rubber necking

[James]

What do people think about the type of kendo we see in shias when fighters suddenly develop elasticated weaving heads and look slipperier than a barrel full of eels versus upright 'beautiful' kendo.

[lewis]

The underlying philosophical question here is the same as the ippon shobu question. Is it a sport and the only thing that matters is the point? Or are the 'points' irrelevant because you trying to become a sword saint and your ability, understanding, perception, grace, [bla, bla, bla], etc. is more important than getting a point?

We've all gone against people who kicked our *** without bobbing and weaving, juking and knee-faking. Besides being a symbol that you aren't there yet, it is a symbol that you aren't even trying to be there yet. Each time you allow yourself to bob, is an opportunity for learning you wasted because you were mentally lazy. Try to do it right, and one day you will. But if you don't try... If you want to get better, you're going to have to take your lumps either way. You'll take more if you aren't willing to try, every time.

[iwatekenshi]

I have to say performing kendo like Elasticman won't get you good style points amongst teachers. Using your shinai in the correct manner should be thought as paramount. Your own offensive attack should be defensive from the start. I think it's a very hard concept to grasp but if you want to move up in dan ranking this is what you have to constantly think about.

[James]

Considering the replies - it does seem to be odd that we do see it so much in shiai, especially I believe amongst highschool level kendoka. I think that older people actually can't do all that squirming so fast.
Also as lewis mentions swordsaints - I think maybe that in the west we do kendo for a lot of the worthy reasons about trying to better ourselves, whereas Japanese Highschool kids, don't have so many romantic notions about kendo as and so they basically just want to win - and if they manage to duck a shinai and it works for them, maybe it soon becomes a habit.
But you do see some older kendoka with the habit and I agree with lewis and iwatekenshi - getting whooped by someone who isn't a tricksy fighter is a lot more convincing - so lose the habit.