How much does it hurt when....

[Aftbrw_013]

Forgive a beginner for an obvious question, but I just started Kendo about 2 months ago and was wondering, does it hurt when you get hit in men/kote/do? How big of a difference does quality of bogu make? Do most experienced kendoka strike pretty hard?

It occurred to me that I've been wailing pretty hard (really hard) on the sensei's/sempai's during drills. I just assumed that they didn't feel it at all, but it dawned on me that that can't possibly be true. I've no doubt they can all take it, and none of them have said anything, but maybe they'll be full of vengeance when I get into bogu in a couple months?

[1prettygirl]

I want to know too, it seems that I hit hard like most beginners. Going to get my first bogu tomorrow, lol I wonder if my sempais are going to have a field day of hitting me?

[zaemon]

It hurts plenty so you should go easy until you are confident that you are striking the target accurately. Especially with women and children. An inaccurate strike causes much painful brusing.

[vyung]

They are several possibilities why you are hurting so much when receiving a strike. It could be:

* Inappropriately fitted bogu
* Worn-out bogu or bogu with inadequate padding
* Incorrect receiving posture. e.g. head leaning forward when receiving the men cut
* Hard-hitting opponents with incorrect use of tenouchi

If you have checked the first 3 points and the bogu and your receiving postures are fine, you should not feel any pain or get hurt if the strike landed perfectly on the targets. You should be able to feel that you have been 'cut', but you should not feel any pain. The padding in the bogu should absorb and disperse the striking force over a large area, so the feeling is like having something momentarily compressing on you over a large area, instead of a pin-point blunt force.

The only exception is when you face against hard-hitting opponents with incorrect use of tenouchi.

[Kent Enfield]

The only exception is when you face against hard-hitting opponents with incorrect use of tenouchi.What about hard-hitting opponents with correct use of tenouchi?

Some people strike correctly but still significantly harder than others. If you're getting concussions or huge welts through your bogu (and the bogu is not the problem) that's one thing, but a strike that stings a bit is another.

[Manuka]

Accurate hits rarely hurt.

It is the inaccurate hits-
The armpit, hip, or small of the back, Do
The inside elbow kote
The back of the head Men (as aite passes through)

Yes one does feel the club of the baseball men, but with well fitting equipment the impact is distributed and not really painful. Of course one does not want to receive the club for long.

[Toecutter]

It occurred to me that I've been wailing pretty hard (really hard) on the sensei's/sempai's during drills. I just assumed that they didn't feel it at all, but it dawned on me that that can't possibly be true. I've no doubt they can all take it, and none of them have said anything, but maybe they'll be full of vengeance when I get into bogu in a couple months?
The object should be to make a nice clean cut, not to lumber jack or swing with all your might. It never feels good to get hit like that, the cuts should be controlled not swung like a bat. Just remember when you get into bogu they get to hit you back and you most certainly feel it, the padding is only so thick. The best thing to do is ask, they'll be more than happy to tell you if they think you're hitting too hard.

[tango]

They are several possibilities why you are hurting so much when receiving a strike. It could be:

* Inappropriately fitted bogu
* Worn-out bogu or bogu with inadequate padding
* Incorrect receiving posture. e.g. head leaning forward when receiving the men cut
* Hard-hitting opponents with incorrect use of tenouchi

If you have checked the first 3 points and the bogu and your receiving postures are fine, you should not feel any pain or get hurt if the strike landed perfectly on the targets. You should be able to feel that you have been 'cut', but you should not feel any pain. The padding in the bogu should absorb and disperse the striking force over a large area, so the feeling is like having something momentarily compressing on you over a large area, instead of a pin-point blunt force.

The only exception is when you face against hard-hitting opponents with incorrect use of tenouchi.


good answer....

[tango]

my only addition to this is that a strike to the dou only really hurts when the target is missed.

THAT smarts. Bad. But, in my experience, the stinging sharpness of the miss goes away fairly quickly.

A miss to the kote can hurt, too. But I've been hit on the high forearm so much that it no longer bothers me.


...then again, this is all a little off-topic..

[jjcruiser]

Forgive a beginner for an obvious question, but I just started Kendo about 2 months ago and was wondering, does it hurt when you get hit in men/kote/do? How big of a difference does quality of bogu make? Do most experienced kendoka strike pretty hard?

