Just Discovered Jodo - and Love It!

[Newbie]

Usually I would consider myself a kendoka. Have been doing kendo for roughly a year, though somewhat brokenly, mainly due to health issues. Those long breaks (nothing serious, just a bad run of colds that linger but run you down too far for such exerted exercise as a kendo session, chronic back pain playing up, etc) really stuff you up. Dabbled a little in iai but my iai teacher has buggered his knees and can't teach me anything so really, I've had one weekend seminar and one half hour instruction in iai. In the last couple weeks my asthma has been heinous. I've been going along to the dojo, watching everyone else train, trying to pick up what I can from watching everyone else and listening to instruction, getting in a little kata when I can. But the guy who's buggered his knees just got his jodo shodan last weekend. So last night, whilst the kendoka were training, and for two or so hours after they left, there were three of us doing jo. Asthma barely played up at all. My back had been quite sore that day but the jodo didn't disrupt it at all. My friend leant me one of his jos so woke up this morning feeling awesome after two weeks of not being able to train and went up and down the back lawn :)

Jo rocks! I'm hooked! The other advantage? No expensive bogu or iaito! I just love the fact that jodo is of the same calibre (don't get me wrong, I always had a healthy respect and interest for it long before I touched a jo) as iai and kendo but is more forgiving for injuries and sickness. *laf* Well, it means I'm not budo-less until I get my asthma under control! And I like having the variety, each has so much to offer.

Anyway, just wanted to share. Out of curiousity, how did other people get into jodo?

[Pan-Chan]

I've only watched jodo a little bit.

There is a man that attends iaido at my dojo on Saturdays who is a godan in jodo and was giving the kendo sensei who were practicing iaido on that day some lessons for a little while; only a few weeks I think. The two sensei had things that stopped then from making it to iaido so no more jodo I guess.

I really liked watching it, though. It seemed very smooth and intense. Someday when I've got a better grasp on kendo and iaido *cough* hachidan *cough* I may try it if I have an opportunity. Who doesn't love kata, right?

[Fudo-Shin]

Congrats Newbie, you may have found your calling. I have been learning Jodo for about 1 year now and I am also hooked. We do it on Sundays up here so I look at it as a nice relaxing "Sunday Session". I only sweat a small amount compared to Kendo, but that's the tropics for you, and it is only during Kihon Tandoku. I find that Jodo stimulates the mind more than Kendo, it is more mentally complex.

Hey, I am also Asthmatic but I find that the humidity here helps my Asthma alot compared to a cold and dry area. You can always move up here if your Asthma becomes too much....and still train. My Asthma is almost none-existant here.

Cheers.

[IamNastey]

Hi Newbie.

Keep it up there are some very good teachers down our way.

PM me if you want any local info.

Cheers