Been a while since I've seen a kendo thread.
Im a newb, picked it up a few weeks ago after some consideration, loving it, but have blisters and rips at the base of big toes and a small one at the base of my left pinky. Clearly footwork and grip is a huge work in progress. Is this pretty standard when you start or am I doing major things wrong if I'm getting these rips?
good to see a kendo thread!
you will get calluses in these locations after a while. this is very typical. as for now, just keep practicing; your blisters will turn into calluses eventually.
by very typical i mean everyone has them
>>1272129
>Off topic since you're not using Kendo Sticks in wrestling terms.
are you implying that kendo is not a sport, but is a form of combat? if so, you're entirely wrong.
>>1272195
fuck off
>>1272242
do you see this board? is it the martial arts board? NO IT'S THE FUCKIGN ASP BOARD
fencing is more practical and realistic
>>1272354
Not really, kendo has actual sword work in it,
>>1272403
as a kendoka, i would say kendo is about as realistic as fencing, but its skills translate better to kenjutsu than the skills of fencing would to HEMA foil or whatever
>>1272527
Meik Skoss once said that the kendo kata, contain just about all you need to know.
I'm not sure I would go that far myself, but as an outsider I would say that done correctly (big caveat) they do seem to contain alot of solid material to work off of.
>>1272582
the problem is is that tournament kendo is quite different from actual proper kendo.
and in addition, the bread and butter of kendo strikes are incredibly tiny strikes designed for maximum speed. while the fundamental technique may be there (proper grip, tenouchi, muscle movement) the actual realism is lacking
>>1272587
I'll agree with that, again based on what I have seen
>>1273220
I got em both on the front of the sole and my toes. But, you should always ask your sensei (typically reserve questions for after class though).
Also the kendo subreddit is usually a pretty nice community (no trolling about wrestling), if you don't mind using reddit.
>>1273272
Not the guy you're talking to, but I can't force myself to use reddit.
I just started kendo recently, finding the cardiovascular aspect of it the toughest. But that's why I joined so...
I'm not sure if I'm looking forward to having bogu or not, they're quite expensive, and restrictive, and hot. Obviously can't advance without them though.
>>1273490
unfortunately, kendo has an odd habit of really needing cardio without training it well. I would recommend you get running
>>1273493
Ahhhh.
Fuck.
>>1273272
Yeah I'll do that as well. interesting the way the teaching principle is so different from Western styles where questions as you go is encouraged.
Thanks, I've had a look at the reddit before, see if there's some decent stuff for a beginner.
>>1273642
Rowing and cycling are also decent cardio options if you hate running
hi kendofags, hemafag here
can you please help me find the japanese names of each portion of the blade (namely forte and foible)?
also need the terms for binding (is that tai-attari or something like that?), winding and parrying.
thanks everyone
>>1275510
This picture can show you parts of the sword.
ta attari is body checking, I think your thinking of tsubazeriai which is blades locked at the handguard
>>1276276
Thanks dude
>tsubazeriai
not exactly: what I meant was the mere crossing of the blades e.g. assuming two sharp blades hit each other their edges "stick" somewhat together and that's what we call a bind: in german longsword one often stays in this bind and starts working his way out (this we call "winden") to cut/hit/thrust the opponent while still mantaining control of his blade.
not sure kendo or any kenjustsu ryu has this sort of thing, I'm just curious
>>1276332
Well on the top of my mind there is a sort of bind in the first kata of the TSKSR. The shidachi is kneeling and (can) receive a vertical downward cut by parrying in basically quinte (torii), then he rises and gives a "pommel strike" before cutting the belly. In the kata, the uchidachi parries this and engages in a second bind.
Here's the classic vid of the kata:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aeWU8CYl5M
You might want to look also at Kashima Shinto-ryu, this style does most of its stuff at very close range where lots of "binds" (?) happens.
bamp
I've been told that there's no limit to the force you can use to push your opponent out of a deadlock, assuming you aren't actually striking them.
This seems like it's unfair to smaller kendoka.
>>1272242
Its a sport that was used to practice Japanese swordplay, how exactly is it not a martial art?
>>1277116
kenjutsu is literally training you would do to learn how to kill people with a katana
kendo is a highly sportified version of that, but retaining much the the mindset
>>1277116
I think what the dude is saying is kendo lacks any practical moves or application it's mentally inline with martial arts but having trained in some sword play myself I can happily say kendo is basically useless in any form of fight.
