How do I stop my tenugui from slipping over my eyes?

[MiddleEarthNet]

I've trained in my men three times now and each my tenugui continually slips over my eyes. How do I stop this happening? It think it because when it is tied (as tight as I can) it is all ruffled up on top of my head and then the ruffles flatten out. Is there a trick to it I'm missing?

[Toecutter]

My first suggestion would be are you sure you're tying it tight? There seem to be about three general ways to tie it also so maybe try one of the alternates. Lastly just ask someone in your dojo or your sensei for any tips.

[jjcruiser]

In addition to making sure the tenugui is on correctly, are you sure your men is secured enough and not too large? Are you perhaps borrowing club bogu? Eventually, even if your tenugui is on tightly, if the men is too loose, it's going to rub against the tenugui and loosen that as well.

A trick to use in an "emergency" (short term -- long term you need to get the men and tenugui tightness straightened out) is when you have your men on if it is slipping into your eyes, reach back and pull the tenugui flap back down the back of your head towards your neck. This usually works for me, but I use the "teeth" method so I'm not sure whether it works for the standard method.

[Neil Gendzwill]

Slightly dampen your tenugui before class. This will let you tie it on more tightly and also give it a bit more friction to stay in place. And of course, check with your seniors that you are tying it correctly.

[KendoKidd]

I echo Neil's suggestion. Before practice I soak my tenugui completely, and gently wring out the excess water. Being wet (or I should say completely damp) lets me tie the tenugui tighter and also keeps my head cool once practice begings and I get all hot and sweaty.

Good luck.

[Big One]

Is your hair too buffy?

[Martch]

I suspect your head is too small for your tenegui. Try holding it under water for a minute or so before practice so it swells up and fills the gap. Alternatively a few well placed staples at the front and sides will hold it in place.

[Raffa]

Have you tried to use the "hat" tenugui wrapping method?
this method, along with the other two is linked here:
http://www.kendo-world.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-9882.html

[chrisw]

Can you substitute something like a sports bandana for a tenugui or is this strictly prohibited?

[dillon]

or try this (http://www.ninecircles.co.uk/product_details.asp?ProdID=83&CatID=64)

I've never seen anyone use one of these though. I suspect you'll get funny looks.

[MiddleEarthNet]

Thanks for your help. It is my own bogu, not borrowed. But I knew at the time of ordering I was right at the bottom end of the size range (I was only into the size range by 5mm) so I've got the padding at the top to fill up some space. This last session was the first I actually felt my men was secure (having figured out the way to avoid my bobble and ponytail). I'll dampening it.
The hat method, if no one else at my dojo does that, is it allowed?
When I ordered my bogu, I looked at that all one alternative. I quite like it but again no one at my dojo uses it.

[Bucho]

When I started wearing bogu my tenugui would eventually work it's way down into my eyes. I finally realized that the problem mostly stemmed from not getting my forehead all the way forward. Because of this the men would move back and forth slightly when I was hit and ratchet the tenugui forward. Fixing that along with getting better at tyeing my tenugui and having a better idea where to tie the men has greatly reduced the cumbersomeness of wearing a men. It took me a whole lot longer than three classes to get remotely comfortable with wearing my bogu and after two years I doubt it's on right just a whole lot better than it used to be.

[Raffa]

...
The hat method, if no one else at my dojo does that, is it allowed?
......
Usually is common alternative....however ask your sensei first, but i think that with 95% probability there will be no problem of sort in using the hat method.

[Maku-san]

or try this (http://www.ninecircles.co.uk/product_details.asp?ProdID=83&CatID=64)

I've never seen anyone use one of these though. I suspect you'll get funny looks.

Yeah... folks will be thinking that you're A: wearing a NBC (Nuclear, Biological, Chemical) suit or B: getting ready to spray-paint a car or house. :D

[SanguineKendoka]

Yeah... folks will be thinking that you're A: wearing a NBC (Nuclear, Biological, Chemical) suit or B: getting ready to spray-paint a car or house. :D

Or maybe that you've joined a convent.

