lol well I started because my friend loved it and he said it was very challenging. I guess I kinda wanted to prove myself or something. I'm not sure...

I'm not sure if I have health problems or not, but I know that usually about halfway through class I feel like I'm going to throw up and I have to sit out. I don't know if it's dehydration or what. Well even if I wanted to go to a new dojo I couldn't beacuse there's only one in my area. It's not getting hit or how dificult Kendo is that gets me down. I think it's just the environment. Or something...

Well the problem is I HAVE to quit for a little bit because of scheduling and family issues. I guess the question is weather I will get back in once its all sorted out. I think I probably will though... you guys have been a HUGE help

To basically mirror what other people are saying - Kendo is hard. There is a lot of competition - the person you are facing is trying his/her best to hit you with a stick and not be hit with yours. The whole nature of the art is conflict. As you relax more and get used to it, it will get easier to physically make it through a session, but that competition will still be there. I think most people who do kendo either liked competition at the start, or learned to like it. Some people don't like it. Stick with it for a few more months to see if you start to enjoy the competition aspect of it.

As for the judgement problem - you're just starting out. Let your senior students' frustration with you roll off you back for now and just do your best.

Hank.

Yeah I know. I don't want to quit, It's just stressing me out and I guess I needed to hear some advice from other people in Kendo. As helpful as my friends are, they're just not the people I needed to talk to about this since they've never even set foot in a dojo.

Everybody goes through with the whole, "Wow, I feel like quitting" stage. I've been doin kendo for more than 1yr now, and I went through it, but I realized that everybody went through with it, so I just got over it. All you gotta do is realize that nothin is easy, there's always a point where you wanna stop, but if you keep going, quitting is not an option.

I don't really know what I hate... the only thing I can think of is that we started out with people at our level, and now we're suddenly with people who have been doing it for... jeez... 3-5 years and they always act so... I don't know... It's like I make a mistake and they make fun of me. It was so embaressing... I forgot how to hit Do once... ugh... I get stage fright I guess

Hey, I only have a wooden sword. You win out of the fear that you inspire in me.

I kinda know what you are going through. I have doing kendo for about three years now, but there was a point where i hated going to practice. It got boring and I was having a lot of health issues. But when I switched to another dojo and i worked through my health issues things were better, i enjoy it a lot more. Now im not saying that you should switched dojos, i think that you just need to hang in there the first few months in armor are different because you are now being attacked instead of your oppenet just standing and taking your hits. Its now about using what you learned before having armor and trying to apply it. If you get hit dont get angry, accept it and learn from it because you have just been shown a weakness in your kendo. thus you now have something to work on. Kendo to me is all about learning and improving, its like that quote (which i have no idea who its by) "if at first you dont succeed, try again." And just remember although it may look easy when watching other people make hits, that those people have been doing kendo for many years. Well I hope this helps, and just hang in there it should get easier as you practice more.

The most common "quitting time" for new students in our dojo is a month or 2 after they get into bogu. The entire dynamic of training changes SO much when you begin training in bogu - many students don't like the shift. Some quit, and some work through it. I remember feeling so awkward, frustrated, and dumb. I had finally learned how to hold a shiani correctly and now I have stiff oven mitts on my hands and people are whacking me left and right.
I would stick with it for a bit more - at least until you get more comfortable in your bogu. If you still hate it, maybe Kendo isn't right for you.

Well due to scheduling and family issues, I have to quit for a little while. But I think I'm going to join again after it's all sorted out and see if I want to stay in it or not.

Hey,

Got a question for you... what is it that you despise?? is it being in full armour, or being hit back now? When I started out doing kendo 17 years ago I didn't like the first lessons, but once I got the chance to train in bogu it went alot better... ;-) I hope you don't quit. I think everybody has a time in his or her life that he really hates to go to practice or something like that. If you really love doing kendo like you said it shouldn't be a problem to keep going on.
good luck

That's what my Sensai told me when I talked to him about it. I guess the problem is I'm just one of those kinds of people that hates to me judged, and I feel like I'm on the spotlight beacuse I'm one of the very few beginners in my class. One of the other problems I'm having is I'm only able to be there about half the time, so I'm really far behind now

Yeah, I've been trying to stay positive. It's just really hard sometimes. I've always tried to make quitting anything my very last option. That's why when I started considering quitting Kendo I was shocked with myself, especially after I'd loved it so much.

Well I'm a lot better about being judged now then I used to be. A few years back I was never at school and never left my house beacuse I was that shy. I'm getting better, I think I just need a little more time. But I keep that in mind

Yes, indeed. This I can agree with totally. I once had the chance of talking to a high-ranking sensei through the internet privately and (I don't want to mention names here...) he told me that there has to be some hard things. He said that Kendo isn't supposed to be all fun and games. When you're a beginner you're allowed leeway (sp?) and you can make mistakes, but once you get into bogu, the world just turns upside down and your mistakes end up as openings for your sempai/sensei to hit, yes? This can be frustrating--I've heard stories from my father about some kids who just broke down and cried because of how frustrating it is. I can relate...Sometimes I just want to throw down my shinai and scream in anger at how little I can do. But...when things like this happen, you can only blame yourself and use it as motivation to keep going. Kendo isn't supposed to be easy. Without hardships it wouldn't be called the Way of the Sword. It also wouldn't be as satisfying as it is to finish a practice knowing you've put in your effort.

My advice: don't give up. Kendo is about preserverance (sp?). And yes...your sensei was right when he said it is a very mental martial art. Get hard-headed and then try again. If it doesn't work...then it's not for you.

I think I need to figure out what my reasons for being in Kendo are before I can really hope to do anything else. The next time I have time I'm going to just sit down and think for a while about everything.

Seriously, why did you start? What was the thing that got you into it? If it turns out that it's not what you thought it was - that's not a crime. Only one in ten make it past the first year, it doesn't mean the other 90% are losers (maybe only half http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...lies/smile.gif).

You guys have all been really helpful. Thanks much!

Well I did just sit down for a really long time and think about why I suddenly hate it so much actually. The only thing I could figure out was maybe it's got to do with the fact that I was used to practicing with people at my own level. But now all of a sudden I've been thrown into a class full of people who have been doing it for 3 years or so... I just feel so out of place and whenever I do something wrong the person I was sparring with gets all frustrated and it makes me just want to go home. I wish we could just be with people at my own level...