Continued from Here

I Kendon't

That kind of shit is not needed Aquadog.
Post something usefull or dont post at all, you have been around longer than I have and should bloody well know that.


Check this out:
http://www.kendo.org.za/

Gitano: you asked if i do. So i said i dont. So fuck off.

If you read the thread that this continues on from you would understand.

Stop it!
Both of you.

Now guyz, that kinda stuff can be done through PM.
Keep the forum clean.

Sorry

Lets continue with Kendo

Ai -so!

Who you calling an ai-so anyhow?

Sounds cool, but I'm more into a fencing kind of sword fighting. Don't know...I just feel everything is going oriental in style. I'd prefer a more medieval stance to it. Heavier sword...more...James Bond if you like.

Goign to try get some Kendo pics...maybe they will convince me...

Fencing heavier sword? What are you smoking boodie?
Unless there is some kind of fencing that I have never seen, because the fencing I know about it using little wire swords that shouldnt even be called swords.
Im talking about big heavy japanese samurai swords
Maybe one of the two handed big ones
Or of course go for the more practical on big one and one short one.

Sorry but I have no clue on the Japanese names

big heavy samurai swords? in kendo?

uve got the wrong sport bud

gitano you can fence with a sabre which is kak heavy when compaired to a kitana.

I do a fair amount of bokken work while doing Aikido in Stellenbosch and Cape Town.

a bokken for those who dont know is a wooden kitana used for practice

Yeah i seem to remember playing Kendo in Budokan. They used huge heavy sticks with sharp pointy thingies on the end and they dress up in quite ornately with head gear and stuff... right???

I don't know much about this sport, but I have a mate that is trying to get me to start. Sounds quite intense. Maybe I should pop past a session sometime.

Damn :'(

I want to be able to fight like a samurai with a propper sword

I thought the bamboo things were just for practise fights, dont you ever use a real sword? If so, how heavy is it, mean it must be metal obviously, unless you want to bludgeon your opponent with a little stick

T.I.M: but a sabre isnt a cool sword, I want to use something that looks like a katana, even something like Anduril, the sword aragorn uses (Geek shows his face)

look, if u consider the amount of protective gear u have to wear just to "play" around with bamboo swords, imagine what a half-assed graze from a real steel sword would do to ya mate or partner? trust me, once u develop up to competition level, u gonna know all about strokes that can be used with any real sword.

It like karate, where u practice year in year out on imaginary opponents, all in preparation for the day u really have to perform out of necessity and with all u got. Kendo with bamboo is not a joke. Like i said before, those six pieces of bamboo can and will kill you if wielded correctly. The strokes you learn, and the intensity with which u apply them is THE reason why the amor u were during kendo is so robust. Go a coupla rounds with your sensei and you'll know exactly what i mean. Dont be fooled by the bamboo. It friggin deadly!

Also, correct me if I am wrong, the bamboo was used mainly so that children could learn the way of the sword. No child has the strength to wield a real Katana. The next step was the bokken, which in many ways, physically represents the Katana. From bokken to katana is a very short step IMO. cos by then you would have the strength to start practicing with the real thing. and as tradition would have it, the use of bamboo swords makes for practical competitions. If you ever persist with Kendo, and manage to qualify for the world champs, you will in all likelihood see a coupla master level practitioners having a kendo bout with real swords. maybe then will u understand the need for bamboo.

Dont be so easily disheartened. First give it a go. and remember, everythingyou learn with a shinai, can be done with a real katana.

For example, u know a shinai has six pieces of bamboo. The tip is covered by leather, and so is the handle. They are connected by a piece of string.This piece of string represents the spine of a real katana. now a real katana has a concave channel running down this spine. This is a space for air to collect to break the vacuum which forms when slicing thru flesh. It makes it easier to slice your opponent. Blood collects inthis channel. One traditional technique learnt while training with a shinai, is to "shake the shinai" to one side after your perform what can be described as head to toe strike. This shake is what u would do with a real katana to remove the blood from the channel, prepping your sword for the next strike.

Another lesson to learn,is that you always carry the shinai in your left hand with the string/spine facing down. once again symbolic logic so that u dont cut your hand on the blade of a real sword.

Another one, is that when taking your stance, you use your thumb to "flick" the sword outward ready for the right hand to take it. this is a simulation for releasing a real katana from its scabard for an easy withdrawal with the right hand.

