Body Size Question

[7starmantis]

Another thread I was reading made me think of this. Has anyone run into any type of bias, or any problems being a large person trying to practice Kung Fu or any Chinese Style? Let me explain...
I am 6'2" about 210, not that big, but there are sticking moves and such that I believe are harder for me to do than a smaller man or woman. My upper leg muscles are larger, rather, wider than most, from birth. this makes it hard to do side-splits, and the like. Anyone else run into that? Or am I just the non-flexible couch potatoe of the boards?



7sm

 

[Chiduce]

I would say a little of both! I'am 5'-10" and fluctuate from 210-225 lbs. My calfs are just as large or larger than yours. Stretching in splits takes a lot of work on withstanding a lot of pain; not to mention the shearing pain from the antagonists of the femar flexion, and trocanter. My calf always hits the floor first in splitting, so i had to work on groin relaxation to complete the full side/half split. The trail knee joint and ligaments as well as lead leg knee joint and ligaments must be equally relaxed with full cooperation of the trail leg trocanter. Stretching is an art within the martial arts and takes full cooperation of the stylist's mind body and spirit. I find qi gong meditative breathing exercises the profound component within my stretching regime in practice and teaching students to split as well. The standing and moving qi gong patterns also help my improvement in all aspects of angular counter-blocking and striking.
Sincerely, in Humility;
Chiduce!

 

[chufeng]

I have a friend who is an orthopedic surgeon (retired now).
He told me that caucasions are NOT built the same as asians...and to try and DO some of the "yoga" work associated with Chinese martial arts may be harmful to us.

Stretching is the same...some of us are built for it, some are not...I always thought my inability to do a full split was because I was SOMEHOW lacking in my training...

Turns out, my bones are twisted in such a way as to preclude my doing any of that "extreme" stuff...but I tried anyways (when I was younger)...

Now I know my physical limitations and work within those parameters...

:asian:
chufeng

 

[Matt Stone]

Originally posted by chufeng

I have a friend who is an orthopedic surgeon (retired now).
He told me that caucasions are NOT built the same as asians...and to try and DO some of the "yoga" work associated with Chinese martial arts may be harmful to us.

chufeng

I had heard that years ago, but then read an article by an orthopedic surgeon specializing in sports rehab, and he indicated it was a myth... Then, when I started getting interested in anthropological studies (and had a desire to move toward forensic anthropology as a profession), I found that not only are all the races different in their composition, such differences are blatantly obvious when examining the skeletal remains...

Makes you wonder.

Gambarimasu.

:asian:

 

[arnisador]

Originally posted by Yiliquan1

such differences are blatantly obvious when examining the skeletal remains...

I have heard this too--small differences in the forehead, or heel, say--but I've never heard of one with clinical or athletic implications.

 

[chufeng]

I simply used that as an example...

I think that, regardless of race, we each have certain ranges of motion...each body is constructed slightly differently...I've seen people of all races do full splits...I can't do them because of the way my legs are built...tibias are rotated outward slightly and femurs rotated slightly inward...that's the way God made me...so I adjust.

:asian:
chufeng

 

[MartialArtist]

Originally posted by 7starmantis

Another thread I was reading made me think of this. Has anyone run into any type of bias, or any problems being a large person trying to practice Kung Fu or any Chinese Style? Let me explain...
I am 6'2" about 210, not that big, but there are sticking moves and such that I believe are harder for me to do than a smaller man or woman. My upper leg muscles are larger, rather, wider than most, from birth. this makes it hard to do side-splits, and the like. Anyone else run into that? Or am I just the non-flexible couch potatoe of the boards?



7sm

Are you fast? You certainly have a reach advantage, especially with your kicks. Also, consider grappling. Not like freestlye shoot-style grappling, because you're taller, and shorter people have leverage and a lower center of gravity than you. But unless they can use your own impetus against you, you would do well.

But no, you are never really too big for kung fu. One guy from Northern China was well over 6'3" a long time ago, I think the late 19th century, and he was great. I've also seen people being around 6'7" and hell, if Kareem can learn to execute moves with average technique, you would do fine, and Kareem in terms of height is like a skyscraper.

 

[KennethKu]

Originally posted by chufeng

I have a friend who is an orthopedic surgeon (retired now).
He told me that caucasions are NOT built the same as asians...and to try and DO some of the "yoga" work associated with Chinese martial arts may be harmful to us.
........

I read the same thing. Except that, the differences are extremely minute. Forensic examiner can look at these minute features to figure out if the skeletal remain is Asian or Non Asian. Sorry I forgot the details. One example is like an extremely minute shape difference near the top of the thigh bone. I am extremely doubtful that the differences would have an effect on the range of motion. (But of course ,who am I to argue with an orthopedic surgeon if he/she thinks such exercise is harmful to Caucasians :asian: )

 

[7starmantis]

Originally posted by MartialArtist


Are you fast? You certainly have a reach advantage, especially with your kicks. Also, consider grappling. Not like freestlye shoot-style grappling, because you're taller, and shorter people have leverage and a lower center of gravity than you. But unless they can use your own impetus against you, you would do well.

