Over the last year it seems that our adult class has grown to include a good many tall people, those over 6'. Well, I'm 5'2. I am the second shortest person in all of the adult class. The shortest person is actually a kid who just moved up from the juniors class and is probably one protein shake away from a growth spurt that will surely have him towering over me anyway. :) So, we've got at least four men who are 6'5+! And we've got probably three or four women who are 6'+. Genetics...arrrghhhh!
Anyway, I find myself sometimes struggling to find
new ways of wading through the sea of long legs to actually land some surprise techniques on some of my tall classmates. Our instructor gives us really good sparring combinations that we drill on, but I find that much of the time that I couldn't actually use those on, say, a 6'5 man without hitting illegal target areas. I can kick at MY head level, but I'd need some sort of bionic limb enhancements to use those techniques on a partner that much taller, without hitting them illegally. I like to be a clean sparrer and a good partner to all, but lately I find myself really frustrated when sparring the men and women who tower over me. Grrrrrr. I'm getting tired of simply waiting for them to drop their leg or get positioned in a really bad stance so I can slide in and light 'em up. I'm also getting tired of staying in so close that they can't pick up their legs to kick, because my head is getting slammed with their punches. Plus, they're catching on to all of it!
I need something more...something new! I would say that I'm pretty fast but not exactly light on my feet all the time. I like to dance when I spar, meaning that I change up my stance and shuffle and move and switch lead legs and such, which sometimes confuses people...sometimes. I'm strong, so I can tag someone and they'll know I was there. I'm good with my hand techniques--quick and precise. I do okay with kicks (front leg, back leg, and spins), but I'm not so much a jumper as I am a land-based creature. I'm not sure what recipe of devastation can be cooked up from that...
I mean, I keep hoping I'll one day grow to be at least 5'7, but I'm starting to doubt that it's going to happen despite the fact that I take my Flintstone's Gummy Vitamins daily. :)
