Comments for What to do when unable to fully sit in Seiza?

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Apr 15, 2015
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starstarstarstarstar 		explain your issue to your sensei
by: MT

I wanted to leave you my comment also to show you that you are not alone and as long as you inform your senseis it should be ok.

I had ACL surgery a few years ago and I also have a background in another martial art. I was reluctant to start Kendo for seiza but I decided to talk to the sensei to see if he would accept me.

I started a year and a half ago Kendo and I could not fully bend my knee to my previous flexibility. I did additional warm up alone and at seiza I put more weight on my good knee.

My sensei would allow me to sit in agura if we had longer discussions after rei. I thought that was the way it would go but I should gladly tell you that after a year my knee started getting its full flexibility (and that was 4 years after my surgery all together)!!

There are still some cold days that it refuses to fully bend and on hard floors it gives me additional numb or pain but it’s all manageable.

Go for it but keep in mind to make arrangements with your sensei!!

Kendo-Guide.Com: Thank you for sharing your experience. I am sure that your comment is very helpful to many people!
Apr 14, 2015
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starstarstarstarstar 		How to Practice to Sit in Seiza, Stretch for Seiza and Other Options for Seiza
by: Kendo-Guide.Com

This video might help many to practice to sit in seiza.



Hope this helps.
Aug 19, 2011
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starstarstarstarstar 		Another way
by: Tanno

Another way to do so, is to stand still (not sitting down). I also have sprankled my foot due of my misuse of my footwork after kiri kaeshi's end resulting my difficulty to fully sit in seiza mode. After a while I can do this. You also can do mokuso in standing style, the same goes for agura.

If you inform your teacher about your injury, he'll let you sit in agura or stand still.

Kendo-Guide.Com: Thanks for sharing your experience!
Aug 19, 2011
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starstarstarstarstar 		I Have A Similar Problem
by: Joe

As Imafuji-sensei will tell you, I've had both of my knees replaced. I have metal and plastic for knees now, except for my kneecaps. I can't bend my legs enough to go into seiza, either, so I usually kneel on the left knee and have my right foot on the floor in front of me.

It relieves the pressure of the floor on the incision scar, and while it doesn't look all that graceful, it does keep me from falling over.

As long as your sensei is aware of the problem, there should be no trouble at all.

Good Luck!

Kendo-Guide.Com: Thanks for sharing your experience! Is this Joe san that I know?

I personally think if you have injuries and physically limited to what you can do, then you should be allowed to seek some other ways. Like Joe said here, if your sensei is aware of your problem, you should be fine.

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