Experienced people are better able to answer this I think but maybe my beginner's perspective will be useful.

Our sensei strikes in a way that is hard and solid but doesn't hurt. I suspect that is because he is doing it correctly. I always know I'm getting hit by him but I never feel like I get a headache or woozy. Some others, even other experienced people, are more random. Sometimes I can't tell I got hit, and other times it really hurts or even staggers me a little for men hits. I'm a beginner, but my guess is that this is more a control issue by your opponent than anything you can do about it. In other words, if they do it right, it shouldn't hurt, but not everyone does it right all the time. And strength/skill doesn't = more pain. Actually, it's, as you note here, the beginners that hurt me more. I should also note, sometimes s___ just happens. You are moving at the same time as your opponent and they try debana and you twist a little and instead of them getting your kote they get your funny bone. It's not cribbage, eh?


It occurred to me that I've been wailing pretty hard (really hard) on the sensei's/sempai's during drills. I just assumed that they didn't feel it at all, but it dawned on me that that can't possibly be true. I've no doubt they can all take it, and none of them have said anything, but maybe they'll be full of vengeance when I get into bogu in a couple months?

I hope (and do not doubt) that vengeance won't be a part of it, but at least for me, I didn't fully understand until I was being hit why it's so important not to drive the shinai through the aite's head with my right arm. My experience was that I was just focusing on trying to hit as accurately and fast/hard as I could. I regret that now. Now I am learning better that it's better to be too slow but do it correctly. I'm sure I'm still doing it wrong and hope I'm improving, but either way I definitely became a lot more deliberate about extending out rather than cutting down once I started getting hit.

[JoDuncan]

I want to know too, it seems that I hit hard like most beginners. Going to get my first bogu tomorrow, lol I wonder if my sempais are going to have a field day of hitting me?

Your sempai really shouldn't have a "field day"... but you will get hit and hopefully, they will be practiced enough to not hurt you when they hit you. You on the otherhand will most certainly hurt the people you practice with and the people of your level will hurt you occasionally.... we do hit each other with sticks and no one is really that good and also, when you go into bogu, for the first while you might find you hold youself funnily (like diping your head) and that can cause someone to hit the wrong place.

All part of the fun. It's never that bad and if it actually hurts hurts, like proper, like when you step on an upturned plug or when you bang your head on a cupboard door... then stop; something is wrong! ;)

Have fun.

[Mokujin77]

All part of the fun. It's never that bad and if it actually hurts hurts, like proper, like when you step on an upturned plug or when you bang your head on a cupboard door... then stop; something is wrong! ;)


Ha ha, quality! :D

[instant1592]

wait really, it really shouldn't hurt if u have good quality equipment? cuz it hurts alot wen i get hit on my kote. i assumed it was natural since theres not too much padding on it. it doesnt hurt on the do and men but on the kote is seriosuly numbs my forearm

[JoDuncan]

If it hurts a lot then ask them to go a bit softer or higher.... maybe they are just hard hitters?

[jjcruiser]

wait really, it really shouldn't hurt if u have good quality equipment? cuz it hurts alot wen i get hit on my kote. i assumed it was natural since theres not too much padding on it. it doesnt hurt on the do and men but on the kote is seriosuly numbs my forearm

Do you have a wrist protector? Maybe invest in one?

[bravo22]

Forgive a beginner for an obvious question, but I just started Kendo about 2 months ago and was wondering, does it hurt when you get hit in men/kote/do? How big of a difference does quality of bogu make? Do most experienced kendoka strike pretty hard?



They feel like rainbows and puppy dog kisses.
















made of bamboo
















traveling at several hundred feet per second

[Exia00]

My sempai was practising kaishi/nuki dou on me pre-training. He missed a couple of times... and by a couple I mean a lot. XD
I figured; be a good motodatchi, etc. Take the pain.

And then, come jigeiko. Hiki-dou around my ribs..and my hip where my sempai constantly assaulted me. XD
It got bruised needless to say. I got a handstitched bogu, pretty good value for money, but quality doesn't do anything when they constantly hit the same place over and over again. ;o

[Bucho]

Question, did you do this: http://www.chibabogu.com/catalog/information.php?info_id=14 (http://www.chibabogu.com/catalog/information.php?info_id=14)


Kote can definitely hurt if you get lumber jacked or hit in the same place a whole lot. But if you get hit right in the joint between the fist and forearm where there isn't any padding, it’s going to hurt every time. If the problem is that your getting hit in that unpadded area then following the tutorial to make that joint smaller will help. If it’s from the other reasons, this works like a charm:
http://www.e-bogu.com/Wrist_Protector_p/hir-pro-wrist-.htm

[Sandra S]

How big of a difference does quality of bogu make?