But no, you are never really too big for kung fu. One guy from Northern China was well over 6'3" a long time ago, I think the late 19th century, and he was great. I've also seen people being around 6'7" and hell, if Kareem can learn to execute moves with average technique, you would do fine, and Kareem in terms of height is like a skyscraper.

Yes, I have looked into grappling, and speed is one of my good points. I wasn't asking if I was too big to practice Kung Fu, since I have been practicing it sine I was a child, I was trying to get input if anyone had run into difficulty with certain techniques because of their size. I have, and I have overcome them, but they were still there at some point.


7sm

 

[DireWolf]

I'm 6'3 and have fairly long legs in comparison to the rest of my body. That said I often have difficulty simulaneously striking Wing Chun style with a kick and a deflection/punch. My Sifu (who's physically similar to me) assures me it'll come with time

I also went to see a specialist after I'd been doing stretches for 3 years and had progressed no further in the side splits stretch than what I'd done in the first 8 months. He x-rayed me and showed me how my hips simply won't flex that far due to the shape of my pelvis. I will never do side splits or gain any flexibility in that region greater than what I have now. So your body does have certain limitations. Its how you work around them that counts. Besides, I'd much rather punch someone in the head than try to kick them there! :rofl:

 

[7starmantis]

Originally posted by DireWolf

I'm 6'3 and have fairly long legs in comparison to the rest of my body. That said I often have difficulty simulaneously striking Wing Chun style with a kick and a deflection/punch. My Sifu (who's physically similar to me) assures me it'll come with time

I also went to see a specialist after I'd been doing stretches for 3 years and had progressed no further in the side splits stretch than what I'd done in the first 8 months. He x-rayed me and showed me how my hips simply won't flex that far due to the shape of my pelvis. I will never do side splits or gain any flexibility in that region greater than what I have now. So your body does have certain limitations. Its how you work around them that counts. Besides, I'd much rather punch someone in the head than try to kick them there! :rofl:

Yeah, that seems to be my problem area as well. The kcik/punch combo was very hard for me to get down as well.


7sm

 

[bob919]

evry persons body is a different shape its not just racialy defined

 

[7starmantis]

Originally posted by bob919

evry persons body is a different shape its not just racialy defined

I most assuredly agree with you, it is not just racialy defined, but it is racialy defined to a degree. Everyone is very different even within those racial groups, but the groups themselves are normally different.


7sm

 

[MountainSage]

I am a large man, 6'2" and 320, and I study TKD. The problem with large individuals is not the particular style you study, but the teachers ability to accept that you are a large person and somethings will not work like with smaller people, so modification may be necessary. I am not fast, so I don't spar very well. Yet, I can drop a smaller person with my punches and kicks. Luckily, my instructor see this and I am able to learn more each day.


"It's not the destination, but the journey that builds character"

 

[theneuhauser]

mountainsage, i bet you could drop a smaller tree with that kind of size. how long have you been in TKD?

 

[MountainSage]

Hello theneuhauser, I was blessed with size and strength and after a year and a half of training(5th gup) I realize that I have much more improving, physically to do. At least I can walk and chew gum now. Being large and in TKD, my motto for fancy kick is "altitude killed the kicker".

"It's not the destitation, but the journey that builds character"

 

[theneuhauser]

should you really be training tkd if high kicks are not youre preference?

 

[7starmantis]

Originally posted by theneuhauser

should you really be training tkd if high kicks are not youre preference?

Thats a good point theneuhauser, I would think a system of lower kicks, maybe a soft, or flowing system even. I find it alot more suited to me doing Kung Fu, and Chin Na, then when I tried TKD. Of course I was quite young in TKD, but I find that the smoothness of some systems compliments my size pretty well.


7sm

 

[MountainSage]

TheNeuhauser and 7starmantis, I couldn't agree more that a style other then TKD would be better for my body size, but I live in a large county with in Oregon with a small population and TKD is the only art available. The next closes martial art is 65 miles away(shotokan karate). I am fortunate that my instructor only advocates olympic style sparring when absolutly necessary. He also spend a fair amount of time on hapkido, which is the style I would love to train.

"It is not the destination, but the journey that build character"

 

[7starmantis]

Originally posted by MountainSage

TheNeuhauser and 7starmantis, I couldn't agree more that a style other then TKD would be better for my body size, but I live in a large county with in Oregon with a small population and TKD is the only art available. The next closes martial art is 65 miles away(shotokan karate). I am fortunate that my instructor only advocates olympic style sparring when absolutly necessary. He also spend a fair amount of time on hapkido, which is the style I would love to train.

"It is not the destination, but the journey that build character"

Yeah you have to go with what is around you, but put your all inot it, as I'm sure you do, and you will still see results! Good luck in your journey!

7sm