Tae Kwon Do sparring tactics for stocky guys

[No Name]

Basically im one of two stocky guys who work out at my dojang. I am 5'10 and 215lbs, and allot of the techniques used by the smaller guys in my gym don't work for me. Most of my spinning kicks are just to slow to be practical. I find I need to rely more on counter attacks and let my oppoenet close the distance before I strike. I find that punching works great when I can get in close and tends to suprise most people. Although clashing does not score points, it shakes up opponents and makes then less agressive. Since there are not many other stocky guys at my gym to discuss strategy with, I figured i would see what you guys have to say. What works well for you?

[Daniel Sullivan]

The biggest thing working against you is that a ligher opponent will likely be faster. The biggest thing in your favor is comparative power.

I have never considered spinning kicks to be overly practical, and I am not stocky, but I am taller and heavier than most of my opponents, so I kind of run into the same issue.

One question is what are the sparring rules in use at your dojang?

If it is point/stop, you are at a greater disadvantage against a faster opponent and will need to maximize timing and distance management. Otherwise, they will zoom in and score and since the match stops, you lose the opportunity to come back at them. At 5'10, you are not short, so take advantage of your height when you can. Being a defensive fighter can also be to your benefit, but timing and distance management are key to being an effective defensive fighter. Train a lot in block/dodge/parry and counters, as well as combos. Once they attack and you have stopped the attack and are countering, overwhelm them as much as you can in order to keep them on the defensive.

If it is continuous, it is probably WTF and punches will be difficult to score with. Use the clashing that you mentioned to keep them off ballance and use that moment to strike.

In either case, stick with the kicks that you can execute the quickest and most effectively.

Daniel

[catfishaggie]

What I tend to do is right off the bat go into them instead of waiting for the quicker guy to close. I find that most people get surprised by it. Once in you get grab their dobac (misspelling) at the shoulder and turn them while striking at the back of the head and shoving the opponent around. It may not be pretty, you may take a point but you'll get into their head.

[tkdnik]

i think you should use kicks like the pushing kick, side and back kick. since you are a big guy they will be strong and they don't take too much flexibility to use. also you can use your (im guessing) strong punching to open them up for an attack so you don't have to rely on speed.

[oldman34]

Basically im one of two stocky guys who work out at my dojang. I am 5'10 and 215lbs, and allot of the techniques used by the smaller guys in my gym don't work for me. Most of my spinning kicks are just to slow to be practical. I find I need to rely more on counter attacks and let my oppoenet close the distance before I strike. I find that punching works great when I can get in close and tends to suprise most people. Although clashing does not score points, it shakes up opponents and makes then less agressive. Since there are not many other stocky guys at my gym to discuss strategy with, I figured i would see what you guys have to say. What works well for you?

What are you, a green belt?

1) Grab their lead hand, slide back foot to front foot, pull their lead arm down and lead leg hook kick to head.
2) Feint a jab then spin hook kick. If your spins are slow then work on them. However, if you bring the kicking leg almost straight up instead of in a wide arc, you can get the foot there quickly.
3) Spinning backfist to the head. Step off their center line. As you step begin to spin. Make sure that YOUR EYES ARE ON YOUR TARGET BEFORE YOU COMPLETE YOUR SPIN, and let loose the fist. Same thing can work for the spinning hook.
4) Scoot side kick, Chamber the side kick, right as you throw it "scoot" your posting leg forward. This will close the range quickly. Use you momentum of the scoot to add power to the side kick. You can eve add a double kick to it in case they decide to counter, then you kick is already there.
5) Stop point sparring.

Glad I could be of service. The rest of you can leave now.

[Daniel Sullivan]

Once again, to the OP, what rules are you sparring under?

If you are WTF, grabs, either grabbing the dobok or any of your opponent's limbs, is illegal, as are any handstrikes off of the torso.

Not sure about other federations, but I am pretty sure that grabbing is likely ruled out in ITF (not sure) and definitely ruled out in ATA. Hand techniques to the head and/or face may be allowed in ITF. Again, not sure.

If you are talking about anything goes free sparring at your school, then grabs and hand techniques to the face may be perfectly fine.

Daniel

[Beorn]

counter attacks only work if your timing is flawless. If you can get it down, countering with a back kick is probably the coolest and most practical thing in all of TKD.

Keep your hands up, throw lots of front kicks and lead leg side kicks. Once they are frustrated, feint throwing a back leg front kick. When you are retracting it they will try to close and attack. That's when you throw that wheel kick or whatever high kick of your choice.

[EdgeWalker]

5'10 isn't short, thats like 177cm right? (or the rest of the guys at your dojang are tall)

I'm not familiar with TKD sparring or tactics for 'stocky' people (im 182cm, about 6')

however I might know a kick that might help

YouTube - 三日月蹴り mikazukigeri

In karate it's called 'mikazukigeri'. In TKD I think it's called 'bal weol chagi(반월차기, half-moon kick)'

The half-moon kick is a cross between the front kick and middle roundhose kick. You are supposed to kick it diagonally so you hit the ribs. If you consider yourself an infighter, you should try this out.

[KO'd N DOA]

Had a good friend from Ju Jutsu join my TKD. Heavy solid guy, weightlifter. He never scored a point in the tournament (yellow belt), after pulling a leg muscle he kept punishing the kickers time after time by punching full. One poor kid 'won' the tournament, but I am sure he had broken ribs.

[MMAMickey]

ever considered a different style? stocky guys (myself included) tend to suffer in pointfighting