The quality of the equipment does makes a difference, I have tried low-quality 6mm club armours, and yes, I did feel the men and kote strikes harder than with my own 3mm bogu. But no need to go for a really high quality, a good quality one will do.

Beginners do have a tendency to strike too hard. There is often poor shibori (the wringing-a-towel movement with the hands that stops the cut). Sometimes in kote, if their opponent manages to evade the strike their shinai may end up hitting the floor meaning they cut all the way down and didn't even try to stop the cut slightly below the desired target. If you add to this a poor posture - many beginners will lean their back forwards as they cut, which makes the cut feel even harder, or use their right arm too much adding extra strenght - then you can have a very lethal kote (senpai=:ko:), but also a totally uselless one as you will be off-balance and if you miss your opponent you won't be able to easily react if he counter-attacks.


Do most experienced kendoka strike pretty hard?
Experienced kendoka don't strike very very hard, they just use the right amount of strenght to make an effective cut, but they keep things under control and do not use more strenght than what is necessary. It's like jjcruiser says:

Our sensei strikes in a way that is hard and solid but doesn't hurt.

It is not the experienced kendoka I fear, it's beginners.:nervous: Especially when they've done about six months of training and start getting confortable about the moves and going for it, but often missing the targets (luckly, this is just a phase and as people progress they become more accurate). What really hurts in kendo is not so much the strikes on the protected areas, it is the occasional strikes that miss the protections.

Beginners do have a tendency to go for dou when you haven't even raised your arms and shown a dou oppening, so the shinai will often land on our right arm, often causing bruises.
But nothing compared with when the shinai hits that little nerve on the elbow that sends out like an electric shock to your body (elbow protectors do exist).
Being a 5ft 3 female, one of my favourites is also when guys fail to re-adjust the height difference and end up doing dou on my breasts (when I didn't have a properly fitting dou) or armpits. But it can be equally annoying when they became so scared about hitting females on the breasts that they don't hit at all. It is equally bad if you strike so gently that it becomes unrealistic.


It occurred to me that I've been wailing pretty hard (really hard) on the sensei's/sempai's during drills. I just assumed that they didn't feel it at all, but it dawned on me that that can't possibly be true. I've no doubt they can all take it, and none of them have said anything, but maybe they'll be full of vengeance when I get into bogu in a couple months?
Don't worry, usually nobody says anything and they will usually continue smiling (unless they are under excruciating pain, then they may frown for a few seconds before being able to resume what they where doing :grin:). It is unlikely your seniors will take out any vengeance on you: we have all been there. I am not writing this to pick on beginners, I've been there, I've done it too, I am still doing it....

You'll never be able to pay back your senpais for their patience, but some day it will be your turn to instruct beginners: be patient with their mistakes (and excessive use of strenght) as well. :wink:

[Tanukisan]

Quote: "You'll never be able to pay back your senpais for their patience, but some day it will be your turn to instruct beginners: be patient with their mistakes (and excessive use of strength) as well."
I am one of those 6 month beginners & I know that I am very, very greatfull of my Sempai's patience & fortitude which they exhibit while being "hacked" at by myself & my fellow beginner Kendoka (there are 13 of us in my intake:eek:) I now know that some of my earlier attempts at Kote must have really hurt, let alone my clumsy, skull jarring attempts at Men cuts.....:disapp:
I hope that I too will be able to exhibit the same level of fortitude & bearing when it is my turn to be a good motodatchi for our clubs future new beginners.:smiley:

[CH0ZEN]

As many have already stated, the amount of pain you feel when being hit in kendo depends on who's doing the hitting. Most hits from your sensei won't hurt, but you will feel a distinct slap/snap type hit when they strike using tenouchi. It actually hurts when you get hit by adult beginners who use more right hand than anything else.

[Exia00]

Hurts most when someone suggests for randoms to hit you while ur in bogu advertising for the club. Axe men chops = ouchie.

