Welcome!

[hamish]

We have started this forum for women to discuss issues they may not feel comfortable raising in the open forum.

It will be moderated by GreenArrow to ensure it stays on topic, and get rid of the trolls!

[GreenArrow]

Thanks Hamish, let's see what we can get up on here now.

TGD.

[Kitsune]

Hi, well you all know me,so there is no need for introduction, but I wanted to thnaks Green Arrow for inviting me.

[Kiki]

Thank you.

[Ara]

Hello, thanks and greetings from Madrid, Spain.

This is my first visit to the Female Kenshi Forum, and also my first message. I hope sincerely this will help me to go on my practice and not giving up in ... you know, those moments...

Love,
Ara
Madrid
Spain

http://www.zanshin-madrid.com

[ulchi]

thanks for the section!

[Anastazija]

Hello girls!
I found out about this forum today and here I am:)
I'm from Skopje, Macedonia.
I've been practicing Iaido for a year and I absolutely love it.
I also started practicing Kendo a month ago.
That's all for now:)
Greetings,
Anastazija

[Lady_Kitsune]

Hi... Many of you alredy know me as Kitsune from Chile. I had to start over again cos my old account went crazy and I can not post from there anymore... Well anyway I was apsent for so long that it is better to start all over again so I rewellcome myself to this forum ;)

[subygal]

Hello - from OZ :) I joined as soon as I saw this specific forum - Ive already had issues trying to find the right size Gi to fit over my b00bs and hips :o

Thanks for setting this up!

[Inner_Silence]

it says "welome"

[Lady_Kitsune]

HAHAHAHAHA... didn't realize!:confused2

[Doomcat]

Well hello and finally I got a place to ask about the female kendo issues!!.

Here in Uruguay I'm one of 2 woman kenshi. My friend (the other kenshi Daniela) is a little more advanced than me, she's been practicing for 2 years now. But none of us have the chance to talk with female kenshi with more years of practice. One time, in a seminar we had the chance to talk to a 3 dan, but we have a hard time cause she din't speak spanish or english, and we have little chance to talk.

As you all can see, I'm really happy to be here!. And have this chance to talk to all of you girls!.

[funnyface12]

Well hello and finally I got a place to ask about the female kendo issues!!.

Here in Uruguay I'm one of 2 woman kenshi. My friend (the other kenshi Daniela) is a little more advanced than me, she's been practicing for 2 years now. But none of us have the chance to talk with female kenshi with more years of practice. One time, in a seminar we had the chance to talk to a 3 dan, but we have a hard time cause she din't speak spanish or english, and we have little chance to talk.

As you all can see, I'm really happy to be here!. And have this chance to talk to all of you girls!.

we are all glad there is a place for girls to talk

[Mitsuko]

Hello everyone!
I see it's been a while since anyone wrote here.
I hope I got the right thread.
I just wanted to say hi - I'm new around here, and also in Kendo. I started practicing just two months ago and I think I'm hooked :)
So, hello again!

[penguin]

Hi! girls,
This is a nice place to talk about kendo! Arigato♡Hamish-san!
I'm a Japanese and started practicing kendo a few years ago.
Hoping to pass nidan next year.

I have many things to share with all of you.
Talk later,
akepenguin

[sirius1906]

Welcome to the forum. where do you practice?

[Tamaki :)]

Hello, Everyone, I'm brand new to the kendo and the Forum scene, surprisingly enough, even when its supposed to be my generation that is tech savvy, well lets just say it took me a while to understand how to work email (^_^'), anyway, I got into kendo by watching an anime,but before you jump to any conclusions I intend on continuing kendo for a while, apparently my sempai's didn't think I would stay for very long, but I'm still hanging in there! :D Anyway, I have been reading a lot of the archives of this forum, although I didn't know that it was the archives,until a few hours ago ehehe, and well I found a lot of the information very useful, however I still had a few questions and intend to post them as they reappear in my mind, cause I already forgot them, don't have much of a memory, unfortunately -.-"
Well, that's all I had to say for now, Later everyone!

[DigitalDowntown]

Welcome to the wonderful world of kendo.... and to KWF. ;)

[Emma Lily]

Hello all

Im new to the forum and kendo also. I just started practicing a month ago and I'm very excited to keep going to the dojo. Any beginners advice?

[UnimportantHero]

Any beginners advice?

Keep going in for practice. Even when you feel like staying home or doing something else. Just keep going in for practice.

