# Body Type and MA's



## Infinite (Dec 29, 2006)

I've heard quite a bit about different martial arts being a better fit to different body styles.

How do people here feel? Are there some martial arts that go for different body types? I know we had a poll but maybe we could cement it a bit more,

So pick an art and try to match it to a body style.

For example,

JKD is probably most suited to atheltic body styles. Focusing on breaking rythyms and interception / trapping mean that faster is better than more power traditionally.

So I guess its either flame on for people who disagree with the whole concept or it could just disagreeing with my assessment of JKD


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## terryl965 (Dec 29, 2006)

Well I do TKD and I was the body type Twenty years ago but I find myself more suited for it now that I'm older and wiser about the Art aspect. I feel no-matter what body style you have it is more abouit the desire than the actual body style. Just my two cents worth


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## Infinite (Dec 29, 2006)

terryl965 said:


> Well I do TKD and I was the body type Twenty years ago but I find myself more suited for it now that I'm older and wiser about the Art aspect. I feel no-matter what body style you have it is more abouit the desire than the actual body style. Just my two cents worth



Oh I agree completly but there are still better arts for better body styles IMHO.

Everyone would benifit from any martial art they chose to persue. There may be some that are easier to learn based on body type to start off with.

I was thinking more in that direction.


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## terryl965 (Dec 29, 2006)

Infinite said:


> Oh I agree completly but there are still better arts for better body styles IMHO.
> 
> Everyone would benifit from any martial art they chose to persue. There may be some that are easier to learn based on body type to start off with.
> 
> I was thinking more in that direction.


 

OK I see let me think about what you are asking for and then I shall give a response


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## Carol (Dec 29, 2006)

Personally what makes something easy to learn is how my brain works, not necessarily my body size.  I can't folllow an instructor that expects me to watch and repeat.  I can follow an instructor that helps me along kinaesthetically or grinds a powerful amount of detail in to my geeky brain.

Where I do find that body type matters isn't in the learning, but in execution.  I can raise a whole lotta hell with another 5' 2" female with an average build.  With a 6' 200 pound dude, I may not be as good.   

I enjoy my training now because it uses commonplace weapons and leverage.  With my size and skill, I find that to be more effective than punches and kicks.


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## zDom (Dec 30, 2006)

There are definately body types that give advantages in various martial art sports:

a thick, short, heavy body, for example, tends to do especially well in Judo.

and 

tall, lanky, long-limbed folk tend to do well in Olympic TKD.

I'm sure there are other examples, but those two come to mind.


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## Christina05 (Dec 30, 2006)

zDom said:


> There are definately body types that give advantages in various martial art sports:
> 
> a thick, short, heavy body, for example, tends to do especially well in Judo.
> 
> ...


 
I agre. When I saw the post those were the two styles that came to mind.


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## Mariachi Joe (Dec 30, 2006)

I know it's been said before but go to several different studios and try them out then go with whichever seems to fit you best


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## wade (Dec 30, 2006)

My opinion, I agree with both terry and Carol, it's more mental than physical. One on my instructors is 6'2" and weighs about 350 lbs. I've got BB's that are tall and lanky, they might be faster but that doesn't make them better. It's all in the mind set. We've all seen big people that were light on their feet and small people that moved like they weighed a ton. Me, I'm short 5'6" and weigh 201. I don't care about judo nor wrestling, I fight heavy but I still like to kick so.............like I said, to me it's more mental than physical.


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## kodo (Dec 31, 2006)

Every major art has many aspects that suit different body types.  While a karatedo that's really tall may be great for punching and kicking because of reach, a short karatedo may still be superior, using flying techniques.  A tall, limber person may be great for capoiera(spelling?) but may do just as well in b.j.j. because of being limber.
      I chose to stick with Kyokushin, because I had goals for my body type.


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## Xue Sheng (Dec 31, 2006)

I dont think body type matters much, but I suppose it could be a factor. I agree that mentality matters more. Of course depending on the style you do flexibility also is a factor. But I have had Tai Chi teachers, all shorter than me toss me around fairly easily and then there are people both shorter and taller than me I have been able to handle pretty well using Tai Chi. My Sanda Sifu is about the same height as me but I doubt he cares about a persons size and the only thing that matters to him is physical fitness to properly train. My last Xingyi Sifu was taller than me and can quite effectively pound me into the ground. But I have seen Xingyi people shorter than me that you could not pay me enough to go up against. I have seen both thin and heavy martial artists some good some bad but I still think it is more the attitude of the martial artists. 

