Do for short torso (ladies)

[Solinde]

A really good and tight sports bra is like magic, so if you're not already using that...go get one. And sadly...don't get the cheap ones, after getting a more expensive one you'll never by a cheap one again.

[GreenArrow]

Yeah, but how do you stop them turning smurf blue...?

I do wear an undershirt on occasion, but it can get too hot.

Also, although my sports bra is supportive it doesn't re-shape me... so I've still got quite a lot of space to cover up there...

Hmmmm, I can see me having to save up for the Chibabogu option and being uncomfortable in the interim...

[Solinde]

You get it in black. Blue won't show on black.

[LarsCW]

I'm currently in the process of ordering a do from Chiba and they have really alot of options to choose from. Me being one of the guys won't have the upper problem but being 6'3" and 235lbs does give me a lower torso problem

It's not a cheap sollution but I'm looking forward to all of the practise I'll be having with a fitting do. I'm getting a 64 piece bamboo do-dai with a taller mune and the side will be some higher too.

So I wouldn't see how there couldn't be a sollution for any of you ladies either.

[Lloromannic]

I don't know what is the difference on the Chiba Bogu Do, but at the dojo we have one women's Do for loan (for girls of course). I'll try to get a picture sometime, buit the main difference is that the mune does not bend back much at the chest, but is almost upright, and even slightly to the front at the bottom of the Mune. If I or any other male put it on there is a rather large space between our chest and the mune, the tsukidare fits well with the mune too.

[GreenArrow]

I don't know what is the difference on the Chiba Bogu Do, but at the dojo we have one women's Do for loan (for girls of course). I'll try to get a picture sometime, buit the main difference is that the mune does not bend back much at the chest, but is almost upright, and even slightly to the front at the bottom of the Mune. If I or any other male put it on there is a rather large space between our chest and the mune, the tsukidare fits well with the mune too.

Do you know where it was purchased from?

A pic would be great too.

[Budo Angel]

Hi girls,

this was the question most asked of me by other girls in London. Women's Do, actually fitting, and being designed for the job, and other issue (like not being whacked on the t*ts - which flipping hurts).

Chibabogu is indeed a recommended supplier, but come at a price.

If you are dealing direct over distance, and can't personally go to Japan to be measured, you may deal with words like "Jo-sei-yo" cut.

What blokes (& admit it, most sensei & sempai are blokes) fail to realise is, that the wrong/badly fitting do does affect your kendo.

In Japan, a good armourer will measure the two points between your arms. ie, arms stretched out in front of you, hands together and measure the point across your chest. If the mune is too wide at this point, you will find it very difficult to hold the shinai "properly" as you are taught, without the do. So all that good technique goes to pot when you get a do on.

The next point is whilst narrower at the top, mune then needs to be cut under the arm, to the correct depth. Again we've all no doubt had the high (bad) do cut, what this is - is where the mune part of the do is cut too low, and the sides of your boobs essentially stick out the sides (no offence to you larger than C cup). Again this is the do not being cut correctly.

Finally a good women's do, will also be more concave from the mune joining the fibre (or bamboo) part, by that I mean if you look side ways it shouldn't be as flat as a man's one.

What does this all mean, apart from a trip to Japan to get measured properly. Well don't give up. But if you're going for custom fit, do make sure its the right measurements if you can check as best possible. Its horrible spending loads of money only to find out it doesn't fit. It took me 3 do's to get the right one. And why ? because I had good intentioned blokes trying to help. In the end it wasn't until my Japanse sensei, pointed out measurements that no one (or supplier) had ever asked for, or said was necessarily - and (drumroll) hey presto, my current (& hopefully last !) do - fits. Because the whole leather part of the do (mune/sides) FITS ! (as long as I don't put on too much weight !! he he).

Don't guess with "medium", "large" - its meaningless. Send in your measurements: between your chest (two points) when your arms outstretched horizontally (as you would be at full stretch for a men cut). Couple of inches below your armpit, to the top of your waist (high floating rib). Again to the bottom of you hip (ie where you would like the do to fall/finish). Finally ask for the measurement of the intended supplied Do, from the bottom of the do, to where it joins the mune part (they're going to stitch on), this will help you gauge if they're supplying the right mune.

