My Hakama Keeps falling off!

[Hattori Hanzo]

talk about frustrating, unfortunatly my hakama doesn't have enough to wrap around twice from the front and in the middle of class they keep falling off, kinda an embarassing question but does anybody have any suggestions or tricks to remedy this? I know that I am tying it correctly.

[hyouriittai]

I think y'just gotta keep trying to tie it tight. Mine used to begin slipping from the back, especially in iai when you're on your knees alot. Wearing an obi underneath helps, if it's not too bulky like some judo or karate obi.

[Andoy]

talk about frustrating, unfortunatly my hakama doesn't have enough to wrap around twice from the front and in the middle of class they keep falling off, kinda an embarassing question but does anybody have any suggestions or tricks to remedy this? I know that I am tying it correctly.
Buy a bigger Hakama

[Ralutin]

talk about frustrating, unfortunatly my hakama doesn't have enough to wrap around twice from the front and in the middle of class they keep falling off, kinda an embarassing question but does anybody have any suggestions or tricks to remedy this? I know that I am tying it correctly.

Hi "Hattori Hanzo,"

Aside from buying a new hakama with longer obi (hakama straps), the only thing I would suggest is tying the obi around you as tightly as you possibly can. Then take in a DEEP breath and pull them even TIGHTER :confused2. As you have already seen, your obi will loosen as you progress through your practice session. So, if you tie your hakama just a little tighter than you're comfortable with at the beginning, the laws of entropy and thermodynamics will take over and bring your hakama to a lower and more comfortable energy level without falling off :robot: . Of course, asking your sensei or another senior student wouldn't hurt, either.

I hope this helps.

[Hattori Hanzo]

Yeah thanks for the advice guy that helps a good bit I will try to tie it so that it is uncomfortable and hope that helps out. Just gets to be a nuisance always retying.

[Neil Gendzwill]

If the straps are too short, buy some material and lengthen them.

[Migoto]

You must meditate long and hard to end your deep seeded desire to expose yourself. For as long as you have your desire to expose yourself you hakama will fall off.



Just kidding.



You can sew a button on the front and back of your kendogi to hang the loops from the inside of your hakama on. This is a good solution to the slipping hakama and is pretty comfortable when compared to not being able to use your diaphragm. It is very important to use your diaphragm in kendo.

Good luck.

[nodachi]

"Then take in a DEEP breath and pull them even TIGHTER"


Not trying to be annoying, but if you want to tie it tighter, you should tie it up AFTER exhaling. If you do it after inhaling, your hakama will only be looser when you exhale.

Not trying to be annoying, but wouldn't want the hakama to instantly fall off after you breathe out.

[JimB]

talk about frustrating, unfortunatly my hakama doesn't have enough to wrap around twice from the front and in the middle of class they keep falling off, kinda an embarassing question but does anybody have any suggestions or tricks to remedy this? I know that I am tying it correctly.
I have this problem also, I was told by my sempai that a size #6 keikogi a size #28 hakama would fit well for me as we wear almost same size clothing. The keikogi fits great but the hakama has the same issues you describe in your post. If I purchase the next size up (#29 or #30) I assume the length of the hakama will increase along with the obi length, am I right? At this point the length of the hakama is just right but I can't wrap the obi around twice and tie it firmly to save my life. I have recently lost a lot of weight (350lbs. to 270lbs.) and with the workout I am getting from Kendo I'm sure that I will lose even more, but I don't want to buy a new hakama if the length increases as well as the obi length. What should I do besides burn more calories? :)

[Neil Gendzwill]

What should I do besides burn more calories? :)
Uhm, eat less? But you already know this as you have had good success already - congratulations!

Anyways, as I said above simply buy some material in a similar colour and extend the straps by sewing more on. If you don't have access to a sewing machine, any good seamstress could do this for a nominal charge.

[JimB]

What about putting velcro on the obi rather than having the obi extended? Is this bad form or has anyone else tried this? The idea of having a tailor to lengthen the obi is a good one and possibly a better alternative than using velcro or an Atkin's diet. :)

On another note, does anyone know how many calories you burn in a typical Kendo class? I would be interested to know the number of calories expended in comparison to other activities.

[Gohanssj]

Were lucky, one of the instructors at or dojo his wife makes traditional japanese clothing and mainly hakamas so we all get profesionally made custom hakamas at like 40% of the price than in the stores. umm if your having trouble putting it on, get a bigger one? or no offence but do you like, do excercises and stretches each morning, i have been and ive lost about 6 kg in a week, thats about 3 lbs.

[Neil Gendzwill]

6 kg is 13 lbs, not 3. If you've lost that much weight in a week, you've lost mostly water and/or (eww factor ahead) changed your bowel composition. It's unlikely you'll keep up that pace, if you do you may have some health issues.

