Beard and kendo

[Sparv]

Hello everibody!

I began kendo in september, and I noticed a strange thing in my dojo:around 1/5 to 1/4 of the guys who train there have (or are wearing, I don't know how to say) a beard (and so do I). That's quite a number.

I have also noticed in the thread "Pics of yourselves in bogu or whatever" some nice beards...

Is beard good for kendo or kendo good for beard? Or is my dojo special?

:beard:

It's my first post and my first thread!

(please help my english by pointing my mistakes)

[Paikea]

Is beard good for kendo or kendo good for beard? Or is my dojo special?No, no and no. Your beard makes your men fit a little weird (like an uneeded chin pad). Your men will pull whiskers out when you take it off. Our ratio is a little more, it's not rare at all.

I'm keeping mine because all the girls simply swoon over it.

[Sparv]

No, no and no. Your beard makes your men fit a little weird (like an uneeded chin pad). Your men will pull whiskers out when you take it off.

I think that if the beard is long enough it is not a problem. I try the men three times (I said I'm a beginner) without problem, but my beard is six months old without any cut.

Girls do not swoon anymore.:eek: I'll have to do something.

[Paikea]

Girls do not swoon anymore.:eek: I'll have to do something.It's a state of mind, I assure you. Mostly in my mind...

[Kyung]

I think that if the beard is long enough it is not a problem. I try the men three times (I said I'm a beginner) without problem, but my beard is six months old without any cut.

Girls do not swoon anymore.:eek: I'll have to do something.

Well you can punch them out so they can swoon. Sorry I was thinking out loud.
Beard...I haven't seen anyone in my dojang who has beard, but I would imagine it would feel awkward in the homyeon

[Sparv]

I won't punch anybody with it, it takes too much time to get it nice.
What is awkward is when the sweat reach the beard at the end of the training session. Hard to prevent it from smelling like a bogu.

An you should not imagine how it feel, you should try it! (keep yourself far away from american airports and it should be fine :evil: ) I love thinking "people can spot me at 500m in a crowd" . That's my state of mind.

[Lounge]

I shaved my beard off yesterday, I trained today... my zanshin was ruined! now I must grow it back ASAP... I miss my chin warmer :(

[ScottUK]

Other than the Lounger who is a splitter, facial hair is big at our place!

[Alison2805]

What is awkward is when the sweat reach the beard at the end of the training session. Hard to prevent it from smelling like a bogu.


EEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWW!!!!!! :eek: :eek: :eek: Im not a fan of facial hair at the best of times.

[xvikingx]

I had a full beard and mustache for quite a long time then I shaved it off around the new year. I couldn't look at myself in the mirror for a couple of days because my upper lip looked freakishly long.


It's a state of mind, I assure you. Mostly in my mind...
Yes, mostly in the mind but the rest is definitely in the hand.... or hands depending on what kind of man you are.

[Paburo]

nothing beats the 3 day laid back vagabond ronin attitude beard.... it drives them crazy :D

too long and you'll end up looking like a truck driver version of leonidas in 300. clean shaved and you'll look like a preppy geek.

see, you must have some balance in life.... :D

[EasyMeat]

nEErli orl ov thu girlzz inn mi dowjo hav beerds... butt i dont an im a boi...

an.. Scotuk... wotz a splitter?

[emitbrownne]

the beard defines my otherwise weak chin...

One day when the weight has gone I will shave and show off my natural chisselled jaw.

but not yet ... not yet

[dwez]

EEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWW!!!!!! :eek: :eek: :eek: Im not a fan of facial hair at the best of times.

You really don't know what you are missing, it has certain advantages that really do make the ladies swoon...

I used to have a van dyke, but now I prefer a goatee when I can be bothered to shave off the outer bits to define out.

