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That's how a Japanese Kyokushin fighter called Kenji Midori won the openweight world tournament while being 1.65m (5'4) tall, defeating opponents much taller than him.
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Most suitable striking art for short and stocky guy
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That's how a Japanese Kyokushin fighter called Kenji Midori won the openweight world tournament while being 1.65m (5'4) tall, defeating opponents much taller than him.
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I'd say Muay Thai.
If you've got strong shoulders and legs, you'll have brutal elbows and knees.
If you've got strong shoulders and legs, you'll have brutal elbows and knees.
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You'll have to try them out, TS. Not just your body "type" but also your unique physiology and mindset will determine what you are most effective at. There's really no other way besides guessing than to try a few.
Tangential- I'd bet you'd be a great candidate for Judo.
Tangential- I'd bet you'd be a great candidate for Judo.
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Boxing would give you the most tools appropriate for your build but if your goal is to become a complete striker you'll eventually want to add some kick defense and some tools at kicking range.
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P
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People tend to think I'm a judoka or wrestler because of my build as well but that doesn't matter. I won't be a good wrestler if I don't train it as much because I enjoy boxing more. Imagine if people told a younger Saenchai or Ricky Hatton, "Nah you shouldn't do MT/boxing, you're too short for that." Timothy Bradley also said he got told he was too short the weight class when he was at 140. He moved up 147 and became one of the top fighters there despite facing even bigger guys.
It's also about timing and range. I can out box taller guys from a distance too if I'm sparring less experienced guys who don't have a very good grasp of both.
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These have been my thoughts as well.
When it comes to punching, reach is more 'absolute' in a sense, because punches can come out fast and directly.
But when it comes to kicks, even the fastest have a longer 'wind up' than than a crisp strait, and many also come in at angles outside the center.
Because of this, whether or not you actually hit, whether you actually get hit or not, is more affected by differences in ability at anticipating your opponent and positioning.
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I need my kicks when dealing with a taller guy. If i use only hands, i get raped. But thats probably because my boxing sucks compared to my kicking game.
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I think you should replace suitable striking art for suitable style or way to fight.
As someone short & stocky (and someone that has tried quite a few styles) - I can tell you from experience that suitable striking arts matters much less than the type of instruction you receive & the type of instructor you get because he/she will teach you how best to use your tools to your advantage.
I don't think either hands or kicks are more or less superior for a short & stocky person but I can't understate enough how important kicks are for a smaller person. Like said above they can really help negate the range of a taller person quite a bit - plus you have the benefit of being able to kick them from further out - so you can mix it up ranges which is what I do - sometimes this will get taller guys coming to you instead of maintaining their range - especially if you hit them. It's a great way to get them to come to you - I learnt this from getting my ass beat but I've noticed Saenchai also seems to do this with his kicks - get you to come to him.
I'd say though from experience it's more important as short stocky person to be able to cut off space properly, come in & off angles and more importantly impose your range. I'd also say expect to get hit more than you would like coming in (especially someone equally skilled to you but taller with more range) - sometimes it's unavoidable to that end I'd say nothing benefits a short person more than having great cardio & conditioning.
Also mixing levels is a short person's best friend especially up close and being sneaky/deceptive with how you throw techniques.
It also helps incredibly to work on being defensively sound when moving into range.
As someone short & stocky (and someone that has tried quite a few styles) - I can tell you from experience that suitable striking arts matters much less than the type of instruction you receive & the type of instructor you get because he/she will teach you how best to use your tools to your advantage.
I don't think either hands or kicks are more or less superior for a short & stocky person but I can't understate enough how important kicks are for a smaller person. Like said above they can really help negate the range of a taller person quite a bit - plus you have the benefit of being able to kick them from further out - so you can mix it up ranges which is what I do - sometimes this will get taller guys coming to you instead of maintaining their range - especially if you hit them. It's a great way to get them to come to you - I learnt this from getting my ass beat but I've noticed Saenchai also seems to do this with his kicks - get you to come to him.
I'd say though from experience it's more important as short stocky person to be able to cut off space properly, come in & off angles and more importantly impose your range. I'd also say expect to get hit more than you would like coming in (especially someone equally skilled to you but taller with more range) - sometimes it's unavoidable to that end I'd say nothing benefits a short person more than having great cardio & conditioning.
