Going with or overcoming body type

[Throwdown0850]

if you have the time, you could do both?

[tenshinka]

Its up to the student, and their instructors...Some have the aptitude for it right off the bat, and some dont.

Dr. He-Young Kimm (founder of Hanmudo) has a 9th dan in Judo/Yudo from the Kodokan, and the Korean Yudo College. He also has 9th dan in Hapkido, and 8th dan in Kuk Sool, and a 5th dan in Tae Kwon Do, I believe. He encourages his students to study one martial art as a primary, and two martial arts as minors. Its an interesting way to look at it...

Personally, I think it all depends on the individual...Hell some have simply more time to devote to MA than others. But also, one need to keep in mind that if you chase too many rabbits into the hole, you come up with none...Jack of all trades, master of none etc.

Its totally dependent on the individual and his/her instructors.

[crazyferret]

I'm a big guy with short legs, and alot of core and upper body strength. I would have probably been an excellent wrestler or judo guy.

But I loved kicking. The concept of a kicking art fascinated me, so I went Korean. I had to work twice as hard to develop flexibility, I had to master timing to make up for my lack of speed, and after all that, I could hang with the tall, lanky guys who just looked to be built to kick.

So my question is, would the greater wisdom have been to go with an art better suited to my physique, and therefore perhaps been a greater artist in that style, or to go against nature, and strive to function in an art where every technique was stacked against my build? Your thoughts?

Kicking isn't so useful in fighting.

I'd go with the judo and wrestling.

[Throwdown0850]

I'm a big guy with short legs, and alot of core and upper body strength. I would have probably been an excellent wrestler or judo guy.

But I loved kicking. The concept of a kicking art fascinated me, so I went Korean. I had to work twice as hard to develop flexibility, I had to master timing to make up for my lack of speed, and after all that, I could hang with the tall, lanky guys who just looked to be built to kick.

So my question is, would the greater wisdom have been to go with an art better suited to my physique, and therefore perhaps been a greater artist in that style, or to go against nature, and strive to function in an art where every technique was stacked against my build? Your thoughts?

Kicking isn't so useful in fighting.

I'd go with the judo and wrestling.

I disagree, kicking could be very useful in a fight, because to me not a lot of people are expecting you to kick in a fight when they encounter you.. I would prob use a low roundhouse, lots of power and low risk..

[bushido_man96]

Kicking isn't so useful in fighting.

I'd go with the judo and wrestling.

I disagree, kicking could be very useful in a fight, because to me not a lot of people are expecting you to kick in a fight when they encounter you.. I would prob use a low roundhouse, lots of power and low risk..

I agree. Kicking is a tool that should be considered, just as much as any other strike. You have to be wise about how you do it, though. Throwing head high kicks is tough to pull off, but that doesn't mean that it can't be done. However, low kicks are a great way to attack. The low round house that Throwdown mentioned, and also the front kick to the groin, or the kick to the shin, which Lee was a proponent of.

You just have to pick your spots, and set it up.

[bushido_man96]

Dr. He-Young Kimm (founder of Hanmudo) has a 9th dan in Judo/Yudo from the Kodokan, and the Korean Yudo College. He also has 9th dan in Hapkido, and 8th dan in Kuk Sool, and a 5th dan in Tae Kwon Do, I believe. He encourages his students to study one martial art as a primary, and two martial arts as minors. Its an interesting way to look at it...

If you take some Martial Arts as "minor arts," what does that entail? Do you choose not to go to as many classes per week? Or do you not try to learn as much of the curriculum? I am just curious, because the wording is kind of confusing to me.

[Inya shaolin]

I think that the body you are born with should not stop you from choosing the style of fighting that you like and getting good at it. It may just be harder for some than for others.

As for me, I am five feet, eight inches tall and am strong in my legs mostly. I tend to kick more than punch while sparring because it's more effective and I have a better reach. But I'm trying to strengthen my upper body with Inya and Eskrima stickwork and weight training.

"Any obstacle you overcome becomes an advantage." ~ me.

[JusticeZero]

Kicking isn't so useful in fighting.

I'd go with the judo and wrestling.

Personally, i'd say that wrestling isn't so useful in fighting - but then, I have a different model of a fight. Weapons or simply not being surrounded by -your- friends makes grappling a really horrible place to be.

That said, having a nonstandard body type can be a real asset if you work some of the less common techniques, or if you work the body mechanics to your advantage. How much of your core can you put into techniques?

[tallgeese]

Most any tool can be useful. It's about application and location of applying that tool within a good contexual framework that makes it dangerous.

Kicking can indeed be useful under conditions that allow for it to be used by your physiology well. Personally, I find low kicks most useful (MT rounds, groin, stomps). There are situations where these kicks are increadaly useful, there are also times they can be worthless (ie. someone tieing up with you making it dangerous to raise a leg, poor enviornmental conditions, improper ranging just to name a few)

Likewise, grappling arts can be highly useful. Slamming someone to the pavement can be a fight ender in and of itself. Lot's of wrestling takesowns can leave you in a superior position to not only grapple a bad guy, but to take position and strike him, access a weapon, or escape. To go even a step further, even grappling from a ground game can have signifigant sd aspects if you accept that someone might indeed take you down. Again, training with a broader sd interpertation is important. But you'll never get that unless you train to grapple.

Training realistically with both (or any depending on the discussion) is key. You need to practice against resistance with what ever you elect to do to get as realistic simulation. It's also good to keep an openmind about learning tools, getting on the floor with other fighters and keeping an eye toward intergrating new ideas that work agaisnt resistacne into your framework.

Kicking and grappling arts included.

[still kicking]

having a nonstandard body type can be a real asset if you work some of the less common techniques, or if you work the body mechanics to your advantage.

This is a great topic! I am quite short, and one of my "secret weapons" is to move in quickly and get within close range so my opponent can't do anything. Keep in mind that I am talking about point sparring, which I realize can spur reams of words about the relative merits or the lack thereof. I enjoy competing, and I do think the skills required are applicable to self defense, but that's another whole discussion. My point is (no pun intended), I have to admit I enjoy the look of surprise on my much taller opponent's face when I move in quickly and score a point before they figure out what they're going to do, and then realize they're too close to do anything that would score a point! Another of my "tricks" is to do a lot of dodging out of the way, then quickly sliding in to cover a lot of territory and score. Also, I use a lot of kicks, mostly front and roundhouse, because that enables me to cover the distance without getting too close myself. I think the fact that I am short, which might usually be considered to be a disadvantage, can be an advantage in the sense that a lot of people don't know how to deal with it -- at least in point sparring. (For self defense I would do more close in techniques that are not allowed in point sparring, but as I said, that's a separate discussion).