Female instructor...

[DoubleZ711]

Well, after weeks of searching, I finally found a Krav-Maga school in my area, only to learn that the instructor is a female >.<. Now, I am not bashing females fighting capabilities or anything, but I honestly believe that in the area of fighting, men are much more dominant. I really don't want to get someone started on a sexism rant or anything, I just want to know if any of you have had training with a female and how it was compared to a man teacher.

[Thesemindz]

Well, after weeks of searching, I finally found a Krav-Maga school in my area, only to learn that the instructor is a female >.<. Now, I am not bashing females fighting capabilities or anything, but I honestly believe that in the area of fighting, men are much more dominant. I really don't want to get someone started on a sexism rant or anything, I just want to know if any of you have had training with a female and how it was compared to a man teacher.

I've had excellent male instructors and excellent female instructors, and awful male instructors and awful female instructors.

Males are dominant in the instructors ranks because demographically they take martial arts at a much higher rate, and stay long enough to instruct at a much higher rate. It is a violent sport, and as such appeals more to men than women. But women who stay long enough to become instructors may have something worthwhile to offer.

Ultimately, it's like any other instructor/student relationship. Find out what she's teaching, and how she teaches it, and see if you have a good relationship. If you do, and she's offering something worthwhile, than it may be worth checking out.

Breasts don't make her a bad martial arts instructor, any more than a penis makes a man a good one. What's more important is what she's communicating, and how she's communicating it.


-Rob

[just2kicku]

Well, after weeks of searching, I finally found a Krav-Maga school in my area, only to learn that the instructor is a female >.<. Now, I am not bashing females fighting capabilities or anything, but I honestly believe that in the area of fighting, men are much more dominant. I really don't want to get someone started on a sexism rant or anything, I just want to know if any of you have had training with a female and how it was compared to a man teacher.

You have got to be joking! Let me guess, is she white too? I know females that would knock your teeth in and kick your ass above your eyes. I think you better get back on whatever medication you quit taking.

[Thesemindz]

You have got to be joking! Let me guess, is she white too? I know females that would knock your teeth in and kick your ass above your eyes. I think you better get back on whatever medication you quit taking.

Say it like you mean it.


-Rob

[DoubleZ711]

You have got to be joking! Let me guess, is she white too? I know females that would knock your teeth in and kick your ass above your eyes. I think you better get back on whatever medication you quit taking.

What does being white have to do with it? And yes, I have not a doubt in my mind that she could beat the living crap out of me, but I guess I should have rephrased my question.

To the male students out there who have trained with BOTH men and women instructors, did you feel uncomfortable learning from a female as opposed to a male? I'm not gay or anything, but I just feel that I would be alot more comfortable learning how to fight from a man than a woman.

[Thesemindz]

What does being white have to do with it? And yes, I have not a doubt in my mind that she could beat the living crap out of me, but I guess I should have rephrased my question.

To the male students out there who have trained with BOTH men and women instructors, did you feel uncomfortable learning from a female as opposed to a male? I'm not gay or anything, but I just feel that I would be alot more comfortable learning how to fight from a man than a woman.

What does being gay have to do with it?

Look dude, you obviously have some issues with women. That's your business. If it's going to interfere with your training, whether your issues or founded or not doesn't matter. If you can't learn from her, for whatever reason, then it isn't the school for you. Move on and find one that is.

I've never had a problem learning from, training with, or teaching men or women. Because I don't see them as men or women, I see them as martial artists. We're all professionals. There's no need to get caught up in superficial distinctions.

Real quality reveals itself and doesn't require your validation.


-Rob

[Thesemindz]

I just feel that I would be alot more comfortable learning how to fight from a man than a woman.

I wanted to pull this out.

If you are really interested in learning how to fight, first and foremost, then it shouldn't matter whether it's a man, or a woman, or a robot that's teaching the class. What should matter is the quality of the information and the instructors ability to transmit it.

But like I said earlier, if it's gonna get in your way, ultimately it doesn't matter why. If you can't get over it, you need to get going.


-Rob

[DoubleZ711]

Okay thanks, I guess it won't really matter what gender the instructor is, just the knowledge that they can give.

[Bill Mattocks]

This happened to me just Monday night...

We have different senseis on different nights - a lot depends on who shows up. Sometimes more senseis than students. All the senseis are expected to assist with training newbies like me.

I happened to be lined up to practice squat kicks (otoshi geri) in a line with one sensei - female. She is in her late 20's, dimunutive, and in very good physical condition. She is an EMT, as I recall.