>>1277157
i've said this before elsewhere, but the skills acquired in kendo transition well into kenjutsu. In fact, many ryuha require students take kendo as the practical application of their curriculum.
>>1277157
>learning how to strike someone with a sword quickly while preventing yourself from being struck has no real application
Get fucked homo.
>>1277883
kendoka here
there's really no direct practical application to sword fighting
>>1277916
>t. Guy who has totally fought with swords
How's it going Spartacus?
Ignoring fumikomi and kiai, tell me how kendo isn't a practical use of a katana.
>>1279187
the bread and butter of kendo is very tiny, very fast strikes that often result in people being hit a tenth of a second after each other
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-PX24NFL4k
look at this; tell me that those people, given two swords would be doing what they're doing. it's not directly transferable to swordsman ship BUT if you do kenjutsu many skills will cross over.
>>1276751
>1:50 in the video!
that's what I'm talking about! Does this technique have a specific name?
I want to get into kendo but the nearest dojo from me I can find is about 4 hours away, in the future if I really do get in to it I may try and go sometimes but for now is there any books or online resources I can use to start and see if this is something I enjoy?
>>1279562
>Does this technique have a specific name?
Mmh... no. I don't think it has a name as a singular technique or even as a family of technique, it's just referred as a cut to the throat (in the books of the instructor that I've got anyway).
Now bear in mind that even if I had given you a name, this school (TSKSR) is just one school that use its own names. What is used inside this school will perhaps not be named similarly in another school, this especially because it's a very old school, so more modern ones will usually have different names for guards, strikes, footwork, etc. Iit wouldn't even have been that indicative, but yeah, binding exists...
Here, the Kashima Shinto-ryu has been created by a student of the Katori Shinto-ryu (the school of the first video), but most of the work is done at much closer distance (shortest measure instead of longest measure in the Katori), so binds everywhere:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fchAufL-owM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Had9oTYGiTs
>>1279996
kendo is very idiosyncratic, your not going to get right without a teacher. Its actually that way for most Japanese swordsmanship
>>1280073
this
bump
>>1280029
Here, the Kashima Shinto-ryu has been created by a student of the Katori Shinto-ryu
This is technically true, but there is more to it than that. There was an active sword tradtion at Kashima predating the tachi sword, and large parts of their curriculum predate Bokuden by years, perhaps centuries.
There appears to have been a large amount of interchange between the bushi families who served near the kashima and katori shrines
>>1282381
There are dojo that will let you be a satellite member, but it will require a lot of discipline and commitment
>>1282360
You're absolutely right, I wrote that to signal that there is a direct link between the TSKSR and Kashima Shinto-ryu and that's why I mentioned the later after talking about the former.
Kashima Shinto-ryu is just one of the many traditions (too many ? Frankly it gets confusing sometimes) linked to the Kashima shrine, it's also probably one of the school with the clearest link with the TSKSR, since as you said, there were a lot of exchange between the two shrines... they are only 25km away from the other after all.
>>1282381
As a different anon: probably. If you can't go regularly, you're not going to really get the stimulus necessary to improve and learn and start developing the skills you need to know. It'd be better than nothing, but depending on how much it costs, it might not be worth either your time, or the club's time, to have you only pseudo-participate. No offence intended.
>>1280029
I think a school like kashima shinto ryu is probably going to be underappreciated. there demonstrations tend to be pretty slow and ritualistic looking.
From what Ive read of their actual training however it sound pretty intense
>>1273272
Reddit is shit, and a terrible format, but I admit the kendo subreddit is small enough that you can typically get useful feedback.
That being said, anyone have tips to increase speed? I'm way too slow for my liking right now, my striking speed is only around 300 milliseconds.
>>1280029
hemafag again here
thenks everyone, I'll try to ask some Kashima Shinto Ryu practicioner then
keep up training
>>1287738
Good luck with that, the only westerner I know of who studied it is Roald Knutsen, lives in England where he teaches kendo and eishin ryu. He's pretty old now. He's also written a couple of books where he talks about training in kashima shinto ryu, but I don't recall reading about the binding techniques specifically.
There are some descriptions of binding techniques in Legacies of the sword, Karl Fridays book on the related kashima-shinryu. At least I think they would be considered binding techniques.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFjbxa6YsUc
here is a video of the style
I think you'll find that many schools are hesitant to get into specifics so watching videos might be the best you'll get
>>1287778
Outsider here, is there any kendo that features dual-wielding like that pic? Y'know, like katana+wakizashi style?
