Trips, sweeps, jams etc

Being generally lighter and shorter than most of my training partners, I have been looking into ways of leveling the playing field so to speak.
It all seems to come back to motion, angle, and crucially, timing.
So, taking weapons out of the picture, there is obviously pre-emption, feinting and baiting, but how about taking out the lower body with good foot placement?
Does it work in a 'street' scenario?
Silat, Eskrima (Sekaran) and Bagua do it quite well in a martial arts context, but what do you guys think?

Here is Lyoto Machida doing some nice footwork:
http://www.spladdle.com/?p=124

Here is a guy called Dan Donzella doing Tjimande Harimau. I did an afternoon seminar with him on this stuff which was really great:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ma11Wegi3aw

Also you can see some examples on the 'Grandfathers Speak' clip (on the intro thread) of my teacher using knees and feet to off balance.

Thanks in advance for your input.

Maija.
PS: In case any of you guys read martial arts magazines, there is an article on Sonny Umpad, my Eskrima teacher in the new (Jan 09) issue of Inside kungfu.

To be honest mate, I don't see how it will change anything, if all you are doing is sweeping an opponent to the ground. What are you training as a follow up to finish it once they are down. If you wanted to train so specifically then why not train a finger jab to the eyes! More importantly though are you training your body mechanics so that every strike involves the maximum impact that you are able to muster ? Don't restrict yourself to the belief that it all comes down to motion angle and crutially bollocks! Think heavy repetitive impact, as MR T would say PAAAAIIIIN!!! If you want to to boil it all down to anything, then think about this HIT FIRST! HIT HARDEST! HIT LAST!

Just my thrupence, hope it helps!

Good luck!

Hi paulb,
Thanks! Yeah ... PAAAAIIIIN makes alot of sense!!!