New to Kendo Forms/Techniques

[Shiba]

Hey i have been Researching Kendo for a couple years now since i was in High School, i know Etiquette,Rules stuff like that but what i dont know (or not that much of) is Forms and Drills, like i know acouples strikes but nothing too big. i have tried looking on youtube stuff like that but i dont really know what to really do so some help from experienced people would be great thanks alot if you can help

[Shiba]

Would it be okay to Practice with a Shinai if its Hiltless? or go to Kendo Matches with a Hiltless Shinai?

[pgsmith]

Join a dojo and they will teach you all you need to know about kendo. Unless you are attending a dojo, learning anything about any forms or drills is worse than useless. If you will let folks know your city, perhaps someone could suggest a dojo in your area.

[Shiba]

Oh sorry should have mentioned that lol, i Live Corpus Christi, i dont think there is a Dojo here

[Shiba]

Does Kendo Require a Certain Size Shinai/Bokutou? or does it go by how tall you are (From what i heard). If its by How tall you are then im 5ft 9 because i have had this Shinai (40 inches) and Bokutou (39 Inches), Dont want to be training with the wrong size stuff

[pgsmith]

You are correct. As far as I know, there is no kendo closer to you than Laredo or San Antonio. Sounds like it's time to start job hunting in a new city!

[Neil Gendzwill]

Shiba, I have merged all your threads into one, no need to reel off a bunch of threads.

To answer your shinai questions, I don't know what a "hiltless shinai" is, but whatever it is would not be allowed unless it is a shinai of standard construction. Shinai sizing goes generally by age and sex, if you are still in high school then a size 38 or maybe a 39 would be fine. If your shinai is 40" long it is not any standard size - a 39 is a little over 46" long from end to end. Your 39" bokken is a standard size. Best to wait until you join a dojo until you spend any money on equipment.

I don't believe there's anything in Corpus Christi. You are unlikely to get any advice on training here, most everyone will suggest you wait until a dojo is available. If you are dead set on training by yourself, get a copy of "Kendo The Definitive Guide" by Ozawa, additionally you might try some of the videos shown here.

[Shiba]

Ok thanks alot and sorry for all th threads i thought i put them in the right spots >_> anywho thanks alot. And im in College so do i get a Size 39?

[Neil Gendzwill]

If you're in college and male you should get a 39. That's Japanese sizing, not size in inches.

[Shiba]

oh ok i have been thinking that was inches

[dillon]

The size refers to the old Japanese unit of sun (寸). One sun is 30.3mm or 1.193in. So a size 39 shinai is 39 sun / ~118cm / ~46.5in.

A sun can be divided into 10 bu (分 - a unit you may come across when buying hand made bogu) and 10 sun makes 1 shaku (尺 - a unit often used for iaito blade length).

Here is a shinai size chart: http://www.kendo-guide.com/images/shinai-size-L.jpg

[dillon]

The size refers to the old Japanese unit of sun (寸). One sun is 30.3mm or 1.193in. So a size 39 shinai is 39 sun / ~118cm / ~46.5in.

A sun can be divided into 10 bu (分 - a unit you may come across when buying hand made bogu) and 10 sun makes 1 shaku (尺 - a unit often used for iaito blade length).

Here is a shinai size chart.

[jjcruiser]

Bottle up your interest in kendo and put it in a safe place on your book shelf. When you graduate or move, check out if there is Kendo in your new location and then join a dojo. It probably won't be what you're imagining even if you've been "studying" it for years, but you may end up very happy you went back to it.

[Cailin Coilleac]

To answer your shinai questions, I don't know what a "hiltless shinai" is, but whatever it is would not be allowed unless it is a shinai of standard construction.

I'm assuming he means a shinai without tsuba. No, I don't that would fly.