Newbie corner

[ekajati]

How about having a newbie FAQ corner with useful links/notes? Things like

How do I put on my hakama and Gi
How do I put on bogu
Which size stitching should I get for my bogu
How do I heal my blister/s
Should I ask my Sensei

I think it would be hugely helpful for the newbies and a great relief to the oldies who must get sick of seeing these qs.

Thanks

[Neil Gendzwill]

How do I put on my hakama and GiAsk your sensei.How do I put on boguAsk your sensei.Which size stitching should I get for my boguAsk your sensei.How do I heal my blister/sAsk your sensei.Should I ask my SenseiYes.

[hamish]

Neil, you beat me to it!!

How did Google get to be so big when no-one thinks of using the search function?? ;)

[ekajati]

Ask your sensei.Ask your sensei.Ask your sensei.Ask your sensei.Yes.

:D :D I have no problem with these qs myself as I'm very happy to google everything... and ask the very generous lovely patient Sempais Neil and Hamish about anything I can't find there :D! I am sure my Sensei would merely give me a Long Hard Look if I asked him these sorts of qs and I'm sure so would most others (tho obviously not Neil....). Thus, my suggestion was more on behalf of the many, many newbies who do and are still asking exactly these questions on the forum.

[Neil Gendzwill]

I am sure my Sensei would merely give me a Long Hard Look if I asked him these sorts of qs.
Why? Those are exactly the sorts of questions I expect from students. How on earth are you supposed to know how to wear stuff, what to buy, all that jazz, without asking?

[ekajati]

Why? Those are exactly the sorts of questions I expect from students. How on earth are you supposed to know how to wear stuff, what to buy, all that jazz, without asking?

The thing is that quite a few people know that these are very basic questions so they feel too embarrassed to bother their Senseis or even Sempais with them, and at the same time aren’t PC literate enough to use google. That’s why they ask on the forum. I recall one thread on KW where the person was extremely anxious about even going to class because they didn’t know how to do one of these (I forget which), and was far too nervous to ask the not very friendly Sensei or the sempais (I think a young teenager poster). Myself I am extremely happy searching the net. I wouldn’t have any problem asking a sempai, but I know from reading threads here that a lot of people would – out of shyness, embarrassment, whatever.

Hamish, if you change your mind about the usefullness of this idea I’ll be more than happy to give a list of all the links I’ve found that would be helpful to newbies.

[Neil Gendzwill]

The thing is that quite a few people know that these are very basic questions so they feel too embarrassed to bother their Senseis or even Sempais with them, and at the same time aren’t PC literate enough to use google.
I understand that, but that's not what you said. You said your sensei would give you a long hard look if you asked and I would hope that wouldn't be the case.

[Ignatz]

I must have lived a very sheltered life because I cannot imagine that any school would not have someone show you how to put on your keikigi, hakama, bogu etc.

I'm not sure what is the driving force behind this question. Everybody says "ask your sensei" but for some reason that answer is not any good.

Am I missing something?

[ekajati]

I understand that, but that's not what you said. You said your sensei would give you a long hard look if you asked and I would hope that wouldn't be the case.

I was mainly joking... it is more like my fantasy of what would happen, as I'm one of the people who would find it a little intimidating/embarrasing to ask my Sensei qs in person (tho I'm fine with the Sempais like I said). Maybe he'd be fine.

[MikeW]

ekajati, Neil is correct that you should ask your senpai or sensei because first hand instruction on most of the items you listed are going to be far better than reading it on the web. That said there are several stickies on this forum and also several sites that do give at least rudimentary information on some of those items also.
It would be my humble advice that it is in your best interest to confront your embarassment/imtimidation about asking since this will also help strengthen your spirit for kendo (easier said than done I know).

[ekajati]

ekajati, Neil is correct that you should ask your senpai or sensei because first hand instruction on most of the items you listed are going to be far better than reading it on the web. That said there are several stickies on this forum and also several sites that do give at least rudimentary information on some of those items also.
It would be my humble advice that it is in your best interest to confront your embarassment/imtimidation about asking since this will also help strengthen your spirit for kendo (easier said than done I know).

I agree wholeheartedly with your advice, and though it's true I could do with more spirit it was for others that I made my suggestion - personally I already have my own bookmarks for sites that tell me how to do/find out all these things, and if anything is missing I feel fine to ask a sempai. I just thought it would be useful to have all the info gathered together in one place here (eg rather than stickies in various places) for whoever needed it, as this is one of the main budo type forums for English speaking readers. I have seen this sort of arrangement at loads of sites on other subjects so I thought it was quite a standard idea. At many places when you go into a forum section there is a message to the effect of : "Are you new? Please make sure you read our newbie section/buyers guide/etc before posting here". For myself I don't mind at all if that never happens here, i just thought it could be useful/helpful.

[samurai999]

My advice is to practice diligently and have fun while doing it.

Tim

[MikeW]

At many places when you go into a forum section there is a message to the effect of : "Are you new? Please make sure you read our newbie section/buyers guide/etc before posting here". For myself I don't mind at all if that never happens here, i just thought it could be useful/helpful.

Looking at it from that aspect I agree that something like that might be useful, I guess most of that info is covered somewhere but if it were all located in one spot for common beginner questions perhaps it would be of more use than being spread out over different topics.

[nodachi]

Sensei are supposed to answer questions... that is the responsibility of teaching. Almost every dojo I have attended, US or Japan, a high ranked sensei teaches the beginners, sometimes leaving a lower ranked person to conduct the rest of the class. That means everything from technique to how to wear bogu. Any sensei who is above explaining how to wear gi or explain info about bogu to students is getting a little to big for their britches.

[Toaster]

That’s why they ask on the forum. I recall one thread on KW where the person was extremely anxious about even going to class because they didn’t know how to do one of these (I forget which), and was far too nervous to ask the not very friendly Sensei or the sempais (I think a young teenager poster).



He, he- I think that may have been me you were refering too- when I was asking about tying my hakama but I was way too scared to ask my sempai. I remember you replying in my thread about that (thanks by the way).
It was my sensei I was afraid to ask because he scares me and the rest of the begginers, but he didn't turn up as he was stuck in newcastle in rush hour traffic so my V. friendly sempai was more than happy to help in the end :grin:
I do admit though, quite a few of the questions that people need to ask sometimes think they would feel safer (including me) if there was a noobie friendly section to ask these questions rather than the ovious ask your sensei reply that you expect from the main forums. If somebody is to post asking these questions that you should be asking your sensei, then they will have their reasons for not asking there sensei.
That's me done, thanx!

[yohed55]

Try to think of it this way, what would be worse, asking your sempai/sensei and doing it right, or trying to do it yourself and doing it wrong, further enraging your "mean sempai". :grin: Please excuse my smart-azzery. This is the way I think of it.

[ekajati]

Hi all

Well here's a thing - I "asked my Sensei" (!) what I should practice at home because I have to miss the next few lessons - and he said do nothing! Have a total rest! I was quite stunned by the wisdom of this (I'm still pretty new and had just finished kangeiko which is pretty tough going) - he said about having reached saturation and being all abuzz with all the new info. So, I'm going to do as he says and relax my kendo mania for this little while that I have to, and then when I re-emerge I'm going to prepare all my newbie links and bits and peices that I've saved and either post them here (so watch this space if it interests you) for whoever wants them and/or send them to whoever asks for them. Yes Toaster, I was thinking of you, glad you don't seem to mind I mentioned it. Anyway, I'm now off to try to obey my sensei for now, tho' I may not be able to resist posting the odd comment in the forum ;)