Being overweight in kendo

by Tyler
(Indiana)

I have a few questions about being overweight in kendo. As you know I'm a rather large man and have a hard time sitting in seiza.

Do you think size can effect my ability to progress? I’m not gonna lie, I have had my doubts with being able to move forward because of my size, thinking that I won’t be as good as the others.

Your ideas on this subject would give me a better idea of what to expect.

Answer: Hey, Tyler. I am not gonna lie to you. It does affect on your kendo. But it doesn't affect not only on your kendo but on your health too. If you are a serious about kendo, you come to the dojo constantly and change your life style.

So as you told me, you started chaining your life style. That is the start. How can you change your kendo without you changing at all?

I haven't been able to do kendo for two years and I have been doing whatever I can think of. I have changed my eating habits and learned new exercises and techniques to fix my body. I have been suffering from constant pain in my back and right shoulder.

When you start doing something, it is a change. Do not cry about where you are now but imagine what you can achieve in the future.

It is your decision. If you think you cannot change and proceed, you cannot. When you are determined, you can change anything.

And don’t compare yourself with others. That is a bad mistake that everyone, including me, makes. Comparing yourself with others can be a good motivation. But it usually works as an excuse to quit or disappointment.

You just started kendo a few weeks ago. And you cannot compare yourself with others who have been doing kendo a lot longer than you.

You added kendo to your life. Don’t you want to see how that will affect you? Compare current yourself with yourself in the past. We try to improve ourselves. That is why we can and should keep going forward.

By the way, until you know the benefit of kendo, it probably takes more than 5 years. That is why I told you to talk to the ones in bogu. They’ll tell you.

If you cannot swing the sword because your shoulder clicks, just come and practice footwork. That is totally fine. You might fall 7 times but if you get up 8, you win.

Talk to you at the dojo, mate.

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