Also mixing levels is a short person's best friend especially up close and being sneaky/deceptive with how you throw techniques.
It also helps incredibly to work on being defensively sound when moving into range.
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Boxing > Peek-a-boo style.
Muay Thai, Karate and whatever kicking style is too long for short people. Even though, their argument is to use your legs to make up for your short arm. I can argue that the other person can use their longer legs too. So what's the difference?
Muay Thai, Karate and whatever kicking style is too long for short people. Even though, their argument is to use your legs to make up for your short arm. I can argue that the other person can use their longer legs too. So what's the difference?
Agreed. It's perfect for unathletic fighters and perfectly viable for athletic ones too.
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Eight weapons, my friend
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Generally speaking I would say, that just choose the style which you find the most interesting and stick with it. You will eventually find a way of fighting style that suits for you... I actually havent trained western boxing, but comparing kickboxing (K1 style/rules) to Muay Thai I find that I like the MT best. Because of the clinch/close-range thecniques. And I´m saying this as a guy who sis smth like 5 ft 7 inches and 180+ lbs. The most important thing ofc is that DONT play the "jab/roundhouse kick" game with taller guys
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I don't recommend for shorther guys to stay on the inside. On MMA or MT you'll be clinched and kneed. Shorter guys usually carry less weight, so you tire first in a clinch battle. I recommend making the bigger man chase you, moving around tires him more than it does the smaller person.
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I won't disagree with you but it does provide other advantages. It's easier for the shorter fighter to generate power inside and in the case of takedowns and grappling, having the lower center of gravity can be an advantage.
But, overall, I don't disagree. It's going to boil down to how he's comfortable fighting.
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Yeah, well I think it's perfectly suitable for shorter guys to do double legs, it's easy to get on the hips of a taller guy and it makes them think.
Being a shorter dude, this video really helped me :
Hope it also helps TS !
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You should train whichever sport you like the most.
And then, within that sport, you'll have to figure out how to deal with a height disadvantage, e.g. moving more than your opponent, having a better cardio, a better technique etc.
And then, within that sport, you'll have to figure out how to deal with a height disadvantage, e.g. moving more than your opponent, having a better cardio, a better technique etc.
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TriStar gym knows how to make good fighters; they can turn an average fighter into a good fighter, and a great fighter into a good fighter.
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Senchai is a genetic exception and I would venture to say that he is the top 1% of world population when it comes to reflexes and speed.
The average 165 cm fighter that tries to emulate senchai is getting ko ed.
IMO reach is almost always an advantage and that fact is compounded by kicks and clinch.
The extreme examples are tkd and fencing. All champions or almost are tall.
Boxing gives a better chance to smaller fighters.
But @ TS : that is all secondary to which discipline you prefer. The types of movements that feel natural to you should determine what discipline you choose.
I for one, am scared of bobbing and weaving but throw leg kicks naturally and love to clinch and sweep dudes.
That why I train MT and not boxing.
I am on the smallish side @ 177 cm but that is a subsidiary consideration for me.
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Very interesting thread! I can't choose which views are more correct. Honestly I think that all of you tell something which is true, but that is not the whole truth. 
First- there were times in which I've believed that the kickboxing/ muay thai are much more suitable for taller persons. I was sure that almost everything which one short person can do to a taller guy, would be even easier for the tall guy to do it to his shorter opponent. And let's look, it might be true- in many occasions- the shorter guys can't kick or knee the taller guys in the head. The elbows are probably also a little bit easier for the taller dudes (I am not sure here, I don't have much experience with elbows). And about the punching- again the taller guys have the edge, because they have longer reach usually and it it easier to punch down, not up. And realistically let's face it- the wins of the shorter guys usually come with the use of combos from close distance or with bombs. Thinking like this the boxing aspect is the only area in which the short guys are able to make something good (in most cases). So at first look it seems that the guys who say that MT is better for taller guys and worse for shorter are right, but....
