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Old 03-29-2011, 12:53 PM   #1
GB-UK
 
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Knee pads?

Do you wear knee pads or are they not suitable for aikido training?
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Old 03-29-2011, 01:27 PM   #2
Janet Rosen
 
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Re: Knee pads?

Some people find them helpful for suwariwaza. I don't like the bulk so when I was doing suwariwaza I sewed extra thick padding into the front of my pants so it was like kneeling or pivoting on pot holders :-)

Janet Rosen
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Old 03-29-2011, 02:13 PM   #3
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Re: Knee pads?

I was looking at some online the other day but wasn't sure if they would be allowed in an aikido class. They do seem very bulky so I don't know how they would go under gi pants.
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Old 03-29-2011, 02:18 PM   #4
lbb
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Re: Knee pads?

I know some people who wear kneepads, like soccer kneepads, if they're looking at a couple hours of suwariwaza. There are downsides, though -- any kneepad that will protect and stay on for a couple hours of suwariwaza, will also tend to bunch up at the back of the knee and cut off circulation. The solution of extra padding at the knees inside the legs of the pants does pretty well for less intensive sessions.
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Old 03-29-2011, 02:46 PM   #5
Hellis
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Re: Knee pads?

I could not say what kind of knee pads would do the job, I just wish that I had some when I was young........I once asked Tamura Sensei to lift up his Hakama, he gave me an odd look and questioned WHY. I said that I thought he had roller skates attached to his knees.........good laugh........

Henry Ellis
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Old 03-29-2011, 03:52 PM   #6
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Re: Knee pads?

I have never heard of a dojo having a no kneepads rule - can't imagine why they would.
The folks I know who use them use the type that don't have constriction all the way around the back of the leg - pads in front and just strap type thingies in the back.

Janet Rosen
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Old 03-29-2011, 04:18 PM   #7
Gerardo Torres
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Re: Knee pads?

Try looking into different types of volleyball knee pads, those usually have the best combination of padded knee and flexible (not constricting) back. Also make sure that what you need are knee pads and not a brace.

Keep in mind that knee pads modify your seated techniques because they prop up your knees a bit, affecting your balance point. Despite this I use them to protect my knees when practicing seated techniques on wooden floors (I don't use them when training on mats).
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Old 03-29-2011, 04:29 PM   #8
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Re: Knee pads?

Knee pads? Seriously? Did you ever consider to make the cultural leap and not break tradition? Never heard of Takeda or Ueshiba using knee pads... Let me investigate further, I may be wrong.
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Old 03-29-2011, 06:39 PM   #9
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Re: Knee pads?

Quote:
Alejandro Villanueva wrote: View Post
Knee pads? Seriously? Did you ever consider to make the cultural leap and not break tradition? Never heard of Takeda or Ueshiba using knee pads... Let me investigate further, I may be wrong.
In your investigation, please find out if Takeda and Ueshiba used Advil and Icy Hot patches. Sometimes I use those and might be breaking tradition.
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Old 03-29-2011, 08:08 PM   #10
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Re: Knee pads?

Quote:
Mary Malmros wrote: View Post
There are downsides, though -- any kneepad that will protect and stay on for a couple hours of suwariwaza, will also tend to bunch up at the back of the knee and cut off circulation.
This is common conundrum in iaido (lots of suwariwaza on hardwood floors). The general solution is to find kneepads that are open at the back with elastic only going around above and below the backs of the knees. We also usually want ones with relatively thin padding. In seiza, thick pads elevate your knees throwing your balance backwards and changing the angles at your hips, and thick pads aren't needed unless you're doing things that involve actual impact. Thin pads often work well enough to make being on your knees comfortable and to smooth out any points and corners.

Quote:
Alejandro Villanueva wrote: View Post
Knee pads? Seriously? Did you ever consider to make the cultural leap and not break tradition? Never heard of Takeda or Ueshiba using knee pads...
Ignoring that these two lived before things like foam kneepads were readily available, I know plenty of high ranking Japanese people in Japan who use kneepads in iaido and the other koryu I do. I can't speak to aikido, as I haven't done that in years, but there's no general Japanese cultural prohibition against kneepads in budo.

Train in a way that strengthens rather than damages your body even into old age.

Kentokuseisei
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Old 03-29-2011, 08:22 PM   #11
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Re: Knee pads?

I don't wear knee pads for aikido but I do for iaido. The kind I prefer is not a knee pad per se but actually a knee support. It is basically a 4 mm thick neoprene sleeve, which provides just enough padding under the knee on hard floor but not enough to constrain movement. Since aikido training is normally done on a mat, the padding is on the floor so you don't need it on your knees.
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Old 03-30-2011, 06:11 AM   #12
philipsmith
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Re: Knee pads?

Like Chris I generally only use kneepads for Iai-do.

However after knee surgery last year I used volleyball pads during Aikido for a while which both fit under gi pants and allowed knee mobility.
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Old 03-30-2011, 06:47 AM   #13
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Re: Knee pads?

Quote:
Alejandro Villanueva wrote: View Post
Knee pads? Seriously? Did you ever consider to make the cultural leap and not break tradition? Never heard of Takeda or Ueshiba using knee pads... Let me investigate further, I may be wrong.
I have bad knees (and ankle!) from a motorcycle accident from a few years ago and find neeling on my knees very uncomfortable. If it wasn't for that I would have little problem going traditional!
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Old 03-30-2011, 07:09 AM   #14
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Re: Knee pads?

You are talking your reasons why to use knee pads. And all is good and well. Just try to remember that when someone talk their reasons why they don't bow to shomen. @Janet @Mary.
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Old 03-30-2011, 08:48 AM   #15
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Re: Knee pads?

wonder if there are knee pads that have ball bearings where you can turn on a dime. that would be supper cool!
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Old 03-30-2011, 09:52 AM   #16
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Re: Knee pads?

