Tim,

Given that size is a very important factor to winning fights is there anything a smaller practioner should focus more on to even out the playing field? Thanks!

Eating ;-)

It's not size that is important, but how you use it.

Henanluoshan,

FWIW:I'd say once you got as strong and fast as you could reasonably expect to become, and as skillful as your time and practice allow, that you should develop your mind, specifically your awareness. That would allow you to get the jump on the bigger man and win that fight by two or three blocks.

IMHO,
Garold Marion

Be sneaky, be trixie, be false ... like hobbitsess!!!

Smaller fighters need to be as fit and strong as possible. Pre-emptive attacks are usually a good idea in a confrontation with no other avenue of escape (exploiting the element of surprise).

Never confronting a larger attackers force directly is important (of course implying the smaller fighter is technically superior. Include lots of time live sparring with larger opponents).

And in real fights, using any means possible (weapons, the environment etc) to one's advantage.

Golum knows what he is talking about.

Here's another way to put it.

"You've got your sword, I've got my tricks."

I'd like to add a few words of my own. Ahem...

"When the blast of war blows in our ears, then imitate the action of the tiger.
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood, disguise fair nature with hard-favored rage.
Then lend the eye a terrible aspect, let pry through the portage of the head like the brass cannon. Let the brow o'erwhelm it as fearfully as doth a galled rock o'erhang and jutty his confounded base, swilled with the wild and wasteful ocean.
Now set the teeth and stretch the nostril wide, hold hard the breath, and bend up every spirit to his full height.

This is my advise,

I may not compete with you physically , but you're not match for my brains.

I have not had the schooling equal to some, but for knowledge outside books, there is no one in the world close to me. There are no words to contain all my wisdom. I am so cunning, crafty, clever, so filled with deceit, guile and chicanery, such a knave, so shrewd, cagey as well as calculating, as diabolical as I am vulpine, as tricky as I am untrustworthy.... There are no words to explain how great my brain is. So...

Never get involved in a land war in Asia and...

Never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line.

Felix Raymond Ryan was a pudgy little man, not at all fierce as you would expect a pirate to be. He said it's all in the name...you've got to have a name and reputation that inspires fear. So, the Dread Pirate Roberts it is.

If you're a little guy you are doomed. Please understand that you have to be born from the right parents.

Me, I'm the son of a God. You can't beat that.

Just make lots of money and then pay someone to fight for you.

Vizzini,
You also have quite the vocabulary.

I haven't heard anyone use "vulpine" in days.

Lol, About time someone made a "Princess Bride" reference!

Thank you Tim. It takes a genius to appreciate a genius.

while taking a 6 hour, highspeed ride down a crowded, pot-hole riddled, dirt road into Cambodia today, between bouts of denile and acceptance- narrowly missing death (mine or someone elses) numerous times- I realized something:

In a collision between a Camry and a Simi truck- the Camry will lose. But if the two start from the same position (a full stop) then it would be easy for the Camry to out manuver and avoid the semi- possibly even leading it into a trap- defeating it. Size does matter in a fight- especially when it's force on force- but if a smaller fighter can tire-out a larger opponent he's got a great chance.

Besides, Stable boy Westley was a relatively small guy and he beat Andre the Giant AND rodents of unusual size in the "Princess Bride".

If I survive the next couple of days I'll have some amazing video to show my friends. And some impressive stains to share with my laundry lady.

I am a really short guy and usually have no problem with bigger guys. I am not saying I would want to end up on the ground with them... You just need to develop your techniques and timing and know how to apply them... No man, no matter how big can do a push up on his eyeball, knee, throat, groin etc. If you learn to exploit your opponents weakness... you can do much damage.

Move swiftly and attack quickly.