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TUNE YOUR TECHNIQUE TO FIT YOUR PHYSIQUE
Author: Sara Fogan
Modern martial artists are fond of repeating maxims. These days, one of the most popular is, The way you train determines the way you fight.
Taekwondo practitioners who study under New Kensington, Pennsylvania-based Philip Ameris operate under that guiding principle as well as a slightly different one: The way you’re built determines the way you fight.
Ameris, who holds a seventh-degree black belt, claims too many people automatically assume that every taekwondo practitioner can execute the powerhouse kicks and aerial techniques for which the art is renowned. What they fail to consider is that the student’s technical ability is only a part of the effectiveness equation. Selecting the proper techniques to master is just as important because that picture-perfect jump spinning kick an Olympic champion used to score in the 2000 Games might not even be within the realm of possibility for the average person.
In reality, it is your physique that determines which techniques will work best for you and, therefore, which ones you should focus on in training, Ameris says. So whether you are short and stocky or tall and lean—or fall somewhere in-between—you can succeed by simply using your natural assets. As long as you keep an open mind, he says, you can adjust your approach to the art to make it work more efficiently for you.
With more than 32 years of experience in the martial arts, Ameris, 40, knows what he’s talking about. He counts numerous national and international titles and a stint as captain of the 1988 USA Taekwondo Team among his many accolades. Now the technical director of the Action International Martial Arts Association, he credits his open-minded approach to modifying taekwondo’s techniques and principles to his famous instructor.
“Master Cho is [very] athletic—he can jump high, spin and so forth,” says Ameris, who is the highest-ranked student of the Black Belt Hall of Fame member. “Whenever he taught me something new, he would say: ‘Your hips are too big to do that kind of kick,’ or ‘You’re going to be off-balance, and the kick isn’t going to be so effective. Don’t give up because you can’t kick like that. Modify it for your body type.’”
The following is Ameris’ interpretation of Cho’s advice, along with a smattering of Ameris’ own discoveries, on how to tune your technique to fit your physique.
The Compact Fighter
If you have short limbs and a compact body, you generally cannot jump as high as a person who is tall and thin or who has a medium build, Ameris says. Therefore, you should compensate by developing your power kicks.
Instead of trying to use your legs to launch your body high in the air, you can jump to cover the distance between yourself and your opponent. That will enable you to get close enough to him to land a hand or foot technique, he advises. “A lot of people who are stocky like me or who are shorter think they can’t take taekwondo because it’s not made for their body type. But you can adjust the kicks so the art is more effective.
You can do jump kicks, but just don’t try to jump high.”
Whereas a tall practitioner may rely on his long limbs to keep his opponent at bay until he closes the gap and strikes, you might have to set up your opponent before attacking. For example, you might want to execute a spinning punch or kick before throwing your killer roundhouse, he says, or you could throw a high punch followed by a low kick and then another high kick for the knockout. “If you throw a roundhouse kick, you will probably want to lead into it with something,” Ameris says. “If you’re short-limbed, it can be hard to catch someone with a single technique.”
When moving forward to narrow the gap, you should step to the outside of your opponent’s lead foot, making sure you are at a 90-degree angle to him, Ameris advises. You can also use hand techniques and footwork to close the distance and set up your moves. Another option is to use a fake to create an opening, he says.
Regardless of the specific strategy you choose, it is essential to move quickly when you throw your techniques. Otherwise, a taller opponent will pummel you before you even get close enough to hit him, Ameris warns. Doing splits and dynamic isometric stretches such as leg raises and kicks will give you the flexibility and speed you need to get in, strike and get out, he says.
The Tall, Thin Fighter
If you have long legs and a tall, thin build, you will probably be able to control the fight from a distance while staying outside your opponent’s reach, Ameris says. In addition, chances are you’re adept at executing acrobatic techniques such as jump spinning kicks and double kicks, which you can use to drive your opponent back as soon as he begins his advance.
“If you’re a little bit longer and a little bit taller, you can just lift your leg up and catch your opponent,” he says. “And you can throw the technique you want to score with from a distance without having set up the other guy beforehand.”
The drawback to being tall and thin is often decreased leg strength, Ameris says. To boost the power potential of your quads, you should do body-weight exercises such as squats, he says. Supplement that with hill running and distance running for strength and endurance.
The Middle-of-the-Road Fighter
If you have a medium build, you enjoy the best of both worlds. You are more versatile in terms of your choice of techniques, and you possess the power you need to make those techniques work, Ameris says.
A typical medium-build fighting strategy might begin with you standing close to your opponent. You could launch an inside punching combination followed by a jump spinning hook kick that moves you away from him once your foot strikes. Alternatively, you could use your speed and power to execute a lead-leg double kick, which might be followed by a roundhouse kick and a reverse punch, he says.
Like your tall, thin counterparts, you can use your reasonably long legs and flexibility to maintain a buffer zone between yourself and your partner. If necessary, you can jump high or long to cover that distance, Ameris says.
If you have a medium physique, you should do plenty of bag work to improve your hand and foot coordination, he adds. In addition, you should do body-weight exercises to build your leg strength and stretches to increase your flexibility.
Be All You Can Be The best way to fine-tune your taekwondo technique starts with a request for assistance aimed at your instructor. He will be able to identify which moves best suit your body type and help you modify other techniques to make them more effective. But if a qualified teacher is not available, you’re on your own. You already know your physical limitations, Ameris says, so you just need to match up those observations with the techniques of the art and train accordingly.
“You have to know what will work for you,” he says. “It doesn’t make sense to spend a lot of time working on a technique that’s never going to be effective.”
Ameris offers one final caveat: The techniques you decide to employ should also depend on the person you are fighting.
If he has any experience, he will know what works best for him. If his arms and legs are long, he will use them to keep you away. If he’s short and powerful, he will use mobility and combinations to get inside your perimeter.
Even though you must pay attention to the attributes he possesses, you need to stay focused on what you are doing, he insists. “You can’t change what he already has, so your best strategy is to make him react to what you do. Make your strengths neutralize his strengths, and then finish him.”
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