I know its worse than clothes shopping from a catalogue, but stick with it. The suppliers fall into two catagories with similar results. Ones who just want to flog you do with no hassle. Others trying to guess what your size & shape are from minimumal figures you give them, and finally they're used to supplying skinny (fairly flat chested) Japanese girls (no offence to Japanese flatter chested brethren). Western shapes, boggle them !! lol

Good luck, sorry for verbage, but been through it myself, and endeavoured to pass on the advice to girls who asked me.

Finally, after all that, you do know that women's tare are also cut different ?? (and strangely the standard men's is often too deep) Again this is because standard tare fail to take into account women's hips, different breathing place of the diaphram... gambattee

[tantadi]

Great post!! I'm almost japanese in my shape so I hope my issues can be fixed with a shorter mune.

[GreenArrow]

Thanks Budo Angel, I think your post should be made compulsory reading for all male sensai/sempai with women in their dojos

Did you find a particular "better" supplier- what was your UK experience- or is it the Chibabogu route for most of us girls to get a decent fitting do in your experience?

[Lloromannic]

Finally a good women's do, will also be more concave from the mune joining the fibre (or bamboo) part, by that I mean if you look side ways it shouldn't be as flat as a man's one.

That's what I meant earlier, but this seems clearer.


As I said, I'll try to get a picture of the Do, but it's in storage at sensei's house.

[Budo Angel]

Thanks girls. Oh yes, and to really wind up the makers, nearly 90% of women's nodo will go over the top of the mune, unlike blokes who have a little gap (huge, and that's dangerous, they'll have that pointed out), meaning many shorter girls (anything 5' 6" & below) will have the nodo invariably over the top of the mune, "rubbing" in some cases. Not detrimental but again wrong sized mune, will find you caught-up occasionally, if the do moves, or you're particularly whacked and the men moves off the chin. Good luck, don't give up !

Sorry just noted, the question Green Arrow. No Chibabogu is recommended as custom, and because they have an English speaking customer advisor, Michael Komoto (American/Japanese). My now perfect Do, was (unfortunately for you) ordered through a Japanese supplier in Atami, (south Chiba) they only deal in Japanese, hence me not shouting about it... I'm guessing you guys need English and someone who does kendo to comprehend your requirements.

[Commander]

I really recommend Michael Komoto from Chibabogu, i've been communicating with him for the past 2 weeks and he has been really helpful and offers brilliant advice. It is expensive i know but worth it. You get what you pay for girls

[chidokan]

Rather than wind you all up (for a change!) have you thought about the chest protectors (Muneate) they use for kyudo? Two of these should give you the side protection you need...check around kyudo and archery sites for variations on the theme. They are to stop the string givng you a nasty nip, so should give similar protection form a shinai... Anyone knowing a bit of leatherworking should be able to come up with something similar...

http://kyoutoclub.hp.infoseek.co.jp/atieri.htm

http://www.archeryworld.co.uk/acatal...st_Guards.html

[Budo Angel]

Tim, thank you for your comments.

Ladies, this kyudo mune-ate is NOT suitable, do not purchase. It is very thin leather and will not go under your DO mune. It is not designed to stand the rigors of lots of movement. It is designed to stop the string twanging. Not a shinai point heading in your direction at speed.

If you really are being whacked about the personals, www.kwon.co.uk has sports bras with hard cups. I would however personally not recommend these under a mune because it will make your chest an even bigger target, there is however one bra where each cup is insertable, this may suit those not larger than a C-D cup. Anything else and it would be dangerous on the floating rib.

Good luck

ps. not offence intended Tim.

[tantadi]

I just got my ladies do from e-kendo. Compared to my regular do, the mune is about one inch less wide at where the arms go out in kamae. The base of the do is about 1/2 shorter in height, and more "bulgy" around the middle part than the old one. I expected the mune to have just one row, but it has three. The lower part of the mune bend inwards quite a lot. It protects the lower parts of the tender bits and under the arm. Trying it on I could feel the difference, the arms have no conflict with the mune now. The do is just as tall as the old one, if I tie it really high maybe there could be a conflict with the men tsuki dare if the angle between the two parts make them meet. So maybe it could have been half an inch shorter, but I don't think it will cause a problem, the issue was the arm movement. The quality overall seems ok, it is a little more flexible than my old one, but also more bulgy, so I'll see how that works out. (E-kendo do offer a more expensive do base than the one I went for). The mune is stiff and the leather is folded at the front. I think this ladies do will fit medium/tall women who don't have a very short torso and are not big at the top.