Kendo Training – Frequency and intensity

A regularly asked question is “how often should I train to gain maximum improvement in my kendo?” My honest answer would be “at least three times a week.” Once a week and you are not going to make any real progress, twice and you may improve slightly if you already have a strong grounding, but [...]

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Kendo nature or nurture?

When I started kendo in the late 1960s the reasons for many inadequacies in western kendo were explained away as differences caused by physical or cultural factors. Japanese kendoka were supposed to have more leg strength developed through sitting on the floor “tatami  seikatsu”.  They were also more flexible and less prone to concentration of [...]

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Teaching timing and opportunity

Recently I was lucky to practice with Sumi sensei on his stopovers in London to and from a seminar in Russia. Despite suffering from jet lag he taught a one hour kihon session prior to jigeiko at Mumeishi. As well as enjoying (if that’s the word) the opportunity to stretch myself in keiko with him, [...]

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Running before you can walk

Thinking back to Matsumoto sensei’s article, it emphasised that you need to “master the skills of kendo” to a level where they can be performed with “calmness of mind”. This is quite a tall order. We come to kendo classes to fight, so for most of us, an hour of gokakugeiko (jigeiko) is the way [...]

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Sports kendo versus shugyo

I was gratified by the high level of feedback to the article on “The Aim of Kendo” by Matsumoto sensei. I know that many of the people that commented are active shiai participants.  This bolstered my view that an understanding of kendo philosophy is a natural bedfellow for hard training and ambition to do well [...]

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Mixed ability training

Following on from my post on mawarigeiko, I was asked for advice on the best way to train effectively when there is a wide range of experience levels in the same dojo. I still believe that the mawarigeiko method I described would be effective, but a good way to ensure that less experienced members get [...]

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Making the most of kendo training

Looking around my local gym during a recent visit, I noticed that there seem to be three kinds of gym member: – a minority of people who clearly enjoy it and give it 100 per cent; the guys who would rather be somewhere else but who know that they have to make an effort for [...]

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“A feather in a hurricane”

Without the benefit of a private dojo for toshikoshi geiko, my first practice of the New Year took place yesterday. This hatsugeiko was a great way to get back into the swing of kendo and with my wrist injury now mending, I am once again able to call on some oji waza to use against [...]

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Keiko timing

Often during keiko sessions, I am aware that there are some epic battles taking place in the dojo. In my view an individual keiko should last for 3 to 5 minutes, but I see some that go on for up to fifteen. When you join in mawarigeiko and time is set and called by an [...]

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Suburi

Many kendo students dread the practice of suburi. It is regularly incorporated into the pre-keiko warm up and is viewed by some as an exercise to develop stamina and strength. Even when this is not the intention, suburi is often conducted at a speed that is beyond the capabilities of many of the class members; [...]

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