Your success in the martial arts can have more to do with genetics than with how hard you study. Have you thought of how your body type can effect your martial arts performance?
Most martial artists fall into four categories, which play a vital role in choosing a martial art style.
Short and slim – Built like a monk? Act like one!
If you look at a Shaolin performance, you will see a lot of smallish folk. Bruce Lee and Tony Jaa are both 5‘6. Short and slim people have the advantage of not having much mass to move around. A little strength can go a long way.
Martial artists in this category often excel in styles that use a lot of low stances and dynamic movements (high kicks, jumping, etc.) such as:
- Wushu Kung Fu
- Capoeira
- Extreme or freestyle martial arts
Short and thick – Grappling gods
Often, people on the heavier side think that the martial arts are not for them, but there are actually many styles where this build becomes an advantage. Being stocky means that you have a low center of gravity, as well as some weight to put behind your techniques.
This can be a great advantage in arts that use leverage and physics instead of brute force, like:
- Judo
- Jui Jitsu
- Aikido
Being larger also helps from a defensive standpoint. While this build makes grappling maneuvers easier to perform, it also makes them harder to pull off on you.
Tall and skinny – Reach helps more than just Basketball
If you’re built like a basketball player, many of the striking martial arts are perfect for you.
Being tall means that you naturally have great reach with your legs and can take full advantage of martial arts that focus on kicking techniques, including:
Tall and thick – When’s the last time you punched a bear?
Likewise, you might find that being built like a linebacker can be to your advantage. Look at any strength competition and you will see people who are naturally big, not simply muscle-heads from the gym.
People with this body type thrive in any martial art that uses mass and strength along with their techniques to succeed, such as:
- Mixed martial arts (modern MMA, Sambo, Pankration, etc.)
- Wrestling and Sumo
While these arts focus greatly on skill as well, the natural weight advantage is too good to pass up.
Conclusion
As you can see, martial arts can be used by most people, regardless of their body type. With enough hard work, you can become skilled in any style, but a little planning ahead can make it that much easier.
Is your martial art right for you?
I studied Taekwondo, a kicking martial art, even though I have short legs and stronger arms. Maybe it was a mistake, maybe not. Post your thoughts in the comments!
