long legs, short arms, what fighting style?

[hUnTeRforSubs]

I'm 198cm tall (6.5in), my reach is 193cm (76in), I have 110kg. What style of fighting within MMA (stand-up/wrestling/grappling) would be ideal for my build?

My arms are quite short for my height (a characteristic that annoys me in basketball). I have relatively long and muscular legs. I'm also 10-15kg heavier than my peers of the same height (also annoying in basketball, where you have to jump high), because I'm not lanky, I look like an average 180cm person, only larger. But my arms possess average or sub-average strength and speed. In BJJ, my legs are of tremendous help, nobody can open my guard, people have trouble with my triangles and omoplatas.

Up to now, I always thought I should fight from the outside, with jabs and straights, but fighting even 180cm guys or smaller, I don't feel I have any reach advantage (perhaps due to bad footwork). I also don't feel there is any KO power in my hands, unless I throw hooks from really close.

The obvious answer would be: use a lot of kicks. But good boxing and footwork and pressure can nullify kicking (e.g. Fedor vs Cro-Cop). Also, if I don't want to be taken down, I won't risk many kicks. Howevery, I do feel comfortable in clinch (I feel my size and my knees really come into play). However, there is less and less thai-clinching in MMA. The head is so slippery, it's very difficult/dangerous to maintain a good grip on an opponent who isn't gassed and has heavy hands. Using a lot of bodyshots is somewhat clumsy for me, since I'm taller than my opponents. Weirdly, it seems that my spinning backfist is stronger than my hook/straight. There isn't as much head movement in MMA, due to the threat of highkicks and takedowns.

Alex Gustafsson is probably a fighter with long legs and not-so-long arms? Also Okami? Great things can be achieved with very short arms. Examples of famous fighters with short wingspans (relative to their height): Mike Tyson, Daniel Cormier, Roberto "Cyborg" Abreu, Cro-Cop, etc.

ATTENTION: I'm looking for answers that offer a fighting style which makes my body type an advantage. I'm not interested in answers that tell my how to compensate for my faults, since by just compensating, it is impossible to become the best. So please, omit the useless answers of the type "just proper technique" or "doesn't matter what your body type is, just work with what you have" or "you're hopeless". Pictures and/or videos are desirable.

 

[hell wall]

I think you would like sanshou brotha....

 

[SenÖr Whìteßel+]

this

 

[hUnTeRforSubs]

[QUOTE=Sen

 

[hUnTeRforSubs]

No more suggestions? I was expecting more responses from my fellow short-armed MMA enthusiasts.

 

[laidbackjudoka]

Kick people in the face. Alot.

 

[hUnTeRforSubs]

Kick people in the face. Alot.

And abandon my hands? Surely you don't mean that.

 

[Bubblun]

i have somewhat short limbs compered to my height, but i have broad shoulders compared to my hips, and i can produce a lot of torque from my hips and core.

just to say that having short or long arms it is just one "phenotype", and there are a lot of characteristics that can influence you punching technique and power.

and it is strange that you are a 110kg beast and you don't have punching power.
probably you are still green and you need to work on your technique.

 

[SuttenMac]

i have somewhat short limbs compered to my height, but i have broad shoulders compared to my hips, and i can produce a lot of torque from my hips and core.

just to say that having short or long arms it is just one "phenotype", and there are a lot of characteristics that can influence you punching technique and power.

and it is strange that you are a 110kg beast and you don't have punching power.
probably you are still green and you need to work on your technique.

I gotta agree with this. Your reach isn't that bad. If you compare yourself to Jon Jones it is, but Jones is an anomaly in that area. I know how frustrating it can be when you're trying to figure out your style, especially if you're training to eventually fight. For your size, look at Daniel Ghita. Study the Klitschkos, especially Wladimir. They both know how to fight tall, which seems to be a problem you're having. Studying Gustafson might be your best bet also.
If you don't mind me asking, how long have you been doing stand up training?

 

[hUnTeRforSubs]

I gotta agree with this. Your reach isn't that bad. If you compare yourself to Jon Jones it is, but Jones is an anomaly in that area. I know how frustrating it can be when you're trying to figure out your style, especially if you're training to eventually fight. For your size, look at Daniel Ghita. Study the Klitschkos, especially Wladimir. They both know how to fight tall, which seems to be a problem you're having. Studying Gustafson might be your best bet also.
If you don't mind me asking, how long have you been doing stand up training?

