Motivation

[meow]

Hi there,

what do you do to motivate yourself in kendo? Of course you all love kendo, but what gives you that special kick that makes you want to grab your shinai and suburi all night long? :D

After the beginners class, I was allowed to watch the bogu-class. Even when I see them doing just basic suburi, I get a rush because I see their sharp and focused technique. And when I see them practice kirikaeshi (spelling?) I am highly motivated. :)

So tell me....what does motivate you?

meow

[Craig Jones]

getting a really good clean men. I do not get them very often but it feels so good when it happens. I also love to practice with people i have never had the chance to practice with before.

[Chook]

Nothing beats the perfect cut, if such a thing truly exists.

[John W]

The more suburi and more fights you have the better you get- that's my motivation :wink:

[aikanaro]

My motivation so far has been getting good enough to do geiko with my senpais, eventually with sensei... :) (well, maybe sometime...) also, even if it sounds a little contradictory, trying to do it the best I can, specially geiko, is as well an "adrenaline rush" as very tranquilizing... :)

[Kiki]

All of the above and I also like to watch videos of competitions such as All Japan Championships, etc or documentaries like "Kendo's Grueling Challenge".

[Hattori Hanzo]

Motivated by my own personal growth for instance at first I could barely stand in chudan kamae but now I gets easier and easier my cuts swifter and able to do the wrist twisting thing...which was one of the toughest things.

[Kendo ISB]

The perfect sound when striking correctly with perfect form. GOtta love the 'meeeeeeennnnn!!!!!!!' and a big POW! on your opponents head. It shows all that 3000 men swings a day is worth it!

[yangs]

Same as above, I download yudansha's matches and think when can I be like them.

[Dawnix Heosphe]

(Smiles) thats what want to see from them never to stop smiling even in the worst situation.

[PediGree]

i love to win, thats the only thing that makes me happy, thats y i pratice kendo, to beat everyone that is better then me and to prove that i'm the best.

[N2k]

The feeling you get when you grab a sword in your hands, the delicacy and respect it needs for you to able to hold it properly, after every Suburi, the feeling that you are getting stronger everyday, the elegance of doing a great Kata.....so many reasons why this is my martial art....

[PediGree]

my motivation is ''beat everyone that is better than me, prove that i can be the best and beat many people as possible'', is actually the reason y i train kendo umm i mean kumdo. but i dun really train that much cuz i get tired really fast, but hey, i had beaten a lot of people in my dojo and i never did with a girl because i think they ...''suk'''sry..........anyways thats my motivation. And plz, u gotta understand that i'm not rude.

Allan Kang, i'm brazilian and korean......

[Cheese_Man]

im only in it for the partys.....that and i like the big challenge of over coming my self when i finally execute the best strike i can but push my self for it to become better

[Eiliries]

Kendo is the reason I get out of bed in the mornings.

[Shogun97]

After training I have this tired feeling, this gives me the kick!

[itachi]

Rock Lee is my motivation =P

[DCPan]

So tell me....what does motivate you?


At home, I have a huge video collection.

Favorite currently is the "Kendo's Gruelling Challenge" by NHK/National Geographic about the 8th dan test. Watching Ishida sensei and Miyamoto sensei's experience really motivates me to do suburi at home.

Sometimes, I also do suburi while letting all Japan Champ tournaments play on TV, or clips of the 10th WKC because Miyazaki sensei is on there....

I like watching videos with a lot of tip-play from chudan...fighting from Tsuba-zeriai is just NOT inspiring to me.

During practice, what motivates me is when you are forced to focus by a strong partner, you forget yourself and delivers that "perfect" strike...I'm lucky if that happens once or twice during practice...but when it happens... :D Eventhough you should bring that from within, it's pretty hard to elevate your kigurai when you have nothing to push against from the other guy/gal.... :D

[stunned_rabbit]

Motivation?
Mine is to succeed in some small way in every class. If I'm working on posture and make one men cut with a (for me) really good posture, then that's a result.
In jigeiko against a more experienced opponent, it might be to execute one good oji-waza, or to make one good opening (even if my attack is countered).
I find it really helps to focus my training, and gives me some realistic objective to reach at every session.

Take your small victories where you can find them.