Kata, Waza?

[Berugijin]

Hey, I'm a beginner at kendo (just had 1 lesson) and I've a couple of questions...


What's the difference between kata and waza?
Do different kamae have different kata/waza associated with them?
What is the use of the bokken? Is it to practice moves, then why not use the shinai?
Are bokken/shinai moves interchangeable?
Is two hours of kendo a week enough for someone who wants to be skilled at kendo, not just do it for recreative reasons?
During that first lesson, we did two hours of men cuts. I was told to swing the shinai all the way back, so it was touching my back. Doesn't this waste time and leave you wide open for attack? Was I supposed to swing the shinai back that hard (got a nice bruize)?

Thanks for any answers!

[TheNige]

Waza = Techniques
Kata = Patterns of waza vs counter-waza

Bokken is used when practicing kata and sometimes to do basic practice. It lets us feel somewhat like we are using a real sword while the biggest benefit is using it to see the correct angle that you are swinging...because it actually has a "blade" side to it while a shinai is round and sometimes hard to make sure that you are swinging at the correct angle (i.e. sayumen and dou).

Waza from the kata can be applied to regular kendo.

It was only your first lesson so don't worry touch much about anything. Just do what your sensei and senpai say to do and you will be alright.

2 hours a week isn't that much but it is better than nothing.

[DanDan]

During that first lesson, we did two hours of men cuts. I was told to swing the shinai all the way back, so it was touching my back. Doesn't this waste time and leave you wide open for attack? Was I supposed to swing the shinai back that hard (got a nice bruize)?

Thanks for any answers!yea...same question here...in kumdo my sabumnim taught me not to swing so far back but today @ kendo practice, the sensei said to swing it back to the point that it touches your back...are we supposed to swing that big in kendo?

[Pan-Chan]

Hey, I'm a beginner at kendo (just had 1 lesson) and I've a couple of questions...

What's the difference between kata and waza?
Do different kamae have different kata/waza associated with them?
What is the use of the bokken? Is it to practice moves, then why not use the shinai?
Are bokken/shinai moves interchangeable?
Is two hours of kendo a week enough for someone who wants to be skilled at kendo, not just do it for recreative reasons?
During that first lesson, we did two hours of men cuts. I was told to swing the shinai all the way back, so it was touching my back. Doesn't this waste time and leave you wide open for attack? Was I supposed to swing the shinai back that hard (got a nice bruize)?

Thanks for any answers!
1. Kendo kata are premade forms that incorporate basic moves and teach you different things. And waza is just the word for technique.

2. Only are there different kamae in kendo kata, well at least until you become skilled enough in chudan. Chudan no kamae is the best kamea there is, so it needs to be understood.

3. Bokken is used for kata and for practicing suburi(warm-up swings). The bokken gives the user a better understanding of what a real sword is like, since the shinai is obviously much different.

4. Well in kendo, you can practice the different waza with whatever you want if you are on your own, but if you are actually hitting, like in uchikomi practice, then a shinai should be used. You only fight with the shinai. There has been times that my dojo has practiced kata with shinai while wearing bogu so we could commit to our strike completely, but I'm almost positive that kata should be done with bokken only.

5. You never stop progressing in kendo, so if you practice two hours a week, eventually you would probably become quite skilled. If you want to progress faster, you need to practice more. The more you practice, the faster you get better. But it's not all just practicing your waza. Experience is what makes one skilled at kendo. Through experience your timing gets better, your eye becomes quicker, and your spirit becomes much stronger. You could be the fastest kenshi in the world, but it does nothing against a kenshi that has experience on his side. I know speed dosen't make you good, but it's the best example for what I wanted to say.

In reguards to the large swings.. That is called Joge-suburi. It's a practice swing that teaches you to use your shoulders and it's also a great way to relieve a stiffness in them. But that is DEFINITELY not how you should do normal strikes.

You should never swing hard. Kendo has nothing to to with strength, it only slows you down, makes you tense, and basically messes up your kendo. One of the keys to kendo is being relaxed, infact maybe the most important one. Being relaxed enables you to move as fluently as possible(which will create good timing, and speed)without getting all tensed up and tired.

You are right about the large swings wasting time, though. However, since you are just starting, doing swings as large as possible will get your shoulders used to swinging more quickly, and develope the muscles that you do want to use to bring the sword up and out(chest, lats, lower back). But it's not something to do all the time, otherwise it may invoke bad habits.

I hope I helped answer a few of your questions. :)

[Hyaku]

I would go with the waza expanation as technique. "It's just technique"? Technique used to be the outcome of mortal combat.

Kata can be different.

Waza are tried and tested techniques. So in Kendo we can try and test them.

In swordwork it should be understood that its impossible. There are no new waza as we can't test them. So you will find association kata in swordwork that has no connection with waza unless you join a Ryu (School).

The present Kendo Kata was made up when there was a lot more freedom in practice and target areas. These kata are clearly set down and taught from a manual. Some of the kata show other kamae but they are rarely used now as its difficult to produced the desired end product such as men or kote from these other stances. Basicaly its Chudan, Seigan or Jodan now.

[mystic_kendoka]

are we supposed to swing that big in kendo?

its better for form, but useless in shiai or jigeiko since it takes longer to swing..

[hamish]

It's essential that you get used to being able to do large suburi. If you can master that, then you can master the smaller strikes. You shouldn't be swinging it back so hard that you are getting a bruise, though...

It's important to ask your sensei these questions as well, as it is he who is guiding your kendo development.