Waikato Kendo Club

I think here are some important points for our members regarding Do-cut: 1. In uchikomi-geigo , the issoku-itto-no-ma-ai of Do (kihon) generally is shorter than Men's ma-ai . However, it important to remember both Do and Men cuts have their first part almost identical e.g. toward to the centre. 2. While most of us can perform te-no-uchi when strike Men, it is crucial to also have te-no-uchi in the Do striking. This is closely related to the striking power and how you perform the following zan-shin . 3. The application of footwork such as the following up of left foot (both timing and distance) and the stability of waist is important to have your distance controlled.  4. In terms of seme , gently pushing opponent's shinai to get the centre line or to disturb her/his kamae is a common technique. However, it is also important that you don't destroy your own kamae while you are keen or focus to get what you want. 5. Point 4 also leads to the concept of Ke...

Original post on our club's previous forum Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2004 9:45 am Post subject: 8th Kyu Grading (for Gi & Hakama) * * *  It's our club's tradition that beginners should pass 8th Kyu grading before putting on Gi & Hakama (the Kendo cloth & skirt). Normally after 2 months learning and training, all beginners are expected to perform Suburi well. This is the first grading for our beginners. The items in the 8th Kyu grading will include: 1. Kamae 2. Footwork : forward-backward, right-left, and diagonally.   suburi : The act of swinging the shinai up and down vertically or diagonally. 3. Joge-buri : vertically 4. naname-suburi : diagonally kukan-datotsu : Image an opponent in space, and strike the targets. 5. Men 6. Kote 7. Do 8. Side Men 9. Kote-Men 10. Kote-Do That's all and please don't worry too much. Posted: Mon Oct 11, 2004 3:58 pm    Post subject: What virtues do the hakama pleats represent? * * *  ...

Kendo's Gruelling Challenge (original English narration) Watching the video, I was impressed by the dedication of Kendo participants. It is clear Kendo has a formidable learning curve, but one in which height is no advantage, age no barrier. It is all about patience and experience. To be in command of one’s emotion is to open one’s mind, to be in control. Only when the mind, body and sword are united as one can you master your strike. While it was really sad when Koji died, I was impressed by Kenichi Ishida Sensei , and his dedication to the competition, and desire to succeed for his son’s sake, as much as his own. It made me think, particularly when he reached the written exam, just how much work I have to do. Kenichi Ishida Sensei and Kai Miyamoto Sensei’s journey’s made me think of my own challenges and weaknesses, and how I want to address them. As an over-weight smoker, I am nothing like the young man I once was, and while I cannot turn back the clock, I hope Kendo w...

Dear all, A great time was had at Ken's celebration on Wednesday , and AKC were very happy to see a representation from Waikato. Jordan's speech to the dojo was very professional and I think he covered everything that Sam and Marleen had asked very well. The point was made, both from us and by AKC, that we all enjoy such events as an opportunity to re-establish friendships and be part of our larger kendo community. Getting together for a shiai is about "competition", seminars people are often focused on their grading. At informal keiko however, we can be in an attitude of one kendo, to learn from each other and enjoy each others company. Therefore, AKC has extended the invitation to us to practice together at least once every 2-3 months, and we should alternate who travels to each others home. I personally found the evening challenging. It is true that there is "one kendo", and theoretically all people of the same level should have been taught ...

The New Zealand National Team training in Christchurch's brand new dojo.  Team NZ is hard in training for the WKC in Novara. Photo taken and shared by：   Kendo World * * * Hi all, so some recap from the lessons Awa and I learned at the NZ team training. Keep in mind that this is mainly for winning in shiai and that there is a difference between that and "grading" kendo. - Dramatise your cuts - Regardless if you really hit or not, got to convince judge that you scored the ippon. If judge gives you ippon, take it.   - Change the rhythm of your cuts - Don't always stick  to your same fighting style, change it up if it doesn't work. - Keep the winning attitude, take what you get - It's war, you fight to win. If you hold ippon, keep it. One ippon is enough to win the match. - Shiai line should be your friend - fight from centre out and don't have your back to the line. When opponent near line, taiatari + cut to ensure no hansoku. - For sem...

"Please do the kirikaeshi with Dai-Kyo-Soku-Kei (dynamic-strong-fast-light)". ~ Eiga sensei. #1 [After the kirikaeshi demonstration by Teramoto-sensei] (Eiga-sensei:) That was wonderful kirikaeshi, wasn't it? First of all, what was wonderful about that was the stance. As Teramoto-sensei told at the suburi practice that you don't move the axis of your body. Although the opponent comes straight forward, the stance is that you can move any directions. #2 Next, that was kiai! You still say, "ya… ," and "men… ." (He shows,) "Yaaaaaaaaaaaaa, Meeeeeeeeeeeeeen!!!" Show your feelings with this first strike of men. Then, because the breath should be one time, it's not that you were doing like, "men, men, men…, " but "MeeeeeenMeeeeenMeeeeeen!!!" The breath connects. #3 And finally, that was the point of the strike . There are some people still hitting the upper side of the sinai, ye...

Murakami sensei explained the correct tsuba-seiriai  at the 2008 Asia Area Sinpan Seminar, Seoul, South Korea . Some notes about our training on week 11-17 Sep 2011: I think we all had a good time on Thursday's ji-geiko evening. Thanks to the members who came at the evening. As discussed, we won't have group warm-up on Thursdays. Please come earlier and get yourself ready. Hope we can start at 6.30pm sharply. After the shiai-geigo last Saturday (10 Sep), we talked about the tsuba-zeriai situations and have some practice of hiki-men waza. I can see your tsuba-zeriai has much improved today. Of course, we still need more training and practice on hiki-men. My plan for next week training will be: continue the small-men and small-kote-men practice, continue the hiki-men practice, introduce one exercise to enhance leg muscle strength, more kakari-geiko to enhance fitness and reaction. * * * As for beginners, I am pleased to see that you can well perform ...