She was standing behind me when I was kicking. She yelled for me to 'get your hands up' because I was not keeping my guard up while I kicked. I complied - or I thought I did.

A few seconds later, she yelled at me again to 'get your hands up'. At this time, I thought my hands were up - I could not see the bag, because my hands were in front of my face. I said over my shoulder 'they are up'! She said 'no, they're not, get them up'! So, I said, 'what do you want me to do, hold them over my head'? She said 'I want you to do what I tell you to do'.

Now, I am a newbie, and I do not have good form kicking, but I have very strong legs and I kick hard, so I was walloping the bag. She weighs, I am guessing, less than half what I weigh. When it came my turn to hold the bag and she kicked it, she was drilling holes in my head and hammering the bag with kicks that probably would have floored me - flat out. I mean, they were as strong as some of the kicks I've seen our biggest, fastest, meanest, sensei use. WHAM! Lightning fast, very controlled, and strong enough to rattle my cage holding the bag from a safe distance.

Somehow, I guessed that I had screwed up...

After class, I went over to her and apologized sincerely. I told her that I had been rude and disrespectful and said I was sorry. She was still mad, but she said "I appreciate that." I left it at that and went home.

Now, I realized that I made a mistake. She is a woman, but she is a high-dan black belt, dedicated to her art, does not get paid to teach, and she is deserving of the same respect I show the male senseis. In fact, it should not even be a question - what I did should never have happened. She is also, as she demonstrated, more than capable of kicking the crud out of me.

I also realized, upon reflection, that I've cracked wise with the male senseis on occasion in the same manner - and they didn't get mad at me. But it was still disrespectful of me - just because they didn't get mad, they certainly would have been right to do so.

And I also know that in her job, my sensei has to use her karate all the time. She is constantly being attacked or (worse) hit on by drunks and druggies, some of them strong, some of them out of control. She is good - she has to be. And I suspect that she gets disgusted with men in general - they see her as 'defenseless' or 'less than capable' of defending herself, and she has to prove that she can, over and over. So I suspect she might be a tad more sensitive to being insulted or disrepected than some guys. But that's as may be - it doesn't change what I did and make it right.

So I will try very hard not to be rude or disrespectful to her again, and I certainly respect her skills. I have no problems learning karate from a woman half my age and half my size. She has what it takes, and she is worthy of my respect. That is all that matters.

[Thesemindz]

Okay thanks, I guess it won't really matter what gender the instructor is, just the knowledge that they can give.

True, but that doesn't automatically mean she's going to be worth a darn as an instructor either.

Ultimately, as a beginner the most important thing in my mind is that you aren't getting hurt. You probably aren't going to become a badass overnight no matter what art you're learning. Over time, you can learn more and begin to make informed decisions about the quality of the instruction you're receiving. At first, if your instructor isn't negligently injuring you or asking you to do anything creepy, you're probably safe.

You may not find out right away whether or not she's any good as an instructor. Ask around, see what other student's think. As an instructor, I didn't mind if people asked my students their opinion. If she's confident in what she's doing, she shouldn't either.


-Rob

[Thesemindz]

She was standing behind me when I was kicking. She yelled for me to 'get your hands up' because I was not keeping my guard up while I kicked. I complied - or I thought I did.

...So, I said, 'what do you want me to do, hold them over my head'? She said 'I want you to do what I tell you to do'.

You may also want to pull her aside and ask her to show you what you were doing wrong and how to correct it. I get the impression that wasn't covered that night.

Personally, her methods of instructing were never mine, but that's a matter of style, personality, and finding out what your customers desire.


-Rob

[terryl965]

What does being white have to do with it? And yes, I have not a doubt in my mind that she could beat the living crap out of me, but I guess I should have rephrased my question.

To the male students out there who have trained with BOTH men and women instructors, did you feel uncomfortable learning from a female as opposed to a male? I'm not gay or anything, but I just feel that I would be alot more comfortable learning how to fight from a man than a woman.


DoubleZ no I have trained with women and men and I feel the same, if they can teach me than it is great if not they are no use to me. I have been in MA for over forty years and have meet alot of well let say women that can beat the living crap out of you but could not teach those techs and vise versa, so you should be looking at if she is able to teach what you would like to learn.

[Carol]

Personally I don't care whether a person is female, male, gay, straight, young, old, this race, that race, or even whether they are able-bodied or handicapped. I trained for awhile under a fellow that had lost the use of an arm in an accident.

