Women - Powerful Martial Artists

Are there more men practising martial art than women? not sure, but there sure is not a few.


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Even in today’s supposedly enlightened society, a woman starting in any martial arts training program is often subjected to many responses from friends, family, and co-workers. These responses are often based upon misinformation and prejudicial born myths. A few of these myths are covered below:

1. Martial arts training make women become unfeminine – This myth is so hard to kill even though Shaolin nuns were practicing the martial arts over a thousand years ago. Vulnerability may work well in the movies and romance novels but on the street it can get you killed. When a woman learns martial arts, she also learns self-defense, self-confidence and self-esteem. These things do not make her less a woman, in fact, the allow her to be able to go out in life with less fear and with a warmer and more open attitude.

2. Martial arts training is 100% effective in any given situation – All too many women AND men believe this one. Regardless of what how well a technique works in a martial arts class or seminar, no single technique is going to work in any and every situation. The important thing to remember is to have back up techniques and to be able to execute them without hesitation or thought.

3. Karate or any type of martial arts training is too rough for women. They get knocked around and hurt – Most schools require padding during any type of sparring activity. This protection is also used during tournament fighting. Any type of physical training can be rough on women but in martial arts the woman will be taught how to train properly. How to move, hit, punch, kick, fall and avoid an opponent. Jogging and tennis may be considered more “feminine” but even these can pose opportunities for injury. How many joggers or tennis players learn to fall in case of a misstep?

4. Martial arts make women more aggressive – True martial arts training and discipline teaches the women and me to control themselves, their temper, and anger. It also teaches patience. Just because a woman has the right to say no and proceeds to do so doesn’t make her aggressive, hard, unyielding or the term that comes up so often and rhymes with witch.

5. She will be able to defeat a man-Pound for pound in a wrestling match; a woman usually won’t be able to beat the man. On the other hand, martial arts training will teach ways to work around this problem. Many styles will teach leverage or joint locking techniques that will even out the competition.

6. Women martial artists are coarse, unattractive women – For those who believe this, take a long and hard look at black belt champions and movie stars Rene Russo, Cynthia Rothrock and Kathy Long. In an incident a few years ago, a man who was much larger and more aggressive decided to take issue with Ms. Long’s driving on a Los Angeles freeway. After causing her to pull off to the side of the road, he became hostile with her up until the time the full contact, Black Belt Hall of Fame winner laid him out on the side of the freeway.

7. Martial arts training pose a threat to a relationship – A loving spouse or significant other will understand and support the woman in her training, perhaps even take an interest and participate. For those who are in abusive relationships, martial arts training can aid in building enough self-confidence and self-esteem to move on from the abuse. For those who stay in the relationship, it can at least help by giving options on self-defense. It may also cause the abuser to pause and think before striking out.

8. Karate training removes the need for patience – FAR from it! An important part of any martial arts training is learning how to avoid confrontation. As a student moves from novice levels (white, yellow, orange belt) through intermediate, many instructors will insist on a portion of the training being spent in teaching the lower grade students. Brown belt students are often required to show an aptitude for teaching before being awarded their first degree Black belt. For anyone doubting this, try teaching martial arts or anything to a group of twenty to twenty-five youngsters whose ages range from five to ten years. This is especially true when their parents to be babysat in a safe environment have dropped off a large number of the children.

9. It is the man’s place to protect and defend the woman – Puleeze! How many times have we all seen movies where the hero is getting his rear kicked and the woman is over in the corner crying and having hysterics while the audience is yelling for her to pick up the gun? There is nothing wrong with a man being protective but the ultimate responsibility for her own safety is hers. If a man’s attention is wasted on trying to look out for her, the chances are high he won’t be able to respond to an attack in time. If this happens, what do you think the chances are for either of them?

There is no reason for the prejudice, animosity and ridicule many women put up with simply because they choose to study the martial arts. The women are not becoming unwomanly, joining a secret cult society or even trying to promote the woman’s movement by showing how tough they can be. They are simply learning a means of self-preservation by doing something they enjoy while also bettering their health and general level of fitness.


There are equal number of girls and women practicing martial to boys and men. Does not matter what style of martial arts are out there, there is no prejudice againts race, sex, age and et cetera. Martial art is about self control, striving for improvements, discipline, health for the body and mind and of course, self defense.

Martial art has always been important throughout the eras of the world, there will always be individuals who are out there to do harm onto others. Knowledge of self defense to an appropriate level is important to protect ones selves as a last resort. It is better to resolve conflicts in peaceful manners.

There are many types of martial arts that can be practiced by women, name any type of martial art, it is important not to limit yourself to one style, expand knowledge, the more you learn the better. The more you practice the better.
There are martial art styles that are designed especially for women, many have opened schools and associations that focuses on women self defense, but as mentioned previously, martial art should not be discriminating, martial art is blind.
Wing chun is a perfect example of a martial art style derived from the legendary Shao Lin temple. It was originally taught by a buddhist nun to Yim Wing Chun, a young woman who lived in South China. This style was highly effective, a no nonsense straight forward martial art, it became well known and kept spreading, and resulted in its popularity today.

There are countless kick-ass Women who are dominating the martial art world, without disregarding their femininity and beauty.