Go for the kneepads if you need them (or want them). If your sensei says its fine, give it a go. Some places (budo aoi) sell kneepads for iaido, but I imagine volleyball pads would work too. You can always get a pair, take them home and try them out. If they don't work, return them. I wouldn't try them out at the dojo unless you are going to keep them if they don't work out. No need to return sweaty ucky kneepads.

Quote:
Alejandro Villanueva wrote: View Post
.......Just try to remember that when someone talk their reasons why they don't bow to shomen. @Janet @Mary.
Was there a reason to have that here? Just curious, as I don't see how it benefits the person who asked the question. No need to drag drama from another thread into this one.

Last edited by ninjaqutie : 03-30-2011 at 09:54 AM.

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Old 03-30-2011, 10:17 AM   #17
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Re: Knee pads?

Quote:
Alejandro Villanueva wrote: View Post
Just try to remember that when someone talk their reasons why they don't bow to shomen. @Janet @Mary.
Just wondering what this has to do with knee pads?
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Old 03-30-2011, 03:39 PM   #18
KaliGman
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Re: Knee pads?

I never wore knee pads for Aikido or Aikijujitsu training. I did wear them, for a time, when I wrestled, and my experiences were similar to Mary's, in that, if the knee pad was secured well enough to stay in place while I was moving and training, it did bind. For me, I ended up with some heat rash from time to time as well. I did use some hard shelled "tactical" knee pads in SWAT, and they worked very well, but they would be too bulky for your use.

I am pretty big on training without a lot of extra padding or gear and toughening up your body, as having a conditioned body is often of huge benefit when bad things happen and a real attack, rather than a dojo training session, occurs. However, there is a huge difference between some muscle and tendon soreness from working and stretching in positions to which you are not yet accustomed or at greater intensity than that to which you are accustomed (the "burn" or "post athletic" soreness) and the sharp pain of injury. You indicate that you have injuries. If you have problems with your knees, then take care of them and yourself and do what you have to in order to protect yourself. You want to spend time in training, not in post-operative recovery after a knee repair. I have a very high pain tolerance, and, in the "heat of the moment" in training, sometimes I ignored a little more pain than was normal during an intense workout and paid for it later with painful (and probably preventable) injuries. Sometimes "cowboying up" and "pain is weakness leaving the body" helps you through rough physical training or real world conditions, and sometimes it is just a mantra of macho BS. You have to decide for yourself which is which and what applies to you.

Good luck in your training. I will tell you that, when I have students with injuries (as I frequently do), I appreciate them telling me about them. We try to minimize impact to the injured area of the student. Also, there may be some specific techniques that you will have to modify because of an injury. For example, prior to a knee surgery I had several years ago, there were some specific low level silat techniques that I could not perform without having a torn meniscus cartliage basically lock up my knee. Wearing a brace and modifying my motions allowed me to continue training. Your instructor may need to work with you in regard to the range of motions to which you should be subjected at this time, and maybe work up slowly to being able to doing everything "correctly".
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Old 03-30-2011, 04:32 PM   #19
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Re: Knee pads?

Quote:
Ashley Carter wrote: View Post
I imagine volleyball pads would work too.
Softball knee pads are another option. They're generally not as thick and are more likely to be open at the back of the knee.

Kentokuseisei
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Old 03-31-2011, 09:55 AM   #20
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Re: Knee pads?

Thread has been cleaned up some...

Thanks,

-- Jun

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Old 03-31-2011, 12:58 PM   #21
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Re: Knee pads?

I use 4 mm thick neoprene sleeve not for protection but to keep my knees warm and loose. Been using them for years and they work great.
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Old 03-31-2011, 04:02 PM   #22
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Re: Knee pads?

Quote:
Jun Akiyama wrote: View Post
Thread has been cleaned up some...

Thanks,

-- Jun
Thanks

Quote:
Jeff Black wrote: View Post
I use 4 mm thick neoprene sleeve not for protection but to keep my knees warm and loose. Been using them for years and they work great.
That sounds like a good idea, I went for some of these and they came today and look very good for the price!
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Old 03-31-2011, 04:36 PM   #23
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Re: Knee pads?

Quote:
Gornall Bell wrote: View Post
Thanks

That sounds like a good idea, I went for some of these and they came today and look very good for the price!
That's a pretty good price. Let us know how they hold with time.

I got some of these some time ago and the padding didn't hold too well (started crumpling under the sleeve). They were also too bulky.

One of my teachers once pointed out that when we wear kneepads some tend to land the knee too hard (on certain iai kata for example), because we know we have the extra protection, instead of performing a more controlled movement as if we weren't wearing any protection. I guess the lesson here is not to let the extra protection affect the execution of proper technique.
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Old 08-12-2011, 11:58 PM   #24
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Re: Knee pads?

Quote:
Gerardo Torres wrote: View Post
In your investigation, please find out if Takeda and Ueshiba used Advil and Icy Hot patches. Sometimes I use those and might be breaking tradition.
Nice. I agree. The secret to learning Aikido is to train Aikido. If knee pads help being persistent ... then go for it. Folks - don't pretend you are in a time or a place that you are not!
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Old 08-13-2011, 07:08 PM   #25
aikidoc
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Re: Knee pads?

Anyone have a good source for some knee pads with gel-I've tried others and they don't work well. I have bad knees -torn meniscus, Baker's cyst. I simply cannot go down in seiza anymore but at seminars I try partial seiza- knees kill me by the end. I saw some with gel in them-anyone have experience with them? I view knee pads like kilts. It's no one's business what is under the gi or hakama.
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