How to Fight Someone Taller Than You..

1. Stay out of their primary strike zone as much as you can. A taller fighter’s longer arms are their primary advantage — they can hit you when you can’t reach them. You have to negate this advantage by fighting from close range so that they can’t extend their arms to hit you. But, when you’re not on the offensive, you need to move out beyond their range before quickly working your way back in.^[1]

   • Picture a ring around the opponent that approximates their ideal arm-extension zone. Never linger within this ring; fight from inside of it, and rest or regroup from the outside.

   

   
   

   Protect your head as you move in and out. As you traverse through their primary strike zone, you must be ready to deflect or absorb their punches. Keep your hands up and move your head and shoulders from side to side and up and down in a bobbing and weaving motion. Your opponent will fire away at your head out of habit — but will connect less often.^[2]

   • Keep your elbows in and against your ribs while bracing your hands against your jaw. If your elbows or hands drift away from your body, the effectiveness of your guard goes drastically down.

   

   Jab your way in close. A good jab is essential for any skilled fighter. You must set up your strikes by throwing out a solid jab. Each jab thrown requires a step forward with the lead foot. Use several jabs in succession with your step footwork in order to close in on your taller opponent and smother their long reach.^[3]

   • Get deep into their personal space by setting them up with the jab, and drop power shots to their ribs when they bring their defensive guard up to protect their face.

   
   

   

    Use an overhand punch to hit them from above. A taller opponent naturally expects all of your strikes to come from below. However, by using a curving, sweeping, exaggerated punching motion, you can punch them with a somewhat downward motion them in the nose or jaw, or bat their ear with an open hand (which causes disorientation).^[5]
   

   • For an overhand punch, dip your off-hand shoulder and knee a bit more, bring your punching arm back, and unleash a swooping strike that curls in from the side and above.
   • Overhand punches take more time and leave you more exposed, however, so use them sparingly and when you are confident you can stun or knock down your opponent.