Freedom kendo poll

[cklin]

how many guys practice kendo sans underpants?

i ask this because it seems that this is done in japan, but not elsewhere.

as a corrollary, is "freedom kendo" inherently more powerful than "restriction kendo"?

in my experience, once you taste freedom, you'll never go back.

r,
ckl

[Hyaku]

Well...........I did but............. I had a mishap with the inside leg seam of my hakama causing a rather serious injury. I now wear undergarments for support.

clin, if you had to sit on ice for a considerable time I am sure you would appreciate my problem. I do have kakari geiko/taiatari of another kind and I have to consider going back there too!

My University Kendo Dojo was right next to the pool. Swimwear, then after I finished teaching I used to dive in for a while.
In August that sure was nice....

So I cant do your poll

Hyaku.

clin, who washes your hakama?

[cklin]

>
> clin, who washes your hakama?
>

Why, my manservant, of course.

(read: I wash it)

An observation: freedom kendo is no good when wearing polyester hakama.

[alexpollijr]

"freedom kendo" is a nice term, did you fetch it from the top of your head?

Anyway, freedom kendo with brand new indigo dyed hakama may also not be a good idea

[KhawMengLee]

[QUOTE]alexpollijr- Anyway, freedom kendo with brand new indigo dyed hakama may also not be a good idea [QUOTE]

Yes...certainly adds new life to the term "Blue Balls".

******************

Incidentally. do you know why they geld (cut balls off) race-horses?

Because when the horse runs too fast it is actually quite painfull when the potatoes bang against each other. The horse therefor, wont run as fast...this is no joke.

So I think the same could be said for kendo...so underwear/briefs are a better option than gelding.

Meng

[mingshi]

Hey Meng,

Does that mean that race-horses should wear undies if they don't want to be gelded? :P

[KhawMengLee]

Actually, they should be given that option...have you ever seen a horse after the chop? pure trauma.

That is why I dont agree with racing horses...

[cklin]

alexpollijr wrote:

>"freedom kendo" is a nice term, did you fetch it from the top of
>your head?


Yeah, I thought it was a catchy phrase... maybe I should copyright it...?

Have the folks who responded "Yech... it's uncivil!" ever tried freedom kendo? Maybe I should have added another poll answer: "Tried it but didn't like it."

While I brought up this question as a light-hearted point, I also wanted to use it as a subtle segue into a larger issue of imposing foreign cultural values on kendo (NOTICE I say "kendo" specifically and NOT Japanese culture). Why do people insist on wearing underwear when it's traditionally not done?

I've encountered a lot of immediate and strong resistance when I suggest freedom kendo to people playing in the States (esp, when people complain of discomfort from profuse sweating), and I can only surmise that this type of knee-jerk response is a result of a specific type of cultural inculcation here.

It makes me wonder what other things do we end up saying "Yech... that's uncivil!" to because of this type of unexamined bias?

[mingshi]

"Why do people insist on wearing underwear when it's traditionally not done? " --cklin

well, as far as I concern, TRADITIONALLY hakama is worn by Japanese middle/upper class male. I suppose they had the nappie-style cloth to wrap around their lower wrist. Sweat? Don't blame Calvin Klein. Now what kind of "comfort" do you prefer?

btw, I voted "Yech..." to represent the minority female kendo population.

[Achilles]

I started wearing underwear, but I stopped because it got *really* disgusting after a hard practice. Now I am underwear free when I practice and I *love* it. For one thing, it lets you disapate heat MUCH faster, and it's more comfortable.

The only complaint I have is that sometimes. . .ahem. . . my boys slam into my thigh and it hurts and sometimes when my opponent shoots for my songmok (kote) and misses and goes low. . . . yikes.

[Confound]

Originally posted by mingshi

btw, I voted "Yech..." to represent the minority female kendo population.

mingshi, that was cute, but when will you understand, we females are supposed to be serving TEA, not voting!

c

[Hyaku]

Thats why I had a problem. Good cotton hakamas are stiff. They get stiffer when wet. Whats wrong with fundoshi anyway?

Hyaku

[alexpollijr]

Well, I said 'yech.." but in fact i don't mean it, you know. I've tried it, it's ok, but I still think that undies are ok too so I'll stick with them. Maybe it'll make me more spiritual.

Hyaku: this story of yours has made me look at the hakama's inner seam in a completely new and menacing way

[Kendoka]

Seriously, a visiting Japanese 8th dan told a group at a seminar that I attended (when he was asked the question) that males should wear underwear during kendo as a means of support and protection.
I noticed that he did, as have all the other senior sensei that I have trained with over the past decade, so I dispute the traditional bit.

Achilles wrote that his is "*really* disgusting after a hard practice" Mine too, for that reason I change to fresh pair and wash the ones that I wore for keiko!

[cklin]

Mingshi: Sorry for the confusion, but by "traditional" I meant "kendo tradition", not "Japanese tradition."

Kendoka: Not sure what to say to your observations, except that mine have been quite to the contrary.

I'll go ahead and question the hachidan's advice: honestly how much protection from an errant strike do a pair of tighty-whities give? If doubtful of the effectiveness of a tare, then why not go all the way and wear a cup?