[lavanya]

hi i am lavanya.i am new to this forum. i think this is the best site for womens to discuss their personal problems without feeling shy
thankq friends

[Tort-Speed]

Welcome from a female who started Kendo when I was old enough, probably, to be your Mom...and made it to 5-Dan bout 12 years ago (started Kendo 20 years ago, but I'm slow and sometimes had a work or injury rest period). If I can do it, anyone can!!!
By the way, taking Dan test in Tokyo, Japan (which your instructor can probably arrange, later on, if he/she is given enough time), is maybe a little easier than in the USA or elsewhere because there are so many females testing. That means we get put into similar-age groups and same-sex. Not only power, but I feel that the rhythm of female Kendo people is different from males'. Hang in there!

[Yuffie]

Hi Ladies,

I'm new to the forum so hi! I've been doing kendo for 8 months now, I absolutely love it! It's great to have somewhere to speak with fellow lady kendoka. There are one or two other women at my dojo but they don't come very regularly. I'm yet to fence another female, I look forward to this. I'm curious to see if i'll notice any differences after fencing men for so long! :laugh:

[tiggertiffin87]

Hi there! I'm so new to Kendo I haven't started yet. :D I actually came across my city's parks and rec guide, you know the one that lists available classes and japanese swordsmanship was listed as a class. I was intrigued and did a bunch of internet searching and it sounded like something I'd enjoy. I've been looking for a sport to get into that didn't have any change of breaking bones. My boyfriend loves MMA and his female cousin loves boxing but that's just not for me. So after deciding I was really interested I sat in on a class. I have to say, the first class I sat in....I did not want to join there. Ignoring the fact that the gym smelled like BO and was tiny and cramped, the people there just made me feel very uncomfortable. Second class at a different location and I was sold. I had emailed the club but hadn't received a reply on sitting in on a class, but posting on Facebook got an immediate yes, please come drop by message. I got there on time and a guy walks over and recognized me from Facebook, he was the one who had replied to me. He explained what they'd be doing in class that day, told me our sensai draws people from all over to study under (Shinichi Koike), and that they often get together for BBQ's. When they switched from warm up to drills (I'm totally guessing here), he came over again to explain what was going on and what would be happening next. At this time I noticed a group separate and I'm guessing they were the very new people...so I got to watch people practice in and out of bogu. I also noticed 4 girls where there and that also drew me in. One of the "girls" seems to be near my grandmother's age (I'm in my 30's). I didn't see anyone go easy on others (except for the small children in bogu's). After watching and talking to the guy there I was totally sold on practicing here. They seem very family like and there are a couple girls already there. I don't feel I should go check out the other two dojo's in my area as I've found my "home". I haven't started yet though, due to cost...and the fact that I've already paid for archery class. :) But I can't wait to start in June!

[MikeW]

Koike sensei is a good person to study with and a nice person. Hope you enjoy kendo.

[Neil Gendzwill]

Koike-sensei is a great guy, an excellent teacher and technically very strong. We were honoured to host him at our club's annual seminar as guest instructor for several years. You are fortunate to be able to study with him.

[Tort-Speed]

d I haven't started yet though, due to cost...and the fact that I've already paid for archery class. :) But I can't wait to start in June!

What kind of archery? If Japanese style, good cross-training for Kendo (in posture, meditation, breathing, and "zanshin" or keeping an eye on the target/opponent after letting loose the arrow/striking).
Some clubs have dojo armor or equipment given them from All Japan Kendo Federation here, so cost may not be such a big factor or at least, you won't have to pay for lots of things right away or at the same time.
Nice people and a good teacher, sounds a bit like heaven. Lucky you, to start that way.

[tiggertiffin87]

What kind of archery? If Japanese style, good cross-training for Kendo (in posture, meditation, breathing, and "zanshin" or keeping an eye on the target/opponent after letting loose the arrow/striking).
Some clubs have dojo armor or equipment given them from All Japan Kendo Federation here, so cost may not be such a big factor or at least, you won't have to pay for lots of things right away or at the same time.
Nice people and a good teacher, sounds a bit like heaven. Lucky you, to start that way.

Just regular archery. There's is an Iaido dojo that has that listed as something that might happen in the future, but no idea when.

I'm glad I have some time before having to pay for class and buy a shinai, and then even more time before I need the armor and all that.

[Commander]

Hi everyone, I am returning to kendo after many years (Was a member of the Glasgow dojo in Scotland). Had to stop training due to work and now that I have moved to Spain I can practice, learning kendo again only in Spanish will be fun :) I have also got my fiancé involved which is great!

I also enjoy running, archery (bow hunting), cycling, Iaido, bonsai (I have a Japanese acer) and malt whisky tasting

Happy kendo-ing! :D