I could write a whole separate blog entirely dedicated
to the injuries of kendo. They range from the usual array of bruises and pulled
muscles that one expects from a semi-contact sport to the cringe worthy rare
occurrences of painful blood spilling cuts and the quarter sized blister currently
on the bottom of my foot.
Interestingly, for all the pain they cause me, the
injuries I sustain from kendo make me feel better about the sport I have
chosen. I wear them like a badge of my continued efforts and willingness to
continue, even through the insanity of colorful bruises and stiff muscles. Even
through the splitting open of my toenail, the coughing of blood into my men,
and the swelling of my right arm to a firm, blackened monstrosity.
When I first started kendo, I started with a group of
12 other college students, all of us soft in the foot and wet behind the ears.
Of course, it took less than a month for the first giant blister to form, pop
and spread blood across the gym floor. The next week, less than half of those
initial beginners returned. For some, the prospect of actually being injured by
a sport is too much to handle.
For me, I have never really worried about becoming injured. Whether or not I’ll be
hurt in practice is not a thought that often crosses my mind and as the years
have progressed, it’s not often that I actually feel it when I’m hit,
regardless. (Except my kote, which
still, on occasion can hurt like hell if we do several kote drills all at once with a few of the guys who are merciless on
the kote-uchi).
The occasions that I am injured, however, I tend to
take it easy. I’ve had enough sports injuries now to know that continuing to
play at full speed while injured isn’t a good idea.
I’m
going to have to pop this blister, though. Might as well get it started
healing. If it’s popped and drained I’ll be able to practice on it, if it’s
taped up. If I leave it I’ll be too much of a burden to continue to practice
on.
