It's on sale, but I can't wear it yet...

[JuJitsuGiraffe]

Okay, all these posts about people quitting after having their bogu's for about two months are kinda scaring me.
I just ordered mine yesterday.. and I've only been practicing for two months.
Worse, I hear everyone talk about taking some sorts of exams before getting to wear keikogis and hakamas etc... I never had to..
Everyone at my club just encouraged me to buy everything, one guy even asked me if I was planning on ordering a bogu set yet, after THREE WEEKS I joined.

Hum, I plan to break this stereotype about quitters. I put a lot of thought in it, because it is expensive.
But then I figured I really love kendo. Only the thought makes me smile every single time, teehee!
I really want to practice kendo for a loooong time.
yet I also read that people like me, saying they want to practice kendo forever are the most likely to quit. D: It makes me worry..

ah well. Im just overreacting now I guess ._.'
I know I really want to practice kendo, therefore I will! ... sigh.

If you aren't planning on quitting, there's no reason to be worried.

[Cailin Coilleac]

I know it has bee two years since this thread was last used, but as fellow Dutchman I have to know!

SOPHIE: doe je nog aan kendo? Waar train je en hoe is het je vergaan, je eerste paar maanden in bogu?

Sorry for the Dutch; just trying to attract her attention

[coronzon]

Trigger,

I'm in the same boat. I see no problem with purchasing your bogu now to catch a deal. If you sincerely believe that you will continue to train Kendo, I say go for it.
I'm in the process of narrowing down my own search because I want to get the purchase out of the way. When my sensei says I'm ready to wear it, I'll let him know that I'm prepared to come to the next practice with bogu.

Thanks!

[Neil Gendzwill]

Trigger,

I'm in the same boat. I see no problem with purchasing your bogu now to catch a deal. If you sincerely believe that you will continue to train Kendo, I say go for it.
I'm in the process of narrowing down my own search because I want to get the purchase out of the way. When my sensei says I'm ready to wear it, I'll let him know that I'm prepared to come to the next practice with bogu.

Thanks!

I believe you're sincere. Lots of my students who quit were sincere. If your club has bogu to lend, do yourself a favour and take advantage of it. Then you will be better informed on what kendo is really like before you spend money.

[coronzon]

I believe you're sincere. Lots of my students who quit were sincere. If your club has bogu to lend, do yourself a favour and take advantage of it. Then you will be better informed on what kendo is really like before you spend money.

Neil,

Unfortunately, my club doesn't have bogu to lend/rent. I have made it a point to watched the intermediate/advanced class after my beginner class is over. I know this is a far cry from actually being hit or putting your muscles/joints through the stress. Have any of your former students indicated why they quit?

[Anorymous]

Neil,

Unfortunately, my club doesn't have bogu to lend/rent. I have made it a point to watched the intermediate/advanced class after my beginner class is over. I know this is a far cry from actually being hit or putting your muscles/joints through the stress. Have any of your former students indicated why they quit?

There was an interesting thread about it. Do take a look.

[coronzon]

There was an interesting thread about it. Do take a look.

That is quite fascinating! I practiced Wushu for several years when I lived in Houston. I saw several people come and go for a lot of the same reasons. (Mostly due to the physical requirements). I even had to give it up due to relocation. When I arrived in Atlanta, I wasn't able to find a class that I felt comfortable with.
So far, my current Kendo dojo has been great. I'm looking forward to training for years to come! (And hoping none of the aforementioned reasons for quitting will not apply to me).

[Aerysia]

@coronzon, you're at the GKA? (peeked at your profile.) Nice to meet you, I'm at Atlanta Kendo Kai! (Sorry, completely off-topic.)

But, on the topic of the thread, I've been doing kendo for almost two years now and have never once thought of quitting. I love kendo and hope I never stop in the future. I was lucky though and got my bogu from my sensei. It was a used set, but the person had stopped doing kendo and my sensei, amazingly, sold it to me for $150. When I mentioned this to my current "dojo-mates", they were quite shocked and I was told that my set of bogu had probably cost $1000....

[coronzon]

@coronzon, you're at the GKA? (peeked at your profile.) Nice to meet you, I'm at Atlanta Kendo Kai! (Sorry, completely off-topic.)

But, on the topic of the thread, I've been doing kendo for almost two years now and have never once thought of quitting. I love kendo and hope I never stop in the future. I was lucky though and got my bogu from my sensei. It was a used set, but the person had stopped doing kendo and my sensei, amazingly, sold it to me for $150. When I mentioned this to my current "dojo-mates", they were quite shocked and I was told that my set of bogu had probably cost $1000....

That is wonderful to get such a wonderful deal! Yes, I'm at GKA. So far, so good! I certainly plan to practice Kendo as long as I'm capable. I considered Kendo Kai as well. Sean Gill was helpful with all my questioned. It boiled down to GKA being a mile from me. We are very fortunate to have so many options in Atlanta. I'm reading that some are traveling hours to train.

[Ruleslawyer]

I still feel like I'm not really doing kendo until I'm in bogu. I got the okay to buy it over Christmas, but I'm still waiting on the okay to actually wear it. They typically phase us into bogu slowly at our dojo. You start out wearing the do and tare for awhile and then progress to kote, and finally men just before getting sent to the advanced class. Hopefully I'll still feel the same about it once I'm in full bogu. I don't really anticipate a whole lot of changes. I've been in armor before. I've been hit before. I guess I'm just eager to get started fully participating.

[NZ Kumdo player]

I just cried a little. Has your school ever considered donating the bogu to students, or even to other dojos? I'm sure there's somebody out there who'd want them.

Me, too. We have no loan bogu available here; we would happily take it off your hands, rather than see it go to landfill. We'd reimburse you for postage, of course!