Weights or suburi bokken?

[Shido]

What are your thoughts on suburi? I have been wondering if it would be better to buy a heavier bokken, or simply add wieghts to the one I use now. One of my friends suggests that I make (or buy) a wieght for my bokken, but my sensei says that a wieghted suburi bokuto would be better, on acount of balance. What do you think, any suggestions would be appreciated.

-Shido

[stuartwilson]

I have a shinai weight. I use it for warming up and at times for suburi.

Price and portability aside, it is different than a heavier shinai or bokken. Because the additional mass is placed far away from the center of rotation, it greatly increases the overall inertia. To get the same interia with balance would require a really heavy sword.

The immediate effect of a weight is increased effort required to both swing down and stop the sword. Other benefits I have experienced are

You really have to focus on the kensen to cut a smooth arc.
You have to have great tenouchi to maintain any degree of gracefulness.
In other words, a weight magnifies your weaknesses, more so than a heavyweight bokken or shinai, in the sense that it is just plain hard to control.

Someday I'd like to get one of those 1kg+ shinai, but for now I'll stick to my weight.

[Stephen]

I can't really comment from anything other than my own personal expierience and I've never tried shinai wieghts but have used a suburi bokken (suburito?) from a few years and have really felt it to be a beneficial training tool (especially for doing katate suburi)...I found when i first started using it, I was forced to take it slow as to not do my wrist any injury (as im very weak and skinny and these things weigh a bit) but after practice have really felt the difference in my kendo (speed, sae, accuracy & endurace).

Maybe at the end of the day its personal preference and any exrta suburi practice will always help with kendo.

[Timeline]

I bought a suburito last year, I totally recommend them for suburi. I agree with your sensei, the suburito are well balanced with the centre of mass in the right place.

Imho it's important to do suburi with different weighted swords - bokuto, shinai and suburito.