Waikato Kendo Club

Thumb up - Awa [Experience sharing from 3rd Dan and above senpai] Body-Mind Integration :  How do you use your Ki (mental/spiritual power) to lead your Ken and/or Tai (sword and/or body; physical power) in Kendo keiko? Ki – this is how I use Ki to help me in keiko and kendo in general. Ki through kiai to help my breathing and settle my mind but make it active and ready which also includes my body. Ki - to increase my vigour when tired. To get ready quicker and having that ippon feeling throughout my body.  My ki is also affected by how I interpret my body and mind on the day. If I haven’t rested well or I am physically tired I try to use my ki to pump myself up. Usually done by a louder kiai or remembering my goals.  If I am injured or sore focus on my strengths and strategies I can use to manage my body but with stronger ki to help complete the cuts.  Using my breath to focus ki and keeping lower abdomen engaged (tense) and vice versa brea...

Georgia H. Beginners' reflection on "how Kendo has influenced my everyday life?" Kendo has influenced me by making me more fit, and it gets me off the couch just to practice. It gets me to do more than play games. When I work hard in Kendo, it makes me work harder on my other activities from school sports and games.  It also helps me to want to do more, to try harder. Even in crafts and when I am doing school work. Now I try harder in everything I do. To know more about our Beginner Class, click here!

2017 Kendo Beginners at Waikato  Class starts from 4 March 2017  More information is available here.  Many thanks to Awa, Spyke, Jing and Iris  for their contributions at the University Clubs Day Kendo Demonstration at the Clubs Day Explaining the inquiry about Kendo Preparing the posts for the Clubs Day Lesson One: Kendo etiquette Starting to handle Shinai , the bamboo sword Seme and Ai-ki : Interaction and synchronising  Thanks to all the dojo senpai coming to help the Beginner Class! I think we all had a great time! 

We had our 1st 2017 keiko on Saturday 7 January. A warm welcome to Walter from London and Minh Ha from Paris. Also, welcome Jason moving from Otago to Hamilton and Colin picking up shinai again! It is really a special keiko to see such old and new faces! Walter led a waza practice on debana kote. Waza practice on debana kote Ji-geiko Ji-geiko Ji-geiko    When Walter was introducing himself to the Waikato kohai,  Sam was surprised to hear that Walter started his Kendo here "fifteen" year ago! It was then confirmed from a simple math: 2017-2002 = 15! It is great to see Walter's dedication in Kendo, both a cornerstone in the NZ Team since 2006 and a recent achievement in Godan (5th Dan). Wish him and Minh Ha have a great time in NZ and a  safe trip back to Europe! Some more photos are here. * History on the Day Our 1st Kendo in 2016 (9 January). Best wishes to Felix, Claire and Zhefu  w...

Results of the 9th New Zealand Novice Championship 12-13 November 2016 Acknowledgment  It is a special Novice Champ this year because we have Awatea Yi-Williams and Walt Kim who have participated the 1st Novice since 2008 when they were Kendo Beginners. This year, both of them have achieved Yondan (4th Dan) kendo and served as shinpan-in (referee) in this championship. It is a great pleasure to see so many talented young people have dedicate themselves in Kendo and the Novice Champ as a part of their Kendo journey.  Furthermore, we thank Alan Stephenson sensei for his long service as the Shinpan-cho  (chief judge) and running the shinpan seminar in the Novice Champ. Huge thank to contribution and supports from Graham Sayer sensei, the President of NZKF who just returned from Japan, and Kirk Doran sensei. We also thank Naoko Goto, Leo Lin, Thomas Hong, Kai Yoshitani and Lina Igarashi for supporting the shinpan duty. Lastly, we thank Ma...

30 November 2016 Congratulations to Ann's first time of putting on Gi & Hakama!  Answering the question of "What have I learnt in Kendo?" we asked in our Beginners Class, Ann answered:  I began my Kendo journey in July 2016 and I haven’t stopped learning since. The techniques in cutting and movements have taught me to be more graceful and nimble. I am more observant to finesse and because of that, I am more motivated to perform well. Furthermore, they are very good exercises and I feel lighter and fitter than before.  Besides the cutting techniques and posture in Kendo, I have learnt several life lessons, patience being the most prominent one. I had a hard time in completing tasks within a team because I had high expectations of team members and wanted tasks to be completed within a less than ideal time limit. So I tried to put that under control and thankfully, Kendo reinforced that. I am more than willing to work in a team and I do not dread being...

2016 Beginner Class-B Grading 17 September 2016 Richard: I wasn't intending to join Kendo club at first, it was really Lilly's request, she had been asking to join since the beginning of the year. When we came and observed beginners class briefly to see what it was like, I was very impressed by the atmosphere of tradition, kindness and respect. There was a strong feeling of family, and as visitors we were made to feel very welcome. So I became excited about joining this group with Lilly. The greatest benefit I have gained from our short time with Kendo so far has been strengthening the bond between my daughter and I. Training together as equals, helping each other, and having conversations relating to philosophical aspects of life, inspired by Kendo training have given us a greater sense of mutual respect. The positive qualities we have been learning from our new Kendo family such as patience, clarity, focus, spirit, humility and kindness have made ...