wrapping your stomach

Does anyone still wrap their stomach for training? I've only seen that done in movies, but I'm wondering if anyone still uses wrapping for protection. I did hear that most Japanese people believe that letting your stomach and kiddneys cool down is unheathly, but I'm curruis about it because I am considering doing it for medical reasons. Thanks all.

I'm not sure if it's the same thing but I seem to recall that Japanese soldiers wore belly bands and it made them weaker. Especially when their captors relieved them of the wraps and left them in the cold. Maybe it's ok if you just make sure not to get captured by vengeful Chinese rebels.

The only person contemporary that I know that has ever talked about wrapping up is Amos Parker shihan. Of course he was still in Japan at the time and they were still using live blades during practice. Neither of which he does presently (I think). I never heard him mention for any health reasons other than not wanting his guts to spill out during practice! However, like I said, my exposure is too limited to speak with any authority.

Regards,

I never heard of that. It seems like it would be uncomfortable for rolling breakfalls.

maybe it depends on how tightly you wrap?
...also seems like it may interfere with breathing...

You've been watching rurouni kenshin havent you (sanosuke sagara referance ?
Anyway...I can't think of any reason to do so. maybe to keep from getting cold? sounds like it would be a bit uncomfortable while rolling/falling.

In general, external splinting weakens muscles; no reason to provide external support to the abdominal core.

Wendy Palmer has talked about some Concious Embodiment students wrapping their lower abdomen with an ace bandage in order to help the find their Center, and learn how to move from there.

Well I guess I should have explained my reasons for wanting to know better. I'm diabetic and have a insulin pump. I remove the pump before every practice but the insertion needle is still in my stomach, it is stuck on like a band aid. Every once in a while it gets ripped out, or just works itself out because of rolls and such. Sometimes my belt will catch it just wrong too. I was wondering if there was a way to stop this from happening, hence the interest in belly wrappings.

Anyway I actually tried wrapping up last week for class, so here is a report if anyone is interested.

The Bad: bending over to roll was no problem, it's just that when I did I had a hard time breathing, and it felt like I was being squeezed around the middle when I really started to breath hard. It kind of looked like I was wearing a short corset, so it's a good thing that I changed when no one was around.

The Good: I felt like I had a lot better posture due to the lower back support that the wrappings gave. It worked as a great sweat band, absorbed most of it instead it all collecting in my gi pants. And the main reason that I used it, to help keep my insertion needle, was a complete success. So it has my recommendation. Of course most of you don't have that problem. So I might look like a samurai wannabe, at least I stand up strait.

And James, I've tried to stop watching anime, but I just can't. They've got me hooked.

Ah...well that changes everything now doesn't it?

I think I read somewhere that wrapping was mostly done by women in budo to keep the breasts flattened to the chest and out of the way / protected. Is that wrong?

Michael,

I'm insulin dependant diabetic too, (12.5 years ago) and various doctors that I've had have discussed treatment with an insulin pump for me, but I've never gone for it, mostly because of the physical activities I enjoy doing (Aikido, Scuba diving, etc). I've been pretty successful with my treatment program, and it works for me, but don't go changing on my account. I know of at least one senior person over in Orlando who trains with an insulin pump, and he just clips it to the 'V' in his dogi jacket, but he doesn't typically take a lot of falls either. You might try and speak to a nurse, or sports medicine type person that has experience securing the body for physical activity, they probably have some ideas of things to try.

John