>>1287786
There is nito-ryu kendo, but that's obviously pretty different from realistic two sword combat, so as to remain useful in competitive settings.
>>1287786
>>1287786 is right, nito exists but isn't exactly 'true' to a combative technique depending on who you talk to. Some doubt a lot of its authenticity altogether: Musashi didn't use Nito when he won all of his duels, he invented the style and wrote about it in his later years.
Someone at my dojo uses it, but it's only recommended for people once they've progressed a number of levels into their dan grading. If you join kendo specifically to aim for Nito, expect to be training for a few years before you can really start attempting Nito and be good with it. Or at least thats what my sensei said, and I've heard a few others repeat the sentiment.
>>1290004
Kendo nito is a little funny, but there are lots of kenjutsu styles that teach nito swordsmanship. Generally they hold the sword near the top of the hilt rather than that bottom like you see kendoka do. Less reach but much better control.
>>1269743
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvliCDarJYE
bumping
>>1290212
Yeah I've got no doubt that there are a bunch of changes to the style to make it kendo-specific, grip being one of them. I'd be interested in trying it out once I'm experienced enough.
Incidentally, I've seen a very few Joudan players around, but nobody using anything else. Bit of a pity that they've essentially written them out through all the rule changes.
>>1292183
kendo from anything besides chudan and jodan really does not make sense because if the limited targets. If you freed up the targets you would see alot more diversity in personal style
>>1292194
Yeah that's what I mean by written out through rules. Joudan basically died for a while when they altered the rules for certain things that did/didn't count as point-scoring strikes. That Shodai guy was the first to win with Joudan in something like 25 years at the All-Japan championships a few years back (memory is hazy, don't quote me on accuracy)
>>1292337
I haven't heard about this, but I have read that there are alot of unofficial rules, and that even if you do something unorthodox and get a good hit in a judge might still deem it invalid
>>1293699
It was a long while ago and the rule isn't enfored anymore I don't think. Pretty sure the change was in like 1979 and said munezuki was now valid? The last Jodan player won in like 1983 until Shodai a while back at the All-Japan. I'm not even sure whether the strike is actually still valid or whether its been removed again, I think I read about it on some forum a while back.
>>1272582
>Meik Skoss once said that the kendo kata, contain just about all you need to know.
What is theory without practice?
That's the main issue of every martial arts, to be honest. Then, every martial art has his own sparring which may be more or less realistic. I believe kendo, having or not all you need to know in its kata, isn't enough for an actual preparation for real fighting.
Anyway real fighting will never happen and I'm able to enjoy kendo for the cool sport it is.
>>1294765
But, kata ARE practice... another form of practice for sure, but they still are practice.
Anyway, I'd think that to be prepared for real fighting, we should concentrate on the psychological side of the fight rather than or on par with the technical aspect, which almost no one do, because they aren't preparing you for actual sword fighting (duh).
Anyway, as you said, kata can prepare you for sparring and in most studies of swordsmanship nowadays, sparring or competitive bouts is probably the most demanding thing you'll have to do... and it's good as it is.
>new club is founded in another city
>they requested help from national aliance
>we all go
>the practice ''will be basic''
>heavy drinking the night before
>next day 45 minutes of kakari geiko + 5h training
>only money for one apple, nothing to eat that day
>no money for highway, 7h trip home by car
it was a funny weekend
Where is the best place to get Shinai for Kendo? I'd like to buy one for said friend.
>>1295110
Depends where you live, senpai.
I heard good things about ebogu (US), tozando (JP), ninecircles (UK) and onlinekendo (KR).
But where I live shipping is expensive af so I bought at a local shop. But if you buy local, look for a place known and trusted by other practitioners.
>>1294765
Best explanation of that Ive read is in Roald Knustens book. he explains the connection between kata and keiko, and contrasts the kendo kata with those older systems of swordsmanship he is familiar with
>>1294806
Jesus
That reminds me though, how long do you all usually practice in a session, and how intensely?
I know this is kendo, but is iaido a viable substitute for kenjutsu? The latter seems nonexistant around me.
>>1298487
Depends what you mean by iaido, but generally not. there are different flavors of iaido.
There is seitei iaido which is done by the kendo federation.
There are styles of iaido or batto which may or may not be koryu and may or may not practice different things along with solo sword drawing. your mileage may vary
then there are koryu systems that include iaijutsu or battojutsu which are combat viable
Generally speaking though, if all you do is solo sword drawing, your not learning the timing distancing and other aspects of facing anther guy with a weapon.
