Chunkin up

[Kroy]

No offense intended to anyone reading this post but I have noticed that many of the high ranking kenpo masters are a little thick around the waist. If you surf through all of the major kenpo sites you will see what I mean. This is not as prevalent in most other systems of martial arts. I understand that as you get older you tend to train less than you use to, but wow! It's almost the 5th degree spread. It doesnt seem to send a great example. I do realize that there are some pretty fit kenpo masters out there and I salute them. Just an observation and I stress no offense intended. :idunno:

 

[arnisador]

I hear this often as a joke--I wonder if it really is worse in Kenpo or is just the usual middle-age spread and that people have noticed it more in Kenpoka. Maybe the uniforms draw attention to the waist?

 

[tarabos]

i think this has been "addressed" various times on this forum and all over the net already.

i wouldn't want to mess with all that back-up mass.

 

[ProfessorKenpo]

Originally posted by Kroy
No offense intended to anyone reading this post but I have noticed that many of the high ranking kenpo masters are a little thick around the waist. If you surf through all of the major kenpo sites you will see what I mean. This is not as prevalent in most other systems of martial arts. I understand that as you get older you tend to train less than you use to, but wow! It's almost the 5th degree spread. It doesnt seem to send a great example. I do realize that there are some pretty fit kenpo masters out there and I salute them. Just an observation and I stress no offense intended. :idunno:

Hey now, don't lump us all in there LOL.

Have a great Kenpo day

Clyde

 

[Bob Hubbard]

I wondered something similar a year or so back.

One explaination that I heard which I do agree with to an extent is that the high ranks are often doing the following:

1- traveling to/from seminars. A diet high in fast food is v. fattening.

2- busy teaching / running a school/org = less time training. We have only so many hours per day, and you can't train while fielding phone calls, doing paperwork and accounting, and teaching.

3- injuries - many of the seniors are older, and have suffered various injuries from decades of training.

4- Age - as we age, our metabolisms slow down. Often times we dont modify our diet/excercize to compensate for that.


Those above seem to fit most of em to a greater or lesser extent. My question is, they may have a little (or alot) of extra mass, but, can they still move. So far, every senior that I've seen on the floor, can.

:asian:

 

[Brother John]

I think it's more systemic than that....
and I do mean 'system'.
Kenpo is an art that doesn't rely on athleticism, but on technical skills and knowledge/insight. Those reasons you listed are good, but I think it's that as these gents get older and their metabolism slows... they make their art work inspite of their physical condition. Which is a shame. No offense meant to any of the real 'Elder Dragons' of Kenpo, but I'd love to see how they'd fly if they weren't weighed down so.
Most other 'hard' or 'external' arts require at least a modicum of physical prowess to pull off what we can without as much exertion
...to Kenpo's credit, athleticism is at best a +, and at worst an hinderance.
So... those whom we look to for our high-falootin technical knowhow...do have a tendency to plump-up.
Unfortunately it also effects their heart & respiratory systems.

Guess it helps them 'anchor' all the better...
We love'm just the same.

This isn't the only reason, the others you listed are in there two, but this IS in the picture I think.

Your Brother
John

 

[Kirk]

I jokingly say I have the gut for my 7th degree, now I just need
the knowledge and experience. I think a lot of the reasons
posted are great possibilities and can be any combination of
those. Also note that many of the ones that are wider in the
waists these days were strong sport fighters in their day. Just
like a lot of jocks that age in other sports, they've kept up the
eating regimen while they trained 8, 9, 10 hours a day, but have
cut out that intensive of training.

 

[ProfessorKenpo]

Originally posted by Kirk
I jokingly say I have the gut for my 7th degree, now I just need
the knowledge and experience. I think a lot of the reasons
posted are great possibilities and can be any combination of
those. Also note that many of the ones that are wider in the
waists these days were strong sport fighters in their day. Just
like a lot of jocks that age in other sports, they've kept up the
eating regimen while they trained 8, 9, 10 hours a day, but have
cut out that intensive of training.

Hey Kirk, it's called Fork in Mouth Disease and it afflicts a large majority of people. It's usually a result of marriage LOL.

Have a great Kenpo day

Clyde

 

[Kirk]

Originally posted by ProfessorKenpo
Hey Kirk, it's called Fork in Mouth Disease and it afflicts a large majority of people. It's usually a result of marriage LOL.

