Kyudo Practice (Lost and Regained)

[Iaido dude]

I started practicing kyudo in Boston in 2005 every weekend for about 1 years. With my move to Florida, practice was quite irregular. From 2015-2025, I didn't practice at all due to chronic pain from a nerve injury for which no form of therapy including surgery and every procedure and medication known to man provided even a little benefit. I stopped Zen practice. I stopped iaido practice. In my desperation and state of heightened anxiety, I convinced myself that the next procedure would be the magic bullet. However, even partial relief never came. There was no end to severe pain every waking moment. Then I realized that I had no weakness, no muscle atrophy, and no ongoing acute tissue injury. Every imaging and nerve conduction study was normal. The pain was just a loop that had taken up occupancy in my brain--just neurotransmitters running amuck. Pain-->anxiety-->more pain-->more anxiety, etc. I started to remind myself that there was no 5-alarm fire. The anxiety died down. About a year ago, I resumed daily kyudo, iaido, and Zen practice. Next weekend, I'm going to my first kyudo intensive in the past 20 years in nearby Eustis, FL.

 

https://www.facebook.com/events/1392050959279976/?ref_source=NEWS_FEED

 

Here I am in 2008.

 

 

 

And here is a video I just shot yesterday. It's been a long journey...

 

 

Edited Sunday at 11:14 PM by Iaido dude

[John C]

Firstly, I would be petrified I would miss and stick an arrow in one of the palm trees in the background. But actually I have a question. I recently read that the width of the stance has something to do with the length of the arrow. If this is correct, could you explain it?

 

John C.

 

p.s. I have a similar issue with neuropathy. I've been running for 50 years, dealing with the problem, and recently had to stop because of it. 

Edited Sunday at 11:27 PM by John C

[Iaido dude]

Hi, John. There is a reason I have an archery backstop. I’ve only ever shot through the screen of the covered patio once—evidenced by a small exit hole. My wife doesn’t know about this. Imagine the skill it takes to his a smaller target at 28 meters standard distance for what is called enteki. I’ll be doing that next weekend. 

 

Yes, as a general rule in most styles the prescribed distance between the feet is the length of the arrow. If you use an arrow that is too long (it should just be long enough so that the tip is close to the string at full draw), the distance between the feet will be too be too great and the stance too wide to maintain good balance and support. 

 

We didn’t used to live so long a century ago. Now we deal with the wear and tear of life with advanced age and morbid obesity grinding down joints and the lower back. A lot of what I do for older patients is address painful orthopedic issues and neuropathy from long-standing diabetes. 

Edited Monday at 01:27 AM by Iaido dude

[John C]

Thank you for the explanation. Makes sense. 

 

The rough part of getting old for me is the mind still thinks its 22 when I could run a sub-4 minute mile. A few steps to the mailbox reminds me I'm now on social security!!

 

John C.

[Iaido dude]

 I hear you. The 18 year old in me is frustrated to find himself in a 63 year old body. However, I am sometimes surprised at how much less pain I feel after intensive training. I did a 4 day zen intensive training recently consisting of 8 hours a day of zazen, chanting, and hojo walking. I was pretty convinced I couldn’t do that much sitting meditation without severe pain. I actually had less pain after the first day. Very encouraging.