Body Type and CMA Style

[Isrephael]

I wanted to get everyone's read on which body types they feel are best with which CMA style. In our school, we study two major animal forms Tiger and Bull/Boar (an obscure and rarely studied form). Being a stocky, barrelchested, football lineman type, I am built well for the bucking, linear motion and inside gate attacks of bull/boar... but find the circling, outside gate attacks of Tiger to be vexing at times.

I understand that anyone can learn anything, but, obviously, with my build, I'll never be a great Monkey stylist.

So, what do you think? Which body types work best with your chosen arts?

 

[clfsean]

If you work at anything, you will succeed at it. You may not have the physical performance appearance most people expect for "X" martial art, but if you're good, you're good.

 

[Infrazael]

Panther. Lithe, small, but well-muscled and agile. Likes attacks that rake, destroy, and crush with minimal effort and less strength requirement.

 

[47MartialMan]

One could almost look at the physical characteristics of a specific animal and think that they could never be another. However, in many CMA, the physical characteristics are not as important as the tactical characteristics. It is easy to fall into the belief that in order to be or perform a certain animal, that one has to physically be in imitation.

 

[arnisador]

I don't think it's body type as much as how you prefer to fight. There will be extremes, but it's more about how much you prefer to attack, or to defend, or to charge in, or what have you.