What does matter to me, is can they teach someone like me. I don't learn well visually, and have a very tough time watching and doing. I do a lot better with spoken words, or better yet someone willing to twist me in the right direction so I can feel how something is supposed to go. I also extremely analytical (like most engineers). Its a bloody waste of time for me to pay $100 bucks a month (or whatever) to have someone tell me to stop being so analytical. Instead I look for teachers that can help me maximize that ability/trait and use to my benefit, rather than whining about it.

I have very little tolerance for teachers that do not explain things very well. I have even less tolerance for teachers that are disrespectful, cannot maintain focus, and are not committed to giving all of their students a great class.

I'm 5' 2", 40, and in need of back surgery. Just about every martial arts teacher out there is bigger, tougher, and stronger than I am right about now. But, bigger, tougher, stronger does not always mean that they have the background and the ability to be worth my time and money.

Most of the female instructors that I have had (either as a student or as a guest) have been excellent. The ones that haven't - ironically enough - have been terrific fighters (war veterans) but they weren't the best fit for me, either because of their communication style or teaching style. Same with the men. Most have been excellent, the ones that haven't have been terrific fighters but not the best fit for me.

Most schools have some sort of introductory offer so you can try the school out for yourself. Give it a try and see if its a good fit for you. :asian:

[arnisador]

Strength isn't that much of an advantage in arnis, so it doesn't matter much.

I've known good and bad instructors of both genders but I must confess that I prefer to work with a fellow man, as a rule. Sorry, I know that isn't a popular opinion! I'm a relatively big guy and do tend to use my strength when I can and so I like to have someone I can bang on, and I'm somewhat old-fashioned and refer not to have to think about "incidental contact" issues. (Yes, I know a martial arts instructor of either gender will expect and accept that it's a contact sport, but I still think about it.) That's my preference.

But I've worked with well-qualified women where it hasn't been an issue at all! It depends.

[Bill Mattocks]

I've known good and bad instructors of both genders but I must confess that I prefer to work with a fellow man, as a rule.

Well, I will admit that in my style, we hit each other pretty hard, and a lunge or reverse punch to the centerline of the chest is very common. I cannot bring myself to punch a woman in the chest like I can a man. Fair enough, I admit it. Not sure how to work around that.

Now mostly, when we spar or practice self-defense with hitting and blocking, our ichi ban sensei pairs us up white belt with black belt, and big people with other big people. So that mostly keeps me from having to make the decision whether or not to hold back on a punch.

[Bill Mattocks]

You may also want to pull her aside and ask her to show you what you were doing wrong and how to correct it. I get the impression that wasn't covered that night.

I believe that I should have stopped, turned around, addressed her respectfully, and asked her to demonstrate what she wanted. I talked to her over my shoulder. I believe I bear the burden of being out-of-line in this case.

[just2kicku]

What does being white have to do with it? And yes, I have not a doubt in my mind that she could beat the living crap out of me, but I guess I should have rephrased my question.

To the male students out there who have trained with BOTH men and women instructors, did you feel uncomfortable learning from a female as opposed to a male? I'm not gay or anything, but I just feel that I would be alot more comfortable learning how to fight from a man than a woman.


If I seemed a little harsh, then my apologies.

As far as learning from a woman, like I said, Ive known some very tough women. I have trained with, sparred with and learned from women. Like Rob (thesemindz) said they're all MA'ist. If you do have a problem with that then look for something that you will be comfortable learning from that particular instructor.

If it's Krav Maga you're interested in, then watch the episode of Fight Quest on Krav Maga and that female instructor, I would love to train with her. Tough as they come and mean as hell!

[Thesemindz]

I believe that I should have stopped, turned around, addressed her respectfully, and asked her to demonstrate what she wanted. I talked to her over my shoulder. I believe I bear the burden of being out-of-line in this case.

From the way you've described the situation, you probably were out of line, although I would only say you were a little out of line.

But just as you bear the burden of being out of line, she bears the burden of instruction. It is her responsibility to teach you how to do it better, that's why you're both there.

Look, I don't want to dwell on this too much. I don't know you're instructor, and she probably wouldn't want some internet monkey commenting on her approach. It isn't mine, but that's fine, you aren't my student.

None the less, if you are doing something wrong, you need to ask somebody to show you how to do it right. That's really all I'm saying.


