In this fight, between a blunt oak short sword wrapped in a bicycle tire inner-tube, and a pine and light steel 'axe', essentially a war club, since it was thankfully dull, I attempt to use my shield like a Roman and get under that big Gaul and gut him, but Robert used better mobility, kept the twerp in the pocket, and limited himself to short chopping strokes.

Robert was 6'1" and 240 against my 5'8" and 153. I would have been better served drawing the axe strokes and going for his hand, rather than going deep. You will hear me grunting and straining to deflect his weapons. Every time we made contact through our weapons I could feel the drain on my legs from his superior weight and strength. If you are the big guy and you have the little man grunting like this, he is close to anaerobic failure, so push him. If you find yourself doing this as the little man, circle out and get light on you feet—-regroup or get crushed.

If you are the little man don't wade in like this. And if you are the big man, move like Robert. In just about any fight—see Ali's record—where the larger man moves more effectively, or even just moves more, than his smaller opponent, he tends to win.

I submitted and slid my arm out of the shield, convinced that the wrist was snapped, though it was only sprained.