Girls, Why do guys think that we’re not as tough as them?

[Anonymous]

There is a lot of toxic masculinity in my martial arts class.

and for some reason the guys think that just because we don’t have junk, that a hard kick in the groin shouldn’t hurt us

[Smoke-n-Growls]

... women have pelvic bones, too.

I'd say either bring up your concerns to a female teacher, or leave and find a better club.

I've been training in martial arts for over a decade and my clubs are very much accepting and encouraging of women.

Wing Chung as a kungfu style was originated by a woman.

There's many prominent female martial artists.

[Asker]

Hah yeah I totally get it but the guys are like you don’t even have a dick you don’t need to wear padding like it doesn’t hurt at all.

Then they complain if we tag their cup a little too hard. It’s allowed in our class

[Smoke-n-Growls]

Then kick them even harder and belittle them for not being able to "take it like a woman and keep on going".

But also, just talk to them. They're probably just posing and posturing to feel tough - they don't need to do that. If they're actually strong, they don't need to spout it every second.

They're just inferior and scared. But they think they have to bluster to feel included.

Show them a better way. And floor them with progressively harder taps (don't get in trouble, just hit them as hard as you can before you get excessive force warnings).

[Asker]

What do you mean by “take it like a woman”

Luckily there’s only a couple of assholes in class, the rest of guys are great

Regarding the taps, don’t you need a lot of force to get through a cup?

[Smoke-n-Growls]

Just like "take it like a man". Except since they're sexist, they'll be triggered by being compared to a woman.

Glad there's only a few assholes.

And not really. The cup is there to prevent really serious damage like ruptures. It still translates a lot of force - it'll hurt a lot. Besides, you even said they complain if you tag their cups - give them something to prove their "maniless" with and tap them progressively harder.

Make a game of it. How slightly can you increase your force of the tap until you floor them? And can you get away with it without being warned for excessive force?

[Smoke-n-Growls]

I had a guy in my karate club who was a sexist like these guys.

I beat him 2-0 in a fight with the same move over and over. Jab to the throat after removing his top guard. Four times in a row. It was my first graded sparring match.

He quit the club shortly after, and the quality of the club increased a lot.

[Asker]

Was that guy talking shit the whole time? There are two guys that come to mind that say some really sexist shit, mostly under their breath so the coaches don’t see.

Have you seen a cup shot floor a guy? They’ve definitely bent over in pain but I’ve never seen them go down completely

[Smoke-n-Growls]

Not explicitly, but he knew better - our senseis didn't stand for outright sexism and there were other strong girls in class. He just thought he could win over me for the sole reason that he's a guy and I'm a girl - and clearly that worked in my favour. He did have sexist ideas, but they were mostly muttered remarks.

And oh, yeah. Seen people still go to hospital because of too much force - just to check, nothing broken, but it definitely sent them down.

And if you don't want to be aggressive, don't be.

[Asker]

They want to the hospital even with the cup? I’ve heard of bruising to the side areas because of the force but not actual damage to the balls

[Smoke-n-Growls]

Yup. There wasn't damage, it was just so intense they wanted to make sure. Also wanted to make sure the pelvic bone wasn't broken

[Asker]

The way I picture the cup is hollow inside so when you hit in you’re not actually coming close to this balls, isn’t that right?

[Adventurous97]

A kick to the groin for a girl is quite painful for sure, but for a guy it is so much worse! Try to ignore and stay away from the toxic kind of guys, but if you are paired up with them in your martial arts class, perhaps don't be too afraid to 'accidently' land a hard low blow! Girls are far tougher when it comes to those kind of strikes.

[Asker]

Do you train in martial arts?

[Asker]

Kempo allows groin shots but ofcourse all the guys wear cups

[Adventurous97]

Yes, I train in Thai boxing. But that’s the traditional Thailand version and not the softer Muay Thai version practiced in the West. Traditional Thai boxing is brutal, and a great workout.

[Asker]

That sounds badass! Are groin shots allowed with padding?

[Adventurous97]

Traditional Thai boxing allows groin strikes, yes. Modern Muay Thai does not. Up to a certain level groin guards are worn of course, but not at the mid-higher levels because competitions don’t allow them. So once a competitor reaches a certain level the groin guards come off.

[Asker]

Omg that’s pretty brutal.. I can’t imagine how a guy would handle a kick w out a cup

[Adventurous97]

Not very well!

[Asker]

Lol it’s kinda funny when they are being dicks. But all my guys are wearing cups. How do the guys in your class typically react?

[Adventurous97]

Well the ones still wearing cups feel some pain, but obviously they are ok. The guys not wearing cups feel the ultimate pain and of course they are in quite some pain for some time. It’s an absolutely devastating way for a guy to lose.

[Asker]

I think I’d feel too bad hitting a guy w out protection. I don’t want to kill his chances of having kids lol

I wish I could be more effective when the guys are wearing cups

[Adventurous97]

I don’t care, when the rules allow it and the guys know the rules there’s no need to feel bad or guilty about kicking them hard in the groin. With cups groin kicks are far less effective, yes.

[Asker]

It’s a great move on a larger guy, but they are often good at blocking which makes it tough

[Adventurous97]

Yep, that’s part of the challenge of the sport that I love.

[Asker]

Is it mainly just using kicks and knees or can you use other moves?

[Adventurous97]

Strictly speaking elbows and knees can also be used, but elbows are practiced more on pads, whereas knees are used for real alongside punches and kicks. It’s a stand up sport, yes.

