low guard close to the ground (even step on it), or just try to make him swing and miss and then rush in. Just because the two hypothetical opponents are equally skilled and know all the same techniques doesn't mean that they cancel each other out and nothing works. Sooner or later one side always makes a mistake or reacts a little too slow. The key to using your natural advantages from height, weight, build, or whatever, is to either recognize that moment or force it, then exploit it in a timely and efficient manner.

[Shane Smith]

Jake said
"Andrew-

Fencing, in the truest and older sense of the word (and the way we use it here) means "fighting." Thus Ringen, or wrestling, is a sub-set of "fechten," or fighitng, just as using the sword or dagger or spear are.

In fact, many historical masters--Ringeck under Liechtenauer, for example--state that all fencing (fechten) comes from wrestling (ringen). Swordfighting is just wrestling with a long, sharp object, according to many historical masters. The longer I study the art, the more I agree.

Hope that clarifes.

Jake "

I know where you're basically coming from I think and I agree with much of the underlying sentiment, but I do not agree that fencing is no more than wrestling with a 3 foot sharpened steel bar.That said, I think that wrestling encourages economy of motion that DOES lead to success in other forms of fighting. Now,we could easily agree if you were to say that the dagger fight is no more than wrestling with a spike in your hand. It seems to my mind that that is a much closer analogy and more applicable.

[Shane Smith]

Excellent post Stacy!

I think that the bottom line was simply(and clearly) summed up by Confederate Cavalry General Nathan Bedford Forrest... Victory goes to " Whoever gets there firstest with the mostest" ... <img src="/forum/images/icons/smirk.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/icons/grin.gif" alt="" />