But with all that said it is my understanding (and I currently have no real proof to back this up beyond word of mouth) that many martial arts teachers in old China did except students, at least to some extent, based on body type.

And I will say that I felt more comfortable training Xingyi than just about anything else but I still do not think that is my body type. I still think it is more mentality or attitude, I just like the idea of attack being defense and that whole hit them like a freight train thing.


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## still learning (Dec 31, 2006)

Hello, Anyone can learn and take up most martial arts.  The body type is not so important.  What is important is the body type of person you meet on the street (real fights).

What ever you decide to take...train hard, practice everyday...you will become adept to the art you are taking.

In our Shotokan, Kempo, and Judo classes...it doesn't matter the body type....but the willness to learn and train.

Finding a excellant tearcher is more important...not your body type....

If rideing a horse....UM? larger body (Huge) people this could be a problem for a small horse.

.......Aloha


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## exile (Jan 1, 2007)

My problem with the way this question was originally posed is that it seems to ask for a correlation between two kinds of things each of which seems much too complex and diverse to permit that kind of correlation. 

So on the on hand, we've got this notion `body type', but I've never really understood just what this broad-brush notion, with its coarse packaging of a very complex phenomenon, actually buys you. People can be tall or short, lightly or heavily built, very quick or rather slow in their reaction times, fast or slow metabolically,.... the list goes on and on, and the point is, there's no clear linkage among these binary choices: you can be tall, lightly built, slow-reflexed with an average metabolism, or short, lightly built, quick-reflexed with a slow metabolism, or... or virtually any combination of these `menu choices'. In the face of this kind of human variety, the simplistic division I've seen here and there into endomorphic, mesomorphic and ectomorphic body types seems as arbitrary and biogenetically pointless as the old racial division into Caucasic, Negroid and Mongolian left over from bad nineteenth century physical anthropology which still sometimes surfaces on official forms, but which were know among geneticists more than half a century ago to be biologically spurious. There are very quick endomorphs with low blood pressure and painfully slow ectomorphs who suffer from Type II diabetes, and everything in between.

And on the other hand, we have a huge range of martial arts, each of which involves techniques requiring (or seriously benefiting from) quickness in certain cases, power in other cases, raw strength in still other cases, and complex balance and flexibility skills that are hard to correlate with body shapes/sizes/neurological properties/etc. in any simple way. The example of Olympic TKD that was brought up earlier strikes me as something of a red herring: given the rather artificial point scoring system in that sport, which has made the description `foot-tag' into a truism, a longer-limbed practitioner has a certain advantage, _all other things being equal_ (which is of course very rarely the case). But I've seen absolutely fearsome TKD _fighters_the kind of people whose application of their art would win the approval of serious pavement warriorsof every physical description: short, tall, lean, heavy.... 

Trying to force a linkage between a simplified picture of human physical capabilities on the one hand and the often formulaic descriptions of particular martial arts on the other doesn't seem to me likely to lead to any conclusions you could take to the bank. I think a more realistic way to see it is that there will be a dozen somewhat different karates associated respectively with a dozen different karatekas, and for each of those karatekas, the karate that s/he practices is the right martial art for his or her `body type' (whatever that really is)but they'll all share a single combat strategy and repertoire of techniques based on fundamental martial principles which constitutes the essence of karate as a martial art. And the one who does best in a brutal physical altercation with an aggressive assailant will be the one who's trained hardest and most realistically for that situation. And the same with TKD, or Wing Chun, or Arnis, or...........


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## KempoGuy06 (Jan 16, 2007)

im 6'4" 260lbs. what would people think best suits my build? 

Honestly it is all bull to me. Trying to relate a certain body type to a certain are is trying to say that some one is pre-genetically disposed to be better in that area than someone else. While genetic make-up plays a part in the physically abilities in people to a cetain extant (someone who is 6'10" is more likely going to have an easier time dunking than someone who is 5'10") doesnt mean they matter for everything (that same 5'10 person could wipe the mats with the 6'10" person in the same art). if you want to study an art and you have made up your mind that you will train as hard as you possibly can, then the only thing that would restrict you is youself. 

