Introductions

[GreenArrow]

Welcome ladies, and also any gents who want to see things from a different perspective ;)

OK, we've had a few posts recently concerning womens' perspectives:

Shinai- Who uses a 38 shinai?

Bogu- Replacing my Men and Do for short torso (ladies)


How do people feel about shifting these over to the Women's Forum and sticky them up so there's some starting info?


C'mon ladies, let's post up!

GreenArrow.

[Commander]

Hey, great to see a women's forum :D

Keep up the good work!

[GreenArrow]

Thanks Commander.

I've put a few groundrules up, so all know where they stand. Any ideas on them, drop me a PM.

Any other threads form the past you'd like see transferred to here, drop me a note too.

Welcome on board!

[Cool Cat]

Dear Green Arrow,

I think the ladies section is a great idea. I will try to support you from a males perspective when needed. Good luck with your training.

Cheers

[Solinde]

Great idea, now it's a lot easier to find this kind of discussions. At first I thought "what a stupid idea", but when I started looking at the kind of issues being raised I realised I was the stupid one. A big yay! for this forum.

[Mugu]

Wow! It actually happened! Nice! Now GreenArrow, we need a private thread-login-only to talk stuff about guys, hehehe JUST KIDDING!

Hey seriously, I heard there was a kendo women organization a while back that was in California area. They have meeting every month or something. But there are none in my region. Don't know if they're still active. I think that's something we female Kendoka can help to expand on. I mean, a lot of Women think Kendo is just violent. We need to introduce the philosophical side of Kendo to women to get more women to practice Kendo. And also promote something like by taking their kids to practice Kendo with them can influent their kids in a more positive way. I don't know, I just type whatever comes into mind.

Just babbling... bleh

P.S. - Should we introduce ourselves a bit. Maybe we can get together one day to start the World Women Kendo Association or something?:D

Name: Man (mon) Lu
I practice at Minnehaha Kendo Club - Minneapolis, MN
# of women there: 3 (we used to have 6!)
Been practicing a year: started May 2005 and in bogu for about 4 months now.
No rank yet though.

[GreenArrow]

Hi Ladies,

I've copied part of the thread over, so we can keep any introductions separate... good idea of Mugo's to introduce ourselves.

Apologies if it looks a bit odd... still haven't QUITE got the hang of these moderation tools... (they don't come with instructions).

Oh well...

As for introducing myself...

I'm (very) new to Kendo- started in January this year, not yet in bogu. Still very rubbish. I'd wanted to do Kendo for a while, but it was only recently that I have been able to make time to fit it in.

My other big interest is archery (FITA Target)- hence the name over here, my first arrows were fletched and crested green! I must have been odd as a child, I always had an unhealthy fascination with bows and swords...

To earn money I do contract consultancy work, health, safety & environmental based. Much of it in the construction industry so I am used to dealing with man-trolls... both on-site and back at the office.

Other interests include woodworking and generally making things- and also I'm afraid I'm a keen gardener. Although my idea of "garden" tends to revolve around trees, bamboo, big rocks and water... I just don't do lawns.

I also quite like the internet...:cool:

What about the rest of you?

[Michiyo Akimoto]

What's a man-troll?

[Commander]

What's a man-troll?

YOU! kidding :p

[Commander]

WELLLLL....

I've been practicing kendo for almost 2 years now, still ok at it i suppose.
I regularly attend my local gym, i enjoy socialising, going out with friends.

I have a keen interest in flying, which i mostly do as a hobby, for now.

With regards to jobs, i work for the Student Loans Company in Glasgow, i administer loans for teachers (RTL scheme) which ended a while ago, i also enjoy the aspects of telephone and classroom coaching for new staff.

Other interests, hmmm i like to go out for a drink on a friday night with co-workers, have a laugh or two.

