Is getting hit in the head over and over really healthy?

[Heijoushin]

This rant is going to offend a few, which is why its here in the flames section.

So hey, feel free to call me a wuss, but I just gotta say, I've done several martial arts in my short life and among them, Kendo stands out as the most masocistic. This is the only martial art where you go out there to be whacked in the head over and over. Even with the helmet on, it bloodly hurts and one usually has a headache after training.
I'm okay with instructors that say 'if you don't defend properly, you deserve to get whacked', but here, you don't even get to defend most of the time, you just take it.

The point of this rant is: is kendo heathly long-term? Or do you end up like boxers, vaguely brain dead? Is it worth all the headaches?

[Cutie_honey]

It shouldnt hurt
If you are getting headaches, either your training partners are hitting too hard, your bogu is inadequate/ill fitting or you are putting your head in the wrong position to receive the cut.

[stealth_monkey]

If you're getting headaches after kendo, something is wrong. I'd suggest chatting to your sensei to see if it's caused by your opponents hitting too hard, or your men fitting incorrectly. If your sensei can't find any cause, I'd suggest getting a precautionary check by a doctor.

As for kendo itself, I consider Kendo and Iaido to be my "non-contact martial arts". Compared to say, kickboxing or judo, kendo is very very healthy indeed. Sure, it's no tai chi, but it'd be pretty hard to do yourself some major damage just through kendo alone. There's no definite cause to the damage boxers occaisonally experience in the long term, but studies generally suggest it's not limited to any particular area of the brain, making the downward men cut unlikely to do much damage if a reasonable level of force is applied

[Curtis]

All I have to say is, I've been doing kendo for 35 years and rarely have I had such a problem, usually the result of a beginner when I let them hit me. If they don't correct it after telling them I hit them back just as hard so they understand. Ends the problem right away.

Either you're doing something wrong, they're doing something or you have lousy armor. If it's a case of people just hitting too hard I hope I never go there for practice.

I am left to wonder if this is an AUSKF affiliated club.

[b8amack]

You don't get hit in the head. You get hit in an armoured helmet.

[nebosuke]

Ask my 89 year old sensei who still drives himself to the dojo 4 nights per week.

[Halcyon]

Even with the helmet on, it bloodly hurts and one usually has a headache after training.
As others have said, you shouldn't be getting headaches. I wonder whether you might be getting headaches because you're tying your men-himo in the wrong place. Some people get headaches because the side of their head and ears get squeezed when you tie your himo too low. If you're still getting headaches after tying the himo correctly, you should have a chat with your sensei about possible solutions -- extra men pad, not tilting your head forward, etc.

[silvana]

I agree with the above ... you shouldn't get headaches from kendo.

but then also I agree with you... I don't think getting hit on the head is healty.

the reason why? My ears start ringing and they start to sound like a bad old radio. but this can also be due to some other "ear-damaging activies". It is just what I noticed: since I have started wearing bogu I hear worser than before... Loud Kiais in the dojo could also have something to do with.
What I do against is that I try to minimize the occasions where I get hit on my head. Of course this does not work in Ji Geiko or in waza-practice but for example in kirikaeshi the nine sayu-men (correct?) I block them with my shinai and I recieve only the big straight ones with my men.
Yes I know I should check my ears :D

[tango]

It shouldnt hurt
If you are getting headaches, either your training partners are hitting too hard, your bogu is inadequate/ill fitting or you are putting your head in the wrong position to receive the cut.

...or some combination of all three of those...

[ShinKenshi]

Silvana, it might be wise to speak with your sensei and sempai about this. Ask them to examine how you tie your tenugui and men since this may be the root of the problem. I've noticed most ear problems stem from not opening the back of the men after tying your himo, having the himo cross over your ears, or not tying the himo tight enough. If all else fails and it is really bad, ask them about wearing ear plugs. Alternatively, try using some sort of hearing protection during your other "ear-damaging activities."

To the OP. Take a look at how long many hachidan sensei, as well as the surviving kyudan sensei, have practiced as well as their age. All who are still active are in tip-top mental condition and who knows how many countless men-uchi they're received over the years. If you're wearing your men correctly and you're receiving correctly, then you have nothing to worry about, save for the occasional sledgehammer kenshi.

[pgsmith]

Is getting hit in the head over and over really healthy?
Depends on where you're getting hit. If it's at a legitimate dojo, then it shouldn't have any effect on your health. If it's happening to you in bed, then I'm sure it's not healthy at all!

[yoda-waza]

Kendo...is the only martial art where you go out there to be whacked in the head over and over...
Is this really why we go out there? I'll add my experience to that of others who have replied: it shouldn't hurt (unless you are being clubbed by a newbie) and headaches are not usual (unless your equipment quality and/or partner's technique are the source.) I would not have stuck with kendo for these past twenty years if I thought brain injury was inevitable, as your unfortunate (perhaps short) experience has lead you to believe. Consult your sensei.

