Buyu

[deralte]

Bujinkan tonight was a lot of fun. I keep getting roped into training with the new girl who started training, and I kinda hate that - not because I mind training her (and I really don't most of the time), but because it's based on the faulty assumption that the new girl should train with one of the two women in the class because we're the only ones who'll be nice to her and not scare her away. And I find this kinda weird cause I barely ever trained with M. or R. (the only two women who were training when I first joined) when I first started, and I found it insulting when I was regulated to training with one of them by the assumption that we're the same gender so of course we'll train together. Of course, I'm pretty weird and the things that scare the majority of people away from buyu didn't stick with me *L* Anyway, since I wanted to really get some training in today, avoid training with the new girl, and save C. from having to train with him again, I chose the father of the new girl (also a newbie) to train with. He's a huge guy who body builds so he's built like a large (Amer.) football player. I thought he'd be a lot of fun to train with because of that since a) I could use his height and size against him, and b) muscles provide enough cushioning that I could hit a lot harder without really hurting him and c) he'd never trained with me before so he had no preconceptions.

Jack did a sort of 'escapes plus reactions to someone attacking you' quickly theme. So the first was someone just trying to grab you with both hands and you went into kamae with your arm straight to take the space (on their T) in the middle of their chest, then again by digging into that notch in the clavicle. Then we did shrugging off a quick punch (lift your shoulder and throw it forward a little, sink your weight) which is something you really need to learn in Buyu cause someday someone might just attack you from behind like that (as Jack can attest... the soke siced someone on him at a taikai). Then there was thwarting a football tackle (you have to spread your legs out and slide your body weight forward while taking the space around their arms) and getting out of a football tackle (forearm to the throat with you hand on their shoulder acting as the fulcrum of the lever). Then we did various full body grabs like a bear hug from the front, behind etc. Those were easiest cause I've done them all before, though it was pretty cool when the new guy really squeezed tight on a behind bear hug and I had to drop my weight and really work my arms up my sides (you need to bend your elbows, preferably evenly) to get out of it. I've never had someone attack me with that much force before so it was good to see how easy it was to get out of despite the python like constriction.

Amusingly, I tried to return the favour, but of course, the guy's really built! So my arms got only about half way around him - which everybody in the class spotted and laughed their heads off about (me included). We could still train cause your arms don't really need to go around the person so long as you can put pressure on their arms, but we did look ridiculous. I also enjoyed finding out if you want to get someone's clasped hands apart and they're really strong, one cheat is to drive a fingernail into the fleshy side of the finger (I've still got a mark from where Jack did it). Weapon of the night was hung bo, and the key was coming in at the right moment either taking the space where the hand swinging the stick will be, or if they're swinging wildly back and forth, waiting for the point where you can jump in and take their foot off in the right direction. At one point I was avoiding a forward stab with the stick (you aim for the hand holding the stick with your opposite hand, but barely move the rest of your body believe it or not) and I did one hit to the guy's neck which made a smacking sound (it's all the muscle) and Jack was like, "Show him the love!" *L* I taught the guy a lot of striking points on the head and arms cause he wanted to know *shrugs* He was actually pretty good for his level, though I discovered he only learnt by example and that he really wasn't conceptualizing anything I said without me demonstrating what I was saying in conjunction and him then trying it to discover it was working.

Afterwards, C. and I continued our long standing war (he pulls my braid, I either pull his belt, or smack him upside the head). I got him upside the head after class, and made sure to back away quickly, brandishing my own belt as a weapon. He backed down so I thought I was safe, but as I was heading for my own bag, I saw him pull off his gi out of the corner of my eye, then he made a perfect toss of the thing over my head (like something out of a jackie chan movie). I said, "Shit." and crouched down low and went backwards to get out of it, but it would have been too late if he'd actually wanted to hit me. It was a pretty awesome move *L*

I've taken to showing off my bruises to my friend N. in Japanese class, and she's taken to calling me a BAMF. lol.

Comments

[ashfae.livejournal.com]

You ARE a BAMF!!!!!

[deralte.livejournal.com]

*L*

[c0d3-w4rri0r.livejournal.com]

You see I have an issue with that too. I've always been a pretty equal opportunities person. Not because it's been drilled into me. Just because it always seemed natural to me. Boys and girls are basically the same bar a few modifications in the pelvic floor. Very important when it comes to reproduction and everything attached to that but pretty irrelevant to everything else.

