hygeine

one of my biggest pet peeves is poor hygiene. Espcially when, like a martial artist, your hygiene affects others. Long nails scrath and can cause infections. Or when, this happend once, your grabbing self defense partner negleted to tell you he had poision ivy. Even worse, blood. When people dont take the time to tape down their band aid and it falls off, getting blood everywhere. there are so many things Martial artists are exposed to, but a lot of people are oblivious to the things they do.

Sometimes its things just disrespectful to the studio. One time i wouldnt let a child get on the mat because his feet were filthy on the bottom. But you would not believe how irrate people and parents get when you confront them about their or their childs hygeine. Drives me crazy!

Kit

Totally with you on this one. Even worse are dirty finger nails which can introduce an infection at the site of a scratch.

I insist that all students come to train with the bare minimum of clean face, hands and feet.

I have a female student who works as an engineer and I do accept that when she comes straight from work there is grease under her nails. As she keeps them very short and wears gloves to spar rather than mitts, it is not a problem for other students.

A more sensitive issue is headlice. I have come across parent who astonishingly "don't have time to comb his/her hair through"

The only remedy really is to tell people that they are behaving unacceptably. Seems difficult at first I know, but much easier in the long term to be direct with adult students or the parents of child students.

Sharon

Gotta agree with both of you, I've seen many instances of this.

There used to be a Russian guy at my dojo who tended not to bathe. Needless to say when we sparred, it was the odor and not the right cross which knocked me out.

A few of us here from the forum once conducted a self defence class for women which through some strange local authority requirement (i believe) had to include a similar class for men. Of the three men who turned up for this course, one of them can only be described as a swamp beast who smelt like a cross between an incontinent itinerant wino with a faulty colostomy and a man fresh from a days work unblocking a major city sewer. Frankly this bloke didn't need self defence training, he could knock out a top class fighter at 10 yards with his noxious odour.

Regds
Mr V

Oh yes, I'm with you all on this one! It's the people that never seem to wash their gi that really get me! And when you find yourself in a headlock with your nose an inch away from the enormous yellow sweat stain under someone's armpit! Lovely! And the nails thing too - why is it that some blokes NEVER cut their toenails?!

Okay, I'll stop ranting now...

-Charlie

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[QUOTE]Originally posted by Fighting Dwarf:
And the nails thing too - why is it that some blokes NEVER cut their toenails?!

Okay, I'll stop ranting now...

-Charlie

[IMG]http://www.fightingarts.com/forums/ubb/biggrin.gif[/IMG] [IMG]http://www.fightingarts.com/forums/ubb/biggrin.gif[/IMG] [IMG]http://www.fightingarts.com/forums/ubb/biggrin.gif[/IMG] [/QUOTE]

I said sorry...........

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Bandages and blood bring forth issues of blood-borne diseases. I would not want to work with anyone with an open wound, you never know a person's history, and what they may or may not carry.

As far as general cleanliness goes, it seems to me to be a matter of respect for your teachers and fellow students. If you don't have enough respect to at least shower once in awhile and be presentable, you don't need to be there.

Mr. V has a point. Bad hygiene can be an effective weapon of self defense. I imagine in my head over and over if my uncontrollable farts are good shields from harrassments [IMG]http://www.fightingarts.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif[/IMG]
When it comes to training, yes, i agree with you all that bad hygiene is unpleasant. We have a rule: keep finger and toe nails trimmed. Not just for hygiene but you can inadvertantly scratch someone's cornea off.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by madhag:
Mr. V has a point. Bad hygiene can be an effective weapon of self defense. I imagine in my head over and over if my uncontrollable farts are good shields from harrassments [IMG]http://www.fightingarts.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif[/IMG]
When it comes to training, yes, i agree with you all that bad hygiene is unpleasant. We have a rule: keep finger and toe nails trimmed. Not just for hygiene but you can inadvertantly scratch someone's cornea off.[/QUOTE]

Is farting on someone to get them off of you hygene? Please read my post on I was at aikido yesterday!

I Think I'm gonna be sick. [IMG]http://www.fightingarts.com/forums/ubb/redface.gif[/IMG] [IMG]http://www.fightingarts.com/forums/ubb/frown.gif[/IMG]