Vain and frippy girl-question

[come_love_sleep]

So I was meeting a friend I haven't seen in forever, and decided I wanted to look particularly nice. Went to the closet, grabbed a favourite shirt, pulled it on--didn't fit quite right. Must have shrunk in the wash, I thought, 'cause it's all wrong 'round the shoulders.
Grabbed another shirt, pulled it on--same exact problem. I'm sure you see where this is going. Oh, damn. Fully a third of my(admittedly small)wardrobe doesn't fit me correctly anymore, because I've put on enough muscle across the shoulders and in my arms to make my clothes uncomfortable. I've always been lithe, which I suppose has given me less margin for growth before it's time to go shopping again.

And then I went to get new shoes, which is a twice-yearly event for me, maybe; I haven't had girl-shoes in ages, which means that a lot of my more lovely girl-clothing has stayed in the closet. Combat boots are fine with taffeta skirts that come to my toes--not so fine with something delicate and above the knee, at least on me, so I figured I'd get myself an actual pair of heels. And predictably, my feet have changed too. There's some styles that just don't look good anymore, and stuff I just don't want to wear because it feels wrong. Callus and muscle get in the way.

None of this bothers me, it's just kind of interesting. I consider it to be an uneven trade in my favour, if I give up a little bit of my girlishness in trade for confidence and balance and stillness and swiftness and a firmer sort of beauty. But I was wondering--what are some of the downsides you guys have noticed to doing kendo, that maybe the lads wouldn't have to deal with?

(also, this wing of the forum's awfully quiet right now, innit?)

[rottunpunk]

im bored, i shall enter the world of girlyness and answer

as you know im more of an iai person
this (especially over the past year and a half from coming back to training most nights of the week from a break out)
has given me a pot belly which is most un nice
i also have huge thighs, so trousers are loose around the waste but too tight around the tops of my legs
also, long sleeve blouses that fit the body dig in and cut off blood supply becaise of my forearms
ive never been a heely shoe person and have wide feet anyways
i did manage to find a bargain pair of slip on shoes that actually fit the width of my foot and dont look too stupid though
...they were in te kids section at barrats

hard life eh?
:p

[absenteekendoka]

From a guys standpoint, when I'm away from the dojo due to work, injury or just personal crap I tend to put on wieght....... :) however when i go to train two/three days a week for about two hours at a go, my weight goes back down to normal and so does my pant size...LOL....34 not 38.......(chubtastic) when I'm a 38 I could probably use my Do as a clip on...... :)

[ghostdancer]

im bored, i shall enter the world of girlyness and answer

as you know im more of an iai person
this (especially over the past year and a half from coming back to training most nights of the week from a break out)
has given me a pot belly which is most un nice
i also have huge thighs, so trousers are loose around the waste but too tight around the tops of my legs
also, long sleeve blouses that fit the body dig in and cut off blood supply becaise of my forearms
ive never been a heely shoe person and have wide feet anyways
i did manage to find a bargain pair of slip on shoes that actually fit the width of my foot and dont look too stupid though
...they were in te kids section at barrats

hard life eh?
:p

And whats ya point here Debs ?

[Gideon]

that stereotypes are difficult/annoying to overcome?

[Lady_Kitsune]

Well it happened to me too, just buy some new t shirts, a bit bigger but still girly and that's it, cos the new body you have that will stick with you for a while.

Oh, yeah, BTW, now you have to watch what you eat to or you will win some weight (that happened to me too, but with training and healthy food there is no way you get big, just a lot of muscles)

[Keegs]

As long as you dont gaiin too much muscle (http://www.search-female-physique.com/4images/data/media/75/friend_monica.jpg) its fine.


"Women" like that scare the crap out of me...

[Miravil]

As long as you dont gaiin too much muscle (http://www.search-female-physique.com/4images/data/media/75/friend_monica.jpg) its fine.


"Women" like that scare the crap out of me...

A normal woman will not be able to turn into this no matter how hard she tries. Steroid ring any bell? :D

As for me, I find that my body is more tone except my arms. The right arm is twice the size of the left arm. (Yes, I'm still trying not to use too much of my right arm. :laugh: ) Hence finding a suitable top might be a bit of difficulty.

[rottunpunk]

i swear thats jst a man with good hair and some makeup
when shes older she will be like this http://www.jibjab.com/view/229163

not as scary as this though
http://www.jibjab.com/view/129113
:p

[ghostdancer]

As long as you dont gaiin too much muscle (http://www.search-female-physique.com/4images/data/media/75/friend_monica.jpg) its fine.


"Women" like that scare the crap out of me...

sorry, but thats gross!!!

