Striking big guys?

[Commander]

Hi Ladies and of course Gentlemen.

I wonder if you could all give me some handy tips, i am about 5'3 and most of the guys at my dojo are all about 6'.

I find big guys intimidating when i have to do jigeiko with them. I have a problem hitting their men and usually they give me a good battering.

Do you guys have the same problem? If so how do you overcome it?

Cheers

Sarah

[WolfofMibu]

well i am a pretty big guy myself ( 6"2) and if they seem aggressive just pump up on your counterattacks. if they are bigger you may also be able to get to their do easier.

[Commander]

What would you say is a good counter attack?

[Genya]

I´m not the tallest guy and I find also difficult to do jigeiko with big guys. I usually go for kote, debana kote or do because men is almost impossible to do.
It also depends on a person. If both are hitting men at the same time, I´m the one who gets hurt. If partner isn´t doing anything maybe then it is easier to get men. For me showing good zanshin is hard, because I always go straight and crash on them (and almost fall on the floor.)

[Omnis]

I'm 6'4, but, I'd probably say to pressure the inside while watching out for a tsuki thrust or a men strike. Theoretically, a taller person will want to stay out of your reach while keeping you in theirs. If you can get them to lose center while they're adjusting their distance, that would probably be a good opportunity.

Then again, I have no true experience in the matter, so don't entirely take my word for it. Just trying to help... Good luck!

[WolfofMibu]

kaeshi waza is a very good counter attack. suriage block is also very affective

[Commander]

Thanks for the tips!

[tantadi]

Hitting the futon is necessary if you want to score. The mengane is a no score. You have to use a lot of wrist movement to make that happen, but I've seen very small persons do it.

To make counters work, you have to have a lot of pressure. You have to want to get them. And be ready.

I'm 5'6 and I wished I could get suriage or kaeshi to work properly. But nuki works for me, kote nuki men, and men nuki men. The latter especially against those who really lean in and overcommitt themselves. I also like kote- do. Very small step on the do, if much step forward at all. Small kote and fast do..

I think you should continue to try to cut men. It is not impossible. Many women do debana kote and nuki do. Guys know that.

[Ignatz]

I think you should continue to try to cut men. It is not impossible.

All of the girls in our club can hit me men and I'm 6'3"
Don't wory about counter attacks until your teacher specifically shows you. At your level your emphasis should be men, kote and maybe do (but not much).
You have to resign yourself to the fact that kendo takes a long time to master and there is nothing good that can come out of skipping over fundamentals.

[Anime12478]

I've been in this position lots of times. In fact, the only people I had to go against were taller than me at one time. It has since changed as there are people the same size as me now.

The way I was told to hit was to reach as far as I possibly could. Not to the point of leaning forward but using your arms to get as much distance as possible. In turn, it would be easier to aim a little higher to hit men correctly.

[Pan-Chan]

Because you are smaller than your opponents you can cut from a closer distance. If you get into your issoku-itto-no-mai, they will be too close, and when they try to strike you you can do debana kote, nuki-do, kaeshi-do, etc.

Something that is often told to students at the dojo I go to is that jigeiko is an opportunity to learn how to use your techniques in actual fights, it's not shiai. So don't worry about getting hit, just watch your opponent and try to do your kendo.

...Unless you're fighting your sensei or sempai. In that case just try to get a chance to strike.

But back to your topic. Just remember that being small has its advantages too, you just need to find how you can use them.

[nodachi]

We worked on a fun technique the other night. First we did what sensei called maki kote. I forget if it is also called ura or omote (those always confuse me), but you go under your opponents shinai to get kote. He emphasized small technique and good use of wrists. Then from there we did a difficult but neat drill. You appear to do maki kote, go under and pressure their kote, but then you come back up and hit their men as they try to defend their kote. Really hard to do, but a really cool technique.

The overall point I am making is you have to open their men. One good way to do it is to pressure their kote. Big people know short people want to hit kote because it is easier. So use that to pressure them to protect their kote and open up the road to their men. The above technique isn't the only way, but it is one example of the overall concept that I am suggesting. Then you can really confuse them too because if they don't protect their kote thinking it is another trick then you can still go for kote. Keep them guessing and create lots of doubt in their minds.

[tantadi]

Maki kote men:You swing under from the right to the left, as you would do a small kote from the underside, and then lift up?

Sometimes I seem to get my shinai stuck under the guys shinai, and then I'm in trouble..their kamae often feels so much stronger, I find it difficult to get them out of the way...I'd like to get uchiotoshi and harai to work, but..

At the same time I've noticed that the real good ones often seem softer in their kamae and techinques, I guess it boils down to precision and correct execution.

[tantadi]

Another waza, very agressive one is to (fake a) tsuki and go for men. I don't know the successrate of this one, I haven't seen it much in keiko or shiai.

[Commander]

All of the girls in our club can hit me men and I'm 6'3"
Don't wory about counter attacks until your teacher specifically shows you. At your level your emphasis should be men, kote and maybe do (but not much).
You have to resign yourself to the fact that kendo takes a long time to master and there is nothing good that can come out of skipping over fundamentals.

How long did it take you before you were up to a good standard? I've been doing kendo for nearly a year and a half and im still frustrated. And also due to the fact that i'm not regularly attending practice as my men has become too painful to wear, leaving a red mark on my throat. I am going to attend some classes to just watch but im going to wait until my new men is here before i'll take part. Its not that, its just i dont want an injuries.