[ScottUK]

wotz a splitter?It's a Monty Python Life of Brian thing - someone who splits from the group? :)

[Fonsz]

nothing beats the 3 day laid back vagabond ronin attitude beard.... it drives them crazy :D

too long and you'll end up looking like a truck driver version of leonidas in 300. clean shaved and you'll look like a preppy geek.

see, you must have some balance in life.... :D
I heartily agree with this version of the bearded face/chin. I myself go by this rule bur only in the weekends and vacation time. I'm afraid I don't consider myself a vagabond ronin, so that's where we might differ. I'm also not so sure whether it makes the girls crazy. I'm just lazy and I can't be bothered.:happy:

[Sparv]

nothing beats the 3 day laid back vagabond ronin attitude beard.... it drives them crazy :D

too long and you'll end up looking like a truck driver version of leonidas in 300. clean shaved and you'll look like a preppy geek.

see, you must have some balance in life.... :D

That's a very hard way of life, because at this length my beard is really itchy.

[The great I AM]

I'm keeping mine because all the girls simply swoon over it.Thats the smell.

[Awooga Guy]

Awooga Guy has a fine goatie. And yes, lots of kendoka do tend to have beards :) Why, he does not know.






That is all.

[Sparv]

I shaved (choped would be a more accurate word) it today. I had a big long soft black beard, now it's a small short prickly van dyke.

So beards seem to be common in western kendo. But in Japan or Korea? Has anybody information to share ?

And a beginning of answer to the why question?
Might it because beards are a little excentric, and so is kendo?

[Pugtm]

probably not so popular in japan cause asian's have trouble growing body hair.

and beards arent eccentric they are cool

[Mr Softee]

I use my beard as an additional weapon

[Sparv]

I use my beard as an additional weapon

That's interresting! What kind of weapon? biological? chemical? maybe to cut or to stab people? :rambo:


asian's have trouble growing body hair

That's sad!

[akumalkenshi]

I have worn my goatee for so long, that its hard to recognize myself in the mirror without it and my face feels naked.

I wear it short, so it does not interferes with my MEN fit.

Now half of it its white, which was not the case only five years ago.

mmm

i guess if i ever have a mid life crisis, i can always shave it off and purchase a convertible!

:D

[Paikea]

Thats the smell.I'll take whatever I can get.

[lucy]

Well, from my female point of view, a short beard of any kind is okay, but I prefer clean shaved men... :cheeky: Paburo's way sounds good as well, except that clean shaved men don't look like "preppy geeks", they look good. ;)

The worst is my dancing partner, he constantly tugs at his chin beard... :eek:

edit: Doesn't have anything to do with kendo... Typical thread drift. :)

[Fonsz]

Well, from my female point of view, a short beard of any kind is okay, but I prefer clean shaved men... :cheeky: Paburo's way sounds good as well, except that clean shaved men don't look like "preppy geeks", they look good. ;)
Well I always look ok, :rolleyes: clean shaven or not. But apparently Paburo looks like a preppy geek clean shaven.:silly:


The worst is my dancing partner, he constantly tugs at his chin beard... :eek: Thank the Gods that's all he is tugging at.


edit: Doesn't have anything to do with kendo... Typical thread drift. :) Until Neill decides that enough is enough and that the jokes are getting a beard.

[lucy]

Thank the Gods that's all he is tugging at.

:silly:


Until Neill decides that enough is enough and that the jokes are getting a beard.

He just closed the culture thread, so he should have some mercy... Please, Sensei! :happy:

[Sparv]

I'll try to give some more life espearance to this thread (it was my idea after all!)

You may have noticed that in films the bad guys often have a beard (even before the 9/11). It seems that people look more frightening with a beard.
Do you feel it in the seme? Are you more afraid by a bearded, or do you think that you are more frightenning with a beard?


The worst is my dancing partner, he constantly tugs at his chin beard... :eek:

Harder with the men.


Well, from my female point of view, a short beard of any kind is okay

That sounds goood... :cool:

[lucy]

Harder with the men.


Sure, he doesn't do this while we are dancing either, just while listening to our instructor or whenever he's bored... :rolleyes:

[ScottUK]

Then he's contemplating. Its a very manly thing to do when thinking... :beard:

[lucy]

Then he's contemplating. Its a very manly thing to do when thinking... :beard:

Uh... No, sorry. It's not in his case. Looks more like a goat... I'm actually tempted to bring scissors one day... :silly: :cheeky:

[Sparv]

I'm actually tempted to bring scissors one day... :silly: :cheeky:

Never do it! you do not know how long does a good goat need ! And it can represent much for a man. You can hurt him badly.
The only girl(s) allowed to do remarks about a man's beard is the girlfriend(s).

