kamae?

[shantari]

Guys, what are all the different kamae's in kendo? A name and a brief discription will do. I just started Kendo a couple weeks ago and im just curious

[Kirin]

Guys, what are all the different kamae's in kendo? A name and a brief discription will do. I just started Kendo a couple weeks ago and im just curious

Does your dojo practice kendo kata?
It demonstrate basic type of kamae (jodan, chhdan, gendan, hassou, wakigamae) :)

[not-I]

Kirin-san,

He only started a few weeks ago, so i doubt he's even seen kata performed yet. :)

Shantari, ever heard of google? :wink: This is something it spat out on the first search: http://www.halifaxkendo.org/kamae.html

The only one you need to worry about at the beginning is chudan. Higher ranks sometimes use jodan.

You'll learn the others when you start doing kata.

Good luck!

[mystic_kendoka]

what about nito? isnt that a kamae as well? or is that not counted as it uses 2 swords?

[taganahan]

nito has a different set of kata, but somewhat similar to itto. (correct me on this one)

i agree, you only need to worry about chudan, which is the position you will mostly see at your dojo.

~taganahan

[mystic_kendoka]

different set of kata? you mean kamae right? (i know there are seperate kata but its irrelevant in this thread)

according to my sensei, and my club's website there are 7 kamae in kendo...

http://www.seishinkan.be/?q=node/view/986#%20Kamae
Chudan no kamae (zwaard - midden)
Jodan no kamae(zwaard - hoog)
Gedan no kamae(zwaar -laag)
Haso no kamae (zwaard - schouder hoogte)
Waki no kamae (zwaard - achter)
Kamae otoku (zwaard - vallend, laag na 'kata')
Mugamae(houding bewust open, vals)

Kamae otoku- when your sword is knee height to your opponent, done after each kata when retreating
Mugamae- when you make an opening, to lure your opponent in making that attack, so you can counter it, and trick your opponent...

[emitbrownne]

what about nito? isnt that a kamae as well? or is that not counted as it uses 2 swords?There are a whole different set of ready postitions, plus they differ dependant upon which hand carries the shortsword, and which carries the long.

the names (as far as I know) are similar - Jodan, gedan (based, but with extensions dependant upon the complete form.)

Maybe Old warrior or another experienced nito player could take up where I have feebley started. :)

[moocow65]

Guys, what are all the different kamae's in kendo? A name and a brief discription will do. I just started Kendo a couple weeks ago and im just curious

"Official" Nito Kamae:
House of Pain
Matrix
Jyuuji
Iai
Touche
Samidare
Crouching Tiger
Many others with no official name

[Jarlaxle]

I really want to see this "House of Pain" kamae :cool:

[Inouye02]

better to see than to recieve..

[misterkurukuru]

i am developing the "whoz your daddy" kamae so you all better watch out!
I already have the " lazy daze" kamae and my hasso
ohh there isthe chinko kamae ( a lot of kids that are good at kote do this kamae)

what about the FRENCH KISS??? is that a kamae, waza, or both???

[Nanbanjin]

kasumi-gamae
heiseigan

[Nanbanjin]

Both kasumi and heisei are used against Jodan.
kasumi gamae is with the kensen pointing at your opponents left kote and with your left hand pushed over to the right with the right palm facing upwards.
heiseigan is with the kensen in the line of your opponents left eye. Your right hand is a little to the right of centre and the kamae is "open" for want of a better word. I think it's in kata number five. I should know that.

[mystic_kendoka]

i have invented a kamae... i call it.... wait for it... kamae... it is a mixture of all existing kamae's and it changes every millisecond... this kamae has no advantages of any kind, and it looks stupid...