Another one is, when you kneel to acknowledge ya opponent, you place the shinai on your left, handle facing forward. Your right hand goes down first, eyes on your opponent, left hand touches the ground last. This simulates your readiness to grab your sword in the event your opponent is deceitful.

It full of tradition, and very applicable for using a real sword. Go and njoi.. sorry for the long post

Oh, in that case.
Kendo

I dont like Karate too much, I dont know why, and dont ask me to explain why, but it has never appealed to me.

u gonna love kendo Gitano. It becomes competitive relatively quickly. U will get lotsa opportunity to practice with an opponent. It helluva lot more fun than karate, although karate was my first love. Bloody good at it if i must say so myself..

So like...how many of you are doing kendo, or am I the only one?

What belt are you and what dan (sorry if thats not what its called, but a friend of mine is pretty damn amazing and I remember him saying something like that)

He was doing an exibition with some amazingly good japanese guy over here, I think he called it kamate, whatever that means.

Thanks Takumi I cant wait to start. pity I need to get back to SA first.

Maybe I join you... Have to be able to drag you to the rink and all... so may just have to join you at Kendo so you don't beat me to a pulp when I try...

lol you dont want something too heavy and yet you would love to use Aragorns sword lol now thats kak heavy.

The kitana's that i have had the privelage(sp?) of testing have all been very light, maby its cause of the "traditional weapon" that my sinsei insists on us using, its a bloody great big axe handle... and you thought jerking off would give you big arm muscles, you should try using an axe handle instead

A friend of my family was the first non japanese Dan in the world & the first Dan that lived outside of Asia, he was in charge of protecting the president of Zimbabwe ( yes before mugabe when it was still Rhodesia)
If i was going to do Kendo actively I would beg him to teach me

Any chance you could convince him to teach Cyfer, myself, and you?

probably not he hasnt even taught his own son.

If his son is wanting to learn, then he is being ever so slightly lazy in my oppinion. He doesn't have to teach others if he doesn't want to, but I would at least think he would teach his son if his son was keen. If his son isn't keen to learn, well then no harm no foul.

I'm still a noob & havent done my 1st grading yet... What country are you living in? Isn't there anyKendo Dojo's near you?


Why not? I thought one of the principals of Kendo was to promote the art?

What I really want to do is Kenjutsu (Most of the Kill Bill cast did Kenjutsu training), which is allot closer to the Bushido style sword training that the Samourai used to do, but afaik it isn't offered outside Japan

You do?!!! where, when and how much? If it's outside CT, you can post for the rest of the country, but I am really struggling to find a place. Thinking of taking ninjitsu though. Just need some place to practice. I was thinking of the park, as a last resort, but that's only if my sensei agrees to it.

Just plain

Bergie: UAE at the moment, but I will be home by christmas next year, so Ill start then

Here are a coupla pics of my (well-used) Shinai.

The leather coverings are genuine sharkskin. Not a requirement, but does add to its appeal .
I was taught how to disassemble the shinai and soak the four pieces of bamboo in a salt solution, but I have since forgotten how to tie those knots again, thus i fear for my bamboo.

If you dont soak your sticks every so often (for got the period), the bamboo will break during kumite. The salt solution keeps it supple enough for combat. u can wack these things on concrete and they dont break.. but dont push your luck..

edit: i been saying 6 pieces of bamboo,but after hauling mine outta storage. i realized there only 4.

Sounds amazing Takumi!
I'm sure you can do some prety serious damage to someone with one of those, thus the body armour?

Gitano: u got no idea how badly it hurts when u get hit by a shinai. You wear gloves with Double layer leathers, chest plate, helmut with a leather tabs that covers your throat and neck areas and that's it.

The cracking sound the shinai makes when striking sounds pretty vicious. The pain confirms what your ears heard.

All the protective gear is very thick, but it still hurts. the helmut gratings stand quite a distance from ya face, so if an opponent runs past you, u gotta learn tonot turn blind, in other words, u gotta turn your head to the side the opponent passed you. Othewise u bound to get a wack from the sensei. Seems all these guys were born with low to no patience..

but those 2 hours of practice fly by too quickly. I almost envy the folk here who are going, or are doing Kendo.

That good hey?
Now you just make me jelous

Thanks for all the info guys, I will start as soon as I get home.

Kendo ??
my four years of training were a waste the sword does not matter anymore
you are supposed to kill or fight a war?
in these days the japanese sword is worthless


trust me im lebanese i know