Kendo is unique in that one must take a posture where the right hand and foot are out in front but the body remains square to the opponent (Chudan no Kamae). For this reason, the parts of the body that suffer from injuries are limited. The BAK suit is designed by the ZNKR appointed coach for physical training and physical trainer of the Japanese National Team, Dr Kentaro Takahashi, and is the long awaited Kendo specific underwear for preventing injuries and boosting performance.
Effects and Aims:
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Completely supports the muscles that are essential in Kendo.
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Applies an appropriate amount of pressure on the muslces to help the
blood flow smoothly during muscle contraction and help carry away the
lactic acid.
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It reduces the fatigue in the muscles to the absolute
minimum and ensures the fatigue does not remain until the next day.
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Naturally focusses your mind on your muscles and therefore raises your
performance.
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At the same time it displays the maximum effectiveness in preventing
injuries (including Achilles tendon injuries).
 Prevention of injuries
Upper body:
The large cross extending from the shoulders to the lower back help
support a good posture that allows a good Kamae.
The cross extending from the back to the Tanden support the trunk
muscles which are essential in Kendo.
Lower body:
Support is given to the right thigh and left calf which are the parts most
intensely used in Kendo to avoid injuries.
Importantly, Achilles tendon injury can be prevented by protecting
the attached muscles.
Improving Performance
Muscles create minute vibrations as they contract during activities.approximately 20% of the muscles efficiency is spent in suppressing this vibration.
The BAK helps suppress the vibration so that all of the work done by the
muscles can be brought out.
Reduction of fatigue
By applying pressure on the muscles and the blood vessles, it helps make
the blood flow smoother thereby helping bringing fresh oxygen to the
muscles, and speeds up the removal of the lactic acid deposited in the
muscles so that the fatigue does not linger to the nextday.
 Temperature control
"Technofine" is better than regular polyester at absorbing moisture and it wicks the moisture away from the skin to avoid stickiness.
In addition it is fast drying so it keeps the inside of the suit pleasant
and dry. The secret is in the special W-shaped fibre structure.
Changes in lactic acid levels after Kendo practice.
Red line: with BAK
Blue line: without BAK
The y-axis shows the amount of lactice acid in mmol/L.
The x-axis shows the elapsed time in minutes.
The first tick is at 30 minutes into Keiko, the second is when the Keiko finishes, and from then, every 10 minutes from the end of Keiko.
The graph is a section of the study conducted by the BAK manufacturer and shows the lactic acid in the people wearing the BAK suit is removed faster than in the people not wearing the BAK suit. It has been revealed in
recent research that lactic acid removed from the muscles can be turned into energy, so that wearing the BAK suit enables the player to train for longer and harder.
Kentaro Takahashi
Profile: Professor at Gunma Industrial Higher Vocational School. Graduated from Sugamo High School to
attend Yokohama Public University. He then obtained a Masters degree from the same University before attaining a Doctorate from the Sports University of Japan. He has been in posts such as the Gunma Prefecture Sports Association Sports Science Representative, Squad Trainer for the said Association and the team physical trainer for the Japanese team. He is also the ZNKR appointed Training Coach and is a member of the Japanese Biomechanics Association. He is a Doctor of Phylosophy in Sports Science and Kendo Renshi 6Dan. |
Better than I expected! 