Basically i argee with exile, good post

B


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## Xue Sheng (Jan 16, 2007)

KempoGuy06 said:


> im 6'4" 260lbs. what would people think best suits my build?


 
Actually at 6'4" and 250 and a Shaolin kempo guy... I think we should be asking you what you would like to suit your build&#8230; answer any style you want sir


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## CoryKS (Jan 16, 2007)

Every time this topic comes up, the image of Danny Devito doing TKD pops into my head.  :erg:


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## Xue Sheng (Jan 16, 2007)

I tend to think of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar doing JKD


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## snapmule (Feb 16, 2007)

Ive always heard that bigger,  stockier people are better suited for certain japanese styles like aikido,  jui jitsu,  judo or wrestling styles.   Smaller frames work better for offensive styles like Korean where there are more kicks and speedy moves.  

Im a big guy but I prefer chinese styles like wushu and wing chun.  Id also like to learn judo and aikido.


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## bushidomartialarts (Feb 17, 2007)

CoryKS said:


> Every time this topic comes up, the image of Danny Devito doing TKD pops into my head.  :erg:



how about danny devito doing capoeira?


though i agree absolutely that body type can't disqualify a motivated learner from doing martial arts, i have to say there are definitely body types better suited to one martial art or another.

i was tall for my weight in high school.  i wrestled a lot of guys a full foot shorter than me and they typically handed my *** to me.  some were better.  most were stronger.  but often it was simply a matter of their body being better for grappling than mine.

when i started kickboxing, my body type proved to be an advantage over those little dudes built like a beer keg.

but it can't be overstressed that body type should never be a barrier to entry on any martial art.


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## Gufbal1982 (Feb 17, 2007)

snapmule said:


> Ive always heard that bigger,  stockier people are better suited for certain japanese styles like aikido,  jui jitsu,  judo or wrestling styles.   Smaller frames work better for offensive styles like Korean where there are more kicks and speedy moves.
> 
> Im a big guy but I prefer chinese styles like wushu and wing chun.  Id also like to learn judo and aikido.



I would agree here.  I like studying Kung Fu, but my body frame is better suited for wrestling and jiu jitsu (it helps that I love wrestling and BJJ though...heck, I love vale tudo too!).  It's also good for Taiji Push Hands.  Stocky people learn sensitivity by studying other arts, and that's a good portion of push hands.


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## theletch1 (Feb 17, 2007)

snapmule said:


> Ive always heard that bigger, stockier people are better suited for certain japanese styles like aikido, jui jitsu, judo or wrestling styles. Smaller frames work better for offensive styles like Korean where there are more kicks and speedy moves.
> 
> Im a big guy but I prefer chinese styles like wushu and wing chun. Id also like to learn judo and aikido.


Not true from an aikido stand point.  Steven Segal is a freak of nature in the aikido world because he is such a large man.  The redirection of energy in aikido instead of frontal hard blocks makes it a great art for smaller people.  There are certain techniques in aikido that will work better for smaller folks and techs that will work better for taller/larger folks.  This is the one time in my life where I can hear the phrase "Size doesn't matter" and actually believe it.


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## Xue Sheng (Feb 17, 2007)

theletch1 said:


> Not true from an aikido stand point. Steven Segal is a freak of nature in the aikido world because he is such a large man. The redirection of energy in aikido instead of frontal hard blocks makes it a great art for smaller people. There are certain techniques in aikido that will work better for smaller folks and techs that will work better for taller/larger folks. This is the one time in my life where I can hear the phrase "Size doesn't matter" and actually believe it.


 
Agreed

My jujitsu teacher was in good shape, but not stocky and about 5'8" tall and damn good.


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## kidswarrior (Feb 17, 2007)

Well, let me throw in a couple of 'what ifs'. What if I'm 30+ pounds overweight, thus the 'wrong' body type for some particular art, but lose the fat after sticking with it and _doing_ the art for 6 months. Now I'm the 'right' body type.  

Or, what if my height/weight (and even BMI) dimensions are perfect for, say, boxing, I even have an extra long reach for the weight category, a chin of granite, but my reflexes are just plain slow? Should I throw in the towel, or train anyway and hope someday I can see that guy's right cross coming? :uhyeah: 

And what about joints? We're not all 20, OK? Or 30, or... well, whatever. The arts I might have had the body type for at 20, or at 30, my knees couldn't take at 40 when I (and others, I suspect) started Asian MA. So while I had the perfect body type (I felt) for an art I loved, hapkido, my knees disagreed--for four years, until my Dr. said Enough! :shock: 

I could go on, but you get my point. Maybe we can't determine if we have the right body type until we've done an art for awhile? At least given it a chance for 90 days or...? I don't really know. 

