Training women

[Xiaobian]

This question may or may not be deserving of an answer, but I have run into it again and again. Girls often have very different interests and desires from guys (duh), but I have also found this to extend to the martial arts. I cannot tell you how many girls I've met who expressed an interest in martial arts but didn't want the training to change their idea of a sexy body shape (or give them rough, calloused hands).

Training certain things will shape your body that way, and since martial arts are often fairly dominated by guys, training is often oriented toward male physiology, and women just have to "deal with it". Women are physically different, however, so their training methods must also require a difference, correct?

If you are still with me, my question then, is how does one train girls to give them the same opportunities, but in a way that suits their bodies and their idea of sexiness, and won't give them broad shoulders, man-hands, etc.?


i.e. my gf specifically wanted to learn kung-fu, and I tried to give her a sample, but I didn't want to force her to do knuckle push-ups etc. and all the hard rough training that I had to do. I've thought that maybe prone bridges and stances wouldn't do too much damage, but I think the fear was still there for her that it would shape her body in a way she didn't want.


PS if the girl is less concerned with these "ideas of sexiness and the 'feminine form'", then that's obviously great and empowering, but there are so many who are concerned about it, and I cannot help but think that there must be a way to center training around these goals. Maybe focus on the latissimus dorsi, trapezius, and triceps muscles? I dunno.

[Daifong]

Well, like any other student, it all boils down to what they expect to get out of training, and what they are willing to do for it.

Any time a reasonably fit, healthy woman does her hair and nails, then puts on a dress and a set of heels, all of those "feminine aesthetics" will be right where they're supposed to be (if that's somebody's idea of "feminine aesthetics", ok).

The difference is, after some time at training in the martial arts, she will be in shape, and therefore much more confident.

I think all the guys here, myself included, have heard the women in our lives, reading out of Cosmopolitan Magazine, or some such, and going on and on about what to do for unwanted weight, poor flexibility, lack of energy, or "sparkle". Well, here is the solution:

Nowadays, if a woman would like to get into the shape of her life, gain the confidence of knowing how to handle herself in an altercation, and invest in quality time with her "activities partner" of choice, then martial arts is just the thing.

Ladies should be reassured that practicing martial art, of itself, isn't going to cause unwanted "bulking up". Lol, that takes extra work, and it's not just going to happen by accident. I know plenty of women who can do more push-ups than the average man, who look just like anyone else (or somewhat better). Worried about unwanted callusing? Just put down a towel before your pushups, use lotion after. You can even hit the sand, if you do so lightly, and with a set of cotton work-gloves.

Say goodbye forever to flabby underarms, poofy tummies, and blippy rears, and, to quote Ms Helen Gurley Brown: "be prepared to step into a whole new YOU!"



Best,

Michael

PS: Ladies, you are actually going to need to trim your fingernails for this. There is just no getting around it. Again, it all depends on what you are reasonably willing to do, for what you reasonably hope to achieve. But no worries...that's just what "Lee Press-On Nails" are for!

[inthebakyard]

I feel like I have a personal tie to this question. I currently work with my Simo (sifu wife? my chinese is horrid) My Sifu has passed away some 9 years back.

She was particularly proficient at the crane and snake aspects and we actually learned from her these aspects (as my Sifu thought she was better than he in these specific areas, and thus the most quality of transmission would come from her, she reads this forum heheh so I better get this right).

Anyways... the point is, she is and was "iron wrapped in cotton" and could tiger claw push up with the best of us... actually better in most cases. When I joined the school, there was already a female student and another joined a few years later. Other than the Wu-Te, the ONLY rule was "Teacher say, student do" and both women were given no quarter and never asked for any, but they were not like the "other girls" they had a fire in their belly to learn kung fu and not be trivialized while doing it. Today one of the ladies is currently learning from Shawn Lu (Lui?) in the southern US and the other is practicing on her own, living her life and I'd love to have either "watching my back" in a fight. Ohhh and dont think 300lbs with hairy knuckle type chicks... Simo was a model in her younger years and still looks 15 years younger than she actually is, and both female students were fit and trim with fellas chasing them for attention.

Their teacher (my Si gung? refer to my horrid chinese above) had an eagle claw/hung gar student that I would put my money on vs any man. She is tough!! Able to take the blows as well as give them! Three star arm banging with here would make you hunt for the jow... quick.

Side note: My Simo is now teaching MY daughter (age 5)... so the legacy of Hung Gar women will continue in our family! (and yeah she loves it actually)

[Xiaobian]

My point wasn't that women cannot do the same gong that men do. Obviously they can, for the most part. My question was for women that do not want to do the same things men do for various reasons, but still have an interest in training gongfu.

Now I want to be clear that I mean no disrespect here. As far as the "extra effort" that shapes a person's body, I am personally of the option that if you do the motions without the gong, it's simply not kung fu. Not putting in the effort that shapes your bones, muscles, and tendons is not kungfu. You cannot practice the same motion ten thousand times and NOT have your body adapt to it. You cannot kick a bag one hundred times without it developing the chest, waist, hip, thigh, and leg muscles and tendons to do that.

I mean, at least I cannot think of a way that is possible. It's how the body works, isn't it? Swimmers have similar body shapes because they all work out the same muscles to swim. Or maybe it's only that similarly-shaped people are successful at swimming?

[vtml]

Swimmers have a particular body shape because they also hit the gym hard besides swimming in the water.

[Daifong]

So what do you suggest he do then, teach her Wing Chun?

[Xiaobian]

Vtml: Is that to say that without hitting the gym hard, swimmers would not be developing those same particular muscles? I find that reasoning difficult to follow.

Let me be clear: I'm not teaching anyone anything. I just happen to know a lot of girls who have turned away from kungfu and other things because the way the activities were being taught made them think it was not for them. Which I just think is a shame. Especially since they keep complaining on needing to find a way to exercise.

[Daifong]

[vtml]

[PM]

my wife leads functional training clases and works every morning on her hei gung, stance training, mui fa kyun, gung ji fuk fu kyun and the sword, plus, she helps me to lead the reality based self-defense seminars for women as well

[Xiaobian]

[Daifong]

[inthebakyard]

[TenTigers]

was that a google translation?