Typical Scottish-ness :p

[Michiyo Akimoto]

YOU! kidding :p

http://www.digital-laughter.com/images/artist/ugly.jpeg

:pirate:

[Commander]

http://www.digital-laughter.com/images/artist/ugly.jpeg

:pirate:

Hehehe, how pretty :D

[runsyi]

P.S. - Should we introduce ourselves a bit. Maybe we can get together one day to start the World Women Kendo Association or something?:D

Name: Shelly Ichishita
Home dojo: Honolulu Myohoji
Other dojos I practice at: Mililani, Aiea Taiheiji, Waipahu Seibukan, Kaimuki Honbu... I also practice Friday nights in Wahiawa and go to Saturday HAWK (Hawaii Association of Women Kendoists) practice before Seibukan practice.
# of females at home dojo: 6 (we used to have 8)
Started Kendo: November 2004
Got into bogu: February 2005
First taikai: Hawaii Kendo Federation 50th Anniversary Taikai
Other relevant details: started Iai in January 2006.

Hawaii has a women's kendo association that meets for practice once a week. If you'd like to check it out, the website is http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/hawkinfo/.

[Alison2805]

Howdy!
My name is Ali Craven, I train at the Murdoch University Kendo Club twice a week. I havent gotten the guts to train at some others as well, yet! Im a 5th kyu, have been doing kendo for a bit less than a year.
Theres about 3 girls at out club, plus one new chick who just made it through the beginners course. Shes about 4ft tall and tiny, but boy has she got spirit!!! If she sticks with it she will be awesome.

If anyone went to the Australian Nationals, I was the only person there in white bogu. Talk about standing out like dogs bollocks. I had the best time, even though I got smooshed into the dojo floor.

Im a geologist. Working in the mining industry means Im quite used to being the only girl, I can hold my own in a swearing comp, and drink copious amounts of beer.

My favourite thing about being a girl in kendo is letting rip with an extremely high pitched LOUD kiai. When I can follow it with a perfect men, Ill be stoked.

[Solinde]

My name is Caroline, and I practise at the budo club here in Linköping. I started 1,5-2 years ago and am still 4kyu (that's where we start :wink: ). We do have 4 practises a week this semester, but I have been lazy, and not shown up for that many practises. :/ There are currently 6 other girls doing kendo in my dojo.

I also practise and teach iaido in the club, so that's where I put most of my time and strength (hence being lazy about kendo). I'm hoping to represent Sweden in the shodan-class at the EC in Brighton this September.

Oh, and besides training I'm a biology student. :)

[mingshi]

My turn...

Name: Mingshi Wan a.k.a. Jenny
Dojo: (Jan 05-present) Seishinkan, Hong Kong; (Jun 01-Jan 05) Nenriki dojo, London, UK
# of females at home dojo: 4-6 depending on the day
Started Kendo: Jun 2001 London, UK
Grade: need to think twice about getting Sandan
Budo trips to: around England, Scotland, Ireland, Holland, Belgium, and next up, Japan.
Job: Freelance graphic designer
Other interests: design & stuff, snapping pictures (see link below), chatting up drunken people, playing with cats, etc.

[Lone Kitten]

Ok... i'll have a go then!

Name: Laura Mallard (as of 12 August this yr Laura Short - am aquiring a husband! one Lawrence Short who does kendo too!)
Dojo:2003-2004 Wakamatsu High School kendo club, Kitakyushu city, Japan. 2004-2005 Doshinkenyukai, Halifax. 2005-present Kashinoki Ken Yu Kai, New Ollerton nr Nottingham.
Grade: Shodan. Am eligable for Nidan but have had large bit of time out due to injury. Will get nidan once I start going to practice more often... which will be when hubby to be (i can't drive) gets a job that doesn't have violently anti-social hours!
Job: Bank Clerk - I flit between being behind the counter (giving people either too much cash or too little) and doing reception (where i get to deal with the general public. I love the general public :silly:)
Other Interests: am a napoleonic re-enactor (on the FRENCH side of course - they let women play with guns, the english are rather up themseles when it comes to letting girls dress up as soldiers and shoot people!), I do tea ceremony, I go to the gym, I love learning languages (currently speak German and Japanese, doing a French A Level by correspondence course), shopping (mainly for shoes!), food and drink.
Pet hates: Topshop, River Island and the like (for thinking that plus size women are somehow sub-human and can't wear nice trendy clothes), the recorded woman on the 02 helpline, and sexists!
Other bits and bobs:I lived in Japan for a year and studied at a high school with the other kids (I was 17 at the time). Am going to go back to Japan with hubby and his best man year after next to visit friends etc. Trying to move out of the midlands... Yorkshire forever!

and that's me!