-Rob

[astrobiologist]

As I type this, my father's wife is on the floor with our class teaching. She teaches well, maintains command and respect, and is usually able to get the information to the student without frustrating them. Also, she's one tough chick. I pitty the dude who's dumb enough to grab her on the street.

I've had good experiences and bad experiences with male and female instructors. Who cares about gender anymore? It's really not that important.

I'm not going to blast the OP for thinking the way they do. I will however say that I hope the responses so far can serve as an indication that you really have much more to consider when it comes to your training than the anatomy of your instructor.

[Flying Crane]

I had a woman instructor for many years, and she was excellent. I don't believe that her being a woman resulted in my training suffering in any way.

[just2kicku]

Say it like you mean it.


-Rob

Don't mind if I do! HAHA

[Carol]

Well, I will admit that in my style, we hit each other pretty hard, and a lunge or reverse punch to the centerline of the chest is very common. I cannot bring myself to punch a woman in the chest like I can a man. Fair enough, I admit it. Not sure how to work around that.


My instructor would pull you aside and say "That is not a woman, and you are not a man. You are both students" ;)

In fairness though...you don't want to punch a woman in the chest the way you punch a man. I mean this from a defensive prospect. The way some gangs are going these days, BG's are not just bad guys but some bad gals too. It is not unrealistic to think that one's potential perp (now or in the future) may be female.

Aim low and hit her in the sternum. Be sure about accuracy...not so much because of incidental contact, but because a blow deflected by her bra and/or her breasts isn't going to be anywhere near as effective.

[matt.m]

I would rather train with a hard ass woman than a half assed man. Really, my favorite training partners are tough ladies. If they can do well then I want to figure out what made them great at what they do. I can train with a muscle bound meat head anytime. However I would rather train with a lady that is smart in shape and has great skills.

In judo my favorite partners have been women, they just train harder. Not only that but my hardest working students have been female.

[searcher]

My first karate teacher's mother was his instructor's instructor(I tried to make it simple) and that woman was awesome. She was brutal, but a very good instructor. And I would wager that she could hold her own with many a men(in the area of teaching and knowledge). Since that is what is needed with an instructor, teaching and the passing of knowledge.

[Kacey]

When I started TKD, there were very few females at all - never mind female instructors. Today, things are different - being in a martial art is not nearly as uncommon for women as it was when I started in the 80s, and the number of female instructors has risen in response to the number of female students reaching a rank at which we can instruct.

In the end, I don't care about the gender, age, race, size, creed, religion or any other differentiating factor of the instructors I've worked with - only how well they teach. Given what it takes many female instructors to be accepted, they are often better (not always) because that is how they prove themselves in an area that is still dominated by men.... but that's changing as the proportion of female martial artists changes.

[MJS]

Well, after weeks of searching, I finally found a Krav-Maga school in my area, only to learn that the instructor is a female >.<. Now, I am not bashing females fighting capabilities or anything, but I honestly believe that in the area of fighting, men are much more dominant. I really don't want to get someone started on a sexism rant or anything, I just want to know if any of you have had training with a female and how it was compared to a man teacher.

I would not dismiss the teacher or school just because of gender. Just like just2kicku said, I also know a few female instructors that I'd pick over another male, to cover my back if the poop hit the fan.

Instead of viewing things from the standpoint that you'd be training under a female, view it just like you should view any teacher....do they know what they're doing, do they know the material, can they teach it, can they make it work. If you answer yes, then who cares what the sex of the teacher is, just train.

[MJS]

Well, after weeks of searching, I finally found a Krav-Maga school in my area, only to learn that the instructor is a female >.<. Now, I am not bashing females fighting capabilities or anything, but I honestly believe that in the area of fighting, men are much more dominant. I really don't want to get someone started on a sexism rant or anything, I just want to know if any of you have had training with a female and how it was compared to a man teacher.

Just to add onto my last post, let me say 2 words...Gina Carano. Female fighter who I'm more than sure could teach you a thing or two about fighting. If you had the chance to train under her, would you? Or would the fact that shes female steer you away?

Bottom line...the girl kicks some ass in her fights and yes, if I had a chance to train with her, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

[arnisador]

I worked a little with Julie Kedzie in Buffalo. I couldn't keep up! I worked with a female Isshin-ryu instructor who had a roundhouse kick like a Muay Thai fighter that really wore me down.

People are different. I will work with anyone who has a good attitude. When it comes time to roll, as a rule, I prefer a male partner...there are always exceptions, and I'm quite open-minded to them.