This ironically has lead me to plenty of confrontations with politically correct people. For instance I don't see the issue with women in combat roles in the military. I have no issue with men working as bra fitters or male majorettes / rhythmic gymnastics / synchronised swimmers / . Or with mixed sex contact sports, why should we assume women will only want to measure them selves against each other and vica versa. I've no problem being ruff with girls when the situation calls for it. I've no compunction about wrestling an aggressive flailing women trying to hurt people to the floor and sitting on her till she calms down.

This apparently makes me an insensitive male brute, very often in the eyes of the same people who advocate 'equality'.

It's interesting what you say about digging your nails in. As you may remember I tend to keep mine a little on the long side. It's a thing I've had since childhood. I don't like rough textures on my finger tips, especially the sensitive bit the nails can cover. Most martial arts instructors I've known haven't likes this. My current one is a bit ambivalent. How does buyu look on students with longer than normal nails?

[deralte.livejournal.com]

You'd be asked to politely cut your nails at buyu. The reason I keep mine cut down is actually so I don't draw blood when we're doing techniques. I cut my nails once every fortnight. On the other hand, in real life, we'd cheer your nails on providing they were strong enough to dig and rip into flesh, but we're vicious that way.

As for the other, I've always really hated male/female divisions in sports. It drove me insane that I was expected to play softball rather than baseball just because I'm a girl. I also really wanted to play american football with boys, not girls (since they never wanted to play full contact). There is a slight difference in strength and possibly size between men and women which can make a difference at a really high competitive level, but makes no difference what soever at a lower level. Try explaining that to ten year old boys on a footballl field though. On the other hand, while I do think men should be allowed to work as you suggested as bra fitters, I also think women are entitled to be comfortable while in a vulnerable situation and since many women would be uncomfortable to have a male bra fitter, it wouldn't make sense economically to hire a male bra fitter over a female one (it's not like it's a skilled position anyway).

[c0d3-w4rri0r.livejournal.com]

More to the point try explaining to the parents of 15 year old girls that the boys throwing their girls to the ground are just playing the game and that you see girls tackling guys just as much. I'm sure when parents hear 'mixed sex team' they've visions of girls being groped in rugby scrums or their sons and daughters showering naked together drinking Champaign from the winners cup.

It cuts both ways. Growing up I only once remember having a friend over to sleep. However the impression I got was having girls sleeping over with boys was fine [with parents] so long as they had a separate room but having a boy sleeping over with a group of girls was a big no no. So many guys have been denied to opportunity to try anything girly lest it suddenly turn them gay where as when a girl prefers jeans to skirts and likes rough sports no one worries that she might become a lesbian or that this behaviour might be anything more significant than tomboyishness.

So guys doing girly things like bra fitting is viewed as suspicious from the get go. I understand that in the states some male gynaecologists are finding it hard to find work because so many practises doing gyn work have specialised as gyn centres and advertise them selves as 'female friendly' all woman practices. In the uk private health firms can discriminate on sex because they're protected by the same laws that apply to bra fitting but for the most part they don't. The NHS by virtue of being the biggest health provider in the country and by being the 1st employer almost all doctors ever have before some move on to private work has nipped it in the bud by hiring with an equal opportunities policy. Private firms need to entice the best doctors away from the NHS to say they're offering something more than what you can get for free and they can't afford to be fussy over their sex.

Of course many men prefer female doctors. Especially in urology or proctology and the ultra rare specialisation of andrology (disease specific to men). I'm sure there are some women out their who, if their breasts have to be exposed, measured and popped in and out of an endless parade of different sized bras would rather it was with a warm friendly gentle man than a no nonsense school nurse type. After all when have you ever found a heterosexual man who couldn't find something positive to say about a girls breasts.

Bra fitting may be unskilled but that hasn't stopped the government offering a btec qualification in it. Students must learn how to deal with fitting transsexuals, women with mastectomies or who are nursing, have uneven sized breasts as well as fitting room etiquette etc. exactly what sort of collage would offer this btec isn't clear but it's a recognised course. I know that major bra firms tend to keep paid 'fitting experts' on staff who run internal courses they offer to shops that stock their bras. It's a bit more than just taking 2 measurements.

Then you've got to consider other jobs which definitely are skilled like beauty therapy or holt-courtue tailoring where custom clothes, often undergarments, are nearly sown around the body as the customer stands there. It's very hard for a man to get ahead in these industries because the equal opportunities laws don't cover jobs that involve nudity.

The NHS view has traditionally been 'yes you can have a doctor of the sex of your choice [irrespective of your own sex] provided you're willing to wait for them'. If it works for the NHS I don't see why it shouldn't for bra fitting which is a lot less serious than medicine. But then that comes from the perspective of equal opportunities legislation generally being a good thing to have which varies from state to state in the usa as i understand it.