Using Tall for an excuse..

[The Tall Bamboo]

Hello everyone.

 

I've been a lurker for a little while enjoying just reading what other peoples experiances are in their schools.I never really had anything to say till tonight when I finaly realized what has kind of been bothering me at my school.

 

I can't help it that I am TALL.I'm sorry but when ever I spar with my class mates when the class is done all they ever say is your -Your legs are so long, your too tall,your too strong and blah blah blah.....

 

I'm only a Yelowbelt and most of the people I spar with are Blue and above.They have alot more exp than I do and what I guess really bothers me is that they won't give me any credit for being good.I'm not saying that I'm great just that maybe I have a few skills.When I spar with the class instructors and they do good against me it's like everyone is glad that I'm getting hit.All it makes me think is that maybe they need to practice their lessons more instead of complaining about my TALLNESS .

 

I don't brag when I do good against them I compliment them when they hit me.I guess what I wish they would do is just maybe just say hey thats a good one not your too TALL.I just find this a little frustrating.

 

I just want to be known as someone who might have a few skills not someone who does well because he's TALL.

 

Oh well sorry to cry on your shoulders this being my first post that I put up but I figured some of you have probably delt with this before.

 

 

 

Thanks for the ear,

 

Gene

[Martial_Artist]

I hear you. Just keep practicing and using your natural advantages. They're most likely saying that because of some underlying shortcoming in their own training and just can't fathom why they can't get you. They'll grow out of it or they won't, it really shouldn't bother you anymore. Just remember you train for a reason and that reason isn't because your classmates tell you good things. It's personal and only you know it, so use it.

 

Just forget about it. It's your skill. Being taller isn't that much of an advantage. They're just mad they can't work past it, or lack the skill to. So don't worry yourself over it too much.

 

MA.

[Martial_Artist]

You might want to introduce yourself in the Introductions.

 

MA.

[sk0t]

<<< I hear you. Just keep practicing and using your natural advantages. They're most likely saying that because of some underlying shortcoming in their own training and just can't fathom why they can't get you. >>>

 

I dont think that they are saying that for that reason at all...

 

I myself am pretty tall (relative to the people I train with) and training in TKD...and other things I have come to realize that the longer the legs the more of an advantage that you have. Of course the head kicks will be less because they cannot reach and of course you will have the advantage...

 

I dont think that people are persecuting you because you are tall...I just think you have an advantage that they cant overcome.

 

All you can do is use your natural advantage to your personal advantage and not let it get to you...

 

And when it comes to wanting some credit for your talent...it sounds to me like you want to hear something about skill when it doesnt have anything to do with skill...

 

A 4th Degree Black Belt who isnt half as tall as you might not get any points on you cause you are tall....and you might win cause you are tall...

 

So wait until you are about 1 year into it and you will hear about your talent cause you will blow everyone out of the water (especially if you are tall and have talent)

 

As they always say...

 

TIME WILL TELL!

[mikS]

double post Edited June 25, 2003 by mikS

[mikS]

Hello everyone.

 

I've been a lurker for a little while enjoying just reading what other peoples experiances are in their schools.I never really had anything to say till tonight when I finaly realized what has kind of been bothering me at my school.

 

I can't help it that I am TALL.I'm sorry but when ever I spar with my class mates when the class is done all they ever say is your -Your legs are so long, your too tall,your too strong and blah blah blah.....

 

I'm only a Yelowbelt and most of the people I spar with are Blue and above.They have alot more exp than I do and what I guess really bothers me is that they won't give me any credit for being good.I'm not saying that I'm great just that maybe I have a few skills.When I spar with the class instructors and they do good against me it's like everyone is glad that I'm getting hit.All it makes me think is that maybe they need to practice their lessons more instead of complaining about my TALLNESS .

 

I don't brag when I do good against them I compliment them when they hit me.I guess what I wish they would do is just maybe just say hey thats a good one not your too TALL.I just find this a little frustrating.

 

I just want to be known as someone who might have a few skills not someone who does well because he's TALL.

 

Oh well sorry to cry on your shoulders this being my first post that I put up but I figured some of you have probably delt with this before.