[Lone Kitten]

Hello everyone...My..my name is Cornellius J. Thistelwink IV.....

...and...and...and..

(Breaks down, sobbing)

....I'm a Kendo-holic.

funny... not!:angry:

[Mugu]

Other interests: design & stuff, snapping pictures (see link below), chatting up drunken people, playing with cats, etc.

Love your vector design style and great photos!

[runsyi]

My name is Caroline, and I practise at the budo club here in Linköping. I started 1,5-2 years ago and am still 4kyu (that's where we start :wink: ). We do have 4 practises a week this semester, but I have been lazy, and not shown up for that many practises. :/ There are currently 6 other girls doing kendo in my dojo.

I also practise and teach iaido in the club, so that's where I put most of my time and strength (hence being lazy about kendo). I'm hoping to represent Sweden in the shodan-class at the EC in Brighton this September.

Oh, and besides training I'm a biology student. :)

When did you start Iaido? What koryu do you practice? Did you start Iai before Kendo and why do you like it better?

[Solinde]

When did you start Iaido? What koryu do you practice? Did you start Iai before Kendo and why do you like it better?

I started iaido i March 2003. Originally I wanted to start kendo, but my boyfriend had already joined the club, and I didn't want to be a copycat, so I found iaido. I didn't know if I would like it at first, but when I got there it was like coming home. The whole concept fitted my personality perfectly. It was a once-in-a-lifetime feeling, I think.

Then I started kendo in September 2004. Although I can come across as rather moody and aggressive in real life at times (working on that), during my first month in bogu I was terrified during every jigeiko. It's gotten better though. :)

So, I guess the reason why I prefer iaido is that...that's who I am.

I'm not doing koryu actively right now for some reasons, but when I do, it'll be Muso Shinden ryu.

[rottunpunk]

okey doke,
im debz bell aka debzdafish aka rottunpunk (with a u!! :D)

i dont do kendo anymore cuz of an icky shoulder but joined the forum when i was practising so im still here-how sad :D

ive done MJER iai for about 7 years, and ive done aikido for about a year or more, and ive just started playing with longbows too.

i like psychobilly, punk, glam, jazz etc. and hate pop, hiphop, and most modern music.

my sense of humour is somewhat dry, so take anything i say with a pinch of salt.

im not a girlygirl but ill try to add some comments to the forum anyways as i doubt many of you are girlygirls either.

toodle pip
:p

[Paburo]

girls... you may attach pictures as well you know.... :D

but i'm not even getting into the topic of sexyness of hakamas and dogis or therelackof..... :D

[Solinde]

girls... you may attach pictures as well you know.... :D

but i'm not even getting into the topic of sexyness of hakamas and dogis or therelackof..... :D

Paburo, this is the women's forum...this is where WE request sexy pictures of YOU. :cheeky::D

[Lone Kitten]

damn right... in fact, guys, if youre good looking, take your shirts off, take a pic, post it here and we'll vote as to who's the sexiest/best ass/nicest torso etc... come on... you know you want to (this is me being a woman - troll!) :evil:

[Newbie]

Name: Arwen Fenton (and yes, it is my real name. No, I didn't change my name to "Arwen" after LotR came out!)
Dojos: Adelaide Uni & Flinders Uni with the SAKC
# of females at home dojo: 4-6 at both dojos but not the same girls at both dojos.
Started Kendo: Jun 2005 Adelaide Uni dojo, Australia, had to take a break for about six months after finishing the beginners' course, started the first beginners' this year and got pulled out part way through and thrown into bogu :) Have started to dabble in iaido but my teacher went and completely buggered his knees so I have to wait until he's fit enough to continue.
Grade: Ungraded. I keep missing weeks at a time due to being ill or stuff getting in the way. Until I pull my finger out and can stay relatively healthy for a couple months at a time I have no chance of even doing my first kyu grade!
Job: Office clerk
Other interests: roleplaying - especially live action, SCA mainly archery though nothing beats a good feast, retouching digital photos which I'm gonna start trying to do on a more serious level (one where I get money for spending 15/20 hours working on a pic).

[GreenArrow]

i ive just started playing with longbows too.

:p

Where do you shoot? There's a few good clubs in your neck of the woods- I've shot in some (when on hols- yes, I always take my bow, sad, eh?)

