Hi George,
In the last year, I have had some long discussions with one of my female students on the practice of Kotekitae. She has attained Shodan and has been working out with us for about 8-10 years. She is now a Cardio-vascular technician and feels the practice of kotekitae, especially the leg conditioning is cause for serious concern. She has discussed it with doctors at her hospital and they agree with her, that practice should not be performed on the human body. I, of course disagree and have managed to toughen my body over the years thanks to it.
Last night we compared various points of view on the practice and I am finding that most slender women are experiencing the same problem at least in my dojo. She is about 110 lbs and quite a petite women. Marie-Anne, my wife, has experienced the same difficulties, namely burst veins and the like. We compared and I have muscle that overlaps my shin bone and they have bone that overlaps the muscle. I said jokingly: "...at least when you kick, HE will feel it"
I have never had a problem with conditioning and if Uechi-Ryu consisted of just Kotekitae, I would still be there with bells on but I am 220 lbs and a pretty heavy and solid man. They have heard me teach and say again and again that they should never reach the bruising point with their conditioning however, it should continuously progress.
My question to you is basically one of "have you heard this arguement before". How do you feel about it, do you have an argument that I can use to retort or a variation that slender women can use to acheive similar results.
I have read the George Chaplin article some time ago and tried to explain the process of the thickening/tightening of the fascia surrounding the muscle tissue, but men have done this for many many years where as women have done this for the last 20-30 maybe and if that. Is it a question of physiology or of "center of gravity", etc...
You can feel free to share this with whomever for discussion or to a high ranked woman of petite stature who may have some advice or points of view on the topic.
With affection,
Daniel Portelance
Conditioning questions for women
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Conditioning questions for women
I'm 5'4", 140ish female nidan. When I started uechi I was 125ish. I still wear the same clothes so I can only attibute the extra weight to muscle.
I started conditioning very slowly, have built up over time and can now "play with the big boys" in my dojo. I have a family history of vericose veins, arthritis, fibromialgia, etc. After 4 1/2 years of uechi the only negative benefit is that my feet are flatter and I now wear a 1/2 size larger shoes. Otherwise there is no sign yet of damage to my body.
Instead, I get to smile a cocktail parties when my shin hits the coffee table and I know that the coffee table got the worse end of the deal.
Maybe in 25 years I'll have a different story, but so far...so good.
Dana
I started conditioning very slowly, have built up over time and can now "play with the big boys" in my dojo. I have a family history of vericose veins, arthritis, fibromialgia, etc. After 4 1/2 years of uechi the only negative benefit is that my feet are flatter and I now wear a 1/2 size larger shoes. Otherwise there is no sign yet of damage to my body.
Instead, I get to smile a cocktail parties when my shin hits the coffee table and I know that the coffee table got the worse end of the deal.
Maybe in 25 years I'll have a different story, but so far...so good.
Dana