[Naginatagirl]

Yeah, can't wear the same heels as I used to :\ Not that I wore heels all the time, but I did like them when going out. Especially the first two years of doing kendo, I had to live in my running shoes. After the changing stops, you can go shopping again for a few essentials. Got me some nice, but admittedly low, heels now though :) Can't walk around in 4+ inches all day and expect to be chipper in the dojo lol Lucky for me it wasn't a habit anyway.

As for tops, if you're self conscious about the arm muscle, maybe avoid shirts that cut the sleeve high on the shoulder since it tends to emphasis that. If you're looking for something girly, a puff sleeve that covers the shoulder with an elastic at the end works (like this: http://www.girlshandbook.com/uploaded_images/puff.yellow-747106.jpg )

Downside of doing kendo...? Having women come up to me after seeing my bruises and trying to get me to break up with Kendo, because clearly it's an unhealthy relationship ;) LOL Other than that...I haven't really noticed any draw backs that guys wouldn't also have :\

[come_love_sleep]

As for tops, if you're self conscious about the arm muscle, maybe avoid shirts that cut the sleeve high on the shoulder since it tends to emphasis that.


Androgyny pleases me, personally--I like the new muscles quite a bit. It's just all the clothes-shopping I've got to go do now that's a bit of an annoyance.



Downside of doing kendo...? Having women come up to me after seeing my bruises and trying to get me to break up with Kendo, because clearly it's an unhealthy relationship

Ha! That must make for some uncomfortable discussions, if they don't believe you...

[Maku-san]

Don't worry too much about it, luv. A little muscle on the womenfolk is much appreciated by the menfolk, 'specially if it's the byproduct of exercise, good nutrition, and some mean, kick-butt kendo! :wink:

Me? I'd rather get rid of my teddy-bear tummy pronto! I look like *bleh* in a hakama! :emb:

Mark :cool:

[absenteekendoka]

As long as you dont gaiin too much muscle (http://www.search-female-physique.com/4images/data/media/75/friend_monica.jpg) its fine.


"Women" like that scare the crap out of me...

"Thats a man Baby!!!!" :)

[absenteekendoka]

A normal woman will not be able to turn into this no matter how hard she tries. Steroid ring any bell? :D

As for me, I find that my body is more tone except my arms. The right arm is twice the size of the left arm. (Yes, I'm still trying not to use too much of my right arm. :laugh: ) Hence finding a suitable top might be a bit of difficulty.

You are completely correct. Without 'juicing' women cannot gain that kind of mass and form.....no matter how hard they train. I haven't met a single pro bodybuilder that hasn't done it (male or female).......and the handful of behemoths that claim they dont are lying....plain as that. You see a huuuuge difference in the amateur classes compared to the pros in that regard...amateurs tend to be built but have good symetry and form whereas pros...welll you get the picture.......ick. :)

[motolorax]

I can't speak for other men, but I feel compelled to say that fit strong women are much, much more attractive than the size 0 types. Also, as has been pointed out ugly muscle isn't something ladies should worry about unless they're dabbling in steroids - I have had this argument with my girlfriend several times in the past. She's a rather tall Norwegian and due to a childhood and youth of rock climbing with her brothers she's fairly well built and so when she goes to the gym a few times a week her biceps and shoulders and back really do start to get a little ripped but she remains entirely feminie and her physical shape is only enhanced by her arms and torso being contoured to her mucslature rather than her skeleton. I've a friend here in NZ who is increadibly thin. she's a really pretty girl but whenever I giver her a hug my toes curl as she's all bumps and bones and it really doesn't feel nice. Fit chicks rule :)

[Eliza]

Oh man, heels will never be the same b/c kendo. My left calf is sooo much bigger than the right. And my back! Not to mention the callous hands. Ack. Owell, doing kendo is soo worth it. :smiley:

[JCM]

Is interesting to read how much you beat yourselves up over things like that, i don't want to patronise but I think ladies tend to over-stress about looks unnecessarily. Myself personally, I think a couple of extra pounds is nice and womanly. Then again, i grew up in a country were women tend to have bigger hips and behinds (not all of course).

EDIT: Shapely AND with muscle tone, now we are talking :). Muscle tone is not necessarily being skinny

[Hisham]

Oh man, heels will never be the same b/c kendo. My left calf is sooo much bigger than the right. And my back! Not to mention the callous hands. Ack. Owell, doing kendo is soo worth it. :smiley:

You could "correct" the look of your right calf and back with some body building exercises.

[Paburo]

Is interesting to read how much you beat yourselves up over things like that, i don't want to patronise but I think ladies tend to over-stress about looks unnecessarily. Myself personally, I think a couple of extra pounds is nice and womanly. Then again, i grew up in a country were women tend to have bigger hips and behinds (not all of course).

my sentiments exactly! girls often look at themselves in the mirror and see extra punds and other things we guys just don't see or really care about much....

i generally tend to prefer a girl in good shape and healthy over a fragile, about-to-break woman... so what if the abs are a bit toned and the arms a bit muscular... unless she's not bulkier than me that's fine i guess lol...

otherwise it'd look like a miyamiya-dankun kendo couple haha :D

kendo girls are sexxy in so many ways i'm not even gonna start... :]

[Onsen]

kendo girls are sexxy in so many ways i'm not even gonna start... :]
:laugh::laugh::laugh: i fell from my chair....