[Angel_Of_Music]

Hurts most when someone suggests for randoms to hit you while ur in bogu advertising for the club. Axe men chops = ouchie.

Some sacrifices you have to make at times! :p

[MartialArtsGirl]

Accurate hits rarely hurt.

It is the inaccurate hits-
The armpit, hip, or small of the back, Do
The inside elbow kote
The back of the head Men (as aite passes through)

Yes one does feel the club of the baseball men, but with well fitting equipment the impact is distributed and not really painful. Of course one does not want to receive the club for long.

So its NOT normal that I was getting a headache after getting hit in men several times??

[Toecutter]

No that's not normal at all, ask your sensei about it, make sure your men fits correctly as well and ask him her to check it.

[ArcticBlizzard]

So its NOT normal that I was getting a headache after getting hit in men several times??

You could also try a Men Protector, it softens the blow a little.

[b8amack]

Forgive a beginner for an obvious question, but I just started Kendo about 2 months ago and was wondering, does it hurt when you get hit in men/kote/do? How big of a difference does quality of bogu make? Do most experienced kendoka strike pretty hard?

It occurred to me that I've been wailing pretty hard (really hard) on the sensei's/sempai's during drills. I just assumed that they didn't feel it at all, but it dawned on me that that can't possibly be true. I've no doubt they can all take it, and none of them have said anything, but maybe they'll be full of vengeance when I get into bogu in a couple months?

Sounds like you've been wailing on people and now you're afraid of getting your comeuppance. I'm shocked your were allowed to strike real opponents after only two months, though.

[Budo Angel]

It is the inaccurate hits
As Manuka points out...two key things.

It CAN hurt when people miss - operative word being "can" - people who hit too hard per se, really hurt when they miss on all the said points.


quality of the equipment does makes a difference
Your bogu (as mentioned earlier in the answers) can also go part way to an explanation... a cheap set, or club set, will not match the better sets which are better for "missed hits" or heavy hitters :cry:.

Lastly, the bane of all bogu techniques against you - hard hitters who mistake the shinai for a baseball bat - armour of a rhino or not. That is something dojo seniors, sempai & sensei need to address in the 'accused' student, doing the 'alleged' bashing & smashing.

If there were no inaccurate hits ever, or rather only light hitting, you probably wouldn't even need bogu (wry comment guys, not literal, so don't jump down my throat :surprise:)

As to "normal" - I'd ask, since when is a hobby being in armour normal ?! :D

[jjcruiser]

So its NOT normal that I was getting a headache after getting hit in men several times??

Headaches are actually my least favorite thing about Kendo, but I'm not sure how normal they are or not. More often than not I have a headache after practice, but I've only rarely been able to eliminate all the other variables; i.e., being tired, not having enough caffeine (b/c it dehydrates you and I avoid it on Kendo-days), being dehydrated because I didn't drink enough water, having my inner ear weirded out because I didn't pull the flaps out enough, or having the himo tied in the wrong places such that it cuts off circulation. Any one of those things can give me a mild headache, in combination, a little more than mild.

A few times I've known I had a headache from being hit rather than those other things, but that's rarer. If you can definitely eliminate all of those potential issues, plus others I may not be aware of, and you are still getting headaches, something's wrong -- make sure your head is rotated all the way forward in the men so that it's snug against your forehead and chin, don't bend over to receive or when you hit; and definitely get a men pad.

[still learning]

....... it hurts alot wen i get hit on my kote. ........ on the kote is seriosuly numbs my forearm

This is probably because they have known you long enough to DECIDE to hurt you, puppy.

[chrisw]

Has bogu changed much through the years? I would have thought that nowadays one could design a men that dissipated forces so well that even with the hardest of men strikes, one would feel close to nothing. Imagine being walloped by gorilla newbies with wrong technique and still feel no pain. I'll gladly volunteer to be motodachi anytime.

Regarding noobs and striking too hard, most of the beginners in my class including myself show restraint when striking. We don't seem to strike very hard. Is this a good thing or bad thing? I can't speak for others but ever since I started, I never saw the need to strike hard. Why use more force than necessary?

[b8amack]

It's more a technique issue than a force issue. Newbies usually hit:

A) Too close, so they're hitting with the middle (sometimes it seems almost up to the tsuba!) of the shinai.

