Beginner's luck

[Kawakami Gensai]

Hello, my name is Tyler. Nice to meet you all.
I have always had a fascination with Japanese culture, namely martial arts. I took Tae Kwan Do for around a year and a half and made it to purple belt (4th belt in the class, followed by brown and then black) however, I dropped out. I found it too tame for me (no, I have a great deal of patience, but I didn't feel like I was learning what I was seeking). I am very use to the katana now, even for a long time I felt as if I have had some inate knowledge on using a katana. Keeping both feet firm with even distance pointing in the same direction preventing bad footing, keeping the Shinai or blade pointed at my opponent's head (which I later clearified meant to be aimed at the throat or eyes) and the hilt close to the belly button area. I even conceived the concept of what I later to learned have been called in some schools "Iai" and "Nuki", which is the act of using your sheath or scabbard (if you prefer) to remove your blade at a faster rate for a very swift attack. In a few duels I've had (some with friends in kendo) I've actually won, but some I have lost.

As to what to blame for this, I do not know. I use to be really thin, but right now I'm around 5ft 10 and 200 pounds, so I am somewhat overweight. I thought this was the obvious problem but I have seen people of equal physical stature doing quite well in kendo. Maybe it's also the fact that I have no schooling in the art of the sword. As for right now, I have no interest in going to a dojo again (right now I have no time to take up lessons nor the means of transportation) However, if anyone knows of anyway I can perfect my knowledge similiar to that of going to a dojo (example, free online training guides or tutoring) I would love to obtain some info. Thanks for your time in advance.
P.S. (Keep in mind, I am left-handed, so if you make any suggestions please kindly let me know if this alters any of my grips or stances. Thank you)

[Kawakami Gensai]

Also, as for my over weight problem affecting any training, yes I know how to fix that, so if you want to only make small recomendations about that, I would rather have advice on sword techniques please.

[Yowai]

You're not "somewhat overweight." You're fat.

You seem to be more suited to practicing imaginary samurai play than playing Kendo. If you had even a single Kendo lesson, your stupid enthusiasm will vanish.

Don't bother with Kendo and continue living your samurai fantasies.

[Chopstix]

*ka-boom tish*

[Will]

Um...to save everyone lots of post and stuff...just read this similar thread.
http://www.kendo-world.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2235
if you want the cliff notes, You can't learn kendo online, through books, etc...you can only learn it at a dojo.

[tango]

the only comment i will make is that there are no left-handed swordsmen.

[Shiro]

GO TO A DOJO! That's the only and best advice I can/want to give.......

[Neil Gendzwill]

the only comment i will make is that there are no left-handed swordsmen.

Gyaku chudan is an acceptable kamae, and I have talked to several sensei who had no problem teaching it. I haven't seen it used, but there is no rule against it.

Original poster - you're wasting your time here. Go find a dojo and train, or stay in your backyard with your fantasy life. We'll help you with the former but not the latter.

[AlexM]

I think there should be a rule against people using really weird, convoluted and obviously fake Japanese names on the boards...

Memo to all those that send email to a dojo asking for practice times and details: never mention that you're "comfortable" or "used to" a katana... we'll just think you're nuts.

[Ren Blade]

In a few duels I've had (some with friends in kendo) I've actually won, but some I have lost.

So your friends train in Kendo? You should see if they would teach you some basics. At least then you would have something real to practice til you have the money and a way of transporting yourself to a dojo for more proper and complete training if you want to seriously train swordsmanship.

[Cypher]

It seems we have a Kenshin fan amongst us...someone who searched on Google for 'Hitokiri' and found the name of Kawakami Gensai (otherwise called Komori Genjiro or Takada Genbe) Why does everyone like this romanticised b.s. shadow assassin stuff? It doesn't mean crap nowadays, so why keep fantasizing over it?

This is called 'KENDO-world', not 'fantasy anime swordsmanship-world'. Sorry to be blunt, but after browsing the threads and finding so many similar things, it seems some people have just...missed the point. And you cant be 'comfortable' with a katana if you never learned to train properly. I'm sorry, but that is the truth. Ask anyone. Well, anyone not obsessed with anime swordsmen. Nothing against anime or manga, as I watch and read it myself, but when it comes to training you have to face the fact that you cant use Hiten Mitsurugi waza. Thank you for reading.

[Hai_hai]

...As to what to blame for this, I do not know. I use to be really thin, but right now I'm around 5ft 10 and 200 pounds, so I am somewhat overweight. I thought this was the obvious problem but I have seen people of equal physical stature doing quite well in kendo....

You blame yourself for eating too much.

[Kawakami Gensai]

1)No, I got the name for a research paper I did on "Bushido" way back in the 9th grade which tied in with Bakamatsu. I was not a "Kenshin fan" till probably last year. Nor do I want "fantasy swordsmen".
2) I was hoping to find an easier way to learn some "techniques" in my own home. Obviously you people who even take kendo don't realize their are form guides........You cannot learn the complete way without going to a dojo.....
2)I don't eat much at all.......
3)Thanks for the down right rude comments. Obviously this forum is not what I thought it would be. I do not plan to be be pampered or baby talked to, but making such rude comments, I thought Kendo was about teaching respect. I was foolish to come here, when people can't even master the main foundation of kendo.

[Hattori Hanzo]

Yes Kendo is highly about form and the way it is done, and if training yourself instead of acquiring proper you pick up that which it is not...improper form which sets in and is hard to detrain.

Kendo can be aggressive but also the average Keiko session I have had has also been very organized.

At the expense of sounding like an expert which I am not...I got the this is Kendo book and let me tell you after going to a dojo and reading the book, there is a big difference true the book is a great reference....false the book is a sole teacher.

Just because a monkey can climb a pole doesn't mean it gets free cable.

[Kawakami Gensai]

Please do not take me wrong, last poster, but I seem to be stereotyped here as some person who thinks all the information of Kendo can be obtained by home trials......
highly incorrect. I do oneday intend to join a dojo, probably within the next year, but for now I want to get some foundation and practice before actually joining. I already know of the basic stance of chudan, I would like to know continuations of such form, anything that gives simple instructions, such as this,
jodan-no-kamae
A stance where the shinai is held above one’s head. The stance where the shinai is held with boh hands and the right foot is forward is called morote-migi-jodan-no-kamae (or migi-jodan-no-kamae), and the stance where the shinai is held with both hands and the left foor is forward is called morote-hidari-jodan-no-kamae. It is an offensive stance.

Form guides or definitions like this. I just want practice, I don't expect to become a master of kendo at my own home with no sensai...

And for the record, why do people love to act like just because a person uses a "Fantasy TV" show they don't have the right to learn something? My basis for wanting to join Kendo is for the sport of challenge, the thrill of the fight, learning discipline and techniques perfecting mind body and soul. Now, when I did Tae Kwon Do when I was a kid, guess what my influence was? Street Fighter 2. STREET FIGHTER 2, now will somebody please tell me, why some people who have never even heard of that game in my same dojo could not achieve in more time than I had? Why is it so wrong that somebody has something "not real" driving them on? That sole reason of wanting to be like "Ken or Ryu" kept me in real good shape and trying as hard as I can. It was probably the best motivation I've had when it came to learning something. And even then I never expected to learn how to throw fireballs or do some shoryuken, I have a brain people, just like everybody else. I understand some people think taking kendo and carrying a sakabato will transform them into the hitokiri battosai, I, am not one of those people. But to be short, I don't really care if someone is. They'll realize soon enough they have limits, but why does it matter what motivates a person? Some people are motivated to learn martial arts just to fight......so why do people love to critisize one's reason?