[Eliza]

Yeah, thought about it before.....but instead I did kendo. LOL. ;)

[come_love_sleep]

The point of the original post wasn't so much about attractiveness to the opposite gender(or the same gender), just what had changed personally, you know? I'm quite, quite happy with my weight and my 25-inch waist, and my broadening shoulders. I personally find androgyny terrifically attractive most of the time, and I've never been a very girly girl. I was just wondering, for the other ladies, what kendo has changed that wouldn't be the case if we weren't doing it--sometimes vain stuff like like finding jeans that fit just so, or shirts, or dainty shoes, sometimes less-vain stuff like the fact that now I can run without gasping. It's not about how we look to anyone else, it's about how we've changed to ourselves. Though I do agree that oftentimes women aren't as good at seeing their own attractiveness as the people around them might be.

[Kenzan]

I personally find androgyny terrifically attractive most of the time.

I'm hoping you meant


http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/c/c0/200px-Cheers_lilith.jpg

and not:

http://www.sfgate.com/g/pictures/2005/08/11/sweeney_pat.jpg


:laugh:

[Lady_Kitsune]

Yeah I hope that too... Men, Pat drives me crazy and not in a funny way.

[NigelSponge]

well, one problem with kendo is once you are in a routine of doing it, every week same days etc. your body gets used to it (which is a good thing) however if you have to miss some classes it isn't too pleasant. My knees hurt sometimes which isn't much fun.

[come_love_sleep]

I'm hoping you meant
:laugh:

Oh, well that should be obvious. ;P Think Tilda Swinton, for instance.

[Kenzan]

Oh, well that should be obvious. ;P Think Tilda Swinton, for instance.

I didn't know who that was. had to look it up.

He's very handsome.
















:laugh:

Just having a bit of fun with you.
I happen to know exactly what you meant. :)

[come_love_sleep]

I didn't know who that was. had to look it up.

He's very handsome.



Ha! Well, lad or lady, I'd be happy to pass some time with any creature that lovely...

[Lady_Kitsune]

The only problem i have since I started with kendo is that now i have a little belly. Is not that I'm fat, but I have a little belly like the ones some senseis have.

Other than that, my body is better than ever and I feel better than ever. I'm stronger, my arms look great my legs look sexier and my breast is bigger.

[Anonymous]

The only problem i have since I started with kendo is that now i have a little belly. Is not that I'm fat, but I have a little belly like the ones some senseis have.

Other than that, my body is better than ever and I feel better than ever. I'm stronger, my arms look great my legs look sexier and my breast is bigger.

Is it just me or does EVERYONE eventually get the "kendo belly" ?

[Alison2805]

No! nononononoooooooo!!! I dont want the kendo belly!!!!!
You know you have to cut down on the beerkeiko when you get that.

[samurai80]

my breast is bigger.

Not that this is bad...but, how in the hell did kendo make your breasts bigger?

[H.Sandsleth]

Is it just me or does EVERYONE eventually get the "kendo belly" ?The belly gets sucked out by the do. Why else should people that train have to get bigger and bigger do? :-)

[Lady_Kitsune]

Not that this is bad...but, how in the hell did kendo make your breasts bigger?

Dunno really... I know they are bigger now, but maybe is just a coincidence

I don't drink beer.... :confused2

[Maku-san]

Milady Kitsune:

Uh... is it because you're still growing? :eek: I know of no physical activity that will increase bewbie size. :emb: Pec size, yes. Bewb size, no.

And again... not that it's a bad thing... *trying to look as INNOCENT and SINCERE as possible here* :emb:

[Inner_Silence]

No! nononononoooooooo!!! I dont want the kendo belly!!!!!
You know you have to cut down on the beerkeiko when you get that.

kendo belly is something that cannot be avoided by most of us :(. you wont have any becouse you are thin naturally :)

the other hand, the beerkeiko isnt the problem. the problem is the cuba libre (rum+cocacola) the caipirinha, tekila sunrise... everything with lots of sugar...

[stephanie dee]

Is it just me or does EVERYONE eventually get the "kendo belly" ?

I had a belly to start with so I can't blame mine on kendo...

...

Although I might try...

"Yeah yeah, i'm not fat, its just a kendo belly is all..."

:)

[Lady_Kitsune]

Milady Kitsune:

Uh... is it because you're still growing? :eek: I know of no physical activity that will increase bewbie size. :emb: Pec size, yes. Bewb size, no.

