Practicing at home

[Sentunim]

No, I'm not a kendo master, but I did stay at a holiday in express last night.

Now, my question. Uhh what are some practices I can do at home as a beginner, between classes, so I dont forget everything, and actually increase my skill?

[Yzakj]

No, I'm not a kendo master, but I did stay at a holiday in express last night.

Now, my question. Uhh what are some practices I can do at home as a beginner, between classes, so I dont forget everything, and actually increase my skill?

500-1500 suburi everyday, yes you heard me, 500 to 1500. Then practice foot work.

[Sentunim]

Well i didnt really hear you, i read you though. so i should do the 500-1500 all at once? a minute break every 250 or what?

[Yzakj]

Well i didnt really hear you, i read you though. so i should do the 500-1500 all at once? a minute break every 250 or what?

You should probably start out small, like 100 suburi a day so your arms get used to it, then move up when you feel ready I guess. Doing suburi everyday makes striking kind of like second nature to you.

[moocow65]

concentrate on keeping your back straight when you do suburi. raise the shiniai slowly, but when you bring it down, swing it fairly fast and make sure you tighten your grip when you complete the swing. do this in order to get a nice sharp swing. make sure to pause it there for a second or two, and repeat this process. keep in mind your back, and your footwork. doing 50 suburi like this is ALOT harder than doing 200 or 300 fast suburi and i believe it to be more effective. ask your sensei to get a better idea on how to do suburi the correct way.

[Neil Gendzwill]

What moocow said. 100 correct ones is way better than 1000 bad ones. I think if a beginner does 1000 suburi per day, he's going to get tired and sloppy and just groove himself into some bad habits.

Here are a few small things you can do aside from suburi.
1. Sit seiza while you watch your favourite TV show. Don't just flop there, try to sit nice and straight and get the feeling that you're rotating your hips forward.
2. Practice footwork in your kitchen. Keep the same feeling in your back as in seiza. Feet straight, don't let them cross, stay on the balls forward and back.
3. Cross-train in something aerobic. Run, swim, climb stairs, whatever. If you know what you're doing, train intervals, it will help your kendo later.

[Charlie]

Another thing I do at home by myself is practice the kata, one side then the other, with an "invisible" opponent.

[Kaeshi]

I agree with neil. Good every day training can be small things like walking instead of driving, or getting dressed on one foot for balance. Try to apply your training to everyday life.

[GigglingWarrior]

500-1500 suburi everyday, yes you heard me, 500 to 1500. Then practice foot work.Ok, what is suburi exactly? I have done shinai for the past three years, but I don't know if I have indeed been doing it right, and I just wanted to ask....I would really like to work on my techniques, but I dunno what suburi is.
Thanx for the help

[litige]

3 years? damn, you must be a good shinaika.

[GigglingWarrior]

3 years? damn, you must be a good shinaika.
sorta, but not really, I think I learned from a sensai that did not really know what he was doing. He did not teach, he would just hit you without explanation...ever...So, I might be, I might not be.... I am not too sure.
Thanx for the complement!
The Giggling Warrior

[xvikingx]

sorta, but not really, I think I learned from a sensai that did not really know what he was doing. He did not teach, he would just hit you without explanation...ever...So, I might be, I might not be.... I am not too sure.
Thanx for the complement!
The Giggling Warrior

I think he was being sarcastic. Most kendoka laugh at the idea of people buying shinai, going to a parking lot, and playing "sword fight" with their D&D pals.
3 years?! Shinai sensei?! hhmmm... I wonder if there are any IKF affiliated dojos.

[GigglingWarrior]

I think he was being sarcastic. Most kendoka laugh at the idea of people buying shinai, going to a parking lot, and playing "sword fight" with their D&D pals.
3 years?! Shinai sensei?! hhmmm... I wonder if there are any IKF affiliated dojos.
Supposedly, he had lived in Japan for a time, then he came back and trained us, but he never explained anything to us, so I always feel inferior when people are talking about shinai/kendo, I would like someone to explain things to me, thanx!
The Giggling Warrior

[xvikingx]

...so I always feel inferior when people are talking about shinai/kendo...
I don't know which you are talking about anymore. Shinai or kendo? Anyways if you are interested in learning kendo find a dojo (best if you find an affiliated one) near you. People will always be willing to teach someone who is willing to learn. Plenty of resources available for you here on this forum and the kendo world site.
If you are talking about shinai and are looking for pointers, don't waist your time here.

[JimB]

Ok, what is suburi exactly? I have done shinai for the past three years, but I don't know if I have indeed been doing it right, and I just wanted to ask....I would really like to work on my techniques, but I dunno what suburi is.
Thanx for the help
I am hardly an expert having just started Kendo myself but as I was taught suburi is the repetitive stroking in the air with the shinai. I do the same number of these exercises that Yzakj mentioned (100 - 200 I'm no iron man yet :)), usually doing the forward men strike. I do mine slowly, focusing on proper footwork and handling of the shinai and ending each strike with a good kiai to rouse my fellow apartment dwellers from their tv induced hypnotic state!

[niji]

so nice... can practise at home...

I cant pratise anyway expect in dojo.... my apartment ceiling is low... i don have any proper place for me to practise... i would really love to practise at home... thus, i have to apply minor things on my daily chores... like sliding the floor(footwork pract) when i am trying to get to one place.. use left hand to carry heavy things or basically using my left hand more than my right hand. Try to do more runing to build up my leg power n excerise my heart beat rate :smoker:

[Gohanssj]

I was taught suburi the very first lesson to strengthen my arms, the first dan black belt from japan in my class at the moment can do it for 4 hours non stop lol but yea it really helps your arms, also remember to stretch your muscles before doing it cause if you dont you could seriously injure yourself.