Just watch the shoulders if you shoot- make sure you get some good teaching, rotator cuff injuries are the fear of every archer!

That said, the longbow can be one of the most forgiving, as you don't hold the draw.

In case you hadn't guessed, my name on here comes form my archery identity- when I shoot trad/longbow with woods my creasting and fletching colours are green- so I'm the "green arrow"

On another note, my chiropractor reckons that kendo and archery are complementary for shoulder/upper back stamina (I've got upper back/neck damage from a road accident). He used to shoot to a high level and now does Kendo, so he should know.

Maybe the longbow will help you get back to Kendo, eh...?

Good luck.

GreenArrow

[Eiliries]

Name: Elizabeth Pedersen
Dojo: Rancho Cordova Kendo Dojo
Rank: 3. Kyu
Started kendo: In July of 2003
# of women in home dojo: 7
Location: California
Nationality: Danish expatriate

[Fukushu]

Megan McGlennen, 27, married, husband does kendo with me. We started in January 2005. Just tested for the second time and are now 3rd Kyu. There is one other woman at my dojo...my sensei...Chan Sensei. We practice twice a week at our dojo in San Francisco and once a week in Oakland. Just went to Palo Alto Tournament...next is San Jose tournament (6/15).
Glad there is a women's forum on here :)


http://www.geocities.com/mbomcglennen/Something_on_my_Kote.jpg

[Fukushu]

ps- sorry the pic is so big....I like to see pic's of other kenshi, so I might as well start myself!
Megan

[Eiliries]

ps- sorry the pic is so big....I like to see pic's of other kenshi, so I might as well start myself!
Megan
Hi, I saw you at the Palo Alto taikai.

[Solinde]

I like to see pic's of other kenshi, so I might as well start myself!
Megan

Here (http://www.linkopings-budoklubb.org/midcom-serveattachmentguid-6fd966c7482d530f7fdb6b529251f2c8/view_langdskillnad) you go. :D

[Miravil]

Gosh, I’m so glad to see a forum for the women kendoka. Good work Green Arrow.

My name is Chuen Yee and I’ve been practicing kendo since July 2001. Currently I lay off Kendo for a while to make time for my wrist and ankle to recover. Hopefully I will be able to get back in practice next month. I practice Kendo at the Japan Club in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. We have quite a number of female Kendoka here including kids. Lost count, maybe 20? As not every female Kendoka attend practice all the time.

I used to practice Taekwondo for 10 years (on and off) which now leave me lots of left over injuries such as joint pain.

I would like to try out Iaido and Naginata but unfortunately we don't have any over here.

Beside Kendo, I like taking pictures, watching movies and eat. :p I would like to learn to take good pictures, currently I’m using a Canon A400.

Fukushu, I like your hair, any tips? I have really dry wavy hair which I find it hard to maintain. I will post my pic when I manage to find a nice one. :D

[Commander]

Megan McGlennen, 27, married, husband does kendo with me. We started in January 2005. Just tested for the second time and are now 3rd Kyu. There is one other woman at my dojo...my sensei...Chan Sensei. We practice twice a week at our dojo in San Francisco and once a week in Oakland. Just went to Palo Alto Tournament...next is San Jose tournament (6/15).
Glad there is a women's forum on here :)


http://www.geocities.com/mbomcglennen/Something_on_my_Kote.jpg

Where did you get you're bogu? Its very nice!

[Alison2805]

gorgeous pic megan!!

[Lone Kitten]

I'm the one in white

http://www.pabudden.com/kodokan/pictures/bowden0404.jpg

not my club but still me...

[Solinde]

I'm the one in white

http://www.pabudden.com/kodokan/pictures/bowden0404.jpg

not my club but still me...

Did you win?

[Fukushu]

Nice Picture Lone Kitten and Solinde :) We'll have to get more of our tounament pic's up on here!


Commander:
Thank you, I got my Bogu from Eguchi


Miravil:
You know, I've always wanted wavy hair...but my hair is "too" staright, won't hold a wave of curl. Also, check out the Post about hair...many differnt and good ways to manage Kendo hair! :)


Thanks Alison2805, that's sweet of you :)

Ok, back to work now :)
Megan

[Paburo]

awww... sorry solinde and lone kitten. but really, what good would it make to attach those sexxy pictures you're requesting if my post is going to be erased for being 'politically incorrect' and "offensive"....?

lol, too bad. i was really going to! wahaha :D

cheers.

p.s. been enjoying the pics and introductions btw, thx.