B) With too much follow-through, which is of course a harder blow

C) With nearly all their power in their right arm (which, combined with a and b, hurts a lot more)

It's not like it's unbearable pain or anything, though. It just can get pretty jarring.

[atgm]

Hurts more for me when they smack the top of my mengane really hard. Or if they come in at an angle and whack my ear.

[Omnis]

It really stings the top of your head when people mistakenly slide their right hand down the tsuka when they swing.

[Budo Angel]

being walloped by gorilla newbies
Regarding noobs and striking too hard
...ahem...so wots the excuse for 4, 5 or 6 dans wallopping then ? :hurt: actually there isn't any, but at least you can stop them mid fight and politely say "you should know better" :disapp: no wonder the newbies are following that lead...sorry, experience speaking of being on the 'wrong end of the sitck' (literally):mad: used to be in heaven when folks hit with some control & lightly...*laugh* its possible guys !! :wink:

[chrisw]

...ahem...so wots the excuse for 4, 5 or 6 dans wallopping then ?

Crikey, they still do?? Intentionally I hope.

In one of my earlier lessons, I happened to catch sight of a fellow beginner perform a rather heavy wallop on a sempai's men. I noticed a distinctly large depression on top of the men as the shinai drove down with tremendous force. I couldn't see the sempai's face behind the men-gane but I did notice a momentary freezing in body motion - sort of like a stunned, deer-in-lights, head-in-a-daze thing. I think that was what prompted me to show a little more restraint when striking.

[jjcruiser]

I think that was what prompted me to show a little more restraint when striking.

When we do suburi men-uchi, we control the cut so that it stops at approximately men-height, extending out, not driving down. From what I have been told and read, that is how it should be whether there is a physical target or not. This whole discussion of seniors hitting hard or beginners hitting hard is interesting to me because I don't know anyone who cuts through to the floor when they are doing suburi, so why do they do that when they are cutting an aite? It seems like that must be because they are beginners and get overly hyped and excited to cut fast/strong but forget to use don't have proper control, or because they are more experienced and are doing it on purpose. I don't have any comment to the experienced people doing that, though I hope when I'm experienced I'm not one of them, but to the other beginners, I will offer what I have been told and try to work on, which is to remember that your cut is the same whether there's a target or not. Don't rely on the opponent to stop your cut -- that's your job, not theirs.

[Angel_Of_Music]

Crikey, they still do?? Intentionally I hope.

In one of my earlier lessons, I happened to catch sight of a fellow beginner perform a rather heavy wallop on a sempai's men. I noticed a distinctly large depression on top of the men as the shinai drove down with tremendous force. I couldn't see the sempai's face behind the men-gane but I did notice a momentary freezing in body motion - sort of like a stunned, deer-in-lights, head-in-a-daze thing. I think that was what prompted me to show a little more restraint when striking.

No wonder my sempai had rather black looks on them after trying out a few men cuts! :o

[chrisw]

When we do suburi men-uchi, we control the cut so that it stops at approximately men-height, extending out, not driving down.

I heard that when striking men, one should use enough force to cut down to the shoulder level; because that is all that is necessary to disable an adversary in real-life combat with a katana. I do not know the legitimacy of this.

[b8amack]

I heard that when striking men, one should use enough force to cut down to the shoulder level; because that is all that is necessary to disable an adversary in real-life combat with a katana. I do not know the legitimacy of this.

You're practicing control, not trying to kill someone. Cutting down to the shoulder is the problem with the guppies. Maybe someone higher up than me will come in and contradict me just to contradict me, but you should be learning to hit with control, which means the blade/bamboo should stop when you want it to. You don't need to be tapping people meekly on the men or kote, but you should not be hitting through after contact. And certainly not from head to shoulders.

[Anime12478]

You're practicing control, not trying to kill someone. Cutting down to the shoulder is the problem with the guppies. Maybe someone higher up than me will come in and contradict me just to contradict me, but you should be learning to hit with control, which means the blade/bamboo should stop when you want it to. You don't need to be tapping people meekly on the men or kote, but you should not be hitting through after contact. And certainly not from head to shoulders.
On that note, the problem with some beginners isn't that they are hitting to the shoulders, they just don't have the necessary control to make a correct hit. When they get the chance to swing and hit a real target, some get a little excited and think that they must give all their energy to the downward force of the swing.