[silvana]

[QUOTE=ShinKenshi;437646]Silvana, it might be wise to speak with your sensei and sempai about this. Ask them to examine how you tie your tenugui and men since this may be the root of the problem. I've noticed most ear problems stem from not opening the back of the men after tying your himo, having the himo cross over your ears, or not tying the himo tight enough. If all else fails and it is really bad, ask them about wearing ear plugs. Alternatively, try using some sort of hearing protection during your other "ear-damaging activities."

QUOTE]

I bought a men pad and I had it on on my last training. The funny thing about is is that now the ringing has disappeared almost :) I don't know why but it seems to work for me.

[rfoxmich]

Uhm I don't think getting hit on the head in kendo has any uh...what was I saying? I forgot...I seem to be forgetting a lot of things lately. Oh yeah...that was it. I've been doing kendo for about..uh...well uhm... a long time..what was I about to say?
Oh well..I'll post later if I can remember the URL. :-D

Seriously. If a men pad helped It's possible your men is too small...that you are not tying it tightly enough to get the men buton off the to of your head, or that the people in your dojo are what we affectionately call "axe murderers" and not striking properly. Key point that has been raised: "Ask your sensei, senpai to look at your men after you put it on."

[dwez]

I think as kendoka we spend a lot of time in denial, I can't imagine repeatedly being hit on the head IS healthy whether it hurts or not. But how much damage it does is clearly relative. You probably lose the same amount of brain cells with a good hangover. But as you mention boxers there are plenty who have fulfilled their career without any ill-effect despite being hit regularly and there's clearly world-wide evidence to support that even 80 year olds have survived their kendo career with no problems.

And I think regardless of the quality of your armour there will be sometimes when being hit on the head really does hurt, be it a beginner not in armour who thinks you are tent peg [and you can't hit them as hard to illustrate the point] or when someone more experienced gets over exuberant or you move out of the way just before impact and maybe catches you on the wrong part of the men. Sometimes your teeth rattle, sometimes your ears ring and there's no other way to describe it, it hurts. That's occassionally though and there's plenty of other niggles and potential injuries because this is a full contact martial art, it's not badminton! Ultimately though it IS worth all the headaches and you put up with whatever pain comes with practice from the pain of exhaustion, failure, lack of progress, sprains, strains, knocks and bangs.

More of the same please!

[satsumaruma]

The answer is that it shouldnt be unhealthy but alas far too many kendoka in the west think hitting hard is a good thing.

I went to Wales recently and was talking to a chap who was into using the old fashioned War bow ( long bow). The thing that amazed me (and reflecting on this it shouldnt have really) was that he talked about how gently you need to be to draw the string back. Yes it takes a lot of strength but it is all from the lower body he told me; if you try and use too much upper body you get deformities of ths shoulders. And everything should be done as soft as possible.

I have done Judo, Aikido, jiuJitsu, kendo and iaido in my lifetime and every Sensei has exhorted the concept of softness.

I wonder when we in the west will grasp this concept?

[Wraith]

Does this mean you're always soft Sats?

[annoraderenart@]

Seriously. If a men pad helped It's possible your men is too small...that you are not tying it tightly enough to get the men buton off the to of your head, or that the people in your dojo are what we affectionately call "axe murderers" and not striking properly. Key point that has been raised: "Ask your sensei, senpai to look at your men after you put it on."

Axe murderes aka those who club baby seals or chop wood.

[ShinKenshi]

...or that the people in your dojo are what we affectionately call "axe murderers" and not striking properly.

Axe murderes aka those who club baby seals or chop wood.I remember two incidents like this early on when I started kendo. One simply didn't realize what they were doing and after showing them (as best I could at the time) the difference between using tenouchi and clubbing by letting them feel the difference, they promptly replied, "ohhh, I am so sorry!" They never hit like that again. The second was from someone who was at least 6 feet tall and hit like a freight train...on your head. Each strike looked fine when hitting an uchikomi-dai so it ended up being that even with proper tenouchi, that person just naturally put that much force into it. This is just what I remember from back then so I can only speculate that was what was going on at the time.

[satsumaruma]

Does this mean you're always soft Sats?


LOL

damn, I set myself up for that one.

(tried to posrep you but not allowed)

[Kendoka!]

If a blow to the head didn't hurt, you probable didn't lose any additional brain cells because of it( the small amount of radiation your cell phone battery emits is probable a greater threat ). And also, you cannot compare the amount of trauma a boxer receives with the amount a kendoka wearing armor recieves.