[Asker]

So I guess no grabs lol

[Adventurous97]

No! 😂

[Asker]

They teach it as a self defense move but we obviously can’t do it in class on our partner

[Adventurous97]

Well that’s unfortunate, it’s very effective. I know most martial arts don’t allow it though.

[Asker]

Well it’s not like it would work on a cup lol

[Adventurous97]

Oh no, it’s quite ineffectual when the guy is wearing a cup. It causes only moderate pain. Only when they remove the cup does it become super effective!

[Asker]

I imagine with the cup it doesn’t cause any pain

[Adventurous97]

Minimal. It still causes some pain, but not fight winning pain.

[Asker]

I guess I don’t get how grabbing their cup would hurt at all since it’s just plastic

[Adventurous97]

Well grabbing a cup wouldn’t hurt, but stand up sports rarely allow any grabbing unless the fight can go to the ground, which boxing type sports cannot.

[Asker]

Yeah I need help on getting through the cup when fighting since they all wear them

[Adventurous97]

Unless you can try to guilt trip some guy into sparring against you without a cup to give you a chance, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to deliver an effective groin strike. Unless you can hide their cup and make a false promise that you won’t kick them there.

[Asker]

Do you think it’s fair for guys to wear cups when they are fighting a woman much smaller than them?

[Adventurous97]

No, I don’t. At the lower levels yes because competitors are just learning the sport. But once someone’s attack and defensive capabilities are competent, then it is right to remove the cups at this time. Especially when it is a girl and a guy sparring or fighting. It’s more realistic. A more even and genuine fight. The less rules the better because it makes it a more real experience.

[Asker]

But do you expect a guy to be able to handle a solid shot and continue fighting? Or what would you expect?

[Adventurous97]

No guy I know has ever been able to take a full contact kick to the groin and been able to continue the fight. It’s a fight ender!

[Asker]

That’s why guys probably find it unfair lol

[Adventurous97]

Yep, but it’s not unfair. It’s just that many martial arts ingrain into people that it’s unfair. It’s not. Guys have many physical advantages that they use eagerly. Striking to the groin is our advantage. It’s totally fair, especially for girls, to strike to the unprotected groin.

[Asker]

Have you ever used light contact to the groin as opposed to hitting super hard?

[Adventurous97]

I have used lighter contact knees and kicks to the groin of the guys who are wearing cups, to help them learn how to protect their groin area as part of their training. Against the mid-higher level guys I go in full force because that’s the level that we’re at.

[Asker]

How do they react to the lighter shots?

[Adventurous97]

They just let out a little gasp, like it is a shock for them, even though it’s only mildly painful. Sometimes they need a short break. It’s just part of the learning process.

[Asker]

Have you ever made light contact like that when they aren’t cupped?

[Adventurous97]

Not to my recollection. Once I know they’re not wearing a cup and they’re fighting at that higher level, I kick my absolute hardest.

[Asker]

The guys sometimes don’t wear cups until we get to the actual fighting, like when we do slow mo fighting to practice they don’t wear cups, I wonder how they’d handle a playful tap there

[Adventurous97]

It would probably still be pretty painful for them, but they would likely try to laugh it off like guys do, to kind of hide the pain. I see that when they are wearing the cup but take a harder blow, it’s still painful but they try not to show it.

[Asker]

Even like a playful tap to the balls? Some of these guys are really muscular

[Adventurous97]

Their muscles do not change the biology of how effective a groin strike is. That’s what’s so great about it!

[Asker]

Yeah I guess but I still think those guys like to tough things out

[Adventurous97]

Yeah, they do try.

[Asker]

Maybe I’ll try the playful tap and see how they take it

[Adventurous97]

Yes, do it!

[Asker]

Do you think he’ll man up and take it?

[Adventurous97]

He won’t take it well 😂 do it anyway!

[Asker]

You should see him! He’s pretty buff, why do You think he can’t take it?

[Adventurous97]

All guys are the same when it comes to hitting them in the groin, they all go down in a lot of pain.

[Asker]

Yeah I guess it’s just tough w the ones that refuse to take off the cup

[questiongirl567]

Wow that sounds hardcore! who usually wins the fights? The guy or the girl? guys are so sensitive there lol

[Adventurous97]

In Thailand it is, yes. They stick to traditional rules that the West mostly outlaw. Competitors are evenly matched so it’s pretty much 50/50 who wins.

[Asker]

That sounds brutal w out pads

[Adventurous97]

It is, but it’s a more realistic way to practice the sport.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, that’s bullshit. A hard kick to the groin will bring even the strongest women to the ground - I’ve watched my competitive strongwoman sister get floored by my niece punching her in the crotch. Hitting a woman in the groin will end the fight, no matter how strong and conditioned she is (the same thing applies for men). As for the guys thinking you’re not as tough, prove them wrong by beating their asses.

[Asker]

Girls don’t even have junk down there

[Opinion Owner]

That’s true, but we still have nerves. It’s the most highly innervated part of the human body

[Asker]

Do you think girls handle those shots better

[Opinion Owner]

My sister lifts weights competitively - she is without a doubt the strongest woman I know. My 8 year old niece hit her in the groin, and that alone cause my sister to topple over, dry heave, belch,, fart, and retch. A man might be on the ground for longer than she was, but in terms of at least the first few minutes, no. Women do not handle it better than men, it’s about the same.

[zoemarie14140]

Like someone said toxic masculinity...