I was told something similar, except you should be hitting to about the ear. The reasoning behind that wasn't really because it could kill a person when using a katana. Instead, I was told that it allows the attacker to make a slightly more powerful hit (without hurting the person of course). In my case, I was only thinking of the top of the men as the boundary, thus my hits tended to be on the weak side.

[b8amack]

Hitting off target is another problem, but it's an obvious one.

[atgm]

I'm hesistant to plunge in since I'm just a lowly mudansha, but...


One of my early problems was that I wasn't hitting hard enough for a long period of time. I was hitting the right place, I was following through, but I just wasn't hitting hard enough. A good hit is supposed to create a good, solid, audible "pop", according to my sensei. He said that without that pop, the chances that you'll get a point from a shinpan are greatly reduced.

So, he told me to pretend I was trying to cut through the opponent's head, which seems to work with either the ears or shoulders comments.

When we do suburi, some of them we cut to men height, but others we cut lower so that our arms/wrists don't get used to automatically stopping at a certain height. That's a big problem since we fight people vastly different heights...

[yoda-waza]

I heard that when striking men, one should use enough force to cut down to the shoulder level; because that is all that is necessary to disable an adversary in real-life combat with a katana. I do not know the legitimacy of this.

One of the Japanese 8-dan sensei at our annual kendo camp a couple of years ago mentioned the men strike is not so much about disabling your opponent as it is about controlling your power to deliver a perfect cut. His suburi demonstrated a slight "bounce back" at the tip of the shinai - that is, the tip traveled down perhaps 4 or 5 inches below the top of the strike but tenouchi resulted in wringing the tip back up instantaneously. This kind of controlled cut delivers a focused power that you can clearly see in slow motion videos where the shinai's monouchi bends over the men when striking.

[Angel_Of_Music]

I did hit my sempai in bōgu a few times, but always I've been told not to be too soft, and to use a little more force. No matter how hard I hit, it doesn't seem hard enough for the sempai who are watching me.

Can't say the same for the sempai I am hitting though! :o

[SanguineKendoka]

I'm looking into buying my own kote. The club armour I was given is fine for men, dou and tare (you know when you've been hit, but it doesn't hurt) but the right kote is quite worn down and I've been getting a weak wrist for a few days after practice.

[b8amack]

I just couldn't use club bogu. I used club equipment back in uni when I used to fence, and some of it was just so rank. I don't mind the stank of my own bogu (my wife feels differently) but I don't even want to imagine club bogu.

[48thRonin]

That would be like wearing someone else's hockey equipment. :gasmask:

The first time I received men I was mostly surprised at how loud it was.
I really don't like how that sounds.

[Tort-Speed]

Though my own kote, my right wrist used to get beat up til noticing others including a Sensei, sometimes wore a form of protector on that wrist. I
started using a thick tennis sweat band. Sometimes changing one's "kamae" can help unless doing basics when you have to receive strike. If the pain is nearly disabling, moving the swordguard ever so slightly to the right when a hit's coming can deflect but depends on timing, and the situation...the hitter may get mad if it's for practicing not actual fighting. I used to rub in (Indonesian?) nutmeg oil after practice, which reduced the red and purple bruising 80%.

[Angel_Of_Music]

That would be like wearing someone else's hockey equipment. :gasmask:

The first time I received men I was mostly surprised at how loud it was.
I really don't like how that sounds.

That happened to me too, when I first started it wearing a week ago (not yet permanent, but soon).

I guess its because our ears are pressed against the inner sides of the men, so when the shinai strikes the men, sound waves travel through to the ear, the same way is sound is conducted by bone in the human skull (which is why when we block our ears, we can still hear some sound).

[Angel_Of_Music]

Though my own kote, my right wrist used to get beat up til noticing others including a Sensei, sometimes wore a form of protector on that wrist. I
started using a thick tennis sweat band. Sometimes changing one's "kamae" can help unless doing basics when you have to receive strike. If the pain is nearly disabling, moving the swordguard ever so slightly to the right when a hit's coming can deflect but depends on timing, and the situation...the hitter may get mad if it's for practicing not actual fighting. I used to rub in (Indonesian?) nutmeg oil after practice, which reduced the red and purple bruising 80%.

