Fat karate masters

[jaymac]

I try never to judge anybody and their weight. You never know if they have a medical condition that keeps their weight elevated. Usually it really is just over eating, but sometimes it could be they are on a medication that causes one to be larger ---> like prednisone.

[Shui Tora]

"Never judge a book by its cover"

You see some of these Akido Masters (going off topic but...) and they are old and fragile, trying to attack them, they are agile like a 15 yr old! (I have tried to do so in a seminar! Believe when I say that nothing but your ego and pride is hurt!)

Yes, they may be obese; but just try and attack them, or see what happens when a street thug atacks them; i'd bet they would floor them with no effort!

[Yasutsune Makoto]

All the "masters" I know with beer bellies are still super good martial artists who have just gotten older. I have yet to see one who is really out of shape...it would be kinda funny though, to see a "master" get whooped by a young black belt just because of poor conditioning...in a sad way, that is.

[bushido_man96]

Hey, don't knock the fat guys! I am fat, and hope maybe I can achieve a level like that some day.

As the body gets older, metabolism tends to slow down, so that may have something to do with it.

Being a master may have something to do with the knowledge they possess, and not their physical appearance.

[Sohan]

Hey, don't knock the fat guys! I am fat, and hope maybe I can achieve a level like that some day.

As the body gets older, metabolism tends to slow down, so that may have something to do with it.

Being a master may have something to do with the knowledge they possess, and not their physical appearance.

Definitely not trying to get into overweight bashing, by any means. I think my point was that some masters who were in good shape when they were younger sometimes take dramatic steps backward as they age, perhaps resting on their ever-widening laurels somewhat. I felt that though they have become masters by nature of their extensive knowledge, past results, and contributions to the arts, they are likely not to be as feared performance-wise against younger and much fitter practitioners (who are somewhat lesser skilled) because of their decline in fitness. And really, could anyone really see putting one of our venerated 60 year old buffet jockeys in the ring, or even on the street, with a trained professional fighter like Fedor or Matt Hughes?

However, don't misconstrue my comments to mean that just because a master is a Buddha-belly geriatric that they are necessarily a pushover. At less than 5 feet tall and well past 80 y.o., Shorin-ryu Grandmaster Eizo Shimabuku is still a very dangerous man who I personally would not care to tangle with. But keep in mind he still trains regularly and has kept in very good condition even at an advanced age.

Interestingly, I recently experienced a seminar and some one-on-one with a very popular and renowned Buddha-esque master who I shall leave unnamed that I feel quite certain doesn't have the fitness to successfully leverage his skills to defeat me. Twenty years ago, there would be no way I could say this, as he was always in top form, but today he might want to hope he catches me with his first few blows, because otherwise he's in trouble.

With respect,

Sohan

[bushido_man96]

Hey, don't knock the fat guys! I am fat, and hope maybe I can achieve a level like that some day.

As the body gets older, metabolism tends to slow down, so that may have something to do with it.

Being a master may have something to do with the knowledge they possess, and not their physical appearance.

Definitely not trying to get into overweight bashing, by any means. I think my point was that some masters who were in good shape when they were younger sometimes take dramatic steps backward as they age, perhaps resting on their ever-widening laurels somewhat. I felt that though they have become masters by nature of their extensive knowledge, past results, and contributions to the arts, they are likely not to be as feared performance-wise against younger and much fitter practitioners (who are somewhat lesser skilled) because of their decline in fitness. And really, could anyone really see putting one of our venerated 60 year old buffet jockeys in the ring, or even on the street, with a trained professional fighter like Fedor or Matt Hughes?

However, don't misconstrue my comments to mean that just because a master is a Buddha-belly geriatric that they are necessarily a pushover. At less than 5 feet tall and well past 80 y.o., Shorin-ryu Grandmaster Eizo Shimabuku is still a very dangerous man who I personally would not care to tangle with. But keep in mind he still trains regularly and has kept in very good condition even at an advanced age.

Interestingly, I recently experienced a seminar and some one-on-one with a very popular and renowned Buddha-esque master who I shall leave unnamed that I feel quite certain doesn't have the fitness to successfully leverage his skills to defeat me. Twenty years ago, there would be no way I could say this, as he was always in top form, but today he might want to hope he catches me with his first few blows, because otherwise he's in trouble.

With respect,

Sohan

No offence was taken from anyone, I was just trying to keep things light. I understand exactly what is being said here, and I agree that Masters should try to live the example, so to speak. It is important for them to be able to move well in some capacity, although I don't think they should have to be in the same form as the likes of Fedor or Hughes.

And, in case you are wondering, I am not really buddha like fat, just a little round. My aeorbic capacity isn't great, but I do my fair share of working out, and I am trying to improve it.

[Sohan]

Bushidoman, the people I have the MOST respect for are not necessarily the grandmasters who keep themselves in tip-top shape and spout words of wisdom in Yoda-like fashion, but those mortals who don't have the perfect MA bodytype or lifestyle who continue to perservere by showing up and training as hard as they can every time no matter what.

They're MY heroes.

With respect,

Sohan

[bushido_man96]

I agree with you, Sohan. I would rather have an unskilled, uncoordinated, mediocre student that works his butt off everyday in class, than have a super-talented guy that can do more with his pinky finger than the other can with his whole body, but shows up and doesn't give it his all everyday.

Willingness and drive are two very important attributes.

[Brandon Fisher]

I agree with you two. There is something about a student that works very very hard who has things either coordination, balance or lack of athletic skill but they keep training hard. That was me being visually impaired things didn't come easy at all but I refused to quit. My wife who has a inner ear problem and gets dizzy easily keeps persevering. Those are the the students who I have a great respect for.

[Brandon Fisher]

I agree its one thing to get a heavier as you get older, its another to just not take care of yourself and overeat. If its a case of a health issue that has caused it thats something different.