And again... not that it's a bad thing... *trying to look as INNOCENT and SINCERE as possible here* :emb:


I'm 28, I'm not suppose to be growing anymore. Pec size grew too, but also breast size, almost at the same time, again dunno if it's just a coincidence.

[Lady_Kitsune]

kendo belly is something that cannot be avoided by most of us :(. you wont have any becouse you are thin naturally :)



Now that does not mean anithing, when I was 25 I was thin too and I mean really thin and I was that kind of ppl who used to eat chocolate and candy and not get any wight. My weight used to be 59- 60 Kgs now I'm 70 Kgs, of course is not only fat I know some of it is muscles, but now I have to take care of what I eat

[Neil Gendzwill]

As you gain weight in general, your breasts do too. And don't ever think we don't appreciate it.

[Roberto]

Now that does not mean anithing, when I was 25 I was thin too and I mean really thin and I was that kind of ppl who used to eat chocolate and candy and not get any wight. My weight used to be 59- 60 Kgs now I'm 70 Kgs, of course is not only fat I know some of it is muscles, but now I have to take care of what I eat

IS not the kendou that get you pple with the belly!.. Hahahhaa, but looks like we`re kindda damn on it xD...
Is teh AGE, and the amount of calories... Following the simple rule of eating what you need, and trainning in proportions, is all we need... But c`mon, theres is good food in the world, that I don`t want to suffer for not eating something, like a big order of tacos or an extra cheese pizza.. OR a BBQ?..

Train as much as you feel to, eat as much as you want to!

[Miravil]

Now that does not mean anithing, when I was 25 I was thin too and I mean really thin and I was that kind of ppl who used to eat chocolate and candy and not get any wight. My weight used to be 59- 60 Kgs now I'm 70 Kgs, of course is not only fat I know some of it is muscles, but now I have to take care of what I eat

Sometimes it is based on our food intake. I remember on my first couple of years in Kendo where I lost a lot of weight tremendously because I was so tired after practice and couldn't eat. Then when my body got used to the training, I start to eat and sometimes eat more than I needed because food usually taste a lot better after hard training... hehehe. Then I realised that my weight start to gain. Though my breasts didn't shrink or grow, the same through out the process.

[Maku-san]

I'm 28, I'm not suppose to be growing anymore. Pec size grew too, but also breast size, almost at the same time, again dunno if it's just a coincidence.

OIC... I didn't know milady's age (and it's not nice to inquire, as a gentleman, of such personal information :D).

What I do know is that your pec muscles underly your breast tissue, so any increase in pec muscle mass will actually push out your breasts. Overall, you may or may not increase breast mass with kendo/iaido work (or even regular weightlifting work). Note that female bodybuilders, what with their ultra low-fat diets, extreme BMI, and what not, have almost NO breast tissue! :eek: Their mammary glands do work, though, but there's nothing to... :emb: ... show for it... :)

Hope this helps!

Mark :cool:

[Maku-san]

Train as much as you feel to, eat as much as you want to!

Wish I could, Roberto, but I'm the EXACT opposite of Milady Kitsune... what I eat goes straight to the belly fat. :( I'm at the age where I should be foregoing all the crazy stuff I used to eat when I was milady's age. :smiley: I've already cut out most of it, but my darned sweet tooth doesn't know better.

[Roberto]

Wish I could, Roberto, but I'm the EXACT opposite of Milady Kitsune... what I eat goes straight to the belly fat. :( I'm at the age where I should be foregoing all the crazy stuff I used to eat when I was milady's age. :smiley: I've already cut out most of it, but my darned sweet tooth doesn't know better.

Then eat all you want taking a bit care of the amounts!.. Like instead of two pices of chocolate cake, just eat one...
I was amazed figuring that a big combo of Hamburger, and french fries with big soda is around all you need in ONE day.. But stomach is ruled by times.. SO, we usaually get a good brakefsast, later yeh wherever hamburger with combo.. ANd in the evening.. Dinner with family or friends...

I`m used to eat a lot, but when I stop for a while my weightlifting and running... I become fat coz this boy is used to huge amounts of food lol xD ... Adn genetical factors that doens`t help enough!!!

[imouto]

Ok, so I was content with the toning.

Now I've developed muscle and am encountering tops that fit over every other part perfectly but not around my arms. It's a tad tight.

[Doomcat]

:ponder:
I don't really thing I gained to much muscle in my upper body, I can still wear all my t-shirts, even the small ones.
I did Kayak when I was young so I think my arms and my back are as big as they ever will.

My legs, on the other side, changed a lot. I don't know if is good, cause now my calves are like big and hard, like all "sporty" :P. Anyway I don't like to show my legs a lot, but in a good side I gained more strength to walk long distances in high heel shoes.

P.D: sorry for bad english! :smiley: