would like to start learning kendo

[chrono]

Hi everyone,

this is my first post here. alittle background about me:
I was born and live in Canada, and come from a german background. I've been interested in japanese culture for many years, but I have never taken any sort of martial art before. Kendo has interested me for some time now, and I've always wanted to try it out. Next year I will be attending a local university, and they have a kendo club, so it seems like it would be the perfect place to start.

I have never actually watched a kendo practice or match, and I dont have much knowledge on exactly what's involved (besides some online research).

Im just asking if anybody has any words of advice for me before I start getting into it.

thanks :)

[nodachi]

Keep doing what you are doing, web research and maybe read a few books to learn more about it.

Maybe start exercising to build up some stamina now, although this isn't necessary, but it doesn't hurt.

Visit a local dojo before you go to school if there is one near you. It'll help you to make your decision.

Start saving some cash for bogu (armor) now. If you like kendo, then you will have the cash for when you need to buy it after 6 months or so after you have started. It will be a huge chunk of money if you try to find it all at once, but if you start saving a little bit each month now then it won't be such a burden on your wallet. If you find kendo is not for you, treat yourself to something else nice, but kendo rules, so that option won't be necessary. :)

[Phlebas]

Hello chrono, and welcome.

Congratulations on your decision to look into Kendo, it's a good one. It shows you have excellent taste! : )

Since you haven't actually seen a live practice, I would say that is the best place to start. I fell in love with Kendo when I saw live matches in Kuala Lumpur many years ago, but watching two experts fight is no indication of what studying Kendo is like! Go watch a full hour-and-a-half or two-hour practice. It's VERY hard physical training, and involves painstaking study of exacting footwork and hand coordination, which makes for a slow learning process that gets frustrating for everyone at times. In short, it's extremely challenging physically, mentally, and spiritually. By spritually I simply mean you will have to learn how to push yourself REALLY hard, and in doing so you will change and learn about yourself. Sounds weird, I know, but it's true.

It's also very aggressive. Once your initial 3-6 months training is complete you will be wearing bogu (the armour) and acquiring a nice collection of bruises despite the added protection. When you go to watch a practice look for these on student's forearms, necks and ribs... don't worry about that too much though... you wont be in bogu for months. And you won't feel the bruises until you wake up the next day, anyway. Adreneline is a wonderful thing. : )

If you have time to make yourself fitter before you start, do it. Don't delay. Build stamina by running, cycling, swiming or whatever pleases you. Build strength in all the muscle groups in your legs, back and abdomen. Some strength in your shoulders and forearms is good too, but concentrate on stamina, abs and legs, not forgetting the calf muscles. All this will make your training better from less injuries and down-time. Oh, and walk around on rough floors in bare feet a lot... that'll toughen up the soles of your feet, which means less blisters and other grief when you start Kendo. That's just my $0.02 on training anyway.

You may not know it yet but you are standing at a significant crossroads, and you're looking down the right path. The study and practice of Kendo contains a king's ransom in rewards.

Good luck!

[chrono]

Kendo sounds like it's a very rewarding activity. I will go watch a practice soon, but first I'm trying to convince some of my friends to come along! I would find it alot easier to start if I have someone I know going through it with me.

I have been weight training for 6 months already, so I have gained some physical strength (and mental.. its hard to constantly push yourself in the gym, even when you dont really want to be there). And I think I'll start doing some cardio aswell. This should atleast prepare me for some of the physical demands.

I will also start saving up my money for bogu, I looked around at prices and it seems pretty expensive, but I think I would be willing to put the money into it.

Thanks Nodachi and Phlebas for your advice!

[Neil Gendzwill]

I will also start saving up my money for bogu, I looked around at prices and it seems pretty expensive, but I think I would be willing to put the money into it.
Don't worry too much about that right now. Just go try the classes and see if you like it. There will be several months of non-armoured basics practice before you need bogu.

Clubs often have bogu to lend or rent to beginners. If that is available I strongly advise you to take advantage of it before buying yourself. Lots of people who think they want to continue with kendo quit after wearing bogu. Armoured practise is a lot different from non-armoured practice. It's a good idea to try before you buy.

When you do buy, it's not that expensive anymore. Thanks to strong competition it's now possible to buy a perfectly decent beginner's set for under $US 500.

[msquared]

thanks, like chrono i am also looking to start, but unfortunately there are no dojos near me unless i drive for two hours. useually i spar with my friend but since i broke my arm i've just tried to find all of the info online i could.



p.s. any advice on what i can do till my arm heals would be nice,

[Kaoru]

thanks, like chrono i am also looking to start, but unfortunately there are no dojos near me unless i drive for two hours. useually i spar with my friend but since i broke my arm i've just tried to find all of the info online i could.

p.s. any advice on what i can do till my arm heals would be nice,

If there's a dojo 2 hours away, then drive to it. I don't feel sorry for you. My Kendo dojo is that far too. So go twice a month like me. Otherwise, you will only be waving a shinai(BETTER be a shinai and not a bokken OR real sword that you guys are messing with!) around and not doing Kendo.

Advice? Yeah. Go to that dojo and watch a practice to see if you REALLY want to do Kendo down the road once the arm is capable of holding a shinai without injuring it.

Otherwise: DO NOT TRY TO LEARN WITHOUT A SENSEI. PLEASE. Ok? I put this in caps so you see it.

Do a search please for my posts on "why you should study in a dojo" thing so I don't have to repeat myself, ok? :) Just click on my name to find my posts.

Is this how you got hurt? Better not be.

Kaoru

[Ryan213]

Is this how you got hurt? Better not be.

Kaoru

and so what if it is ?
why can't you just say something like "Is this how you got hurt? I dont reccommend that" as I believe he already has parents and is old enough to decide what is right for himself.

[Sepiraph]

You guys realize that this thread was started 2 years ago right?

[DanDan]

^lol good point :rolleyes:

[Richmond-san]

How the hell did someone reply to a thread started 2 years ago??? Don't they recycle them or something? Someone should feel like an ass.:)

[msquared]

If there's a dojo 2 hours away, then drive to it. I don't feel sorry for you. My Kendo dojo is that far too. So go twice a month like me. Otherwise, you will only be waving a shinai(BETTER be a shinai and not a bokken OR real sword that you guys are messing with!) around and not doing Kendo.

Advice? Yeah. Go to that dojo and watch a practice to see if you REALLY want to do Kendo down the road once the arm is capable of holding a shinai without injuring it.

Otherwise: DO NOT TRY TO LEARN WITHOUT A SENSEI. PLEASE. Ok? I put this in caps so you see it.

Do a search please for my posts on "why you should study in a dojo" thing so I don't have to repeat myself, ok? :) Just click on my name to find my posts.

Is this how you got hurt? Better not be.

Kaoru

i would drive myself but i don't have adriver's license;and actually i broke my arm in hockey; but ok thanks

[Kaoru]

i would drive myself but i don't have adriver's license;and actually i broke my arm in hockey; but ok thanks

Ah, I see.

Oh, and sorry I was a little snappy, but I wrote that late and I'd been gone all day, and was very tired. In other words, I should have waited and replied the next day! Oh well. Next time, I'll remember that.

Well, you could ask your parents to take you twice a month. That's what I did. I help pay for gas, so I get to go. You could do the same as I did. Where there is a will, there is a way. :) Twice a month is better than none, right?

Anyway, I hope your arm gets better soon, and I'm glad it's not from a bokken. Well, from hockey is just as bad... That sport is dangerous. My nephew does hockey too. Guess it was from getting checked or something huh? Ouch!!

Well, when you get your cast off, don't do Kendo until it completely heals. You don't want to permanently injure it. :) But, you could go to a practice and watch to see if Kendo is for you between now and when your arm is better. That is what beginners usually do anyway, in many dojos. They watch one class first, and then the next time, practice with the group if they like what they saw.

What dojo is it you found? May I know what it is to be sure you found a real Kendo dojo and not one that is a McDojo?
If you give me the name, I can look it up.

Anyway, take care of your arm! :)

Kaoru

[Kaoru]

and so what if it is ?
why can't you just say something like "Is this how you got hurt? I dont reccommend that" as I believe he already has parents and is old enough to decide what is right for himself.

Because I was very tired when I wrote that, and didn't think. You're right, of course. I could have written it differently. Thanks. :)

Kaoru

[Hai_hai]

...Im just asking if anybody has any words of advice for me before I start getting into it.

thanks :)
Why wait, you can experience kendo now!
1. Find an open area about 10 meters by 10 meters.
2. Get a smelly rotten old pair of hockey gloves, put them on.
3. Jog and yell "men" at the top of your lungs constantly for 3 minutes. Repeat 10 times.
4. Dip your hands in blue dye and splash on legs, arms, neck and chest.