[Solinde]

awww... sorry solinde and lone kitten. but really, what good would it make to attach those sexxy pictures you're requesting if my post is going to be erased for being 'politically incorrect' and "offensive"....?

lol, too bad. i was really going to! wahaha :D

Don't worry, I think I'm speaking for everyone when I say that we will accept them in PMs.:silly:

[Miravil]

Hi, can somebody help me? I tried to attach a pic of mine but I just can't even I have reduced it's size to less than 100 KB. Not sure why. I'm using jpg by the way. Thanks.

[rottunpunk]

Where do you shoot? There's a few good clubs in your neck of the woods- I've shot in some (when on hols- yes, I always take my bow, sad, eh?)

Just watch the shoulders if you shoot- make sure you get some good teaching, rotator cuff injuries are the fear of every archer!
Maybe the longbow will help you get back to Kendo, eh...?

GreenArrow

i shoot with these guys www.aott.co.uk its the oldest running club in britain or something.
i noticed you live in glamorgan. i used to live in neath. apparently theres a club there and my mother knew about it but never took us-grrg arg.

thanks for the advice. and yeah maybe it will help me back into kedo-i hope so. after a few recent doses of acupuncture my shoulder hurts even more-im told its a good pain :ermm:

:p

[Lone Kitten]

Did you win?

of course!:evil:

[Paburo]

Don't worry, I think I'm speaking for everyone when I say that we will accept them in PMs.:silly:

wowowow speak for yourself & let them speak for themselves :D now with that said, if you send me a PM we can start the negotiations.... :D

[runsyi]

wowowow speak for yourself & let them speak for themselves :D now with that said, if you send me a PM we can start the negotiations.... :D

I would say she speaks for me too.

[Lone Kitten]

wowowow speak for yourself & let them speak for themselves :D now with that said, if you send me a PM we can start the negotiations.... :D
me tooo!

btw - have just ordered my new bogu... with a PINK dou! i know, am psycho, but my pink fetish just will not go away!:cheerful:

[Alison2805]

alrightee then! I finally got a couple of pics of me. However, I fotgot to get a video of me and Wayde bouncing off eachothers do like soccer players. I will get that soon!

This was the western taikai we had a couple of weeks ago. (Im the white one) I lost my match 2-1, but since I was rather sick and had been up late submitting my thesis the night before, so I was happy to be able to score a point.

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i114/Alison2805/DSC00840.jpg

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i114/Alison2805/DSC00827.jpg

[Kirinhale]

Hey,

Umm, Name's Enimie, i've been doing kendo for a year and 3 months now and i'm 6th kyu

I train once a week during school and about 2 - 3 times during the holidays :p
Other than kendo, i read comics, fantasy and sci fi books, and i study science-maths(8). i'm 15, and planning on studying geology in 3 years :p

[Alison2805]

Hey!! Another rock person who does kendo!!! YAY!!! Nice to meet you Enimie, Im a geologist and Ive been doing kendo about as long as you. What made you decide that you want to study geology?

[Kirinhale]

Nice to meet you too! :)
I got into geology when i saw a documentary on tv about seismology/paleoseismology :d
And it fascinates me, there's so much to geology, like vulcanology is also one of those that got me looking into it. And the cristal structures, minerology, and oceanography! I feel like i'm a kid in a candy store when i'm exploring the subject :p And so far, it's the subject that interests me the most out of all sciences ^_^

[immortalbeloved]

Hello, I'm new to this forum and kendo as well. My name is Leina, I started kendo about 6 months ago. Also 6th kyu. I'm a second year university student. My course is Bachelor of Music, and I major in piano. I'm really glad to see that there is a women's forum where people can feel comfortable with just being women.

[Lone Kitten]

aren't we all!