Thoughts? https://youtube.com/watch?v=y0KI6-Lf21Y
I'm browsing through cutting videos and wondering if there's anything particularly wrong with this guy's cuts, with all the dislikes. I'm new to iaido, but I thought it seemed pretty decent.
Also, does anyone have good videos they'd be willing to share? Trying to learn what I can.
>>1298713
Well I was expecting a cringe fest but its not that bad, at least not compared to alot of the people passing themselves off as experts. Its not kendo, it looks more like iaido or iaijutsu. The guy probably has some training, I dont think he got to that level entirely on own is own
Still there a few weird moves mixed in there, I would not be in a hurry to sign up. There is a lot more to a sword system than good choreography and decent cutting skills
>>1295344
Never heard of it, what does he say?
>>1298110
Intensity is kind hard to measure, somedays you sweat more than others.
But for the duration, it's usually 1h45 to 2h sessions.
>>1299149
He has a whole chapter in his book "Rediscovering Swordsmanship"
Once he gets into modern kendo. He describes the kata movements as being "real" weapon work. He argues that kendo kata are under taught and poorly understood, and suggests that techniques used in shiai should reflect the kata
He of course goes into alot more depth then that. He covers alot of history and theory. The book is written in a rather academic style so its kind of dry and word heavy, but its definitely worth a lead if you care about Japanese swordsmanship
Hey guys, interested in Kendo. Have a man selling me two shinai and a bokken with carrying cases for 30. The bokken is mostly for me and my iaido uses, but I was wondering if that was a good price? Also, any books I should pick up? Im going to be starting at my Universities club.
>>1300353
Are the shinai new? If not it could be a bad idea, fampai.
Also, how are they, quality-wise, maybe you could ask someone to go with you check them out
>>1300586
Pic related senpai
>>1300586
>>1300586
>>1300628
>>1300632
>>1300646
Well, you can tell at least the leather parts are used. And the take (bamboo slats) seem to have seen better days (they look too dry).
You should disassemble them and check if there are splinters or cracks on the sides of the slats (where they touch each other) and also check for cracks on the inside. If you find any cracks, you should avoid it, fampai.
>>1300818
Getting these of craigslist. I do iaido so i already have the iaito hes selling. Just asked him about the cracks.
>>1301017
Just be careful, if kept dry for a long time the bamboo can lose its flexibility and cracks will appear more easily.
And a shinai with cracks can be dangerous, as it will have a high chance of breaking during practice, potentially harming you and other people around.
>>1301050
Im going to be starting at the U of I kendo club over the summer, and I was going to be in chicago anyways so I thought it would be a good idea
>>1301075
No worries, they will probably have some shinai available for beginners. As kendo involves hitting heads around with bamboo sticks, it's best to keep your equipment well maintained.
Hope you like it, and best of luck.
>>1302414
You know anyone trying to sell some bogu? Im trying to find a secondhand set as im a broke college STRAIGHT WHITE MALE .
>>1287644
get stronger?
>>1295110
tozando is probably the best
What's the cheapest sword of decent quality I can use for iaido practice?
>>1303105
If your talking about a real sword than your going to be in at several hundred at the least. Whats important is that it is on the lighter side with a point of balance closer to the hilt. This might not be the case if your a big guy, but if your small or a beginner your probably going to want a a blade like I described.
Many cheap swords are made for target cutting and have a balance point closer to the tip.
For an iaito you get it for a little cheaper
>>1298110
we have practice 3x a week of 1,5h but when the national teem comes /and its every month or every 2 months) all the people in bogu can participate and then its 1 or 2 days, 7 or 8h a day... with lunch pause
>>1303152
Of course he wants an Iaito. This iaido, not shinkendo. For an Iaido you can get ok for around 200 and good for 400. Ask if your instructer has a spare one in the meantime. When you hit 2nd dan or 1st dan you can use a shinken
>>1303635
how do you go for 7 or 8 hours a day? I'm dying at the end of 2.5hr keiko!
>>1304634
practice...you can learn and aquire everything even stamina
>>1295176
I've bought naginata equipment from ninecircles and they're pretty shit. Can't speak for their kendo stuff though.
>>1305640
Cross training is still a great idea though. Prepeated practice will only even get you certain results, and some can be better earned through other training methods.
>>1309748
>Cross training
>Cross training
fuck that shit
t. nitto player
>>1305640
>you can learn and aquire everything
This is wrong, and misspelled. I know people who are 7 feet tall, and you can't teach that.
>>1310519
i'm 6,6 and yes...you can...its hard thou