[chrispillertkd]

Well, after weeks of searching, I finally found a Krav-Maga school in my area, only to learn that the instructor is a female >.<. Now, I am not bashing females fighting capabilities or anything, but I honestly believe that in the area of fighting, men are much more dominant. I really don't want to get someone started on a sexism rant or anything, I just want to know if any of you have had training with a female and how it was compared to a man teacher.

I've always trained under a woman instrcutor. My Taekwon-Do instructors are a married couple. He is a VII dan she is a V dan. They both have different approaches to training and teaching. Since you asked about female instructors I'll just concentrate on my experiences with her.

She has excellent technical knowledge, like he does, but she tends to emphasize it to a greater degree. Concentrates on exactly how to move each part of your body when performing a technique. Sparring with her was like fighting a surgeon; she would simply block everything and then pick you apart, seemingly at will. No opening? Don't worry, she'd get you to make one for her through feinting, dodging, counter attacking and foot work. Breaking also concentrated on using exact technique to demolish stacks of wood. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of times when she would tell me the technique was good but, "You're just not kicking hard enough," but by and large she emphasizes correct body mechanics to generate maximum power (and this is true in basics, sparring, and patterns, not just breaking).

One of the most "painful" experiences I had in Taekwon-Do was during a private lesson with my Master Instructor. We were going over IV dan patterns and he was giving me plenty to work on. Just when I thought I was making decent progress his wife walked in and started observing me. Then she started making comments about even more things I needed to change, as well as how the corrections her husband had made still needed improvement. The critiquing was painful, but a good pain. It made completely clear what I needed to work on and, what is more, exactly what I needed to do to make the necessary improvements.

She's definitely been around since the old school days, too. Started training in early 1971, IIRC. Started maybe 6 months after her husband did (he started in 1970).

It's a shame that she has some health problems now and so doesn't train as much as she used to. Some of the newer students don't know what they are missing.

Pax,

Chris

[Aikicomp]

but I just feel that I would be alot more comfortable learning how to fight from a man than a woman.

That's kind of like saying I feel more comfortable learning Ju-Jitsu or Judo or Karate from a Japanese instructor rather than an American instructor because the Japanese created Ju-Jitsu. See where I'm going with this?

Michael

[Carol]

I'm not gay or anything, but I just feel that I would be alot more comfortable learning how to fight from a man than a woman.

Then go train with a man.

A guy that can't check his issues at the dojo door does nothing but bring the rest of the class down and take away from the people that genuinely want to be there.

[Bruno@MT]

Do a search for Megumi Fujii on youtube. She is small, lightweight (compared to males) and could kick your, mine, and most people's asses on this forum. The fact that she happens to be female (and quite cute imo) is irrelevant.
Gender has nothing to do with teaching or fighting skills. Only if there is a difference in skill set can additional power make a difference. But in the case of the female krav maga instructor, it will be a long time before you reach that level. don't let your ego get in the way of learning.

[arnisador]

But in the case of the female krav maga instructor, it will be a long time before you reach that level.

Honestly, KM is new enough that there's still pretty good quality-control. A certified instructor likely has the skill, power, and aggressiveness to give anyone a tough time.

[bowser666]

Well, after weeks of searching, I finally found a Krav-Maga school in my area, only to learn that the instructor is a female >.<. Now, I am not bashing females fighting capabilities or anything, but I honestly believe that in the area of fighting, men are much more dominant. I really don't want to get someone started on a sexism rant or anything, I just want to know if any of you have had training with a female and how it was compared to a man teacher.


I hate to say this man, but so far every post that originates from you has some extreme ignorance contained in. Do you actually proofread your posts and ask yourself , " How am I coming across in this post ? " Alot of the stuff you are posting is stuff that I would expect to hear from a 12 year old student. I mean maybe you are in that age bracket , or live in a sheltered lifestyle. I don't know. I would have hoped that after 27 posts and undoubtedly receiving an overwhelmingly negative response to the majority of your threads, you might revamp your thought process on posting here. Sadly it does not seem to have changed. I mean the only other possible explanation is that you are 100% clueless, so I hope at least you are getting some answers to fill in the many gaps you have.

[Daniel Sullivan]

What does being white have to do with it?
You mean you forgot about your generalizations about white people on one of your 'is kung fu a martial art thread'?


And yes, I have not a doubt in my mind that she could beat the living crap out of me, but I guess I should have rephrased my question.
Yes, and this wouldn't be the first time. Your kung fu thread came accross as racist. This one comes accross as sexist. Now there's a gay element. Please proof your posts before clicking submit reply.