[ScottUK]

...and even then she should be reminded of a certain Prodigy song. :)

[Toaster]

Never do it! you do not know how long does a good goat need ! And it can represent much for a man.

beards..... Does it really take that long to grow them? I thought they grew quicker than head hair :S
not that I'd know of course :)

[Lounge]

Do you feel it in the seme? Are you more afraid by a bearded, or do you think that you are more frightenning with a beard?
Many in our dojo have commented that my beard intensified my seme and that I should now grow it back! I believe I just need to work harder!

[Hisham]

I'll try to give some more life espearance to this thread (it was my idea after all!)

You may have noticed that in films the bad guys often have a beard (even before the 9/11). It seems that people look more frightening with a beard.
Do you feel it in the seme? Are you more afraid by a bearded, or do you think that you are more frightenning with a beard?
Harder with the men.
That sounds goood... :cool:

It's the Gilette and co lobby that strives to give bearded men a bad image using the media and the "cool factor" to brainwash women to thinking that a bearded face is more like a dirty face. So you'd have your girlfriend, your mother and all the women that.......:paranoid:




Nice conspiracy theory i'd say, should make a good plot for a movie.


Most of the time i have a ronin/spaghetti westerns/bum kind of beard.
BTW there are guys that do need a beard for the simple fact that they look more like women or babies without it.:eek:

[Hisham]

Sorry for the double post:
Beard does help with zanshin when performing kendo kata at least :sleeping:

[kartoffelngeist]

I used to have goatee before I lost it...

No really, I literally lost it, woke up with a stinking hangover and no beard. Still don't know what happened...

[michaelm]

Just shaved my full beard off on the first day of spring, trying to coax the sun out of hiding after a long winter.

I bicycle-commute year round, and the beard helps against wind burn when it's close to freezing.

[Kaco]

EEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWW!!!!!! :eek: :eek: :eek: Im not a fan of facial hair at the best of times.

Ewww! Me niether... but i do like a bit of stubble...

[michaelm]

I just realized that between the two activities, kendo and cycling, the beard really doesn't do much to offset the emasculating effects of wearing skin-tight lycra or pleated skirts.

Ladies, which do you prefer?
Me with beard (http://theland.antgear.com/sean_connery.jpg)
or
Me without beard
(http://lagoonbug.homestead.com/files/michael_bolton.jpg)

[Kyung]

I used to have goatee before I lost it...

No really, I literally lost it, woke up with a stinking hangover and no beard. Still don't know what happened...

The Goatee fairy took it. And left you hangover

[Sparv]

...and even then she should be reminded of a certain Prodigy song. :)

I made some research (google and wikipedia mainly, and asked some friends) but I did not find the song in question. Have you the title?


I just realized that between the two activities, kendo and cycling, the beard really doesn't do much to offset the emasculating effects of wearing skin-tight lycra or pleated skirts.

You have to be proud of your body. Then the emasculation effect will turn in sex-appeal. I'm a rower, and I know the effect of Lycra... HUGE! :cool:

[ScottUK]

I made some research (google and wikipedia mainly, and asked some friends) but I did not find the song in question. Have you the title?Yeah.

"Smack my Bitch Up"... :D

[Sparv]

Understood.

:D :D :D

[michaelm]

I know the effect of Lycra... HUGE! :cool:
That's the problem, the lycra bicycle shorts and the HUGEness, or in my case, the apparent lack thereof.:disapp:

[lucy]

"Smack my Bitch Up"... :D

I thought so... :rolleyes: :silly:


Seriously guys, don't fret, I won't do anything to his beard.

[kartoffelngeist]

I thought so... :rolleyes: :silly:


Seriously guys, don't fret, I won't do anything to his beard.

I bet it was you that stole mine!

:p

[lucy]

I bet it was you that stole mine!

:p

Hey, I'm completely innocent! :cheeky:

[Washington]

So why is it "Have a beard" instead of "Have a chin" ? ... the beard is there already... it's the chin you have to work on.