Correct fit of ´Men

[geristyle]

Hi out there!

First, I'm a beginner and therefore looking desperately for some advice!

I got my first Men today but my pleasure was gone after I had put it on.
As I read in other threads: yes my forehead touches the pad, and my chin seems to be in the right position as well...
But, there is really much pressure on the chin ( really had to push it in hard). So the chin is fixed indeed, and offers me no comfort in breathing .

Additional to that there is no space between the top of my head and the top of the men.

I've already trained with a lent too small men causing bumbs on my head inc. headache and so on.

You can imagine my question:...is everiything as it is supposed to be, shall I get used to that. Does the men stretch in time...etc. (I still can return the good)..

thanks in advance for your help

geristyle

[mystic_kendoka]

"But, there is really much pressure on the chin ( really had to push it in hard). So the chin is fixed indeed, and offers me no comfort in breathing ."
this is a problem... if you can't breathe easy, i cant imagine what kiai would feel like when you have that men on... depends on how tight, i think about 2~4cm gap between your chin and pad should be ok... but not too less or too much...

[Neil Gendzwill]

There should be no gap. You should be able to open your mouth to speak or breathe - if the men if forcing your jaw to be clenched, it is too tight.

[Musha]

geristyle. Didn't you take a measurement of your head before buying? When I bought my armour from a Japanese online shop I had to measure my head, hands chest etc.

http://www.rakuten.ne.jp/gold/kendouya/mensaizunohakarikata.html

When I first started kendo and my sensei lent me some old bougu it did seem quite heavy and I thought it would be hard to get used to how hard people were hitting me. But after a wile it got better and now it feels like I don't have armour on at all when I am concentrating.
I would ask my sensei then think about selling it and getting a better fitting one if I was you..

[geristyle]

Tanks to all your hints!

Of course I mesured my head in order to make a precise order, but as matter of fact I'm dealing exactly with that size of men...this is exactly the point which confused me.

Anyway, thanks to all of you, I can make now a more precise decision.

regards
gerlistyle

[jfluh9]

:wink: It is quite possible that you made a small mistake in the verticle measurement of your head. It helps to have it measured by somebody with experience in the matter. The angle could easily have thrown the measurement off. You just gotta be careful. :wink: