Men, Women, and Martial Arts

Discussion in 'General Martial Arts Discussion' started by 47MartialMan, Jun 29, 2011.

  1. Microlamia

    Microlamia Banned Banned

    Exactly, I think it's silly that people make so many assumptions in advance of even seeing what you can or can't do because of gender. I love how whenever the fact that I'm the only woman comes up during conversation people say to me 'But that's good, it will make you develop technique because you can't power out of submissions like the guys can..' Um, what? LOL...I do that all the time except with very much bigger people...
     
  2. ozvillain

    ozvillain Valued Member

    Agreed -much as I'd love to think I have mad ninja skills because of my gender, am afraid it's not true - the rest of it was good though
     
  3. samspriegel

    samspriegel New Member

    A womens perspective

    I recently started training in kickboxing and I have to say that I love it! I wasnt sure what to expect, as I have seen some movies over the years the years and had a stereo typical image in my head of what to expect, and Im really glad that I took the plunge so to speak.
    In my opinion more women should take up martial arts, and escape the treadmill and boring gym workouts.
    If anybody lives in Bristol and wants to check out my club, they can do it here
    http://bristolmartialartsacademy.com/bristolkickboxingfitnessclasses.html
     
  4. KarateMum

    KarateMum Valued Member

    Bump!

    As I dip into MAP I'm finding interesting bits and bobs, so apologies if I bump a few articles that seem beyond their 'use by' date.

    I guess in the current PC world we all live in MA clubs can't be sexist. I therefore didn't expect to see too much difference in training that women receive vs. men. At our club most training splits seem made on the basis of ability rather than sex. Though I did see a rather odd choice made by a visiting trainer who was appearing to split the group on ability, but added a man the same grade and build as me to what I felt was the higher ability group.

    However, whilst I am great proponent of equality in everything where it is possible, I do think that that there are physical and mental differences between men and women that are endemic and need to be accommodated. Our trainer does sometimes allude to these, i.e. I don't have the strength in my upper arms to let me do a full press-up yet so if we need do myself and a younger female student are allowed to do a press-up from our knees provided we do it with good form. I will get there, but I am pleased that I get offered the option. We are told that it is understood that we are not necessarily wanting the same triceps and biceps as the men or that we naturally have the same natural development in these areas. On the other hand I outperform many of the men in terms of thigh strength (though perhaps due to years horse back riding rather than just being a woman)!. I do think that women may not have the inherent strength of the men, but what we lack in strength I suspect we learn to make up for with technique, i.e. if we can't punch a man as hard with sheer strength, we have to learn how to achieve the same ends through the deployment of, hopefully, better technique.

    There was a lot of derision given to this thought that we have some magical way of 'reading' our opponent in the replies above. Of course 'magic' doesn't exist any more than this spiritual plane of object consciousness that is the Jedi Force. However, I do think women are more empathic when it comes to reading peoples expressions and judging emotions. I have read plenty to suggest that this is true, i.e. http://www.everydayhealth.com/emotional-health/gender-differences-in-emotional-health.aspx "•Women read other people’s emotional reactions better than men, regardless of whether they receive those emotional cues verbally or visually." http://www.mastersofhealthcare.com/blog/2009/10-big-differences-between-mens-and-womens-brains/ Number 6. It is perhaps possible that women are better able to read body language and determine where the next attack is coming from.

    However, a difference does appear to be acknowledged at competition level where my class mates confirmed that there are separate competitions for men and women. This implies that at the same grade in a competition situation pure skill doesn't over-rule physical bulk and strength. Though if the comp. went on for any degree of time women might be better from an endurance perspective http://running.competitor.com/2011/...omen-more-suited-for-endurance-than-men_28063

    Still it's all interesting stuff!!
     
  5. ap Oweyn

    ap Oweyn Ret. Supporter

    I think it could be true that women are better at reading emotional cues than men. Though I don't think that translates over to sparring or fighting. At that point, you aren't reading emotional queues anymore. You're reading mechanical queues. The expression on someone's face is only going to tell you, in general terms, that they're angry or scared or whatever. It's not going to tell you that they're about to attack your left side with a round kick. Any less specific than that, and all you're getting is "they're thinking about hitting you." And, given that you're in a sparring match (or actual fight), you already knew that.

    The queues you're reading at that point are things like a lifting of the shoulder, a turning of the knee, etc.

