Training in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

[Valasaries]

Hello I am looking to find a very good School in Winnipeg. Does anyone have any suggestions? I am interested in Kendo/Kenjitsu, and Iaido(pardon my spelling please). I am fairly out of shape currently but looking to add an art to help center me physically as well as mentally. I used to be involved with brazilian jiu-jitsu until I caught mono and was confined to my bed for 6 months and not allowed to do any exercise for a year after that due to swollen glands like my spleen. It dropped me into quite a funk. Ok so that is probably alot more background than is needed, but I am very open and looking for good advice.

[Legio]

Hi,

Here are a list of dojos in the Canadian Kendo Federation.

http://kendo-canada.com/ckf_dojoadr.htm

The Manitoba Kendo Club is listed there so you can try to contact them. Hope this helps.

[Neil Gendzwill]

There's just the one club in Winnipeg AFAIK, it's kendo. Contact them through the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre there.

[Valasaries]

Thank you both very much. Has anyone trained or observed the quality of training there? Have any comments at all that may assist me?
They are starting a 10 month semester this september and I am anxious to join, but I want to be reassured of the quality of instruction.

[Legio]

Sorry I haven't had the chance of visiting the dojo there in Winnipeg... so I can't really give you a personal feedback. However, if the dojo is affiliated with the Canadian Kendo Federation and if it is ran through the JCCC there in Winnipeg... then the quality of instruction should be good. The best way to assess if Kendo is really for you is to attend several classes (don't rush out and buy expensive equipment... all you really need is comfortable loose clothing for the first couple of months... the only equipment that you may need to purchase is a shinai after several practices). Different dojos have different practices though... so it is best that you ask the sensei all your questions.

[D'Artagnan]

I am pretty sure that the dojo you are talking about is where my Dojo mates, Dave and Lisa, now train, when they moved over to Canada. They'd have to varify this, but i'm sure one of them could tell you about it! they are on this forum as Nishi, and Atama.

[Atama]

Theres only one place to train kendo in Winnipeg so weather its the best or not is slightly irrelevant. Both me and my husband train there, and if you want to learn kendo its as good as any place to start. :smiley:

[Neil Gendzwill]

The quality of instruction there is fine. The instructors are 4 dan and 3 dan. They're a friendly bunch of people. They run a seminar in October where you'll get to have instruction by senior people, this year it will be Ray Murao (Team Canada coach) and Kimura-sensei (head instructor of Toronto Kendo Club), both 7 dan. I'll be there too, hope to see you there.

[Nishi]

Hello I am looking to find a very good School in Winnipeg. Does anyone have any suggestions? I am interested in Kendo/Kenjitsu, and Iaido(pardon my spelling please). I am fairly out of shape currently but looking to add an art to help center me physically as well as mentally. I used to be involved with brazilian jiu-jitsu until I caught mono and was confined to my bed for 6 months and not allowed to do any exercise for a year after that due to swollen glands like my spleen. It dropped me into quite a funk. Ok so that is probably alot more background than is needed, but I am very open and looking for good advice.

Its true, theres only one club in a 600 km radius of Winnipeg, this makes choosing a dojo very easy in Manitoba. No kenjutsu here, but your in luck, there is an Iaido group here, the teacher is pretty good too, you may enjoy it, some of the kendo gang cross train in the Iaido class as well.

Since youve contacted me already, i'll forward you the phone numbers for the individuals who look after club-info/memberships and so forth, they can take you from there.

See ya in September mabye!!???!?!?!?!?

[Valasaries]

Thanks again to everyone who responded.

I am going to be signing up for the September Class.

On another note it says loose fitting clothing to wear, I do not own a pair of sweat pants, would shorts be ok?

I saw there is an Iado group starting/started up at International Martial arts and Fitness on Donald. Is this the same group you were speaking about?

Do I need to be good at kendo before starting Iado? Or Can I start both relatively simultaniously?

I really look forward to meeting new interesting people, I look forward to getting back in physical, mental and spiritual health!

[Nishi]

The International Martial arts center also teaches Iaido, its exactly the same guys practising at the Manitoba Japanese Cultural Center. They train at the MJCCC on Sundays and at the IMAC on a different day, I think this is so they can have more training time, and mabye expose the art to a different part of the city....who knows, same program though, run by Glen Nakauchi(sp?).

I think Glen requires his students to have at least 1 year of kendo before starting Iaido, and in some cases 1 year of a different martial art may suffice, but ultimatley i think you'd have to talk to him. I wouldnt suggest mixing Iaido and Kendo just yet, just start with Kendo and let thinks settle in, theres alot to pick up, and Iaido and Kendo can look like contradictory arts at first, theres enough confusion whan starting anything new anyway...just my two cents, its up to you :wink:

Good luck!
Hope to see ya soon!

[D'Artagnan]

I don't know anything about the dojo leaders over there, but what i do know is, any dojo that gives you the opportunity to train with great inspirational kendoka like Nishi and Atama is definately more than worth attending!

Good look with it Valasaries.

and to Dave and Lisa, Preston misses you guys!

Andy

[Atama]

And we miss preston... :smiley:

lisa

[mune]

Hi, im from winnipeg too and I was just wondering if 180 McPhillips street was the address for the dojo or for somthing else.

thanks

[Neil Gendzwill]

180 McPhillips is the Japanese-Canadian cultural centre. MKC practices there.