Which weightclass do you think I belong to? (see avatar)

Discussion in 'Taekwondo Sparring' started by Pleonasm, Dec 28, 2016.

  1. Pleonasm

    Pleonasm Active Member

    For TKD/kickboxing sparring that is. I am 186 cm tall, 192 cm reach.. I have never been more than 71 kg, but I wouldn't mind getting bigger.

    Some guys claim that I should be as light as possible to gain maximum advantage over shorter guys. But I won't accept getting thinner.

    Do I slow down a lot and lose explosiveness if I gain 10 kg?
    Last edited: Dec 28, 2016
  3. Gnarlie

    Gnarlie Well-Known Member

    Weight cats vary with event and org, but generally they are quite narrow, so it's pretty easy to move from one to another. Ideally, you want to be at the top of a weight category rather than the bottom, at your lightest weight. This will mean that your weight advantage is probably based on your height, and will also give you a reach advantage.

    If you go up a weight category by putting on, you don't get any taller and you sit at the bottom of a category with your weight based on extra muscle / fat rather than height. So you're likely to be shorter, have shorter reach and be slower.

    Right now with your height and weight you'd be in the most densely populated category for WTF sparring. It's also my category, - 80 or - 74 depending on the event. The one below is - 68. All of the tall thin people are in our group. Opponents are usually taller than you are, and string beans.

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  4. Pleonasm

    Pleonasm Active Member

    My argument for moving up to middleweight is that my reach is above average. Average reach is the same as ones height, thus I have the reach of people in 192 cm body length category and should be fine in that department. Being naturally fast and the lighest guy in the divison, I would most likely be the fastest one. I frequently spar guys at 94+kg in semi contact and would say the disadvantage in having no reach advantage is balanced out by being much faster. When I spar lighter guys around my weight, the speed advantage is gone but the reach advantage is present.
    Last edited: Dec 28, 2016
  5. Gnarlie

    Gnarlie Well-Known Member

    It's not just reach, it's about how easily your head can be reached. Relative height is important.

    But you know, you gotta go for what you feel is right. I'll be keen to hear or see how competition goes for you. It should help you a lot.

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  6. Mario Ray Mahardhika

    Mario Ray Mahardhika Active Member

    My... you seem too slim for such height IMO. Being light is actually a two headed sword. Yes, you can move faster, but once you get hit by someone as tall but 20+ kg heavier, even just to the body, the damage is real (been there, done that, once is enough, it hurts badly). It's not impossible for your ribs to break even with body protector. So, I say yes, gain another 10 kg to at least prevent such injury. Keep on training while gaining weight and you won't feel noticable speed difference from you are now.
    northface likes this.
  7. Pleonasm

    Pleonasm Active Member

    Yeah, I agree I am underweight. There's a gym guy in my club who's sworn to rip my head off in sparring, always boasting how powerful he is, but he can't catch me:) It's funny being the wrong weight and teasing a bit and I guess good for my knees. But I will eventually get in trouble.

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