Fight Like A Girl

There are certain obvious physical advantages that explain why men tend to excel at sports more naturally than women. But don't call it a weakness, women have their own set of physical and psychological advantages. Women can shine at sports and you better believe women can fight!

Boxing, with it’s speed and precision, may not be the best choice if a woman wants to challenge a man to a fight. Men tend to have a slight reaction time advantage over women and that, coupled with men’s typically longer reach (when comparing fighters of equal height) could allow men a field day of counter punching. Plus men’s naturally thicker muscle mass provides greater protection of vital organs from attack.
 

There are true differences between the sexes starting at the cellular level.
...apply enhancements and modifications to your training and develop
a fighting style that is suitable for you as an individual.


And when you measure the gap between the sexes athletically, you have to mention hormones. Men are given myriad physical advantages due to their natural supply of testosterone. Women, on the other hand, with their estrogen, carry a bit extra body fat and tend to have slower fine motor skills, which could make for a more sluggish fighter. On the plus side, a little extra fat on an otherwise athletic body can be helpful when it comes to stamina, due to the added stored energy. And women are more efficient than men at converting stored calories into fuel, therefore remaining a dangerous threat even in later rounds.

Oh, but women’s blood has fewer red blood cells and lower hemoglobin than men, making their heart have to work harder to deliver oxygen. Yeah, that, and women’s lungs usually have a significantly smaller capacity than men’s, again making the heart and lungs less efficient for women.

Okay, but yes, there are some distinct advantages to being a female fighter. The average female body has a lower center of gravity compared to the typical male due to a wider pelvis plus the ratio of heavier thighs and hips to a lighter upper body. Women also tend to have longer legs and a shorter torso than men of the same height, adding to the advantage. This lower center gives females a substantial edge in balance and stability. And long legs also provide greater reach for kicks and some ability to keep an opponent at a greater distance.

Women are usually more flexible than men. Flexibility in the spine and hip area can lend to greater agility and overall mobility. More pliability in the neck, could mean less chance of a head injury. Unfortunately the extra flexibility could also mean a higher susceptibility to injury in other areas of the anatomy, especially knees.

While not the most satisfying of advantages, it’s still worth noting that women are harder targets to hit than men. The typical female skull is narrower and more tapered (less “block-y”) than a male’s. Plus a woman’s chin is less protruding than a man’s, thus tougher to connect with a punch. Likewise, a shorter torso also makes for a difficult target.

There are true differences between the sexes and those differences start at the cellular level. It is important and valuable to understand the differences so you can apply enhancements and modifications to your training and develop a fighting style that is suitable for you as an individual.

There are many sports where women are unable to compete directly with men at the highest level due to natural anatomical and hormonal differences. Fighting is not on that list. That’s not to suggest that a top middleweight female could beat a top middleweight male necessarily, simply that women can compete at the same level.

Posted on November 18, 2014 .