Question about fighting

[SeoulSista]

Hey All,

So I had my first comp last weekend that I was completely unprepared for. My master doesn't speak any English, so I couldn't ask him any specific questions about the rules.
Turned out I was the bottom of my weight class...missed the other weight class by one freaking kilo!!! So, I had to fight the big girls. It was single-elimination (don't know if all comps are like that) so the girl I fought was bigger, taller, and higher belt rank than me.
My problem was her fighting style. She kept grappling with me, no punching, but grabbing/hugging me. I was completely unprepared for that. I'm used to punching and kicking. I was able to get a few kicks to her head when she had me in a hold (luckily I'm flexible), but those were my most effective strikes.
So my question is: How do you score points on someone that is basically bigger and stronger than you and keeps "hugging" you?

[Slindsay]

Originally Posted by SeoulSista

Hey All,

So I had my first comp last weekend that I was completely unprepared for. My master doesn't speak any English, so I couldn't ask him any specific questions about the rules.
Turned out I was the bottom of my weight class...missed the other weight class by one freaking kilo!!! So, I had to fight the big girls. It was single-elimination (don't know if all comps are like that) so the girl I fought was bigger, taller, and higher belt rank than me.
My problem was her fighting style. She kept grappling with me, no punching, but grabbing/hugging me. I was completely unprepared for that. I'm used to punching and kicking. I was able to get a few kicks to her head when she had me in a hold (luckily I'm flexible), but those were my most effective strikes.
So my question is: How do you score points on someone that is basically bigger and stronger than you and keeps "hugging" you?

Word of warning, this isn't going to go anywhere without you giving us a better idea of rules, for example, if the girl was constantly coming in to hug you I'd say do a hip throw and follow her down to pin her but if it ain't allowed my advice is pointless.

[Rebel Wado]

Originally Posted by SeoulSista

Hey All,

So I had my first comp last weekend that I was completely unprepared for. My master doesn't speak any English, so I couldn't ask him any specific questions about the rules.
Turned out I was the bottom of my weight class...missed the other weight class by one freaking kilo!!! So, I had to fight the big girls. It was single-elimination (don't know if all comps are like that) so the girl I fought was bigger, taller, and higher belt rank than me.
My problem was her fighting style. She kept grappling with me, no punching, but grabbing/hugging me. I was completely unprepared for that. I'm used to punching and kicking. I was able to get a few kicks to her head when she had me in a hold (luckily I'm flexible), but those were my most effective strikes.
So my question is: How do you score points on someone that is basically bigger and stronger than you and keeps "hugging" you?

Well congrats on competing, win or lose, it is a learning experience. Come out of any combat without serious injury, that's a WIN!!! no matter what the record books say.

As for the question about bigger folks, the first answer I have, you may not like. The first answer is that experienced and good fighters don't get into a position where a bigger person has a good hold on them. So learn to keep someone from getting a good hold on you. If they come in low, this could mean learn how to sprawl effectively. Learn to use angles and footwork, engage the elbows to keep the opponent from getting a good hold on you. Remember there is a principle that goes something like "Avoid and unbalance" or "don't get hit" which comes first.

The second answer is what to do if you are grabbed by a bigger person. Align your body, apply pressure and strike into a point to unbalance them. How you do this depends on the situation and what application comes instinctively, but aligning your body usually involves gaining a superior position to protect yourself and from which to attack from, apply pressure means that at some point where you have contact with the opponent you apply pressure, this is the point where you will be able to pivot or use leverage from, and striking into an unbalance point is just that.

Here is an example that has these basic principles, sorry it does not apply closer to your situation. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BZgkQQMNdM

Good luck and keep up the training

[Hannibal]

At the risk of sounding obvious, improve your grappling

[bearhug]

Excelent advice by Wado.

Also, if your punching is good, you can punch your opponent arms as she tries to grab you. That will discourage her to get a good hold of you

[wazzabi]

ya, you can't always rely on strikes. i think MMA (UFC, PRIDE, K-1) has displayed this fact to the world. try to train your grappling techniques until you're confident enough to win a match by grappling only.

[Patrick_baji]

what were the rules for your match?