Martial arts is a male-dominated game and there is no doubt about it. Although it is know that martial arts are very good for women and most women are now working on their martial arts skills to slowly catch up, a couple of decade-long gaps will take a lot of time to fill up. The most common issue that most female martial artists report is the lack of opportunities but apart from these issues physical challenges are also getting big. Experts in the martial arts domain claim that where there are physical issues and mental challenges, there are social issues that are mostly pushing women to choose martial arts for functionality purposes rather than professional or competitive purposes.

With the help of this article, we will mainly look at some of the most common issues that female martial artists have to face in the field of martial arts. We will look at these issues from the training and competition point of view and we will see why it is mainly considering a male dominant game.

Here are the most common issues face by female martial artists:

Inequality In Competition Opportunities:

Female martial artists often have fewer opportunities to compete at the highest levels, both in terms of the number of tournaments available to them and the level of prize money offered. This can make it difficult for female martial artists to make a living from their sport, and can also discourage them from pursuing martial arts as a career.

Stereotypes And Discrimination:

Female martial artists often face stereotypes and discrimination based on their gender, with some people believing that they are not as strong or skilled as male martial artists. This can be demoralizing and can discourage female martial artists from pursuing their goals.

Lack Of Representation:

Female martial artists are often underrepresenting in the media. Which can make it difficult for them to gain visibility and recognition for their skills and achievements. This can also make it harder for female martial artists to find sponsors and secure the support. They need to compete at the highest levels.

Balancing Training and Other Commitments:

Many female martial artists struggle to balance their training with other commitments, such as work and family. This can make it difficult for them to devote the necessary time and energy to their training. Which can negatively impact their performance.

Injuries:

Injuries are part of martial arts and there is no way you can prevent or avoid them. During training, the conditions are very harsh and you need to work on your endurance level. However, with female grapplers, although they easily get better and they can heal with the help of training. But there are still physical limitations. Also, this maybe count as a beauty sacrifice since females are expect to look and behave a certain way. Where this can break stereotypes, it is surely a limitation or a hurdle as well.

Skin issues:

Most women wear makeup but in the case of martial arts, you need to keep your skin completely clear because this can lead to skin infections and breakout issues. Most females come up with acne problems because they do not have enough time to fully clean their skin before practice. To deal with these issues, martial artists must learn how to treat their skin and take care of their hygiene before stepping into the martial arts.

Beauty Sacrifices:

Skin infections, hair loss, and broken nails are very common in the field of martial arts. Since you will be hitting people a lot you constantly have to look at ways you can end up injuring yourself. In these conditions, martial artists usually have to make beauty-related sacrifices.

Dealing With Harassment and Abuse:

Unfortunately, female martial artists can also face harassment and abuse in the martial arts community. This can be particularly prevalent in martial arts styles that heavily focused on physical contacts, such as wrestling or judo. Martial artists may be hesitant to report such incidents due to fear of retaliation or a lack of support from their training facility or governing body.

Bottom Line:

To sum it all up, female martial artists have to face a lot of physical issues as well as issues that are link with the system, culture, and society. Where more people are pushing women to learn self-defense, these limited opportunities. Also fewer physical issues are mainly hindering this smooth transition. However, despite these challenges. Many women continue to excel in martial arts and serve as role models for other aspiring female martial artists. By addressing these issues and working to create a more inclusive and supportive environment for female artists. We can help ensure that women have the opportunity to reach their full potential in martial arts.