guide for new female iaidoka

[MikalMysha]

Hello! I wanted to say hi! I've been training in iaido since last October. I got my iaito for christmas and am going for my first grading in August, so I'm really pretty new. I'm pleased to have found this site because I'm the only girl in my dojo with about 20 guys. (There is one other but she comes very, very rarely). They seem a bit baffled about giving me advice, but tend to say that, in terms of hakama and obi, it should eventually just 'feel' right. I think, on the whole, I am okay at putting my kit on though I struggle with the knot at the back of the hakama (over my bum!!) because it will not stay on but always rides up to the small of my back. Any advice on this?

Hello, and welcome!

It sounds like to me that you might be wearing it a bit too low if it wants to sit higher. I don't train in Iaido, but for my Kendo Hakama, I wear it at my actual waist.

[babayaga]

I think, on the whole, I am okay at putting my kit on though I struggle with the knot at the back of the hakama (over my bum!!) because it will not stay on but always rides up to the small of my back. Any advice on this?
<snip>
I have a long body so lots of room between hips and ribcage, plus very wide hips, which means the sword sits rather nicely.

Hi "Kuroniji"

You can try putting your obi on across your hipbones, so no more than half of the height of the obi is above the prominences at the top front of your hips (your anterior superior iliac crests). Then as you tie your hakama himo, make sure they are rather tight and run below those crests. This may help to keep everything down. The himo need to be quite firmly wrapped to work this.

If you have enough room between hip and ribs, you may be able to tie up where the obi ends up anyway. Give it a try and see if you can still nukitsuke and noto in that position. I can't, but I've got long arms and little hip to rib room.

I'm sure I will come back to this thread. I'm just pleased to know I'm not the only girl.

You're definitely not the only one, though most of us in iai and koryu will end up being the only woman in the dojo. We need to encourage and look out for each other.

It sounds like to me that you might be wearing it a bit too low if it wants to sit higher. I don't train in Iaido, but for my Kendo Hakama, I wear it at my actual waist.

In iai the obi and hakama are used to hold the sword and saya in a stable position from which it is easy to draw and put away the sword, and manage the empty saya during cutting and movement. Kendo has nothing like the these considerations. Natural waist is too high for many, if not most, women for iai.

-Beth

[i2harry]

OK, got a bit of time so thought to make a serious answer to this post:
1) hard to define exactly how the hakama is worn differently, as I've never had a guy's hips. I think the main difference is that because of the shape of the hips, the obi tends to slip up, whereas it wouldn't on a guy (I think the thinner obi may help with this, although I just use a standard kaku obi). Also can result in the saya digging into the hip bone if not tied in the right place.
2) Don't worry about a swoosh

Comment on what Alicia said. Bruises on my left hip because the saya can't move correctly, but amazing swoosh comes from the new sword!!
The swoosh definitely has something to do with the sword you bought and, of course, your technique. With the correct technique, you don't need a lot of strength for the swoosh.

Good news for female practitioner that our swoosh is a better indication since we can't force the swoosh with strength!!

[i2harry]

Really want to know how to tie the hakama correctly. I have very prominent hip bones, and my thick obi usually sit higher than ( right above) hip bones or at my real waist (kind of too high).
It gets lose once when I tries to tie my obi around the hip bones.

[rottunpunk]

I did a post on here a while back on how i do my hakama
If you pm me your email address i will dig the file out and send it to you.

As for obi, i use a thinner shorter one from sambu kyugu which i find helps the sword sit better as well as being comfortable

The sword i wear on top of the hip rather than the side, again the sword sits correctly, is easy to draw and no bruises.
It took me a while to find what suits me, so you will get there

[Tort-Speed]

FWIW, when still doing Iai, my obi was also thin but they made the ends narrower so the tie at the back didn't bulge so much and seemed easier to manipulate. Though I could never wear the obi low like men (it always rode up) and in fact, am short-waisted, somehow didn't find the high "sit" or having a fatter upper-hip area, a problem.
But after losing weight, in Kendo I can now wear the tare low like the men (the soft upper hip almost seems to hold the tare waistband there, maybe cuz it's much harder material than an obi).

[Tort-Speed]

FWIW, when still doing Iai, my obi was also thin but they made the ends narrower so the tie at the back didn't bulge so much and seemed easier to manipulate. Though I could never wear the obi low like men (it always rode up) and in fact, am short-waisted, somehow didn't find the high "sit" or having a fatter upper-hip area, a problem.
But after losing weight, in Kendo I can now wear the tare low like the men (the soft upper hip almost seems to hold the tare waistband there, maybe cuz it's much harder material than an obi).

[Tort-Speed]

Sorry for x#%$&X double posting!