Martial Arts for Small Guys?

[Mordrid1]

Hello,

I know this question has been asked before, but I'm relatively new to martial arts training and would appreciate your input. I'd like to begin training in a martial art, primarily for realistic self-defense purposes. I'm not a big guy - 5'9", about 145 pounds, with a small bone structure. What martial art do you think would be most appropriate for my size?

I've studied a little BJJ, and it was cool, but my experience with it was that the stronger guys could fairly easily overcome my technique via brute force. Granted, my technique wasn't all that good. But that said, I found that I could overpower guys with better technique who I was stronger than. So strength/size seemed like a fairly significant factor when training with other BJJ practitioners.

I've also studied some TKD, but it was fairly traditional forms practice, which didn't seem to have a whole lot of real-life application - at least at the school I attended.

What martial art do you think is best suited for those of us with small bone structures?

Thanks for your input.

[Tant01]

Pentjak silat and Kuntao come to mind. A little man with a knife is a dangerous man.

Eskrima matador, (killer eskrima) and other styles of blade arts are mostly good.

Tanto-jutsu if you can find the old military style cutters...

a handgun is nice if you live in a free country.

[Rickster]

Greetings,

From my perspective, I would suggest listing what is available near you.

Then we further this discussion from there..

[chicken legs]

Wasn't wing chun/wing tsun created by a small female? Aikido is also meant to be ok for smaller people? I really don't know a lot about either of these arts so do some research.

[lopezma]

I would suggest Run Kwon Do. Just run my friend! Seriously, if it's self defense you want, go to a school that specifies in it. Examples would be F.I.G.H.T(www.fight2survive.com), Krav Maga, or something of the like. Traditional martial arts (sometimes) lack the true essence of self defense.

[Mordrid1]

Thanks for the responses so far. In answer to the question, there are several schools/styles around me that I've checked into:

-BJJ/Muy Tai (same school)
-Traditional JJ
-JKD (heavy Muy Tai/BJJ influence)
-TKD
-Tai Chi
-White Crane Kung Fu
-Cha Yon Ryu


Thanks again.

[Cyclops]

Maybe I am wrong, but weren't most eastern MA created by relatively small people? Koreans are not exactly giants, neither were the Chinese and Japanese.

[lopezma]

Hey Cyclops, GREAT point!
Mordrid1, I would say go to the BJJ/Muay Thai school. Second choice would be JKD School.

[SweepEm]

To a certain degree, the size of your teacher will dictate how and what you're taught in BJJ.

If you can, look for a teacher that's your size or smaller.
A smaller guy that teaches BJJ will have a different game than a big, strong guy.

We have a black belt at our school that's small and he's not a super muscle guy.
So he teaches techs that don't require you to be big and strong.

[Tom Yum]

I ain't too big either - 5'10" and about 180. I am built like a sprinter though so I've gravitated toward speed-strength type arts like muaythai and wrestling.

If you are 5'9" and 140 you might consider judo. The art works for people of different sizes and the average person has a terrible sense of balance and coordination (which judo exploits).

You could consider silat. What is uniqiue about silat is that it works alot on integrating emptyhanded strikes, takedowns and weapons at the infighting range (not many arts do this), where sensitivity and timing are important. Even a small person with quick entry, decent infighting skills and weapon drawing would be very deadly.

[Tom Yum]

I've studied a little BJJ, and it was cool, but my experience with it was that the stronger guys could fairly easily overcome my technique via brute force. Granted, my technique wasn't all that good. But that said, I found that I could overpower guys with better technique who I was stronger than. So strength/size seemed like a fairly significant factor when training with other BJJ practitioners.

I've also studied BJJ and have been able to sub fellas considerably larger than me as long as they were less experienced or out of shape.

Strength and size are important in fighting and make the difference if experience are about the same.

[Mordrid1]

Thanks for all the responses. Sounds like BJJ could definitely be an effective art for me, I'd just have to practice lots more, and not mind getting tapped out over and over again.

As an aside, I've also noticed a "traditional" (Japanese) JJ class not far from where I live. What are the main differences between traditional JJ and BJJ?

Thanks again.

[lopezma]

From what I know, traditional JJ teaches throws, flips, and focuses on wrist locks. BJJ takedowns and submissions from different positions and to different parts of the body. That is what I consider the differences. I may be wrong because I've only seen and taken a few classes of traditional japanese jj.

[bushido-brother]

Hey, Just find a Martial arts school were you feel at home and were there are some people in you catagory (weight/lengt) and then......

[CENTER]Stick with it - don't give up!!![/CENTER]

The only way you can ever "win" from a bigger/stronger person is to stick with the program (I don't care if it's Krav maga/muai thai/JJ/BJJ/Karate etc.)
If you like it at your school, you start/stay training, and stick with the programme, then finaly you will overcome every problem.

Good luck,

Frank

[danfaggella]

^

good advise

though judo may not have worked so well for karim abdul jabar (hows he gunna get those hips under someone for a throw?), most martial arts will work out for you if you deticate a little. weather its muy thai or jiu jitsu you will find a fun and practical martial art