Body Type for Specific Martial Arts
There was a martial arts post on a Facebook group that wasn’t there when I returned. One seasoned martial artist said that you don’t need a certain body type to “do” a specific martial art. Agreed. But to master that style and be “all that you can be,” is a different story.
Look, I love Wing Chun, but I’m a big guy, who can’t get his elbows in to the center. This leaves an opening that smaller folk can take advantage of.
Another example: In TKD, I couldn’t get past green belt. Why? I couldn’t turn my foot into a knife edge kick. I lack that joint in my foot … born that way. So, Tae Kwon Do, at least at that school, wasn’t right for my body type.
Anyway, you can do any style you want. … both my wife and I do the same style, practice the same stuff. The difference is in the way we approach it.
For example, in a Lop Sao “more realistic practice,” we have someone attack with a punch to the face. The recipient takes it with a Lop-Sao combination, that ends with “the punch.”
Now, in the exercise, I have my students punch-respond to the face, whether with a wing chun vertical punch or a wild-_ss back fist. Their choice … advantages to each.
Anyway, Kate is 5’2″ … one of my senior students is just shy of 7 ft. tall. Do you see the problem?
She can’t reach his face.
So, her automatic shot is to the stomach or kidneys (depending on body position).
She modifies within the parameters of the system.
In conclusion …
If “I’m elected President …” (just kidding).
Anyway, yes, we can do the same style … if the style allows you to approach it differently, depending on age, body style, infirmities, etc.