After years I realized, partially from my old man, who also has some martial arts experience and is a huge fan of the combat sports at all that the boxing is not so bad for the taller persons. Yeah in KB/ MT you are allowed to kick and so what? When you stay on outside and try to kick you loose some of your footwork in the moment of kicking and your opponent can step outside or counter if he is quicker, which is quite possible. When you kick, he can block and enter in close range, where he can kick also or just throw some bombs with his arms. If you decide to use jabs and crosses, good- you'll have good mobility, but he would still be able to kick you and to chop you down, or make you to start checking or blocking the kicks and be more static which is going to give him the opportunity to get inside and start trading with you. The big weapon of the taller fighters- the knees, yeah they are great, but they are not so long ranged weapons. If you want to use them, you have to close the distance and he can swarm you with punches. Of course, you can use them as a counter of his inside boxing fighting, but this is another story.
So now I've changed my mind again and I don't think that the boxing or the KB/ MT are superior for tall or short guys. Yeah, the guys who say that it depends on the training and the height has nothing to do with your skills are right, but only for the skills, not for the fighting at all. Your performance is based not only on your skills, but also on your size- height, frame and weight. Generally- taller you are, better you fight in any sport. But of course there are some limits- if you are too tall you won't be able to use the full arsenal of your combat sport. The guys who say that the mindset is very important are very right. If you like to kick, of course it is better to go for KB or MT, even if you have short legs and reverse- if you don't like the kicking, even if you are long legged, you probably should stick to the boxing.
The thing which, guys you, all miss is the weight and body frame and type. It is not just about the height, but it is also important to keep in mind that if you are with short legs, long arms, strong skull, big fists, skinny legs you are probably better for boxing and reverse. In my opinion the MT has more devastating weapons and it is suitable for people who don't have so much sheer power in the upper bodies. If you are fat and cannot kick, why you are going to go to fight in MT and KB? So these are some of my thoughts on the question.
First- there were times in which I've believed that the kickboxing/ muay thai are much more suitable for taller persons. I was sure that almost everything which one short person can do to a taller guy, would be even easier for the tall guy to do it to his shorter opponent. And let's look, it might be true- in many occasions- the shorter guys can't kick or knee the taller guys in the head. The elbows are probably also a little bit easier for the taller dudes (I am not sure here, I don't have much experience with elbows). And about the punching- again the taller guys have the edge, because they have longer reach usually and it it easier to punch down, not up. And realistically let's face it- the wins of the shorter guys usually come with the use of combos from close distance or with bombs. Thinking like this the boxing aspect is the only area in which the short guys are able to make something good (in most cases). So at first look it seems that the guys who say that MT is better for taller guys and worse for shorter are right, but....
After years I realized, partially from my old man, who also has some martial arts experience and is a huge fan of the combat sports at all that the boxing is not so bad for the taller persons. Yeah in KB/ MT you are allowed to kick and so what? When you stay on outside and try to kick you loose some of your footwork in the moment of kicking and your opponent can step outside or counter if he is quicker, which is quite possible. When you kick, he can block and enter in close range, where he can kick also or just throw some bombs with his arms. If you decide to use jabs and crosses, good- you'll have good mobility, but he would still be able to kick you and to chop you down, or make you to start checking or blocking the kicks and be more static which is going to give him the opportunity to get inside and start trading with you. The big weapon of the taller fighters- the knees, yeah they are great, but they are not so long ranged weapons. If you want to use them, you have to close the distance and he can swarm you with punches. Of course, you can use them as a counter of his inside boxing fighting, but this is another story.
So now I've changed my mind again and I don't think that the boxing or the KB/ MT are superior for tall or short guys. Yeah, the guys who say that it depends on the training and the height has nothing to do with your skills are right, but only for the skills, not for the fighting at all. Your performance is based not only on your skills, but also on your size- height, frame and weight. Generally- taller you are, better you fight in any sport. But of course there are some limits- if you are too tall you won't be able to use the full arsenal of your combat sport. The guys who say that the mindset is very important are very right. If you like to kick, of course it is better to go for KB or MT, even if you have short legs and reverse- if you don't like the kicking, even if you are long legged, you probably should stick to the boxing.
The thing which, guys you, all miss is the weight and body frame and type. It is not just about the height, but it is also important to keep in mind that if you are with short legs, long arms, strong skull, big fists, skinny legs you are probably better for boxing and reverse. In my opinion the MT has more devastating weapons and it is suitable for people who don't have so much sheer power in the upper bodies. If you are fat and cannot kick, why you are going to go to fight in MT and KB? So these are some of my thoughts on the question.
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