around vancouver area that teaches beginner classes for kendo

**B.Fong** · 4th July 2009, 01:38 PM

hi, i'm from vancouver, BC canada. i'm 15 ( birthday in December so actually going to gr. 11) and was wondering if there was any dojo around vancouver or so that teaches beginner classes for kendo. i was always interested in doing kendo, but never got the chance to do it. i had doubts if i was getting to old to do kendo since probably other people started at a really young age. i got to the point where i thought, if i keep doubting myself, i'll just get older and older and never get the chance to do kendo so i might as well start now... or am i too old now to start?

**1prettygirl** · 4th July 2009, 06:57 PM

Alot of the schools only accept new students around certain times of the year. Where abouts do you live? If you are 15, I'm guessing that you don't drive, so it would be easier for you to just go to the one that's closest to you. I personally don't think you are too old I mean what is too old really? There are people starting in their 40s. Myself I started in January of this year at 21 years of age.

**silentdan** · 4th July 2009, 07:57 PM

would be interessting for me too! i am staying in VNC from 21.8 till around 14.9 and would be happy to train even if i dont have my bogu with me, maybe there is a chance to train somewhere just with shinai, footwork etc …

cheers,
daniel from germany

**dwez** · 5th July 2009, 12:30 AM

Allan's Iaido & Kendo Clubs Canada google map may be of some use. Then there's Neil

**b8amack** · 5th July 2009, 12:47 AM

Too old? Man I wish I had started at 15.

**Neil Gendzwill** · 5th July 2009, 01:58 AM

There are lots of good dojos in the lower mainland, and they all teach beginners. Probably you will have to wait until fall. 15 is a great age to start. Where do you live?

**Django** · 5th July 2009, 07:27 AM

Well... Renbu accepts anyone anytime, if you don't mind travelling 15-30 minutes to Burnaby. Whereabouts in vancouver do you live? My grandma lives in E. Van, and it takes us a 15 minute drive to get there from Burnaby. =\

http://www.renbudojo.com/

Click the Calendar for the schedule... All the rest of the info is in "Club info"

Hahaha, I just started last october, and I was 16 then... and I just had my birthday two weeks ago, and now I'm 17. You're at a good age to start, I guess. I hope you weren't a couch potato like me at least

**B.Fong** · 6th July 2009, 11:28 AM

cool, i checked the website, and yea it is about 15-30 min away which i don't really mind, i'll probably drop in on a practice as it says on the website. lol couch potato, yea a little tho i play badminton too

**Neil Gendzwill** · 6th July 2009, 12:58 PM

Here's the BC Kendo Federation club list. I think the only dojo that's not on that list is Youshinkan. I suggest you visit the practices of several clubs that have schedules/locations you can manage and see what's the best fit for you. You will get good instruction at any of these dojos.

**Django** · 6th July 2009, 02:50 PM

Originally Posted by B.Fong

cool, i checked the website, and yea it is about 15-30 min away which i don't really mind, i'll probably drop in on a practice as it says on the website. lol couch potato, yea a little tho i play badminton too

HAHAHA SAME! You'll be just fine then.

They suggest you watch a practice first to see if it's right for you. So my suggestion is, check out a Wednesday practice, and come to the sunday practice for your first practice...

**B.Fong** · 9th July 2009, 01:08 PM

hey, so yea i went to the practice too see on wednesday ( kid in the blue sitting in between my mom and another person) and i was wondering, how long is each practice?

**Django** · 9th July 2009, 02:56 PM

Haha, I checked 'cause I figured there'd be a reply... XD

The kid with the Aeropostal sweater right? Figured it was you. The other guy didn't look 15.

I forget how long Tuesday practices are, but those are senior practices, so its all good. Sunday practices are a three hours long. An hour and fifteen really, but we stop 15 minutes early to change. Wednesday practices are an hour and forty five minutes long. Two hours if you count changing time.

Don't be fooled. Sunday practices are actually less tiring, and a whole lot more livelier. More people attend that day too.

By the way, I was that retarded-semi-beginner-noob-that-wasn't-wearing-a-men-that-had-to-sit-out-million-times-because-I-stupidly-ate-in-the-car-on-the-way-there-and-I'm-not-built-for-endurance-and-I-like-to-make-up-stupid-excuses-in-a-futile-attempt-to-make-myself-look-less-stupid

**Django** · 9th July 2009, 06:17 PM

My bad, I meant three hours and fifteen. Not an. A shame you can only edit up to five minutes after the post... ):

**B.Fong** · 10th July 2009, 09:46 AM

haha yea yea the aeropostal kid. lol which one were u? the one without the helmet but had like the gear on? the one with last name cheng i think? or were u in the beginner class?

**Django** · 10th July 2009, 01:30 PM

Nono, that guy lasted way longer than I did. He does sports... LOL. I was other other one with the gear and without the helmet. The one with the last name Hui.