Been practicing Kendo for almost a year now and last week my heart started to pump weird after class. Went to the ER and found out I have AFib (atrial fibrillation). My cardiologist told me that HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) is probably not good for my heart, and apparently Kendo training is kind of like HIIT. I got a few more appointments in the upcoming weeks before I have a conclusive answer on whether or not I should continue kendo at all.

I am pretty bummed about this, wanted to hear if any kendoka here have a similar condition and how they manage it.

Thanks

I’m a beginner and I’m starting my first Kendo class next week! I love Japanese culture and watching anime. I’ve watched quite a few anime featuring swords, like Demon Slayer, Sword Art Online and Rurouni Kenshin, I LOVE them!!(they’re one of the reasons make me wanna learn Kendo lol). Then I recently came across this anime. It seems to be the only one that actually talking about Kendo! It looks pretty old, but is it good? I’m curious to hear everyone’s reviews!

I’ve wanted to learn Kendo for a long time, and I’m finally starting next week!
I’m a slim woman with very little muscle, and I barely exercise. So I’m hoping Kendo will motivate me to exercise regularly every week and will help me get stronger physically. I know it can be a great cardio workout, but I’m wondering what other physical benefits it offers.
Also, does Kendo help strengthen your back and core? I work with children and animals, so I spend a lot of time standing, bending over, and lifting things. I often feel like my back isn’t strong enough to support my lower back properly. Because of that, I sometimes get lower back pain and have trouble maintaining good posture when I’m standing for long periods and my legs and shoulders get so tired too. So, which parts of your body or muscle groups have become noticeably stronger in your experience?

Hello everyone, completely new kendoka here (about a month in).

I am eyeing the Kachi set from KendoStar for my very first uniform, mostly for it being supposedly low maintenance and machine washable.

However with it being completely synthetic I am wary of it electrostatically charging and not being breathable.

Do any of you fine people own the Kachi? Does it attract dust or stick to your body? Is it cooking you alive during training?

I am planning on getting a better set made of cotton a bit later but for now I don't really wanna deal with the logistics of washing and drying (living in a rented flat, not much space and it's getting cold in Germany).

Please share your thoughts, I'd be happy to hear about KendoStar in general, too. There is a German vendor my dojo recommends but let's just say Mr. Fischer did a good job promoting his stuff.

Thank you!

I kept hearing about non cotton hakama that looks like cotton hakama and feels good to wear. Anyone has any idea what thay hakama might be, where to look at.

I am looking for one to wear for practice. All i have experienced wearing is ebogu tetron hakama, and while it was good to wear as a kendo beginner, or iaido practice, not fond of it for kendo as it gets sticky when I'm sweating.

Thank you

Hi! I'm going to be visiting Japan in November, one week in Tokyo and one week in Osaka. Does anyone know of any dojos that would be open for a foreigner to join their training? I wouldn't be looking to train every day but something like 2 or 3 sessions in a week. I am currently 4th dan and only have minimal Japanese skills but I am pretty familiar with dojo etiquette. Thanks in advance!

Hello everyone, my question is what was the hardest mental block you have had to overcome in kendo. I'm having trouble finishing my waza while i'm doing jigeiko. I'm looking for different experiences people have had trouble with and how you managed to fix it in order to try and do my own, this is also a community question where i would just like to read different opinions and essentially life lessons along the way.

Llevo un poco más de un año practicando kendo y en breve me enfrentó a mí primer campeonato.

Algunos buenos consejos que podáis ofrecerme?

Are there any detailed learning resources videos or texts that explain the deeper side of the kata? For example my senpais and senseis sometimes explain why we should do it this way or that way because the opponent can then cut you like this way or if we do it this way then the opponent can not attack you. I want to learn more deeply on the side in a more structured way and rereview it so I could remember more in next practices. I also want to see the breakdown images or detail in a very detail step by step especially the kodachi part since I am bad at reproducing the movement from just watching the example. Thank you very much!

Ill admit, Im merely an ikkyu so not really a paragon of good kendo, but the amount of insults he threw at me kinda put me off. Its the first time something like this has happened to me (all the other dojos and seminars I attended back in the USA I had zero problems), so Id like some advice from people here on how I should go with this.

Background: I practised kendo throughout my undergrad in the US, as a member of the Midwestern Kendo Federation. I passed 2-kyu and 1-kyu and also not bad at shiai (I reached mudansha semis at once tournament and my team got bronze at another). I was approved for shodan shinsa, when circumstances hit me and I had to leave the USA to do a masters in Italy.

