I (21f) am 5’5" and skinny. I recently attended a self-defense class, and there I was tought how to use a pocket knife. And as I have some male friends 6’5"+ tall, I thought that that height actually makes your belly particularly vulnerable in case of a fight (in comparisson with short people):
- a short person’s shoulder height is around the same level as your belly making it easier to stab/hit;
- your belly is proportionally a larger target.
And in general, if a 6’5"+ guy stands in front of me with his stomach released (even if he has just a bit of a belly) it feels like having an exposed, large and squishy punching/stabbing bag right in front of me, into which, if needed, I can easily harshly and deeply plunge anything straight away.
I also practice historical fencing (rapier) and most of the times I stab tall opponents into the belly - my favorite thrusts are ducking counterattacks when I duck while they attack, go low and impale a tall guy’s unprotected belly right onto my rapier.
What do you think about it?
Well, with no actual experience in fighting, I believe everything comes down to strategy and practice. You can exploit the easier access to Belly or the fact that they are heavier but it’s also a disadvantage that you’re smaller and lighter so it’s easier to toss you around I guess.
It’s comparatively easier for a tall person to knee you in the face or keep you at range though.
Well, I can be sneakier and dodge easier when a tall guy attacks my head. While a tall guy represents a larger target and when he attacks my head and leaves his belly exposed - I can quite easily attack him in the stomach (I do that pretty often in rapier fencing, by the way). Also belly is a larger target than head, and belly is the center of mass meaning its more difficult to deflect than head when its being attacked.
Who’s to say they can’t dodge you as well? If they’ve got a reach advantage already tall doesn’t necessarily equal slow. If you’ve got a sword and I’ve got a spear as long as I keep my distance you can dodge a lot but you’ll be hard pressed to hit me unless you get inside my range.
Yep, but if we both have rapiers its pretty realistic for me to get inside your range and stab you in the belly :D
Yeah no it’s totally realistic, but my arm is still probably much longer than yours.
Yep, but its easier for me to dodge your attacks. You’d find it really challenging protecting your belly area from my rapier actually. You’d likely hold your weapon on your chest/shoulder level, while your gut would be left pretty unprotected. And if I manage to dodge, get under your blade - you’re done, with your belly impaled right onto my rapier :D
The main problem with the belly as a target in a self defense scenario is that it’s too slow. If you’re being attacked, you want to end the fight and escape as quickly as possible. Wounds to the belly kill via blood loss and sepsis, which takes at least several minutes during which the attacker can keep causing you damage.
The femoral artery in the inner thigh is what you want to aim for. Also, the tendons along the inner wrist are responsible for grip strength; if severed, that hand can’t hold anything. Take a good look at the anatomy of those areas and you’ll have a good start.
Your reaction times and agility from fencing will help you in a real fight, but the actual techniques not so much. Stick to slashing attacks, as stabbing can result in your blade getting stuck in or between bones.
Thanks for advice!
Though I think it would more difficult to stab such specific targets which you describe. So, yep, slashing is an option - but then still: wouldn’t the belly be a perfect target for a kind of combination between a stab and a cut? For example if I plunge my blade into a tall guy’s gut and then instantly move the blade up disemboweling him, or just immediately slice his belly open with my blade. My idea is that in contrast to just a stab, such a disembowelment will likely immediately incapacitate the tall opponent and also will be pretty easy and realistic to perform.
If a large man gets ahold of you, youre fucked
Practise getting away
In most altercations, the first to use violence is the likely winner. Unless you walk around with a knife in hand all the time, it is unlikely to make a difference. Even then, you must always be prepared because even holding a knife, you have blind spots to be exploited.
I am tall with broad shoulders for my height. I think of my size as being an easier target for a bullet, though in practice I know that difference is rather insignificant. I look at displays of strength and force as weakness and fear. Even a kid can pull a trigger.
I primarily fear groups of stupid people, and the intelligent. I am probably biased because I am too large and intimidating to be worth the effort to fight, and have little that anyone would want. No one can fight off several attackers at once. The human propensity for dogmatic stupidity and confirmation bias is horrendous. On the other hand, I fear the domination of the intelligent, because the human capacity for cleverness is beyond the scope of anyone’s ability to counter.
In pretty much every situation, you are safer if you run. Instead of working on fighting back, having sure footing, agility, and confidence in your ability to run faster and further than any opponent is far more likely to save you. Your stride is much shorter than mine, but you are likely to be able to change directions faster than me and my momentum. Like in american football, I must increase the buffer distance before engagement when facing a smaller person in order to prevent them using my momentum against me. When I am all out in pursuit, it is the moment just before contact that is critical for awareness, confidence, and the agility to change directions quickly that will prevent me from catching you. It is also a mistake to assume I will tire or lack endurance to chase. You must have a stronger spirit than your opponent and the confidence that you can out agility them every time they try. There is no fairness in this type of altercation. I know that is scary. It is always better to turn to flight first in the fight or flight mechanism. Then come back with your fight when you control more variables.
Why would I run from you and increase the risk of you catching and grabbing me, when I can fight back by quickly pulling the knife out of my pocket and (since I’m sneakier, a smaller target and also have swordfighting skills due to fencing) just plunge my knife right into your belly up to the hilt (or even quickly slice your belly open to ensure you’re incapacitated and represent no threat to me)?
In the immortal words of Mike Tyson
Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.
Everyone has a plan until they get stabbed in the belly by a smaller opponent.
Exactly