To the male students out there who have trained with BOTH men and women instructors, did you feel uncomfortable learning from a female as opposed to a male? I'm not gay or anything, but I just feel that I would be alot more comfortable learning how to fight from a man than a woman.

To answer your question, this has been my experience: Men tend to be more visual in their approach. They perform the technique for the student and the weight of their instruction is on the visual performance of the technique. The techniques are reinforced in sparring, where the gents tend to more about using a good variety of techniques against the student, then says, 'try that' and allows the student to try the techniques in return.

The women tend to be more technical in their approach, not only showing the technique, but explaining the nuances that make the technique work properly more thoroughly and more often than the gents.

Now, I have had and currently have male instructors who are extremely technical, and my own teaching style focuses on technical and detail work. But each and every lady that I have trained under has been very technical and detail oriented.

I'm equally comfortable training with instructors of either gender.

Daniel

[Guardian]

My first Instructor was Female and I learned allot from her. She was quick and agile and one good Instructor. I found no difference in mind set or training regiments between the two genders. A good instructor is a good instructor, it's your mind that needs to understand that.

[Tez3]

Do a search for Megumi Fujii on youtube. She is small, lightweight (compared to males) and could kick your, mine, and most people's asses on this forum. The fact that she happens to be female (and quite cute imo) is irrelevant.
Gender has nothing to do with teaching or fighting skills. Only if there is a difference in skill set can additional power make a difference. But in the case of the female krav maga instructor, it will be a long time before you reach that level. don't let your ego get in the way of learning.

Absolutely, then do a search for Rosi Sexton and Lisa Higo.Lisa fought three girls in one night to become world champ. Btw Rosi has packed her bag, she's off to fight in America again!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7857217.stm

http://www.cagewarriors.com/article.242.htm

[KELLYG]

Most of life's experiences are lessons taught by females. The have taught us from birth how to eat, dress, talk, play, and almost every other lesson from infancy till we are able to go out and experience the world on our own. I'm not saying the the men don't figure into the equation but most of the nurturing comes from the female figure. So the op does not have a problem learning from women. I bet that the op has a problem with women fighting and nothing you will say will change his mind.

I also would like to say that most women fighters have excellent technique. This is due to the fact that they will have to work on executing the technique properly. They can not rely as heavily on strength as there male counterpart would.

[Sukerkin]

A very interesting point, KG :tup:.

I have never thought of putting forward that particular truth as an example of the flaw in their 'stance' for men who have 'issues' being taught by women.

[Bruno@MT]

Absolutely, then do a search for Rosi Sexton and Lisa Higo.Lisa fought three girls in one night to become world champ. Btw Rosi has packed her bag, she's off to fight in America again!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7857217.stm

http://www.cagewarriors.com/article.242.htm

I just did. Damn.

If I could choose (and was single instead of a married father of 2:D) I'd date Rosi. But it would a be a very close call between her and Megumi or Lisa :)

[morph4me]

Most of the good women instructors have an advantage in that they understand that they can't depend on strength, the have to depend on technique, since that's the case, they tend to have a better understanding of technique then their male peers. If they can transmit that understanding, they can make you better than you would have thought.

It's been said before, but I think it bears repeating. I've had good instructors and bad instructors of both genders. If you have an issue with a female instructor, I recommend you find a different place to train.

[bowser666]

:trollsign:trollsign:trollsign:trollsign:trollsign :trollsign:trollsign

[Tez3]

I just did. Damn.

If I could choose (and was single instead of a married father of 2:D) I'd date Rosi. But it would a be a very close call between her and Megumi or Lisa :)


I shall pass your compliments onto Rosi and Lisa! The BBC has made a documentary on female fighters featuring both of them (and a little bit with me reffing) which is in the process of being edited now. I hope it will be shown on an American channel too!
Sorry for digression but in view of the OP didn't think people would mind lol!

[sgtmac_46]

This happened to me just Monday night...

We have different senseis on different nights - a lot depends on who shows up. Sometimes more senseis than students. All the senseis are expected to assist with training newbies like me.

I happened to be lined up to practice squat kicks (otoshi geri) in a line with one sensei - female. She is in her late 20's, dimunutive, and in very good physical condition. She is an EMT, as I recall.

She was standing behind me when I was kicking. She yelled for me to 'get your hands up' because I was not keeping my guard up while I kicked. I complied - or I thought I did.

