[SAUNDERSAN]

Does any of you guys smoke or used to smoke and quit after starting practicing kendo?
I ask this because I smoke since I was 18 and I've tried to quit so many times but I always find myself smoking again.
What do you think of this, even if you're a non-smoker.

By the way I'm talking about tobbaco cigarettes. Well what the hell, no one knows who am I, I also do weed from time to time, do you know another kendoka who does weed or yourself? what is or has been your experience with it?

Hope I'm not the only one who smokes (both) and practices kendo.

[Extinimot]

I personally don't smoke anything, but I think kendo will help you quit. Once you get through a really, really hard practice session, you most likely will have to chose between one or the other because, frankly, I think smoking will drag down your stamina too much. Plus, if you start to believe in the whole spiritual acspect of kendo, you won't need the high anymore either.

[85IbLcwQ]

i like my nicotine after 45 minutes of kakarigeiko

seriously tho, don't start..as much as I want to stop, the more i do kendo, the more i smoke..what a viscious cycle..

on another note, i do know that half of the japanese national team puffs

[HRS1H7gO]

I've never smoked in my life, but to my surprise, some young(early twenties)yon-dan that visited my dojo from Japan went out and smoked right after practice. It confuses me since they have a "Japanese high school champion" style shiai Kendo, very quick strikes and lots of moving/bobbing around.

But I definitely think Kendo will help you quit, since to addiction to Kendo(at least for me)is much stronger than anything anyone could crave.

[AOE6q4bu]

Did you know that the only reason weed was outlawed in 17th century Virginia was because wealthy tobacco farmers/merchants did not want any competition? And I doubt much has changed since then....

[Jourgenz]

I have seen many Japanese sensei and sampai smoke between or after practice. Personally, I think this is really bad for your health.. I used to smoke when I practice soccer, before, between and after. Even though it doesn't seem to effect you right away, it will eventually kill you..

[IamRobot]

If you ever go to Japan you will see that everyone smokes. I thought that Greeks smoked alot, but the Japanese take the cake. Hell you can smoke in McDonalds, should of grabbed one of the McDonalds ashtrays as a souvenier.

[rvadipoldkov]

I can't give you a personal experience, but one that happened to a couple of friends of mine while I was in the Navy.

Both of these guys were heavy smokers, but one day, they decided to quit and made a deal with each other to help themselves out of their addiction.
They both started running for distance, eventually getting up to ten miles every day.

One day, another guy in class lit up a cigarette right next to the two former smokers, and they just about threw him out the window.

My father smoked 3 packs a day, non-filtered cigarettes, too. He went "cold-turkey", and for 3 days he was sick, but now, he can't stand the smell of cigarette smoke.

I'm not preaching that you should quit, but if you choose to quit, remember that even if you light one up occasionally because the urge is too much to resist, it's not a failure. Just try to go a little longer without lighting up, and look at each period of non-smoking as an achievement. Reward yourself with something non-smoking related every time you make your goal. Think of how much money you're saving by not smoking - money that could buy that new carbon-graphite shinai you want, or upgrading your bogu, or any number of things that you could buy with the money you've saved.

As for weed, there are so many harsh chemicals in cannibis that it really does irritate your bronchial tubes. Again, this is your choice, I am not preaching about weed, either.

[tramadolwithall]

i smoke occasionally

i'm gonna die someday,

just like everyone else

might just be more painful for me

[sandyphoebetvmaa]

Skip the weed, but if you ever come to practice high, you know someone is gonna kick your butt for putting others safety at risk.

As for smoking tobacco, yeah tons of kendo people do it. There was a really old sensei I learned from in Japan at one particular place and he would leave randomly DURING practice to go and smoke, probably because he was so addicted to it. We'd be doing a drill, sensei would disappear, and one day someone realized he took smoking breaks. Interesting...

How have you tried to quit? I think success in quitting depends on your method, and that is what you need to look into. Get a support group as well, I hear that helps incredible. Or make a promise to your kid. Maybe you will start to cut back, before promising you will quit, but you don't want to lie to your kid right, so you would HAVE to keep on track. Find a good motivator and I bet you can do it.