[rottunpunk]

im not comfortable being a woman. i have period pains-grrg
welcome to the forum :D
i tried playing piano once, the teacher made me cry. i can coordinate hands for guitar, drums, saxophone (still cant play em though) etc. but for some reason not pianer-ah well-the worlds probably safer without my pianotic geniusness
:p

[Kirinhale]

Seriously, if your periods bother you that much, skip them by taking a birth control pill every day? It's an easy solution :)

[Alison2805]

Great to meet you Kirinhale and immortalbeloved!
I tried piano once too, hated every minute. I think if youre forced to learn it and practise as a kid, that screws it for life.

I joined a drumming troupe once and loved it. Jembe and bongos. Ive gotta get back into that. Street parades and stuff were sooooo much fun.

[immortalbeloved]

It may seem a little beyond comparison for you but for me, both Kendo and piano (music in general) are great disciplines. In the sense that you have to put the hard slog in during the beginning before you can feel the freedom to do whatever you want. Well, I guess that's just the way I like to look at it.

Of course, kendo is much more.... enjoyable. Seriously, sitting at a piano and practicing for 5 hours straight is not fun, even at the best of times. It's very frustrating I guess. Anyway :P I actually enjoy taking a step back from something like piano, and turning my full attention and frustration onto another discipline like Kendo.

[Callisto]

Hullo... I'm Claire :)

I have been doing Kendo for 9mths - i'm 5th Kyu, but gradings aren't really my thing - I'm interested in learning @ my own pace...I used to be very competitive at a number of sports, but have mellowed a little (Im 25)

I am returning to education sept 06 to undertake a degree in Archaeology and eventually, (funds allowing) to do a doctorate in the subject...

I have many other interests.. usually involving equine sports - I do Historical Equine events (Battle Re-enactments, Cavalry Displays, Hyppica Gymnaesia etc) Mounted Archery is one of my personal favourites ... you can see a brief clip of me in action on my 'extra curricular' thread of this board..

I enjoy craftwork (historical bonework, sewing, embroidering etc)

I also have a small recording studio in the spare room of my house where I produce music for historical documentaries... I also have a passion for Electronic music (I dj @ techno events both here and in the States) I write Detroit Techno and have a passion for the social evolution of music from the city - I enjoy visiting every year for the Detroit Electronic Music Festival...
Which was a scorcher this year... WELL hot!!

[Falcon]

Greetings,

I'm new to the forum. I've been practicing kendo for around 6 months. The first 3 or 4 were several years ago, and I came back to it a year or so after moving back to Minnesota from grad school. I absolutely love the sport, and after I graduated this May something told me I needed a good butt kicking and I went back to practice. I'm not so much into the competition end of things, but my aim is to get into bogu by spring or summer.

Job wise: I'm an archivist, with some background in archaeology and anthropology. I also am a writer and art painter. I'm presently working a temp job as a judicial clerk.

Hobbies: I rode dressage for 4 years before finding Kendo, and learned a lot from both arts. Dressage is classical horsemanship of the type cavalry officers performed. Not surprisingly on the martial side of things some of the things my riding instructor said are almost verbatim what sensei has said. I also run, paint, and garden quite a bit. Oh yeah, and I'm a complete computer/science/history geek on the side too.

-Falcon

[JByrd]

I got into geology when i saw a documentary on tv about seismology/paleoseismology

Hey!! Another rock person who does kendo!!!

Geologist = Rock Licker :)

My wife, who has Kendo 2 Dan, has a degree in geology. Every time we come back from a hike, our packs are filled with rocks. We go camping for a week and return with 50 pounds of rocks in the back of the truck. There are rocks on every shelf and window sill in our house. The yard is full of rocks from all over the western US. Sandstone, lava rocks, granite, limestone, quartz, petrified wood... there's a bag of beach sand from Florida in the den, and a piece of middle crust from Mount Everest by the kitchen sink.

I no longer resist, I have seen the light. I have two rocks on my desk. Rock lickers rock!

[Alison2805]

Indeedy they do! My appartment is full of rocks. I even bought a piece of blue asbestos recently simply because noone else has one! Its beautiful!! Looks like blue tigers eye (I coated it with a pvc glue so the fibres arent dangerous).
I have sand from Mount everest, fossils from everywhere, and my favourite: a piece of 50 million year old fossil wood with amber on it from Wyoming- looks just like it grew yesterday.

When youre ageo, the world is your sandpit!