Have a great Kenpo day

Clyde

LOL, I have no comment on the marriage line *cough*

I think I've finally come down to more of 6th degree now

Hoping to be down to 5th by the time I test for blue LOL

 

[Bob Hubbard]

Workin on a bit of a 'demotion' myself.... LOL

 

[MJS]

Originally posted by Kaith Rustaz
I wondered something similar a year or so back.

One explaination that I heard which I do agree with to an extent is that the high ranks are often doing the following:

1- traveling to/from seminars. A diet high in fast food is v. fattening.

2- busy teaching / running a school/org = less time training. We have only so many hours per day, and you can't train while fielding phone calls, doing paperwork and accounting, and teaching.

3- injuries - many of the seniors are older, and have suffered various injuries from decades of training.

4- Age - as we age, our metabolisms slow down. Often times we dont modify our diet/excercize to compensate for that.


Those above seem to fit most of em to a greater or lesser extent. My question is, they may have a little (or alot) of extra mass, but, can they still move. So far, every senior that I've seen on the floor, can.

:asian:

Good points! I have to say though, in regards to always being on the go. Remy Presas (Modern Arnis) was on the go, doing more seminars than many others, and he did not seem nearly as big as some of the Kenpo guys. Regardless of whether its a different art or not, the fact of the matter is, is that he was constantly doing seminars. I dont think he sat down and ate a salad every night.

In regards to being able to move. This is another good point. I have no doubt that they can't move, but don't forget that every fight that you get into is going to be over after a few moves. And before I start to take too much of a beating here, I'm NOT talking about NHB events, where someone is on the ground for 20+ min. Makes no diff. if you are standing or on the ground. I'm referring to the stamina issue. The bigger you are, the more weight you have to move, the faster you will slow down.

MJS

 

[satans.barber]

According to the American Obesity Association's website, "Approximately 127 million adults in the U.S. are overweight, 60 million obese, and 9 million severely obese.".

That's near enough ~200 million of out ~250 million of you, which is 4/5 people. Hmm, that sounds like a ridiculously high figure to me, what measurements are they using!?

Anyway, Americans are often portrayed in the media (here at least) as being overweight in the majority, but while I was over there I just saw a normal spread of weights really, if a little bigger in general, same as in the UK. Sure, there are more Jerry-Springer-canididate-man/woman-mountains than there are over here, but still not that many (in three weeks I saw maybe 10 really big people, and I was out on foot all day for most of the time). Having said that, I suppose a lot of larger people spend more time at home if mobility is a problem, rather than out and about, you I don't suppose you'd see as many.

Anyway, the point seems to be that a fair proption of Americans as a whole as classed as overweight by some measure or description, so a sub-set of kenpo seniors are also likely to be overweight by proption aren't they, just like a group of golfers, or bridge players, or D&D enthusiasts...or any other group?

No offence intended, just musing really,

Ian.

 

[satans.barber]

Ah, they're running off BMI, which is a stupid way of calculating whether or not someone is overweight IMHO!

According to that thing I have a BMI of 28.1, which puts me half way between overweight and obese. That's completely ridiculous.

http://www.satansbarber.co.uk/files/grad1.jpg

Do I look half way obese to anyone on there?

Ignore statisitics in my previous post, I won't stand by anything running off BMI.

Ian.

 

[arnisador]

His weight did vary over the years.

 

[Old Fat Kenpoka]

Only 50 more pounds to gain...then I can reveal my true name and take my place among the Kenpo Grandmasters.

 

[MJS]

True, but I dont think he was nearly as big as some of the people that I saw in the pics. of the seminar.

Mike

 

[theletch1]

Have any of you ever thought that this may be the REAL reason behind the black gi? All the women I've ever seen that have gotten a little on the heavy side have initially tried to hide it with darker clothing .... until they finally give up the hiding and start wearing the hawaiian flower print moo-moo:rofl: :shrug:

 

[Seig]

Originally posted by theletch1
hawaiian flower print

Maybe we should make gis out of those and call it a tribute to Mr. Parker's homeland.....

 

[jeffkyle]

Originally posted by MJS
the faster you will slow down.

MJS

?????

 

[jeffkyle]

Originally posted by satans.barber
Ah, they're running off BMI, which is a stupid way of calculating whether or not someone is overweight IMHO!

According to that thing I have a BMI of 28.1, which puts me half way between overweight and obese. That's completely ridiculous.

http://www.satansbarber.co.uk/files/grad1.jpg

Do I look half way obese to anyone on there?

Ignore statisitics in my previous post, I won't stand by anything running off BMI.

Ian.

Boy! You are HUGE! LOL! Just messin with ya! :rofl: