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Survival Fitness Plan Blog/Self-Defense/How to Defend Yourself Against a Larger Attacker

How to Defend Yourself Against a Larger Attacker

In a street fight, size DOES matter. But even if you’re small like me there are some things you can do to give you a better chance.

In a street fight, size DOES matter! 

But even if you’re small like me, there are some things you can do to give yourself a better chance. 

Whether your opponent is taller, heavier, or both, here are some tips on how you can overcome them and get away safely. 

Fighting a Bigger Opponent Vlog

Taller Opponents

When defending yourself against taller opponents, you want to get close to them. 

By getting in close you can use power strikes in optimal target areas while nullifying your opponents power. 

The reason behind this is that taller opponents have a greater reach and they require more distance to put full strength behind their strikes.

This ‘power distance’ is smaller for smaller people, so the  closer you are, the more power you have and the less power they have.

Heavier Opponents

When you're up against a heavier opponent, things get a little trickier. Instead of getting in close, aim to tire them out.

To do this, maintain your distance and keep moving while throwing fast strikes. 

Always think about how to keep them moving, whether they are attacking, defending, or just chasing you around. 

Once they are worn out, go in hard.

Whatever you do, don’t let him grab you.

Don’t Forget the Basics

Lastly, don’t forget the basic strategy for any street fight. 

Conclusion

Of course, if you can, always try to de-escalate the situation first using ‘verbal judo’.

Using improvised weaponry is also a good idea should de-escalation not work. 

If you want to learn more about self-defense, check out:  https://www.survivalfitnessplan.com/self-defense-handbook

Safe training!

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Article by Sam Fury

Sam Fury 3 png
Sam Fury 3 png

Sam Fury is the creator and owner of the Survival Fitness Plan.

He has had a passion for martial arts and outdoor pursuits since he was a young boy growing up in Australia.

As a young adult he joined the military and studied outdoor leadership in college. After that, to further his skills, Sam started traveling to learn from the best in the world in various fields related to the Survival Fitness Plan including various martial arts in China, SE Asia and Brazil, Parkour in Singapore, Surf Life Saving in Australia, and others. 

These days, he still enjoys learning new things, traveling and sharing what he has learned via the Survival Fitness Plan. 

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