And if you lapse and fall a few steps backward... 1000 suburi for you!!! (although I don't think kendo should be used as a punishment)

[Spisivavona]

I used to smoke almost a pack a day, smoked for several years.But as soon as I started taking Kendo, I just stopped "cold turkey". I have found sinced I quit, my stamina has increased Dramitcally. I still think about grabbing a cigarette once inawhile, but thinking about how I used to feel (like dying) during ji keiko...has been my incentive not to smoke. I don't ever want to feel that way again.

[gundas]

Hi there,

I do not smoke either. However...

To play Devil's Advocate...

Weed is an illegal drug here. If you get caught with it, you will go to jail. I assume you are in Mexico by your flag. Well, if you come here to visit a dojo and you happen to bring some of it, you will be bringing an illegal drug into the country that can get you deported if you choose to bring it.(Not saying you would, but I thought you should know that in case you didn't realise that.)

Is weed an illegal drug there or not? If it is, then if I was you, I'd quit. I have heard jail there is really not the nicest place to be.

Getting high causes you to lose your judgement, too. If you got high before class, you could hurt someone in the dojo. I think doing drugs, if you'll excuse me, is very very stupid as it kills brain cells and impairs judegment. You don't need to get high to have fun. Even though you say you only smoke it occasionally, it is still a very bad idea to smoke it. A drug is a drug no matter how you put it.

Also, if someone can check for me, to see for sure, but isn't it in the tournament rules that you can't be doing drugs of any kind?

Personally, I think it should be a requirement for students to sign a form saying they'll stay away from drugs while being a member of a club.

About the smoking. You should keep trying to quit. You'll be able to, if you keep up the determinaton and persevere in your goal to quit. Rewarding yourself for going x days w/out smoking with something fun to do or buy a thing you want to have, is a really good idea. There's nothing like motivation!

My sensei at my current dojo smokes and it makes me crazy to see him do that. I want sooo much to tell him to stop that. Both my Grandfather on my Dad's side and my Great Aunt(I knew her) smoked a lot and both died young from emphysema(Sp?) which is a disease of the lungs caused by smoking that you have a high risk of getting when you are older from smoking. You'll end up on an oxygen tank for sure if you get that disease, and then you'll die. I miss both of them.

As to the weed, kick that habit now. The motivation idea above can be used for the weed quitting. And, you'll be much happier when you discover you don't need a drug to make you happy. It will be healthier and safer for you in the end. Safer because you won't end up in Jail or hurt somebody or yourself by accident because you were too high to realise what the heck you were doing.

Please give that serious thought. You don't want to ruin your chances at having a good life.

Kaoru

[Vagtlaldo]

I have seen many Japanese sensei and sampai smoke between or after practice..

Recalling the days helping out at the 12th WKC in Glasgow... LOADS of kendo people around the world smoke, not just the Japanese. You can't believe the amount of people standing outside the entrance of Kelvin Hall any given minute!! Miyasaki Masahiro is a well-known chain-smoker, for example.

Different people do different things to harm themselves every day. Some people smoke. Some do alcohol. Some do drugs. Some fancy McDonalds. Some let other people hit them with bamboo sticks. I personally enjoy running across the traffic when the red man is on. Oh well, it's easier to die that way than smoking!

Just that I don't like the smell of cigarettes. But people have their freedom. Just as they have the freedom to choose not to wear undies under their hakama...

[Konidurase]

Hi there,

I do not smoke either. However...

To play Devil's Advocate...

Weed is an illegal drug here. If you get caught with it, you will go to jail. I assume you are in Mexico by your flag. Well, if you come here to visit a dojo and you happen to bring some of it, you will be bringing an illegal drug into the country that can get you deported if you choose to bring it.(Not saying you would, but I thought you should know that in case you didn't realise that.)

Is weed an illegal drug there or not? If it is, then if I was you, I'd quit. I have heard jail there is really not the nicest place to be.

Getting high causes you to lose your judgement, too. If you got high before class, you could hurt someone in the dojo. I think doing drugs, if you'll excuse me, is very very stupid as it kills brain cells and impairs judegment. You don't need to get high to have fun. Even though you say you only smoke it occasionally, it is still a very bad idea to smoke it. A drug is a drug no matter how you put it.

No it doesn't. THC only retards your reflexes and gives you a small euphoric feeling. Alcohol makes you lose your judgement.

Also, if someone can check for me, to see for sure, but isn't it in the tournament rules that you can't be doing drugs of any kind?