A few seconds later, she yelled at me again to 'get your hands up'. At this time, I thought my hands were up - I could not see the bag, because my hands were in front of my face. I said over my shoulder 'they are up'! She said 'no, they're not, get them up'! So, I said, 'what do you want me to do, hold them over my head'? She said 'I want you to do what I tell you to do'.

Now, I am a newbie, and I do not have good form kicking, but I have very strong legs and I kick hard, so I was walloping the bag. She weighs, I am guessing, less than half what I weigh. When it came my turn to hold the bag and she kicked it, she was drilling holes in my head and hammering the bag with kicks that probably would have floored me - flat out. I mean, they were as strong as some of the kicks I've seen our biggest, fastest, meanest, sensei use. WHAM! Lightning fast, very controlled, and strong enough to rattle my cage holding the bag from a safe distance.

Somehow, I guessed that I had screwed up...

After class, I went over to her and apologized sincerely. I told her that I had been rude and disrespectful and said I was sorry. She was still mad, but she said "I appreciate that." I left it at that and went home.

Now, I realized that I made a mistake. She is a woman, but she is a high-dan black belt, dedicated to her art, does not get paid to teach, and she is deserving of the same respect I show the male senseis. In fact, it should not even be a question - what I did should never have happened. She is also, as she demonstrated, more than capable of kicking the crud out of me.

I also realized, upon reflection, that I've cracked wise with the male senseis on occasion in the same manner - and they didn't get mad at me. But it was still disrespectful of me - just because they didn't get mad, they certainly would have been right to do so.

And I also know that in her job, my sensei has to use her karate all the time. She is constantly being attacked or (worse) hit on by drunks and druggies, some of them strong, some of them out of control. She is good - she has to be. And I suspect that she gets disgusted with men in general - they see her as 'defenseless' or 'less than capable' of defending herself, and she has to prove that she can, over and over. So I suspect she might be a tad more sensitive to being insulted or disrepected than some guys. But that's as may be - it doesn't change what I did and make it right.

So I will try very hard not to be rude or disrespectful to her again, and I certainly respect her skills. I have no problems learning karate from a woman half my age and half my size. She has what it takes, and she is worthy of my respect. That is all that matters. What you hit on is the REAL difference between women and men........and it isn't the skill level........it's the attitude. Women have a tendency to take offense from things that men wouldn't. Quite frankly that's the reason why I won't train with some women......if I wanted to have to be careful about everything I said, and constantly apologize to avoid hurt feelings, i'd go home to my wife.

Not all women are like that, though.......and i've met my share of men who are like that........but all told, 'Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus'. ;)

As far as the skill level of many women, it's just like men.......you have some that are great, and some that are crap.

[sgtmac_46]

You may also want to pull her aside and ask her to show you what you were doing wrong and how to correct it. I get the impression that wasn't covered that night.

Personally, her methods of instructing were never mine, but that's a matter of style, personality, and finding out what your customers desire.


-Rob Yeah, the 'You should KNOW what i'm thinking' method of instruction isn't real conducive to my view, either.

[sgtmac_46]

Strength isn't that much of an advantage in arnis, so it doesn't matter much.

I've known good and bad instructors of both genders but I must confess that I prefer to work with a fellow man, as a rule. Sorry, I know that isn't a popular opinion! I'm a relatively big guy and do tend to use my strength when I can and so I like to have someone I can bang on, and I'm somewhat old-fashioned and refer not to have to think about "incidental contact" issues. (Yes, I know a martial arts instructor of either gender will expect and accept that it's a contact sport, but I still think about it.) That's my preference.

But I've worked with well-qualified women where it hasn't been an issue at all! It depends. Plus men don't seem to take offense as easily as many women........not all.......i've helped train a couple women in boxing who didn't take offense at anything, and who could take a punch like a champ, without it bothering them.

But I prefer to train with men.....they always tell you what they think, you can tell them what you think, and NEVER worry about hurting their feelings.

[sgtmac_46]

I believe that I should have stopped, turned around, addressed her respectfully, and asked her to demonstrate what she wanted. I talked to her over my shoulder. I believe I bear the burden of being out-of-line in this case. Honestly, I wouldn't go that far......i'm sure she's a treat to work with on the ambulance.

Some folks have skill, but ZERO tact or patience.

