Comments for Was it too quick for me to put armor on?

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Sep 12, 2009
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starstarstarstarstar 		It could have been earlier...
by: A

I have been literally 'thrown' into wearing bogu in the 3rd month of training. The result? I nearly smashed my training partner's wrist in kote. Only then did I realize that trying to improve my technique through performing strikes on a laundry rack has its shortcomings...

In my dojo everything goes too quickly for me. And yet I'm not allowed to complain and must do my training with Buddha's smile on my face.

Sensei, should I bend my body to the right, while performing kote in bogu? The right foot goes slightly "away" to the right in a stomp, I was told.

Kendo-Guide.Com: Thank you for your comment. It seems like 3 months is a "?normal" period of time before beginners put bogu on. Personally I think it is too early but it depends on beginners' level so between 3 and 6 months is good, I think.

Don't worry about hitting too hard at the beginning. People tend to do that. But I always remind my students to strike very relax.

I think your sensei is trying to teach you to pass through your opponent's left after your kote strike. There are two ways (Ref: Different Ways of Passing by the opponent after striking right kote) , so wait until you learn the other way.

Hope this helps.
Oct 17, 2008
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starstarstarstarstar 		I am going through the same.
by: Tony

I also put my bogu on after 5 months of training 3 times a week (this was only six weeks ago), I am 38 and learn a lot slower than a 26 year-old and I also think it was too hasty.

My fumikomi is lethargic, my untrained body runs out of steam in 20 minutes and when I get a shinai in the elbow it hurts for 3 days!

However I don't have a choice to go back to non-bogu practice as everyone has their bogu now and I don't want to be left alone...I just need to focus on my failing points (legwork, relaxing so I don't run out of air, back straight) and forget about the guy in front...this causes frustration in others but it's my kendo, not theirs. What do you think sensei?

[Answer:] Yes. After all, only we can fix our own kendo. It does not matter how many times senseis or sempais point out our bad habits, if we don?t work on them we cannot fix the bad habits.

As we all know, kendo in bogu is a totally different story. However, because we know how all the basics are done, we can easily go back to the basics and learn them again in a way we can do in bogu.

We have all the life time to learn kendo so I say, ?take it easy and enjoy.? :)

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