 

 

 

Thanks for the ear,

 

Gene

 

OH MAN ME TOO! I get the SAME THING. I will be sparring with my blackbelts my age, and giving them a good fight, often winning. Then afterwards they will say, man you are so tall, thats why you win. I'm like um no....its because i train ahrd.

[granmasterchen]

welcome, continue to train hard, forget the others in your class they are jealous of the skills that you have, if they were true martial artists they wouldn't whine, they would go home and train theirselves. If I was the instructor i would smack them around if i heard them laugh when ever we sparred, it is not right to laugh at a fellow student that trains hard when he is not as good as others, so of course the instructors will do well against you, this just shows their limited intelligence and grasp on true concepts of the martial arts, continue to train hard, don't compete against them, compete against yourself, in the end it is only you that matters, better yourself, they can't make you better only you can

[delta1]

I dont think that people are persecuting you because you are tall...I just think you have an advantage that they cant overcome.

 

You guys need to find some Kenpo, Ving Tsun, or any of the grappling practitioners to work out with. They will all get inside where your height and reach can be used against you. Every body type has advantages and disadvantages. A knowlegable fighter learns to minimize the advantages and work to your disadvantages, where a one deminsional fighter is lost outside his zone of comfort. Tell them they need to learn to deal with it or take their whippin' and move on.

[AnonymousCoward]

I'm reasonably tall (6 ft 2) and reasonably heavy (92kg) and I used to have trouble when sparring with less experienced people sometimes.

 

It sounds like your sparring partners aren't that experienced. Good sparring in the dojang should allow both the practioners get to try out techniques that they maybe wouldn't use in a competition or fight because it's too risky or they're unsure of the technique. It's good to see that you have a relaxed attitude to sparring i.e. congratulating your partners good technique and (hopefully) warning them of their weaknesses too.

 

When I'm sparring with a smaller / shorter partner - or someone who is less skilled, I try and match the sparring to their abilities. It would be unfair of me to attack with a wild spinning hook kick to the head if I knew that they had no chance at all of defending it. I like to push my partners boundaries, but not dominate them, if I'm totally dominating, then they aren't learning anything. (Of course, if they raise the bar, then follow!) It sounds like they're going a bit hard on a yellow belt - which means that you must be pretty good... so take comfort in that.

 

If I was you, I wouldn't dwell upon the problems other people have dealing with your skill and physical attributes and try and let it go. You shouldn't seek their approval or acknowledgement - you won't always find approval from other people and if you do, it won't make you into a better person, or a better martial artist. Only hard work and honest self-evaluation of will do that.

 

I sometimes spar to work on blocking, or sometimes spar only with my weak side. I take a few hits and would appear to "lose", but who cares - my technique is improving through practise.

 

On shotokan planet, there is a great article about sparring techniques:

 

http://www.24fightingchickens.com/tactics/01_emotion.html

 

I'm saying pretty much the same as Martial_Artist, but in a more prolix fashion, so I'll call it a day. Relax and enjoy your training - it takes everyone a different amount of time to get where they want to go but it sounds like you're on the right path.

[monkeygirl]

As one of the shortest people in my class, let me say this: it's very frustrating to spar a taller person. They have those long legs, and any time you try to come in, a simple sidekick will push you back, every time. However, as a black belt, I have to push myself to get over it. I have to find a weakness, find a way for me to take over in the fight. At blue belt, your sparring partners aren't going to be extremely skilled, and they're going to have some ego issues, most likely. So when a yellow belt makes them look like a fool, it may hurt their feelings.

 

Bruce Lee used to train with that, um...basketball guy...can't remember his name. Anyway, Bruce was SO talented, and yet this very tall person provided an enormous challenge for him.

 

With two people of equal skill and speed, power etc., the taller one is going to have a large advantage. Face it: you're never going to be considered the underdog in your dojo...that's a job for us little people.

 

Right now, just keep a good attitude and focus on becoming the best martial artist you can be. If some people yell at you for your size, don't take it personally. They're just expressing their frustrations, I doubt if they harbor any hateful feelings towards you.

 

At the same time, don't get cocky just because you're tall. Eventually some fast little kid may be able to spar circles around you, so keep yourself sharp. Because you're so tall, people will expect you to be strong with little control, so make control your specialty. With time, you should gain people's trust and they may not freak out about your tallness so much.

 

Good luck!