Whats your greatest fear, that a huge biker dude will come up to you, chains dangling from his denim and leather, sporting skull & crossbones tattoos?

Or someone who looks and seems as tough as Arnold in The Terminator will make you his bouncy toy?

Sure, there are some mean looking dudes out there who are just as evil as they look.

But if theres one thing Ive learned in the martial arts, you just can't judge the power of a punch from the looks of the puncher.

Ive seen some of the wimpiest guys in the world pack a huge wallop. They look like Woody Allen standing next to The Rock or Hulk Hogan.

Youve got to be kidding! is what you think as they step onto the mat, but these smaller folks bring things to battle that are incredibly valuable:

(1) They dont think theyre going to prevail based on brute strength, alone. This is a big plus, because there are many more factors involved in fighting.

(2) Do you remember the Avis car rental ads that said We Try Harder? These underdogs actually train harder.

(3) There is an old question thats asked a bunch of ways, and heres one of them: In a race, who will win; a rabbit or a fox? Answer: Generally, the fox will lose because hes just running for his dinner, while the bunny is fleeing for her life. The smaller battler knows whats at stake, and she's not playing.

(4) They may seem wiry and un-muscled, but generally, theyre quicker. Speed matters, especially in closing distances, in using fist flurries, and in using momentum to make your blows hit targets with greater intensity. Massive people are slower, and their attacks are less forceful that youd think.

(5) A lot of these wimpy types have been picked on most of their lives, so they know what it means to be afraid, and to be tired of being afraid. Once theyre trained, theyre not going to take guff from anybody!

The expression, You cant judge a book by its cover, definitely applies to potential adversaries.

So, never look at someone and think, I can take that guy!

That attitude, alone, will set you up for a big fall!