    What you're talking about, however, could be much more useful in self-defense, in those pre-altercation moments. And perhaps even in diffusing those moments.
     
  6. David Harrison

    David Harrison MAPper without portfolio

    If a man can't do pushups, I start them off on their knees too. I judge that on ability, not wobbly bits ;)
     
  7. Hannibal

    Hannibal Cry HAVOC and let slip the Dogs of War!!! Supporter

    In those cases the man has wobbly bits too and that is what stops him from doing the pushups :)
     
    bassai likes this.
  8. David Harrison

    David Harrison MAPper without portfolio

    :D
     
  9. Tom bayley

    Tom bayley Valued Member

    Have a migraine so might have missed it but I don't think two important differences are mentioned.

    Women have a different hip geometry which means that there hip joints have a greater range of movement than men. Also female sex hormones make the sheaths within and around muscle bundles more plastic. This makes women more flexible and quicker to respond to stretches that further increase flexibility. This makes for great potential in technique and power in kicking.
     
    Last edited: May 5, 2015
  10. KarateMum

    KarateMum Valued Member

    As I alluded to above I think this difference is very real. All the women in my club appear to demonstrate a degree of natural flexibility in the 'kick' department. Esp. the much younger ladies than myself. I learned a long time ago to be ready to duck when sparring against certain of our lady members. I've had kids, the hormones released in this process and the process itself is known to alter our hip geometry. I am older and these days maybe a bit stiffer than my younger counterparts at the club, but in comparison with similarly graded men I think I still find my kick practice easier on those kicks that rely on free hip movement. The back kick has proved harder to learn, but I think my Mawashi Geri and Ura Mawashi Geri are probably my best techniques, once I am warm and even at my age, I am sure it won't be long before I am ready to start learning to deliver them as reliably at Jodan height as I think I do at Chudan height. Some of my male counterparts appear to find similar flexibility, errr....... more challenging for them! I am learning to deliver an effective punch, but I tend to think that my kicks might end up being the most effective technique in my karate tool box.
     
  11. Tom bayley

    Tom bayley Valued Member

    I was teaching broom handle sweeps the other day. I no longer use them myself as, in my experience, they require the greatest muscle flexibility and range of joint movement of any kick. But if you are flexible. a high kick followed by a drop knee broom handle sweep is a devastating combination. (although potentially lethal. If it comes off smoothly the opponents legs just vanish from under-them and they can hit the ground hard with their head.)
     
  12. Tom bayley

    Tom bayley Valued Member

    Bellow is the drop to ball of foot rather than drop to knee but nonetheless it is a variation on the broom handle sweep I mentioned above.

     
  13. Tom bayley

    Tom bayley Valued Member

    An example of a drop to knee broom-handle sweep at 1.10.

     
    Travess likes this.
  14. Rataca100

    Rataca100 Banned Banned

    And a 3 inch piece of sharpended steel pointed at the spinal cord makes all diffrences and advatages irrelivent. ;)
     
  15. lloydirvin02

    lloydirvin02 New Member

    This martial arts article is very nice and impressive and I am glad I got the opportunity to read a valuable one.

    Welcome to MAP :)

    I'm sorry, but we don't allow free advertising. If you wish to place an ad, please contact my self or Simon.

    Mitch
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 23, 2018
  16. Knee Rider

    Knee Rider Valued Member Supporter

    That broom handle sweep looks like complete bobbins.
     
    David Harrison likes this.
  17. Tom bayley

    Tom bayley Valued Member

    sadly due to arthritis and a teleflon groin implant I no longer do broom handle sweeps. But they are practical and effective if correctly set up. :)
    give it a try ! but dont try it unless you have good mats and a partner who can breakfull well. Because when they work you legs vanish from underneath you. there is a big risk of hitting your head on the floor. :)
     
  18. Smitfire

    Smitfire Cactus Schlong

    Did someone using the name "Lloyd Irvin" really try and post a link in a thread about women in martial arts?
    Just google that name to see how horribly ironic that is.
     
    Knee Rider and Hannibal like this.
  19. Hannibal

    Hannibal Cry HAVOC and let slip the Dogs of War!!! Supporter

    Bitterly ironic.....
     
  20. Smitfire

    Smitfire Cactus Schlong

    I'd probably ban him just on principal.
     

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