Edit: The Order of Meek Kiai, the humble yet dangerous KendoNuns!

[Whitefire]

I think that the answer is practice.

I know its annoying, but its something that becomes easier the more you do it. Tenugui are not standard sizes, nor are heads.

I suspect that the problem as hinted at above may be in the men being too loose rather than the Tenugui.

[b8amack]

When you fold it, if you're making the little kendo sailor hat, make the space between the two overlapping arms smaller. If you're making the Kendo turban, then start higher up on your forehead, maybe, and make sure it's tight.

[sparky2488]

Which dojo you training at?

Ask the Sensei taking the course to show you again, or grab one of the others in the dojo who will happily show you ways to get around your "slippage" . . . I found the sailor hat method quick and easy to do, although I also found it gives you two points on the top of your head where you can get extra pressure from your men. Best is too ask though . . . As Whitefire said though, make sure your Men is tight as this will hold you all in place.

[Farncombe]

.....take a large rubber band

[MiddleEarthNet]

Well I've been trying out people's suggestions all weekend. Dampening my tenugui helped but didn't entirely stop the problem. I also found it uncomfortable and I'm not sure how training in a damp tenugui will affect my men/health over a longer period. the hat method seemed to work best, so at training tonight I'm going to ask if I can give that method a go.

[rottunpunk]

mine used to slip over the eyes
but i have a small head
so cutting a bit off helped a lot
:p

[Toecutter]

As Whitefire said above it's just a mater of finding the right size tenugui with the best way to tie it for your head size and shape. I'd say it took me a good 3-4 months to find the optimal tenugui size and way to tie it, it's just experimenting and practice. We still have a couple of guys at our dojo that after 6 or 7 months can't tie it, falls down over their eyes or its hanging 2/3 out the back of their men, so don't feel bad about it. Also I usually find it helps to have a good sweat going before I put on the tenugui if that doesn’t work as Neil said try to dampen it a little, you don’t have to add much water to make it hold better.

[b8amack]

Well I've been trying out people's suggestions all weekend. Dampening my tenugui helped but didn't entirely stop the problem. I also found it uncomfortable and I'm not sure how training in a damp tenugui will affect my men/health over a longer period. the hat method seemed to work best, so at training tonight I'm going to ask if I can give that method a go.

It'll be getting wet anyhow.

[CH0ZEN]

Stay home and practice doing it over and over. Soon, you'll be a pro and won't feel embarrassed by forcing your dojo mates to wait for you.

[MiddleEarthNet]

Well the hat method worked and it didn't slip over my eyes so that is good.

As for practicing - I definatly need to do that, I'm the slowest at tying the himo (but I've also been wearing bogu for the least amount of time).

[Tort-Speed]

Glad "hat" method is working. Of the other 2 ways (that's all I know of anyway, besides the pre-assembled "hat" style) to tie it, (1) to bring the ends from the back/alongside the ears, up to the front, cross them over & squeeze them in under the main part - for me, it tends to slip. But if I (2) hold with my mouth the bottom edge of the middle part, then pull the rest over my head (from front to back, which may "blind" you but thin tenugui can still be seen through) and cross the ends at the back of the head and bring them to the forehead and, there, tie them in a single knot, after which the part held between the lips is pulled over/on top of the tied place, it doesn't slip. For people with hair hanging on the forehead, when bringing the cloth up from the lip-holding area, that material goes under the hair or bangs/fringe, the hair acting
like a brace to hold the tenugui in place. (Tho, after keiko/removing the tenugui, the hair may stick up like a rooster's comb.)

About dampening it, some people only do the ends, to ensure they stay tucked in or knotted. One teacher would take a sip of water and spray it out mist-like onto the tenugui which he held in front of his face...being over 70, he was an expert so the cloth was slightly dampened.