Personally, I think it should be a requirement for students to sign a form saying they'll stay away from drugs while being a member of a club. Some religions, including Native American tribes use everything from Tobacco, Marijuana, and even Snake venom in their Religious practices...

About the smoking. You should keep trying to quit. You'll be able to, if you keep up the determinaton and persevere in your goal to quit. Rewarding yourself for going x days w/out smoking with something fun to do or buy a thing you want to have, is a really good idea. There's nothing like motivation! Have you ever known a smoker who tried to do this? They get really....really...cranky and mean after so many days, and tired, and depressed.

My sensei at my current dojo smokes and it makes me crazy to see him do that. I want sooo much to tell him to stop that. Both my Grandfather on my Dad's side and my Great Aunt(I knew her) smoked a lot and both died young from emphysema(Sp?) which is a disease of the lungs caused by smoking that you have a high risk of getting when you are older from smoking. You'll end up on an oxygen tank for sure if you get that disease, and then you'll die. I miss both of them.

As to the weed, kick that habit now. The motivation idea above can be used for the weed quitting. And, you'll be much happier when you discover you don't need a drug to make you happy. It will be healthier and safer for you in the end. Safer because you won't end up in Jail or hurt somebody or yourself by accident because you were too high to realise what the heck you were doing. Weed isn't addictive.

Please give that serious thought. You don't want to ruin your chances at having a good life.

Kaoru Yeap.

And no I don't smoke weed or cigarettes, I only know the facts.

[ashleyjoseph]

I agree with Reikon. I can happily say that during my Uni days, THC rocked - but most people smoke it with nasty, nasty tobacco (which I also smoked heavily for a while).

Alcohol is FAR more dangerous than THC - but as it is legal (and therefore taxable) it is deemed OK.

I cannot believe people still believe all of the cow poop about the horrific dangers of Cannabis - THC is very, very safe - and not (physically) addictive - It was banned to keep very rich tobacco and cotton farmers happy - not because it is dangerous!

As to the "You don't want to ruin your chances at having a good life" comment by Kaoru; what is the difference between going to a pub, having a few beers and a laugh and going to a Cafe in Amsterdam, having a few spliffs and a laugh?

[zlopikanikanz]

In my days in university, I used to smoke and drinking a lot, sometime I put weed in my cigarette. Now I quit smoking to improve my stamina when do kendo. However, I still ocassionally smoke when I'm drinking.Quote:
Please give that serious thought. You don't want to ruin your chances at having a good life.

Kaoru
I thought of it many time over already. And I still think it's ok to do anything if you know what it take from you. If you afraid of everything, you will end up doing nothing.

mingshi
Different people do different things to harm themselves every day. Some people smoke. Some do alcohol. Some do drugs. Some fancy McDonalds. Some let other people hit them with bamboo sticks. I personally enjoy running across the traffic when the red man is on. Oh well, it's easier to die that way than smoking! true.

[domeffire]

Is weed an illegal drug there or not?

Well of course it is, but it shouldnt be, hehehe, just kidding.

I know the risks of smoking cigarettes and let me tell you that cigarettes are way more dangerous than weed, as the guys said.

I expected my post to bring up some controversy and it worked.
The whole point was to know all the points of view of every guy.

Now I know some facts like a LOT of sensei and sempai are currently smoking and practicing kendo.
Thanks to all you guys for replying my post.

Just as a fact, I've never practiced high... goes against the kendo principles and my own principles, I just get high when I go to the movies (have you ever seen Pulp Fiction while high, try it) or while listening music (specially Pink Floyd, its so great!) or simply when I'm with my friends.

Well I'm glad to know that I'm not the only smoker between all the kendokas.

[kiosokkn]

I suppose one could argue that cigarettes are worse than weed, or weed is better than alcohol, etc., etc., but it just comes down to it that all of these substances are really not good for you. All these arguments about how one is worse or better than another sounds like rationalizations to me.

And I won't argue if weed is addictive or not, but it sure can ruin people's lives. I know some people in marijuna anonymous who can attest to that.

[11Woxsepmoomo]

So all this talk about these different substances puts a question in my head... just curious... and I know we would be the minority... but does anyone not smoke (whatever the product) and not drink and not do drugs... I am not judging anyone who does and saying they are bad, I am just curious...am I the only one?

[asharbiq]

I am clean.