What I do feel certain of, though, is that no one should tell another what they _can't_ do--we all have way too much of that in life already.


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## snapmule (Feb 18, 2007)

I hear what you're saying,  kid.   Im 270 lbs and in my early 40's.    It's too bad about your knees but that's how the body goes.    I had a lot of joint problems when I was heavier and though Im in less pain these day,   I still rely on Aleve or Motrin.   But alot the other situations can be remedied to a point.   

You can lose the weight.  Even a 10 lbs weight loss can make a big difference in mobility.   I started boxing to lose weight as much as for sport and self defense.   I used to weigh alot more (300 +).   Im actually on the way down in weight.    My goal is to get back tdown to 210-220.   My body type is stocky like a linebacker.   Even at my heaviest,  everyone  thought I was about 250 because instead of girth around my gut,   I had wide shoulders.   Im built like a wall.  It's kind of a disadvantage because Im like a big target.

Reflexes can be improved but some people have naturally fast reflexes and others don't.   I was able to improve mine through lots of practice.   And again losing the excess weight helped because in the past,  my arms were so heavy,  I couldnt take advantage of my reflexes.    I was constantly trying to move my head and shift my body defensively instead of using my arms and hands.


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## still learning (Feb 18, 2007)

Hello, The most important part is NOT the body type?  ..the bodies MIND!

Yes certain bodies do perform better in certain martial arts....but if a person is determine to learn and MAKE the best of what they can do...than they will learn and do what they are able too! (Most of us are not extreme flexable.)

On the streets...fighting back is 90% mental...with a determine body!

Most fighters use on the basic and simple techniques in a street fight. Smarter fighters (the mind).....then to win more often.

Anyone can learn any art...not everyone will be able to do everything or moves or techniques with ease.....But they will still be able to do some that will work for them.....on the street you will have no choice of Body/bodies that attack you...   ( aaaaa you not my body type..so I NO like fight you?)

The BIGGEST problem most of have is fighting our own bodies, Too much fat, no like flex, hates excerises, loves sleeping,gets dirtly and smelly and have to wash everyday, NO can exchange,  

Except what you have!  Make the most of it!  You will only get one BODY per person.

PS: I was thinking of putting my BODY on sale or exhange for a newer one?  Let's make a DEAL?  descrition( use, on the older side,heavy,does wash well, eats alot, moves on the slow side, loves going fishing, and has just the right amount of colors.)   Good working condition!  .....Aloha


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## charyuop (Feb 18, 2007)

Well, let's hear from a short fat guy (I am 5'7" 240lbs.).

When I started Aikido I used to blame my fat for everything I couldn't do. Rolls? Of course look at my belly. Longer slide steps? Of course I got short legs! Difficult in doing a technique? Yea sure look at my height and short arms!
Now I've overcome that feeling and started realizing that it was all in my mind. Tendins through training can stretch and become more elastic. Speed? With practice you can reach a good one.

But it is true, a fat short guy like me has to adjust his training. So for example a movement in Aikido where you turn on the side to let a punch pass by you needs to be adjusted with a little bit more of pivoting towards the said coz I have to put into account my belly, more inches to take away from the target. Or in other cases the technique must be carried out very well to overcome the height problem. For example in a technique like Iriminage (this video will make what I talk about clear for who doesn't know it 



 )a person who is tall can have immediately a good control at the neck, just like in the video, while when I face taller people it is important for me to carry out the technique well with the other hand and do a correct cut. Leading the opponent well with the other hand will help me to have him in the right position to perfect the hold on the neck. While if the cut is not done right I have to reach high with my hand bending the wrist too much.
But the same is for tall people. I mention another example, always from the Art I practice coz this is what I know. There is a technique which is called Shihonage which is great for shrter people, but taller people (or better, Tall Vs Short) need to adjust to the technique. Even here I got a video and I used on purpose someone tall Vs short ( 



 ). The tall guy needs to step under the arm of the opponent without overstretching the opponent arm or the effect of the technique would be gone, easy to understand that for a shorter guy like me that movement is easier.

