Iaido, or Not to Iaido that is the question.

[Dave Fowler]

Ok here is my question. I've been practicing kendo for several years and have just gotten my Ni-dan. I have been thinking about doing Iaido for some time, and after talking to my sensei he indicated that it was about time I started thinking about doing Iaido as well. The big problem(s) I have are these.

1. I'm the senior student/teacher at our club. (and yes I know we should have someone better, but I'm the only one in the area so not much I can do about it.) So I won't have alot of practice time for the art.

2. For Iaido there is no one in the area that I know that practices or teaches it. The nearest is a 2.5 hour drive away and even then he is very busy these days and wouldn't get to practice with him more than once per month if that.

3. The only other place is a 5 hour flight away and obviously that is a bit expensive to go more than a couple of times a year.

So the big question is Iadio something I should bother trying to do?

If so are there good instruction videos that I'd be able to use to learn the basics?

[Ren Blade]

I haven't done Kendo yet. But I've been doing Iaido for almost 2 months now and it's been quite a delight. As for the video/book instruction thing, although you have quite an extensive Kendo experience, as you know video/books never can substitute for a good teacher. I would wait to see when you can take an Iaido class and not give up on the thought on trying Iaido. Or search online for an Iaido seminar. With your years of Kendo experience, you should be able to pick up Iaido really well I believe.

[Karaken]

Ok here is my question. I've been practicing kendo for several years and have just gotten my Ni-dan. I have been thinking about doing Iaido for some time, and after talking to my sensei he indicated that it was about time I started thinking about doing Iaido as well. The big problem(s) I have are these.

1. I'm the senior student/teacher at our club. (and yes I know we should have someone better, but I'm the only one in the area so not much I can do about it.) So I won't have alot of practice time for the art.

2. For Iaido there is no one in the area that I know that practices or teaches it. The nearest is a 2.5 hour drive away and even then he is very busy these days and wouldn't get to practice with him more than once per month if that.

3. The only other place is a 5 hour flight away and obviously that is a bit expensive to go more than a couple of times a year.

So the big question is Iadio something I should bother trying to do?

If so are there good instruction videos that I'd be able to use to learn the basics?

Dave, I'm in the same boat ( Kendo 3 dan now and starting to look at IAI ).
However, I have it easy ( One of my Kendo Sensei is willing to stay extra 30 min after Kendo practice ). He even lend me a tape and I thought I can become a overnight IAI expert:-). Having a tape and practice can help but there are so many details not mentioned ( or can't be mentioned ) so it's just a starting point. I guess it boils down to how bad do you want.. But you can't know that till you're somewhat good at it after practicing it for a while.
Only similarity I can present to you is that it's much like Kendo Kata except there are much more details involved..( Based on what I know so far )

Good Luck!

[gsx1100s]

As a beginner I found it interesting to watch other members of the Iaido club I belong to . Many were Kendo practitioners as well , they seemed to pick up so much more and have a very solid grounding in so many aspects that myself and others had difficulty in.
This is obviously only an observation but I feel your reservations on the grounds of time and availability would be in some way offset by your current level of knowledge.

regards Michael :)

[Ren Blade]

I heard vise versa as well regarding Kendo and Iaido. That people who spent years doing Iaido can pick up Kendo quicker than a pure beginner as well.

[R A Sosnowski]

Dave,


Ok here is my question. I've been practicing kendo for several years and have just gotten my Ni-dan. I have been thinking about doing Iaido for some time, and after talking to my sensei he indicated that it was about time I started thinking about doing Iaido as well. The big problem(s) I have are these.

1. I'm the senior student/teacher at our club. (and yes I know we should have someone better, but I'm the only one in the area so not much I can do about it.) So I won't have alot of practice time for the art.

2. For Iaido there is no one in the area that I know that practices or teaches it. The nearest is a 2.5 hour drive away and even then he is very busy these days and wouldn't get to practice with him more than once per month if that.

3. The only other place is a 5 hour flight away and obviously that is a bit expensive to go more than a couple of times a year.

So the big question is Iadio something I should bother trying to do?

If so are there good instruction videos that I'd be able to use to learn the basics?

It depends on your goals and interests balanced with the practical.

In some of the older literature we see things like: Kendo and Iaido are two sides of the same coin. The famous 20th century swordsman Nakayama Hakudo was a master of Kendo, Iaido, and Jodo!

I did both over a period of four years; at the same time, I was doing Naginata remotely (I lived in NH; the nearest teacher was in VA, and all the high-ranking teachers were in CA).

