Kendo practice?

Question

I've wanted to learn kendo for a while, but there are no instructors where are live, so does anyone know a routine I could practice in my back yard? (I have the bamboo sword)

Answer 1

kendo moves are very specific which requires direct supervision by a qualified instructor. in solitary practice you could only go as far as doing feet movements and maybe a few swings with a shinai. but the real fun in kendo is doing it with a practice partner. reading a book or watching video tapes on kendo wouldn't suffice either. you have to get into action to really experience this unique martial art. part of the fun in kendo is learning about japanese culture which explains all the meticulous details of wearing a kendo bogu and caring for your kendo equipment.

Answer 2

just swinging a shinai about will not teach you kendo.

you really do need to find an instructor.

my guess is that you don't really want to learn kendo but you want to learn to use a sword.

truthfully, while kendo is alot of fun, it is not traditional swordsmanship, it is more of a fun sport form.

if you are looking for traditional swordsmanship (kenjutsu) and can't even find kendo, you have problems where you live and might just have to wait to learn until you move.

you might just have to satisfy yourself with research on historical facts and facts about swordsmanship and/or kendo specific training till you do.

I wouldnt' reccomend learning from a book or anything without having a teacher to correct you.

Answer 3

Kendo, the Way of the Sword is the art of Japanese Samurai Swordsmanship. It is rooted in the traditions of Budo, the Martial Way. It is both exhilarating and demanding to learn.

In this answer I'd like to provide some information about Kendo and Kendo in the United States.

Origin of Kendo

Modern Kendo bears but faint resemblance to Kenjutsu and to its feudal origins of sword wielding samurai warriors which are today depicted in movies and television. Kendo, literally translated, "the way of the sword," cannot be traced to a single founder or given an exact founding date. The story of the rise of modern Kendo begins with the samurai and extends over the culture of several centuries.

Kendo equipment consists of the swords, uniform and armor. There are two types of wooden swords used. First, the bokken or bokuto, a solid wood sword made of oak or another suitable hardwood. The bokken is used for basics and forms practice (kata). Second, the shinai, is made up of four bamboo staves and leather. The shinai is used for full contact sparring practice. The uniform or dogi consists of woven cotton top called a keikogi and pleated skirt-like trousers called a hakama. The armor or bogu consists of four pieces: the helmet (men), the body protector (do), the gloves (kote), and the hip and groin protector (tare). Modern Kendo armor design is fashioned after the Oyoroi of the Samurai.