After a little web surfing on the topic I discovered that there's a lot of conflicting information out there about men and women and pain. Some say women's pain tolerance is higher, some lay lower, some say it depends on the time of the month.
There is a lot of emphasis placed on "toughness" in many martial arts schools...being able to "take it". What's different is that instead of being asked to take the pain of a long run or a hard swim - women are often being asked to take hits from men.
Women in good rough and tumble sports like soccer or field hockey probably take as much, if not more dammage than women martial artists. But it's from other women. Women can take a lot of pain. But it seems that most women choose not to put themselves in a position where they would regularly be receiving that pain from men in a mode many would consider to be "violent" (i.e. punching, kicking, throwing, etc)
Dana
Women, Men, and Pain
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Bill Glasheen
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- Joined: Thu Mar 11, 1999 6:01 am
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Interesting topic, Dana.
I think there are several issues here.
1) PHYSICS: Simple Newtonian mechanics dictates that the smaller mass is accelerated/decelerated to a greater extent in a collision. That means more damage to the smaller person. On average, women are smaller in most confrontations.
2) PSYCHOLOGY: Women perceive contact differently than do men. Testosterone (literally) rewires the brain a bit. This actually happens way back in the fetus. Pain and perception are intimately tied to each other.
3) PHYSIOLOGY: While there may or may not be more damage from a hit - all other things being equal - women bruise more easily than men (on average) due to different rates of clotting. Thus a bruise is more likely to occur on contact.
4) PAIN vs. DAMAGE: They are actually two different things, no? One must consider damage separately from the consideration of pain, or the tendency to experience it in its many faces. Pain - on the whole - has to be considered a gift from nature, designed to communicate something.
I believe all training methods and martial tactics apply, regardless of gender. One just needs to be cognizent of the tendencies of the individual student if one is to give the personal touch.
Much has been written about pain vs. gender. If men were the ones having children, etc., etc. I don't really know. It's an interesting topic.
- Bill
I think there are several issues here.
1) PHYSICS: Simple Newtonian mechanics dictates that the smaller mass is accelerated/decelerated to a greater extent in a collision. That means more damage to the smaller person. On average, women are smaller in most confrontations.
2) PSYCHOLOGY: Women perceive contact differently than do men. Testosterone (literally) rewires the brain a bit. This actually happens way back in the fetus. Pain and perception are intimately tied to each other.
3) PHYSIOLOGY: While there may or may not be more damage from a hit - all other things being equal - women bruise more easily than men (on average) due to different rates of clotting. Thus a bruise is more likely to occur on contact.
4) PAIN vs. DAMAGE: They are actually two different things, no? One must consider damage separately from the consideration of pain, or the tendency to experience it in its many faces. Pain - on the whole - has to be considered a gift from nature, designed to communicate something.
I believe all training methods and martial tactics apply, regardless of gender. One just needs to be cognizent of the tendencies of the individual student if one is to give the personal touch.
Much has been written about pain vs. gender. If men were the ones having children, etc., etc. I don't really know. It's an interesting topic.
- Bill
Bravo! Smart move in the dojo because I've seen a few males impress upon the less statured, especially on the female, just how good and strong they are as well as exibit and exhude some sort of superiority fault.women choose not to put themselves in a position where they would regularly be receiving that pain from men in a mode many would consider to be "violent" (i.e. punching, kicking, throwing, etc)
Always with an even keel.
-- Allen
-- Allen
