Hi all! Last Monday saw the people of the movement of beginners into armour, so this time we shall cover some points when putting on the bogu. It is easy to find how to put on bogu online, eg. (from e-bogu)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqSMDDmTAaE
Feel free to ask a member already in armour to show you how before the start of practice. It is good to practice putting on the bogu at home; learn to do it quickly so that during the line-up other members do not have to wait for you.
On this entry, what will be covered will not be how to wear the armour, but some small points to take note of when putting on each of the pieces, in the order they are put on. Remember that when putting on or taking off bogu in the dojo, always do so in seiza, at the side (not in the middle of) and facing into the dojo (more accurately, towards the shomen).
Tare
Make sure that the tare sits on your hipbone tightly when tying it on, this means that it will not slip down when moving around but is not tight around the stomach. The straps should be the same height as, and go around, the koshi ita (back board) of the hakama, not between it and the body. When tying the straps, ensure that they are not twisted but are flat against your body. This applies when tying all the other bogu on as well. Ensure that the knot does not protrude from the tare as they may be caught and untied during practice.
Do
The bottom of the do should rest on the tare such that the unpadded straps are just covered. Also, the top of a good-sized do should not be too far from the bottom of the men once the men has been put on. Ensure that the do is balanced and straight on, adjusted by tying the himo (strings) with different lengths. Also, when tying the knot at the back, the ribbon should have the loops pointing outwards left and right, not up and down. The knots on the front of the do should have the loops pointing either both inwards or both outwards, and the ends of the himo should be tucked in.
Men
Note that there are a variety of methods of tying the tenugui; choose one that suits you and your tenugui size. When putting the men on, put the face into the men as far as possible, such that the solid frame of the men is right against face. Do this by first fully putting the chin fully into the men, then bringing it up against the forehead. Make sure that the men cannot move around the head, as this can lead to it rotating around the head, or it coming off. Also if it is loose it will weigh on the head and be hard on the neck. It is important to have the himo flat against the men, as a twisted himo puts pressure against the head and if it is struck during practice, it hurts. The side flaps of the men should be pointing forwards, not outwards, as these protect the shoulders. When putting on the men, after tying the himo, put fingers between the back of the men and the head and pull outwards and forwards to achieve this, and to give some space between the men and the ears. Finally, the himo, once tied, should be the same length as each other and no more than 40cm from the knot.
Kote
Hold the kote at the joint when putting it on or off to reduce the stress on the wrist section of the gloves. Check that the himo are not dangling. It should not be tight around the wrist, as it must have space to flex in order to absorb impact: tight kote transmit the impact directly to the wrist. Remember to check this if you are wearing a wrist protector or guard.
Look forward to seeing all of you in armour next session!