So I found a dojo here, which I checked was CIK certified. They have two people leading kendo, a nidan shihan and a nidan “practice leader”, and only the latter was present for now. Their practice was really different from any American dojo. While I can understand no bogu practice and wazas for a long time, even the main suburis (men kote do) were like atmost one third of the entire session. The rest were doing 200 repetitions of joge suburi, a lot of horizontal slashing moves (kinda like cutting grass with a scythe), some waving motions I assumed were for tenouchi, and their men strikes were quite low. They were very strict with their footwork and kiai, mae, and footwork, and my university level habits did not fly, so I do think they are legit.

Nevertheless, it was my first practice and I was doing my very best to adapt to the new pattern. I did tell the leader of the practice from the start that it will take me some time to adjust to the new pattern and I am okay with starting over. Somewhere in the middle of practice, an old guy which I assume is another kendo senior or probably another martial arts teacher (the place was a mixed dojo, some karateka were practicing alongside us) came by, and he ordered a pause on the practice. What followed was a 10 minute lecture on respecting the dojo, and about me trying to show off or something similar to that. I apologized to him multiple times and continued with my practice.

When it ended, he told me to stay in the locker room and asked me about my background and experience. He then told me my kendo was really bad, that I should put away my bogu for a while (which I was fine with and even communicated anyways), and when I go back to America after a couple years in Italy I would be able to teach rhe Americans. He then said my qualifications and my three years of training there were useless. Now I was fine with my own technique being called sloppy, and I was more than okay with starting over and only bringing my bogu months later. What kinda hits a nerve in me is that he conflated my difficulty in adjusting to the new training regime to an inability in kendo, and also called the entire American kendo tradition trash. A lot of senseis have trained me, tested me, and made sure my kendo in their eyes is not “molto disastrado”, and that even includes police kendo instructors from Tokyo whom Ive been lucky to be taught under in seminars. To call their training and their inspection inadequate is, in my eyes, kinda feeling like disrespecting them.

Now, its not my first time facing tough love, but even in my earlier teachers strictness I would find genuine constructive criticism and they get happy when I am willing to improve on their pointers and show them progress. Is this another form of tough love here? Or is it something less savory? What should I do here? Continue and start over and hope it gets better? Or do I call it quits with this dojo? I hope its not the latter because its the only kendo dojo in my city and I do love the art, and it would mean Id go to some other combat sport like fencing. But if it really drains my mental health and self esteem too much I would need to draw a line for my own sake

Hi everyone, I’m curious on what are the noticeable stylistic differences in Kumdo vs kendo (video link examples from maybe competitions would be appreciated!)

I do kumdo but often keiko with other kendokas who are under Japanese dojos, and I was surprised when they commented that my style is very Korean so it goes me thinking. I know they’re basically the same kendo with rules applied, but I’m wondering if there are any major differences in attack approaches, waza etc. From what I’ve researched online, it’s mostly “1 perfect strike” vs “multiple quick attacks”? However this may not be something general to either country because every individual player is different

Hi! I’m looking to wash my hakama and gi however the largest basin I have would be my bath, the only issue being is that the bath is white and I’m concerned that my bath might turn indigo.

I’d also like some advise on how to generally prevent bogu, hakama and gi from becoming smelly without having to wash it every month.

Many thanks!

I've been training for three years in a dojo that is very competitive but honestly kendo before a sport is a budo and I joined kendo because I like the martial art, however there's always someone who want to push you into competitions, specially in those places which are known for winning competitions.

The problem is that kendo as a sport winning a competition doesn't mean anything, you don't make any money and dedicates a lot of valuable life time adults don't usually have and in the end the only thing you win is a fictional place in a fictional sport where you pay for everything even the right to compete.

Hi, I created a video that breaks down the 10 Keishi-ryu Bokuto Kata. It is narrated in Cantonese but I have included English subtitles. The breakdown of the Kata starts at around 5:00 mark, preceded by some history elements about the Kata.

It is different from other Keishi-ryu Kata demonstration videos because I have added the text from the late 19th century on the side to explain what they were doing.

It's the first time I post here. Please feel free to leave a comment under the video. Thanks!

Im a kenshi that i like the fast attacks No points with a lot of datotsu i read that the koto gata Is the better for jodan but have all Weight in the top That will make it faster or slower. ?

Which recommed?

Some write about their kendo experiences in a journal. Others blog. Some may even vlog. How do you do it?

A few follow up questions for the discussion:
1. How often do you journal?
2. Do you set limits on how much you journal?
3. Any changes you made in your journaling that improved your kendo?
4. Any tips?

I have a kendo gi that has a square sun bleached spot in the back from sun exposure that happened years ago. What is the best way to rejuvenate the dye/color? I'm ok with re-dying it but I'm not sure of the best way to do it without ruining the fabric all together.

Any recommendations on products or techniques would be appreciated!!!

Hello all,

I used this enamel paint to repair my men. I've used the same paint on my old men and it worked like a charm. Only started fading again after 4-5 years.

Anyone has experience in menbuchi repairs?