I'm not sure whether you're referring to me or Bubblun. I haven't trained all that much, 2yrs total, but I'm not regular anymore (pursuing a career in science). But I'd still like to know what my assets really are (it is unpleasant to see all champions and most successful fighters have long reach).

The sport I originate from is BJJ (no-gi, and oriented towards MMA, so GnP allowed, no fancy shmancy collar chokes). When I started BJJ, in two or three months, it became really easy. I feel I have plenty of power in my hands and especially my legs. I feel I could easily tear off a person's arm with a kimura (probably also due to my training partners being 20-30kg smaller). But in boxing/kickboxing, if I want to do any damage, I just have to throw hooks, and a lot of them, to make any difference (even with quite smaller opponents). Sometimes I manage to throw clean hooks to the head, and 5 strikes doesn't do that much difference. I don't know, perhaps I lack high-twitch muscle fibers or something. I'd hate to be a volume puncher.

Another thing: I don't know how people perform under a lack of oxygen, but when I'm gassed, all my stand-up goes out the window: punches become incredibly soft and slow, uncoordinated, predictable, my head movement becomes awful, I have heavy feet, .... But even if I'm completely gassed, I can perform quite good on the ground, having no trouble to break bones or choke someone out. Even if someone in training has me trapped in an armbar, if I have my palms/fingers locked, the majority of my opponents will not be able to break my grip and finish me. Is it normal to have grappling strength but not boxing strength? Also, does anyone else find their spinning back-fist stronger than their straight or hook?

The reason my hands are a bit less developed is probably partly due to training exclusively football (soccer) when I was young, and giving no emphasis to hands. How I regret that...

Ghita seems a good example of what I'm looking for. Klitchkos have quite large wingspans. The problem with Ghita is that in MMA, he wouldn't have thrown as many kicks, or else, he'd be on his butt in one minute.

 

[DoctorTaco]

T-Rex style Kung fu

 

[Seb Shaw]

T-Rex style Kung fu

 

[Kanka]

what muay thai fighters have short arms AND short legs?

 

[PivotPunch]

The style that fits you the best I don't get why you think that only your body type determines your style or Tyson wouldn't have been a boxer to begin with.
Just get better at striking that is your style you can't pick your ideal style you just train and get better and things will fall together on their own.
If you feel like your spinning backfist is stronger than your hooks and straights then you simply lack technique so work on technique instead tryinbg to make it a video game in which you simply choose your style and copy some famous fighter.

Also even if you were 2 meters tall your reach is still 193cm it doesn't matter if you are 185cm with 193 reach or taller your reach is your reach unless you are fighting 180cm guys with incredibly long arms and wide shoulders your reach is still greater so the reason why you don't feelb like you have a reach advantage is again that you are lacking technique

 

[StopDucking]

[QUOTE=Sen

 

[AndyMaBobs]

Your body type isn't going to count for much at the end of the day, yeah some people play to their natural advantages but Gustafsson has a reach between 75 and 80 inches (which one is correct is a matter for debate) but he's gave Jon Jones a boxing lesson largely through mid range and inside fighting, using his footwork to keep him safe when he was on the outside, he can outbox, but he doesn't tend to.

Alternatively, Machida at light heavyweight was shorter and pretty undersized but he was probably the best outside fighter in that division, he fought on the outside against Jon Jones and for the most part was getting the advantage of it in the first round.

Just practise your fundamentals and keep training and you'll eventually fall into a style that suits you better, and then once you think you've found it, make sure you're constantly refining it.

 

[Willyw]

You have a great reach! 198 with 193cm. Most hw is 15-5 cm shorter than you. Which means their head is at your shoulder. This makes your punch straight, but your opponent have to punch slight upwards. The shortest way between two points, is a straight line. Against most of your opponents, you can punch in a straight line, which gives you a reach benefit. A 193 tall fighter with 198 reach will have the same reach as you!

Starting to focus beeing an in-fighter due to short arms, is very dangerous! You chin will always be up in the air, and they will have an easy time wrestle and take you down. How ever, stepping in with uppercuts might be a very strong weapon for you!

