Particularly in the UK, as we have Fay Goodman (Kyoshi 7th Dan) and Anna Stone (Renshi 6th Dan) within our leadership in the BKA.īoobs can get in the way – I feel you on this front. I’m glad to say that I’ve not experienced any problems for being a woman from other people in Iaido, it seems a very friendly and welcoming sport, probably even more of a level playing field than other martial arts I’ve done.
IAIDO WOMEN FULL
However, a new female student might understandably be hesitant to be the only lady in a dojo full of guys, so my female senpai and I do our best to be make sure she feels welcomed and safe if we also happen to be training that day. It speaks to the integrity, honesty, and strength of character that my training partners possess.
Nowadays I am perfectly comfortable in the dojo even if it is only populated by men that day. Instead of fully un-tying and re-tying my hakama each time, I just undo enough to the point where the koshi-ita/back panel can be removed. Needing to use the restroom while in uniform can be annoying. One good thing is that the women's changing room tends to be much less crowded than the men's. I do tie my obi and hakama a bit higher on my waist, and I almost always wear a light t-shirt under my keikogi in case the ties come undone during the course of training. In terms of "logistics," my experience has mostly been comparable to my male training partners' due to my average physical build (by Asian standards, anyway). My wife will find that certain guys take it easy on her because she's a woman, which drives her crazy. At least in iaido you're not directly fighting men like kendo. You'll have men that think you are inferior and will treat badly, you'll have ones that will treat you differently even if they think you're an equal, some of them could be your senseis. I think you're doing about all you can and have to adjust based on your body type. Luckily my wife joined me on my kendo journey so it's been a shared experience for us. She always seemed very calm and stoic is what I can say.Īll martial arts are hard, especially for women.
I'm sure it hasn't been an easy road for her. She's probably the prime example of a woman doing extremely well in a Japanese martial art. That said Pam Parker, 7th dan, would teach once a month at our club.
I don't practice iaido, my first kendo sensei tried for several years to get my to join iaido but I never did.
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