Healthy diet/exercise programs typically result in a loss of 1-2 lbs (0.5-1 kg) per week, with the odd week as high as 5 lbs (2.3 kg).

[Gohanssj]

lol oh yeah i forgot im a bit tired right now. yeah ive lost that much in a week lol. no i dont have health issues, even one of the instructors in my class lost 5 kg in his first class, all i have done is cut out the soft drinks, and started eating properly, plus ive been excersising alot, not too much, and i feel great :) and its not a program i just did it all myself.

[Hai_hai]

talk about frustrating, unfortunatly my hakama doesn't have enough to wrap around twice from the front and in the middle of class they keep falling off, kinda an embarassing question but does anybody have any suggestions or tricks to remedy this? I know that I am tying it correctly.

Hakama straps are pretty long. I don't know how you are going to get into bogu.

[Hattori Hanzo]

The general consensus of those in my class were that the straps were really short, guess you get what you pay for.

[Gohanssj]

yea probably do, you should get somone to make the straps longer.

[nodaka]

hello hatori, you do not need to tie your hakama so much. go and get yourself a regular martial arts obi (belt) put on to hold your top closed, now tie the rear ties three times around to the front and tie that under the belt you put on. now bring the front lapell and front ties of hte hakama in and under the belt. now take the two front ties that you brought under the obi, bring those back and front and tie your hakama. this will keep it from falling. i hope this helps. it is how i wear mine everyday for kendo akido and jujitsu.
good lock.

[itachi]

get a velcro
Korean made hakamas have velcros, so i think its okay to use it.

[Andoru]

I thought that clothing "short cuts" like velcro and do buttons are frowned upon?

[not-I]

I thought that clothing "short cuts" like velcro and do buttons are frowned upon?
They certainly are, especially by traditionalists, i.e. the majority of kendoka. "Dressing to kill," properly ironing your hakama, tying all your himo correctly, not having creases on the back of your keiko-gi, all this is a major part of kendo too.

Try tying the hakama tighter after breathing out from your belly (your diaphram should be flexed while practicing most of the time anyway). It worked for me when first got my outfit and experienced "slippage." And if the hakama straps are too short, extending them would be the best solution.

[Bleda]

If you buy a hakama from bogubag.com they actually will give you longer himo (straps/string are himo, obi is a belt :wink: ) for free if you ask for them. If thats not an option then you may need to just make the himo longer by attatching more material to them.

[Hattori Hanzo]

Actually I figured out what was up you pull it tight before you even loop it at the front seems to work well.

[Musha]

i.e. the majority of kendoka. "Dressing to kill," properly ironing your hakama, tying all your himo correctly, not having creases on the back of your keiko-gi, all this is a major part of kendo too.

Do people iron there Hakama? I have been trying to work out if Japan has irons before the 1900s. I used to iron my Hakama but since I saw a photo of Nakayama hakudo and Takano saburo doing Kendo kata in the 1930s, with creased Hakama. I found that if you folded it correctly it would not get crumpled in the wrong places :happy:.

[not-I]

I found that if you folded [the hakama] correctly it would not get crumpled in the wrong places :happy:.
But only if you never wash it. :confused2

There's also no historical "excuse" for sloppiness. Clothes irons have been around ever since high civilizations got fashion conscious. The ancient Greeks and Romans liked the crisp pleats in their togas just as much as the medieval Japanese did in their trousers. But if you've set your heart on historical authenticity, you won't want to use an electric iron. Try heating up a metal rolling pin or a fill a metal box with hot coals. Be sure you have some wooden handles attached. :evil:

[Musha]

It is not sloppy if you spend about 1/2 an hour smoothing straitening and folding it :D. Hakama are not like trousers that look good with crisp pleats I think unless they get really messed up I will need to iron them but it looks much better to have a little life in them :). Although when I was in Japan one of the sensei hit a boy with a shinai because his Tenugui was like a rag. I don't think my sensei would do that but I don't like my clothing too messed up.

P.s I have an old 1900s iron. I don't think it would be easy to heat it on a gas fire though :).

[nodaka]

my friend do not kill yourself, go to a fabric shop, get some cotton/polyester, cut yourself some strips, make them nice and tight and saw them to your existing hakama straps. you will be good to go.

[Marine_Boy]

The only advice I can give is to not wear suspenders and stockings under your hakama when it does fall off.

Very shameful.

[nalogg]

"Then take in a DEEP breath and pull them even TIGHTER"


Not trying to be annoying, but if you want to tie it tighter, you should tie it up AFTER exhaling. If you do it after inhaling, your hakama will only be looser when you exhale.

Not trying to be annoying, but wouldn't want the hakama to instantly fall off after you breathe out.
This is only true if you've become accustomed to "belly breathing"
usually when you say "inhale" to someone they suck in and take a "chest breath" raising their shoulders.

but i see what you're saying
just gotta suck in that gut, tie it TIGHT and then relax