An other great weapon for tall fighters is a straight knee from open stance (southpaw vs. orthodox). Machida does this very well! Also Overeem. Have a look at those guys for the setup! at 12:53 in this video you can see sanny dahlbeck deliver a beautiful straight left knee:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=452&v=myEBd-AnX04
The key here, is to step and throw it... Or to switch to soutpaw, throw a couple of jabs and then the knee. If he backs up, you just set you foot down and you are back to "normal". If you catch him with it, he most likely will clinch (if he dosent get dropped). Just drill on keeping your arms at a good place, so if he clinch you can a) out clinch him by having a better position to start with or b) break the clinch.

If i was you, I would start experimenting dominating fighters with you jab! Gameplan: Jab your opponents to hell, forcing them to rush in. Here you time your uppercuts (uppercuts are not affected by you reach, but your hight) when the opponent comes in! After this, clinch up with him in thai-clinch, deliver a knee, and pivot out (breaking the clinch so he can`t tie you up). Depending on the opponent you can use:

- a Backstep Jab if he is pressuring you. They way you do this is: you throw the jab as you step back with your back foot. You will then recover your front hand as your recover your front foot. It’s a great way to stop your opponent’s momentum and quickly counter with a retreating jab followed by a cross.

or
- a step jab if he is backing up. The way you do this is: You step forward with your front foot right as you extend your front fist out towards your opponent. As your recover the jab hand, you quickly slide your back foot up at the same time bringing your feet back to its normal distance. (Your body will be one step closer to your opponent at the end of the step jab.)

By drilling theese two jabs, you can controll most of you opponents!

I can write more later if you are interested?

 

[Higus]

Get really good at the MT clinch. You'll have a vice grip and knees for days.

 

[serr]

You have a great reach! 198 with 193cm. Most hw is 15-5 cm shorter than you. Which means their head is at your shoulder. This makes your punch straight, but your opponent have to punch slight upwards. The shortest way between two points, is a straight line. Against most of your opponents, you can punch in a straight line, which gives you a reach benefit. A 193 tall fighter with 198 reach will have the same reach as you!

Starting to focus beeing an in-fighter due to short arms, is very dangerous! You chin will always be up in the air, and they will have an easy time wrestle and take you down. How ever, stepping in with uppercuts might be a very strong weapon for you!

An other great weapon for tall fighters is a straight knee from open stance (southpaw vs. orthodox). Machida does this very well! Also Overeem. Have a look at those guys for the setup! at 12:53 in this video you can see sanny dahlbeck deliver a beautiful straight left knee:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=452&v=myEBd-AnX04
The key here, is to step and throw it... Or to switch to soutpaw, throw a couple of jabs and then the knee. If he backs up, you just set you foot down and you are back to "normal". If you catch him with it, he most likely will clinch (if he dosent get dropped). Just drill on keeping your arms at a good place, so if he clinch you can a) out clinch him by having a better position to start with or b) break the clinch.

If i was you, I would start experimenting dominating fighters with you jab! Gameplan: Jab your opponents to hell, forcing them to rush in. Here you time your uppercuts (uppercuts are not affected by you reach, but your hight) when the opponent comes in! After this, clinch up with him in thai-clinch, deliver a knee, and pivot out (breaking the clinch so he can`t tie you up). Depending on the opponent you can use:

- a Backstep Jab if he is pressuring you. They way you do this is: you throw the jab as you step back with your back foot. You will then recover your front hand as your recover your front foot. It

 

[Willyw]

It`s all about timing, bro !

I can give you some suggestions on how to hide it:
1. Throw combinations. Every time your opponent cover up, you can deliver a knee.
2. Do front leg push kicks. How ever, after a couple, just rais your leg quick, slide, set it down, and throw a knee. If your fake succeed, your opponent will lover his hand to check the pushkick. Then he cant throw punches.
3. You need to "win the air", before throwing knees. If you can bomb your opponent with jabs, it will be much harder for him to see when the knees are coming!

Beeing good with knees, is not some solo-game. You need to have other skills to create the openings needed.

Have a look at "Yoshihiro Sato" on youtube! He uses a lot of jabs, fakes, pushkicks to set up his knees! What do you think? Does it make any scense?