[exsmoker]

I always wanted to be a navel architect (.)

[flueftArete]

Well my training starts today!

Still undecided if I should wear my Hakama with a t-shirt as they suggest or go in tracks and a t-shirt, I would like to wear the Hakama, but feel unsure since I never worn one before, I been told for the first hour we be doing nothing but talking about Kendo while the second hour we might start doing something with footwork or learning cutting or something like that.

I know I be disappointed if I turn up and see a other trainee wearing one. :P

[D6Ri5u13]

Bring the hakama, that way you can learn how to put it on, and (more difficult) how to fold it.

[gkruCRi1]

Bring the hakama, that way you can learn how to put it on, and (more difficult) how to fold it.

Ah I didn't think about that! Thank you!

[hojutok]

Well first training night was great, it was a good turn out, 12 newbies including me turned up as well as 6 or 8 members who took the other half of the hall to train kata and later sparring.

For the first half, our sensei talked to us about Kendo and it's history, passed around his armour and showed us his real and training swords. The second half we as given our new Shina's and he showed us how to hold them and how to hold them in what I can only remember as the ready postion? Which included the footwork and the how you greet and bow a other member before you spar, found that all fine, through since am not using to bend down like that, it was hard to do.

Also started to teach us seiza which I found impossible, I just couldn't sit down on my legs, I also had problems just dropping to the floor without the use of my hands to support myself.

Next week, it's a proper training session, got permission to wear my Hakama and Keikogi now, so am happy.

Was a good night!

[beckercpa]

A little tip to seiza, put ALL of your weight on your right foot, bend your left knee, and slowly go down. Put more weight on the calf/shin rather than your knees. Then put your right leg down.

Try to have your feet point "inwards", rather than "outwards". It helps a lot. I try to "practice" seiza - just sit at home in seiza once in a while and get used to it. I've done like 30 minutes, tops. Need MORE KENDO!

[User-Luser]

A little tip to seiza, put ALL of your weight on your right foot, bend your left knee, and slowly go down. Put more weight on the calf/shin rather than your knees. Then put your right leg down.

Try to have your feet point "inwards", rather than "outwards". It helps a lot. I try to "practice" seiza - just sit at home in seiza once in a while and get used to it. I've done like 30 minutes, tops. Need MORE KENDO!

I try that, am going to spend a little time per day sitting on the floor when watching tv, am going to try crosslegs first, then when am used to sitting like that again since it hurts to even do that, going to move onto seiza, at the moment, my main problem is that I just can't bend or sit down on my legs, am still sitting up bending forward, many of the others had the same problems through they could do it better.

There is nothing wrong with me, just haven't moved like that since 2002.

[ElenaEvgeevna]

A suggestion?

Just to stretch your legs and ankles to better suit the position, try laying face down on your floor, with your legs together, and then walking yourself up with your hands until your knees bend and you can slide your lower legs under thighs into the seiza seated position. If it hurts because it feels like something is stretching, just hold whatever position you are in for maybe a 30 count or so, and then start over again. It can also help you isolate where the pain might be. Is it in your back, in your knees, your calves, etc. I am about as new as you in Kendo, but I know me some good stretching techniques, and this one is suuuuuper low impact, and gives an easy way to ease into the seiza position at home.

Seiza seems to require the ankles to hyper-extend, so that can take some doing to get comfortable with.

[Kubasarika]

If you are hyper-extending anything you are probably doing it wrong, a good way to practice is by doing it on a bed/pillow/cushion until you get more used to it.

[sitescools]

Uh, I used to have massive problems with "bending my knees" too, and I thought I was totally normal too. Apparently I'm flat-footed. Got orthotics and a few physiotherapy sessions and two years later, I'm totally okay.

It's worth visiting a doctor, and asking them about it.

[mrPronmaker]

If you are hyper-extending anything you are probably doing it wrong, a good way to practice is by doing it on a bed/pillow/cushion until you get more used to it.

Well. I mean hyper-extending the ankles so that they are flat on the ground when in seiza. Ankles and shins are flush against the floor like in this picture here. When the angle of the ankle is 180 degrees, that is an actual anatomical hyper-extention, like when a ballerina goes on toe point, her ankles are hyper-extended. I did not mean the sort that people refer to as injuries. I personally cannot help but hyper-extend.... well... everything, due to hypermobility syndrome. Elbows, knees, ankles, wrists, fingers, and shoulder blades. Everything but my spine. It is certainly proving to be an obstacle in kendo, but a fun one to gradually overcome.

[uniopaypamp]

Is there any other exercises, other then said before that I could also do to work on my knee's because that's where the most pain is coming from, I just don't seem to have the flexibility to enter seiza.

From reading about seiza, it will take a long time for me to do it proper, but should I train at home and when am at the Dojo ask if I can sit crosslegs till am able to do seiza?

At the moment, anytime I try to enter seiza, I flap around like a fish out of water. :P

/been trying Seiza on the bed for about 5 or so minutes, testing my limits on how far I can strench and move.

[xanonlinexan]

Try old fashioned toe touches, but you really should be able to bend your knees so that your calves are touching your thighs. If you are having difficulties with that, you might actually need to see an orthopedist. Have you ever had knee surgery before, that could have maybe caused some scar tissue?

[Automobill]

Try old fashioned toe touches, but you really should be able to bend your knees so that your calves are touching your thighs. If you are having difficulties with that, you might actually need to see an orthopedist. Have you ever had knee surgery before, that could have maybe caused some scar tissue?

Nope, all prefectly fine, just haven't moved or execised like this since 2002.

I can only bend them from what I can only say.. is a large V between the back of my legs and my bum. I been thinking about visiting a doctor, but don't know how long that take because I just moved, my registered doctor is at my old area. I try some toe touches and warm up execises that I learned many years ago at College.

Next week, I ask the guys at the Dojo to have a look at me and see what they think, maybe in time.. I can bend that far, but even if my life was at risk, there is no way I can sit like this.