Could it be the position at which you held out your wrist? During kote practice, a sempai told me that hold the shinai at too low a level, and you risk being hit closer or on the fist itself, which can be painful.

Just a thought.

[jjcruiser]

That happened to me too, when I first started it wearing a week ago (not yet permanent, but soon).

I guess its because our ears are pressed against the inner sides of the men, so when the shinai strikes the men, sound waves travel through to the ear, the same way is sound is conducted by bone in the human skull (which is why when we block our ears, we can still hear some sound).

If you don't already know, ask your sempai/sensei how to pull the flaps out away from your ears to minimize this problem. It won't fix it 100% (at least it doesn't for me) but it makes a big difference.

[Angel_Of_Music]

If you don't already know, ask your sempai/sensei how to pull the flaps out away from your ears to minimize this problem. It won't fix it 100% (at least it doesn't for me) but it makes a big difference.

I did try it, but I was a little afraid of making the men too loose for my head.

It wasn't that painful though, and after a few practice men strikes on my men, I got kind of used to it. :)

[LarsCW]

Sofar the worst hits that I have gotten were:

-elbow bash because the guy thought he could hit me hard enough so next time I might move my arm up.

-chopper hit on the side of my men during kiri.

-nipple doh

-kote bashing I understood that if oyu don't turn in the kote enough when being motodashi that you'll end up with bruised wrists and basicly by using the kote correctly alot of harm is prevented. Do I still feel it? Yes, the only way not to feel it might be if you put matrasses on your wrists. I do wonder how this would look though

[Angel_Of_Music]

-nipple doh


That term had me laughing to tears!! :laugh:

[LarsCW]

That term had me laughing to tears!! :laugh:

It hurts like hell and made me wanna kill him

[samurai80]

Sofar the worst hits that I have gotten were:

-elbow bash because the guy thought he could hit me hard enough so next time I might move my arm up.

-chopper hit on the side of my men during kiri.

-nipple doh

-kote bashing I understood that if oyu don't turn in the kote enough when being motodashi that you'll end up with bruised wrists and basicly by using the kote correctly alot of harm is prevented. Do I still feel it? Yes, the only way not to feel it might be if you put matrasses on your wrists. I do wonder how this would look though

Ear shot. Ear shot is the worst by far. Unfortunately, I've experienced that one several times.

The do that doesn't quite go high enough for do...or your hips...but more a direct hit to your junk. Had it happen twice now.

Left kote. Right kote hurt when I first started...untill all my nerves were destroyed, now it feels like magic. Left kote comes up every once in a while for kote kiri kaeshi, and it feels less like magic, and more like your wrist is being beaten by four staves of bamboo tied together. Imagine that.

[Angel_Of_Music]

I'm not sure if it's right to assume this, but wouldn't most senior kendōka be used to it by now?

Just a thought! :o

[b8amack]

I don't understand how nipple do is even possible. That must have been a poorly tied do.

[xvikingx]

Ear shot. Ear shot is the worst by far.
Not to mention dangerous. I know a sensei who is deaf in one ear from that.

[Alison2805]

By far the worst Ive ever had was someone attempting to hit men on me during zanshin - SMACK on the back of the head. OWOWOWOW.... It was my turn to shimpan after that and I had to keep asking the guys in the shiai who had how many points..... uuughhhh.... good thing it was just an informal training shiai.

I have to admit, I have been the applier of many misplaced do cuts that may have hit peoples goolies, or at least scared the bejeezes out of my poor male jigeiko partners. Its never on purpose, I always apologise, try not to laugh, and try not to do it again.....

[Geordie Bruiser]

By far the worst Ive ever had was someone attempting to hit men on me during zanshin - SMACK on the back of the head. OWOWOWOW

This happens to me quite often, there is someone who I train with on occasion who does this all the time.
Doesn't bother me, in fact I find it very amusing that they have to do this.

But it is very dangerous and someone could get really hurt!!!

[Geordie Bruiser]

nipple doh

About a month ago was doing some practice shiai and I went for gyaku do and as I stepped forward I slipped slightly. I ended up hitting my opponent in their meat and 2 veg!!!

Ooooopppppsssssss!

Felt awful about it but thankfully he was ok and we kept training.

[Angel_Of_Music]

I ended up hitting my opponent in their meat and 2 veg!!!

You mean their Brussels Sprouts? :cheeky: