Kyokushin and women

[Ti]

I know what you were all thinking before you clicked.

suckers.

So anywho, is there a double standard for women in kyokushin?

everywhere you look are vids of men doing conditioning, hitting trees, standing still and getting pummeled and hit with sticks etc, training in the woods in the snow with tops off (women can do that in a sports bra).

But I never see women doing any of that.

Is there a double standard where the conditioning is less intensive for women as opposed to men?

I'm just curious cause I haven't seen it yet.

[The BB of C]

I've wondered why I don't see more women getting truly into the spirit of martial arts especially hard styles like Kyokushin. When I do see women in Kyokushin, they've always been in the clicker sparring competition...and frankly making a mockery of the style. I have seen one older woman breaking a stack of twelve stone slabs (I'm not sure what they were made out of). Still she was the only one I've ever seen so far.

Recently, womens' divisions have been appearing in mixed martial arts competitions.

One of the girls in my Isshin Ryu class fits what we're talking about pretty good. She's very hesitant to spar with men (especially if they're bigger than her) even though she has state titles in golden-glove boxing. I'm pretty sure she could beat me if she tried.

On a slightly unrelated side note. It's funny that I should come across this thread today because I just got done writing a movie script for one of my classes and in it one of the characters is a young Shotokan practitioner that tries to disprove the double-standard by fighting in a Mixed Martial Arts competition where she's the only competing woman.

[Kuma]

I've wondered why I don't see more women getting truly into the spirit of martial arts especially hard styles like Kyokushin. When I do see women in Kyokushin, they've always been in the clicker sparring competition...and frankly making a mockery of the style. I have seen one older woman breaking a stack of twelve stone slabs (I'm not sure what they were made out of). Still she was the only one I've ever seen so far.

I think I have seen that same picture and I believe it was Shihandai Cathy Melanson. I had the pleasure to train with her on one occasion and she is the real deal. I think she did that break with her forearm, the picture was hanging up at their Maryland dojo.

Edited October 2, 2009 by Kuma

[The BB of C]

I saw it live at a local Kyokushin tournament. I don't think it was the same woman.

[Kuma]

http://www.phoenixkarate.com/sensei/sensei.html

It could have been, I know the picture was taken at a tournament and there's not much Kyokushin here on the East Coast so everybody goes to all the same tournaments. If it isn't, it's great to see other women doing powerful breaks and other hard training.

[The BB of C]

Definitely wasn't the same person. The woman I saw was a little more heavyset and a little older.

[bushido_man96]

I don't know if there is a double standard, or not. But, I do know that not all Martial Artists will train the same way. Some people really get into the rugged, outdoor, freezing cold training. I don't so much. I don't mind the cold, but I'd rather not walk around outside barefoot in the snow.

The same goes for the kind of body callousing type of training. I don't necessarily think that those are just "guy things" to do, but I do think that on the average, you'll find more guys into that than women. And I think that is ok. To each their own.

[Rateh]

Personally, I see no need to kick trees or train in the snow shirtless. In fact in my mind those types of things borderline on the ridiculous. In general I think they are just plain silly.

As a child, I used to run around in the snow without shoes on. Because it made me feel "tough". I didn't need shoes.

Now I'm a 25 year old woman. I don't feel the need to demonstrate my "toughness" by engaging in silly activities.

I'll spar with the best of them, within reason. I'm not going to risk serious injury, but I'm not going to back down just because someone is bigger or stronger than I am...If I did, I wouldn't be much use in self defense now would I?

Whether or not other women do or do not think as I do, I don't know, but these are the reasons you wont see ME participating in some of the mentioned activities.

[Ti]

I don't know if there is a double standard, or not. But, I do know that not all Martial Artists will train the same way. Some people really get into the rugged, outdoor, freezing cold training. I don't so much. I don't mind the cold, but I'd rather not walk around outside barefoot in the snow.

The same goes for the kind of body callousing type of training. I don't necessarily think that those are just "guy things" to do, but I do think that on the average, you'll find more guys into that than women. And I think that is ok. To each their own.

Aside from the winter training. isn't conditioning and learning to take a hit part of kyokushin?

I haven't seen kyokushin women practice taking hits. I'm not familiar with kyokushin reqs, but I'm getting a feeling of a double standard.

Is what this guy went through "normal" for kyokushin training?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ai8Ty5I7iao

and this guy

[Kuma]

For those two videos, I'd say though every dojo is different I'd say it's something you can definitely expect from Kyokushin training. I've trained alongside very few women in Kyokushin but those that I did train with I consider the real deal. I cannot recall any serious body conditioning in those sessions but of what we did they stuck in there.