Because of time constraints, when I relocated to MD two years ago, I was able to train regularly in Naginata, and I reluctantly dropped my Kendo practice. I do not regret taking Kendo; it has helped in my understanding of Iai, Naginata, and the fun practice of ours, Isshu Jiai, which for us is a naginata vs. shinai (aka Naginata vs. Kendo) match.

Just do what is right for you.

Personally, I'd learn the basics from an instructor at a seminar and then use the videotapes for reference. FYI: CKF Iaido & Jodo Seminars and Shinsa in May in Guelph, ON (http://www.kendo-world.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=8).

[chidokan]

we all have to start somewhere... i did kendo for some time and my nearest iaido teacher was a 4 hour train ride away. I used to go down once a month for a full days hammering and then practise for 1/2 an hour before the rest of the kendo club turned up. I teach both, and you will be surprised how much one can contribute to the other. Well worth learning in my opinion. You can also look on the positive side... if you learn and get to a decent level, you can be the nearest teacher people will come and visit!

[Jamie]

I am a beginner in both Kendo and Iaido, and I have to say that I find both very enjoyable, I am also lucky that both clubs(different governing bodies)are in my town so not a lot of traveling involved. There is a monthly Iai seminar about an hour away so some optional extra travel if I want.

In my opinion its worth a bit of travelling to go and do something you enjoy if time/money permits.

Some people I know often say Iai is something you do when you get a bit too old(if that ever happens!)for Kendo, others say they wished they had taken Iai much earlier. Me, I say do what you enjoy. Don't do something out of what you feel is duty.

Enjoy Iai!

[DCPan]

Hi,

I started iai on my own when I had to move to a place without kendo and iaido dojo for school.

I was around shodan/nidan in kendo at the time.

While I had a lot of bad habits to correct when I was able to finally join an iaido dojo, it did help when I got some instructions while I was travelling because I can worry about something other than which foot goes where for seitei iai (though at times, I'm not sure I even know that!) :D

I would recommend using the Zen Ken Ren Iai video as reference. I really kept repeating mae for the most part, but I tried to prepare myself by remember the sequences of seitei to "prepare" for when I'll get instruction, so to speak.

Good luck!

[Dave Fowler]

Thanks all for your responses.

[Neil Gendzwill]

Dave, we have the ZNKR iaido video here if you don't have it already.

[Dave Fowler]

Dave, we have the ZNKR iaido video here if you don't have it already.
Ok yes thanks, also when you see Miyaoka sensei can you ask him if he would mind teaching me the basics whenever I happen to pop up?

[iaiärintesjuk]

Dave, we have the ZNKR iaido video here if you don't have it already.
Mr. Gendzwill,

Do you know where/how I could get a hold of that video (preferably on DVD)?

[Neil Gendzwill]

Mr. Gendzwill,

Do you know where/how I could get a hold of that video (preferably on DVD)?
You can get it through ZNKR (http://www.kendo.or.jp/english-page/english-page2/books-and-videos.htm) directly in English or Japanese.

In the US, you used to be able to buy copies through PNKF (http://www.kendo-pnkf.org/) but I'm not sure if they sell them anymore - I can't find anything directly on that site.

[Neil Gendzwill]

Ok yes thanks, also when you see Miyaoka sensei can you ask him if he would mind teaching me the basics whenever I happen to pop up?
Chances of him actually being in class are pretty low these days, and now that we've switched to Wednesdays only for the summer it's even less likely. Besides, he'd be the first to tell you he's not qualified to teach iaido - I don't think he remembers more than a couple of the seitei gata.

[Bleda]

If you are just beginning you could get someone to teach you maai, migi, hidari, and ushiro and just practice those until you get it down pat. As my sempai says, the secret to iaijutsu is maai, once you have that down pat everything else is easy.

[IaidoFrog]

With any luck there may be someone semi-experienced in Iaido in your local area who would be willing to train with you on the basics of iaido. You might try the following:
http://www.meetup.com/
http://www.craigslist.org/about/sites

With your experience in kendo you should be able to get a good feel as to whether someone knows what they are talking about.

A couple of books recommended to me by my sensei that might point you in the right direction:

http://www.amazon.com/Japanese-Swordsmanship-Technique-Donn-Draeger/dp/0834802368/ref=sr_1_28?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262885742&sr=8-28

http://www.amazon.com/Art-Japanese-Swordsmanship-Eishin-Ryu-Martial/dp/0834803003/ref=tag_dpp_lp_edpp_ttl_in

http://www.amazon.com/Samurai-Swordsmanship-Sword-Martial-Skills/dp/B001KN1MP8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262885970&sr=1-1

[Neil Gendzwill]

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