[sgtmac_46]

Most of life's experiences are lessons taught by females. The have taught us from birth how to eat, dress, talk, play, and almost every other lesson from infancy till we are able to go out and experience the world on our own. I'm not saying the the men don't figure into the equation but most of the nurturing comes from the female figure. So the op does not have a problem learning from women. I bet that the op has a problem with women fighting and nothing you will say will change his mind.

I also would like to say that most women fighters have excellent technique. This is due to the fact that they will have to work on executing the technique properly. They can not rely as heavily on strength as there male counterpart would.

That's a perfectly fair statement......many male fighters were born with the natural attributes required for fighting, heavy musculature, thick frontal bone, strong jaw, big hands, high levels of testosterone.....men are physically designed to a fight.....if a woman can fight, it's because she knows HOW! What gives some men the ability to fight really can't be taught.

Therefore, if a woman has honed the skills to be a competent fighter, it's best to listen to what she has to say if we're interested in doing the same.

[marlon]

Well, after weeks of searching, I finally found a Krav-Maga school in my area, only to learn that the instructor is a female >.<. Now, I am not bashing females fighting capabilities or anything, but I honestly believe that in the area of fighting, men are much more dominant. I really don't want to get someone started on a sexism rant or anything, I just want to know if any of you have had training with a female and how it was compared to a man teacher.

My experience with female instructors (i have had 3 in kempo) is that they are smaller, weaker, and have something to prove in this male dominated arena...this has made them excellent tough hard assed teachers...and i benefitted greatly from being thier student.

Marlon

[chinto]

Well, after weeks of searching, I finally found a Krav-Maga school in my area, only to learn that the instructor is a female >.<. Now, I am not bashing females fighting capabilities or anything, but I honestly believe that in the area of fighting, men are much more dominant. I really don't want to get someone started on a sexism rant or anything, I just want to know if any of you have had training with a female and how it was compared to a man teacher.

one of our Black belts is a woman, she is very very good. I would say that as far as instruction, there is no difference really. she teaches the same kata that any of the men teach, and I can tell you she is as knowledgeable as any of the other black belts who may be men. I think it is more a matter of is the instructor knowledgeable then what gender.

[Himura Kenshin]

I think the topic has been exhausted here. Clearly there is no reason why someone shouldn't consider learning from a female martial arts teacher. Sex doesn't matter, competantcy does. A warrior is a warrior regardless of race, sex, blah blah blah.

[Cirdan]

Truly good instructors of the arts are rare. If you train under one you are lucky and wether this person if male or female should not matter.

If your instructor is an idiot it would not be because of sex either would it?

[tellner]

Another point...

Women who do very physical, combative/confrontational martial arts generally have it a bit harder for the obvious reasons. On average they're smaller, weaker, have less testosterone and need to deal with hostility and resistance from the lads. To prevail they needed to learn to deal with larger, stronger more aggressive opponents. That usually means their moves have to be just a little crisper, their distance, timing, sensitivity and lines just a touch cleaner than the people they're jamming with.

I'm not counting on getting attacked by people who are smaller, weaker, less aggressive and worse-trained than I. Learning from someone who has spent her entire martial arts career on the other end can be a plus.

[Phoenix44]

Bottom line? If you don't think you can learn from a woman, then find another instructor.

[bowser666]

AS has been stated, if the instructor is a quality teacher it doesn't matter at all. If they are male , female, black , white, Islamic, Catholic, etc............... If you are too busy worrying about those things , then you are not really there to train for the sake of training. Prejudices should be left outside the kwoon, dojo, etc......... They are signs of a limited mind in my book.

[matt.m]

Funny you mention Gina,

Last Saturday my better half was watching strikeforce with me and when the showed Gina the first time my wife said "Wow she is pretty."

I told her that she(Gina) was a great fighter, the wife replied "Must be she doesn't even have blemishes."


Just to add onto my last post, let me say 2 words...Gina Carano. Female fighter who I'm more than sure could teach you a thing or two about fighting. If you had the chance to train under her, would you? Or would the fact that shes female steer you away?

Bottom line...the girl kicks some ass in her fights and yes, if I had a chance to train with her, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

[Ronin74]

AS has been stated, if the instructor is a quality teacher it doesn't matter at all. If they are male , female, black , white, Islamic, Catholic, etc............... If you are too busy worrying about those things , then you are not really there to train for the sake of training. Prejudices should be left outside the kwoon, dojo, etc......... They are signs of a limited mind in my book.
Not just your book either.

Great training comes from great teachers. Once people start putting a spin on it based on religion, ethnicity, or gender, they tarnish the art with their prejudices.