So the body type matters up to a certain point. If your mind does not create the problem, the problem does not exist. Of course with the help of your teacher you will have to adjust the way you do the techniques to your body type...and it won't be a random adjustment, because MA usually take into account different body size practitioners.


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## Xue Sheng (Feb 18, 2007)

I am not sure all of the following links will work here, but they worked for me. Theses are pictures and in on case a drawing of some famous Chinese martial artists some maybe not so famous but they are all considered very good. Some are form the same styles, you tell me if body type matters. Frankly I have no doubt any of them could kick my butt.

I personally do not think it does, spirit does but that is all. Look at any style and look at various masters of those styles and generally you are going to see a difference in body type. But per old Chinese MA thinking there are certain styles that are better suited for certain body types but that goes not mean that you need be a specific body type in order to master any style. If you have a strong martial spirit you can and will master or become good at ANY style you practice... But you *MUST* Practice.

Yang Chengfu
http://www.ukctaichi.f2s.com/ycfbrush.gif

Tung Ying Chieh
http://www.chipellis.com/Pictures/c...ed_book_tung_ying_chieh_single_whip_small.jpg

Chen Fake
http://www.chipellis.com/Pictures/c...ed_book_tung_ying_chieh_single_whip_small.jpg

Wu Family -  not sure which member though
http://www.wu-cov.com/images/wjc_punch.jpg

Sun Lutang
http://www.taichichuan.fi/images/SunLutang1861-1932.jpg

Dong Haichuan - Bagua
http://www.zeigua.com/images/TungHaiChuan.jpg

Yin fu - Bagua
http://www.whitemountain-tao.com/images/yinfu.jpg

Di Guoyong - Xingyi
http://wongkk.com/images-3/answers/ans06b/xingyi02.jpg

EDIT

Yang Panhou
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/6f/Yang_Pan-hou.jpg/175px-Yang_Pan-hou.jpg

Yang Shou Hou 
http://www.taijiquan.info/img/yang4.JPG

Yang Chengfu
http://www.plumblossom.net/PastMasters/YangChenFu.jpg


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## matt.m (Feb 18, 2007)

Well in my competitive prime in judo and greco I weighed 148, had 4% bodyfat and did a ton of the following: Chins, chins, chins......deadlifts, weighted dips, squats as well as bench.  By the way I am only 5'6 and was able to pull a 505 lb deadlift in only a wrestling singlet w/belt.

I was considering a comeback of sorts on the local level in judo back in 01.  I was the asst. manager at a gym and had all the availability to protein and aminos,  I got up to 195 with 10% bodyfat.  I had no trouble winning a meet that I had entered.  (Short, strong, built like fire plug = good judo player.)

*Now, anyone can practice the MA's in any art they choose.  Really there is no optimal body type.  It is how you adapt to the style and your schools cirriculum.*

That is just my .02


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## Infinite (Feb 19, 2007)

All good stuff so I suppose body type and art are more of a daunting to the begginer vs not so daunting. 

See people like you think you can do it don't see people like you and wonder.

Intersting 

--Infy


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## Kevdak (Feb 25, 2007)

So you guys are saying that a 5'5 300+lbs person could excel in Taekwondo easier than a 6'5 180+ person? I understand that it's mental over physical, but I just can't see the 5'5 person doing axe kicks and kicks to the head with ease over the 6'5 person who has less weight and is more fit. I myself am looking for a MA. I'm 6'3 around 275lbs and a little plump, and from what i've seen big guys don't look like the type for TKD. Just my two pennies. By all means please respond with any comments or info you have about this comment.


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## Kacey (Feb 25, 2007)

First, welcome, and happy posting!  :wavey:



Kevdak said:


> So you guys are saying that a 5'5 300+lbs person could excel in Taekwondo easier than a 6'5 180+ person? I understand that it's mental over physical, but I just can't see the 5'5 person doing axe kicks and kicks to the head with ease over the 6'5 person who has less weight and is more fit. I myself am looking for a MA. I'm 6'3 around 275lbs and a little plump, and from what i've seen big guys don't look like the type for TKD. Just my two pennies. By all means please respond with any comments or info you have about this comment.



My instructor is 6'3", and he was an internationally ranked fighter, breaker, and patterns competitor for over a decade... and even now he's still pretty scary to face in a ring.


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