[Kote-Men]

chudan- middle kamae, held pointing to opponents throat. Most often used kamae in kendo, it has the most advantages.

jodan- aggresive kamae, held above your head, ready to bring it down on your opponent. I personally dont like this kamae that well, but when properly used, it is very effective

gedan- lower kamae, pointing to your opponents left knee. This gives you the advantage of quickly rising thrusts, but leaves your upper body unprotected.

waki- like gedan only backwards. You hold the sword behind your back-kinda hard to describe. This makes it hard for your opponent to judge distance.
http://www.biwa.ne.jp/~nogawa/kata/kata/new_kata4.htm in this site, watch the guy on the left. He goes into waki.

hasso- this, to me, is a pointelss kamae. In kill bill all of the crazy 88 held their swords like this, i think. You put hold it pointing upwards and at your shoulder. This kamae was invented because long ago samurai's couldnt hold their swords up at jodan because of their armor.
http://www.biwa.ne.jp/~nogawa/kata/kata/new_kata4.htm in this site, watch the guy on the right. He goes into hasso.

[misterkurukuru]

where you at??? if you are ever in so cal, i can show you how sucky hasso is :wink:

[mystic_kendoka]

hasso is at lip height not shoulder height..

also does everyone aim their ken sakki at the opponents throat?
personally i aim a bit to the right, at their left eye, this makes it almost impossible to hit kote unless they move themselves..

if i was ever to fight against a person i would go into hasso, quick to attack but i think quite effective at blocking too.. sorta like a jodan/chudan hybrid kamae..

[D'Artagnan]

also does everyone aim their ken sakki at the opponents throat?
personally i aim a bit to the right, at their left eye, this makes it almost impossible to hit kote



But easy to hit men...

If your kamae is strong then it is impossible for the opponent to hit any target, unless they move you.

[mystic_kendoka]

but what is a strong kamae actually? is it a correct kamae or a kamae that can respond to anything?

[D'Artagnan]

but what is a strong kamae actually? is it a correct kamae or a kamae that can respond to anything?

At my level, i understand these to be one and the same. However, pehaps you can enlighten me sensei...

[mystic_kendoka]

sensei is this a joke? im 15..

[D'Artagnan]

sensei is this a joke? im 15..

yes it is a joke, It is in the form of Sarcasm.

-sar·casm (n)

remarks that mean the opposite of what they seem to say and are intended to mock or deride.Often considered the lowest form of wit, usually by those whom are victim to it.

[moocow65]

where you at??? if you are ever in so cal, i can show you how sucky hasso is :wink:

Yeah sucka! Come down to SoCal. There are a couple of people down here who kick @$$ with hasso. Just cause you can't do anything with hasso doesn't mean other people can't. No need to hate.

[Neil Gendzwill]

I don't mind using it transitioning to jodan but that left kote is just kind of hanging there if you're in hasso all the time... how do you avoid getting that picked off all the time?

[Kote-Men]

sorry bout' hasso.


I think the best kamae is chudan!

[Kote-Men]

hey wait if someone is in jodan


isn't do completely open?

If an idiot was in jodan and you went for do and he didn't do anything, it seems
that jodan is a kamae that has opening.

pardon the english*





so it seems

[Neil Gendzwill]

One would think so, wouldn't one. Try it and see, you may be surprised.

[misterkurukuru]

as lovely rukawa would say
DOu aho...........................

I want to be the sakuragi hanamichi of kendo :)

[mystic_kendoka]

when in jodan, and someone goes for do, very easy to block, with uchi otoshi or simply hit their head before they reach do... if someone went into jodan against me, first thing i would do is raise my kamae a bit, and back away slowly... and hit kote..

[kendokamax]

as lovely rukawa would say
DOu aho...........................

I want to be the sakuragi hanamichi of kendo :)

hahahahaha DOu aho

[moocow65]

as lovely rukawa would say
DOu aho...........................

I want to be the sakuragi hanamichi of kendo :)

I guess I would be the Mitsui Hisashi. His Sayonara Suree Pointou against Shoyo, and my Sayonara Dou against that Keio Daigaku dude from Japan go hand-in-hand.