Resources for Beginners

I compiled a list of videos and written resources below for the beginners at the dojo where I practice and for all those new to kendo.  They cover a wide range of topics:

• Introduction to Kendo (Why? Overview, History, Customs, Terminology,…)
• Mechanical and Physical Aspects of Kendo
  • Grip, Stance, Footwork, Bamboo Sword (shinai) Action
• Self-Care and Equipment Maintenance
• Additional Resources (Books, Articles, Websites, DVDs)

Videos are indicated with time duration information and written resources without such information.  I may update this page as I find new, helpful resources.  Enjoy!

Essentially, the objective of kendo is to seek to deeply understand and polish the spirit.  – Morishima Tateo (Hanshi 8 dan) [Kenshi247_Spirit]

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An Introduction to Kendo

• Why do kendo?
  • Quora, “Why should I learn kendo?”
  • Hizen Kendo Club “Why Practise Kendo?”
  • Geoff Salmon, “Lifetime Kendo,” Kendoinfo.net.
• Overview of Kendo:

  • NHK – BEGIN Japanology: Kendo 剣道 (29:01 mins)

  • “The Not-Entirely Definitive Guide,” Jaerik.Tatersalad.org
• History of Kendo
  • Norwalk Kendo Dojo, “About Kendo, Origin of Kendo”
• The Concept and Purpose of Kendo
  • An English Translation, KingstonKendo.org (PDF, 1 page)
  • Original text from the All-Japan Kendo Federation in Japanese.
• Manners and Etiquette in Kendo:
  • Norwalk Kendo Dojo, “Rei-Gi” (which translates to manners or etiquette)
  • University of Toronto Kendo Club, “Etiquette” (a brief summary)
  • Andy Fisher, Kendo Basics: Manners & Etiquette – The Kendo Show (19:59mins)
• Bamboo sword (shinai) – component names:
  • pp. 3-5 of  The Parts of the Shinai, and How to Hold it Properly,” Univ. of Michigan Kendo Club (PDF, 5 pages).
• Terminology in Kendo:
  • For a brief  summary of the main terms:
    • Glossary of Kendo Terminology, Rembuden Kendo Club (PDF, 5 pages)
  • For a detailed and comprehensive summary:
    • Dictionary for Japanese-English Kendo Terms (PDF, 50 pages)

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Mechanical and Physical Aspects of Kendo

How to Grip the Bamboo Sword (shinai)

• Hand and Finger Positions:
  • From 0:00 to 1:07 of Paul Shin, “How to grip your shinai for better Tenouchi in Kendo” (4:53mins).
  • ikutakazuma, “How to grip the shinai (竹刀の握り方),” Jan 2011 (10 secs).
  • Pages 3-5 “Part 2:  How to correctly hold the shinai” in  The Parts of the Shinai, and How to Hold it Properly,” Univ. of Michigan Kendo Club.
  • B. Sheppard, “Tenouchi – the grip,” Shugo-Nanseikan, Feb 8, 2009.
• Relative Grip Strengths – Between the Hands and Digits
  • “Relative Grip Strengths Between the Hands and Digits – in Brief (Part 2).”
  • The “grip” portion of  the video (0:15 to 3:26) “Datotsu Points According to Chikamoto Sensei,” Let’s Kendo (11:47 mins, in Japanese)
    • The main points for this portion are summarized in English in this article (with video time marks indicated from the 2nd bullet onwards).
• General Comments:
  • Geoff Salmon, “Holding the shinai,” KendoInfo.net, July 2008.

The on-guard position (kamae):

• Andy Fisher, “Kendo Basics:  Fighting Stance, or Kamae and Sonkyo – The Kendo Show” (15:59mins).
• PDF p. 15 of Holt Sensei, Kendo – Beginners Guide (PDF, 52 pages).
• PDF p. 12 of Matt Jackson, Kendo Training Handbook, (PDF, 84 pages).
• Make sure to stay relaxed.
  • Geoff Salmon, “Apply tension and relax,” KendoInfo.net.

Footwork

• Sliding both feet (suri-ashi)
  • Kendo Basics: Kendo Footwork (Ashi Sabaki) – The Kendo Show, Apr 23, 2017 (20:26mins).
    • Sliding with the front pad of the right foot over a paper towel (2:40).
    • Shuffling on the front pads of the feet – Okuri ashi (Suri-ashi) (3:59) and then with a shinai (7:30).
    • Walking with the front pads of the feet – Ayumi-ashi (9:24) and then with a shinai (10:36).
    • Diagonal steps – Hiraki-ashi (11:49) and then with a shinai (14:00).
    • Changing directions (15:40) and then with a shinai (17:24).
  • Hiro Imafuji, “Kendo Basics II:  Suri ashi Okuri ashi” (5:15mins)
  • itakazuma, “suri-ashi,” Jan 2011 (9 secs)
  • B. Sheppard, “Ashi sabaki – footwork,” Shugo-Nanseikan, Feb. 3, 2009.
•  The “forward thrust” or “lunge” (Fumikomi-ashi)
  • Kendo Basics: How to Improve Fumikomi (Stamping) Footwork- The Kendo Show, Sept 10, 2017 (11:34mins).

    • Fumikomi basics starting at (1:20)

    • Fumikomi with a shinai swing (suburi) (4:34)

    • Fumikomi with a strike (7:32)

  • KendoWorld, “Tip of the Week – Fumikomi” (6:37mins)
  • Articles with pointers from Kendoinfo.net by Geoff Salmon sensei:
    • Fumikomi, August 22, 2011.
    • Kendo Footwork, July 31, 2008.
    • Fixing fumikomi, February 5, 2017.
    • Fumikomi-ashi – not the only way, August 17, 2015.
• The hikitsuke – the immediate kicking in of the rear leg towards the front leg in fumikomi and suri-ashi. 
  • Where the body and rear leg is pulled forward quickly using the front leg in fumikomi as also describe in this summary of pointers and video on hikitsuke.

Bamboo Sword (shinai) Action

• Swinging the shinai (suburi)
  • “Tip of the Week – Suburi,” Kendo-World.com, Jan 22, 2012 (6:06 mins).
    • Instructions with Alex Bennett sensei start from 0:30min.
  • Andy Fisher, “Kendo Basics: Kendo Suburi (Practice Swings) – The Kendo Show,”, May 2017 (33:09 mins) – a video covering multiple swings:
    • Full swings (jouge-suburi):
      • 2:30 to 7:04min (arms only), 7:05 to 8:50min (with footwork)
    • Diagonal swings (naname-suburi):
      • 8:50 to 10:45min (arms only), 10:45 to 11:30min (with footwork)
    • Strikes in the air (kuu-kan-datotsu)
      • Shoumen suburi (to the head):  11:30 to 13:30, 13:30 to 14:13min
      • Kote suburi (to the wrist): 14:13 to15:12, 15:12 to 16:24min
      • Do suburi (to the side of the chest): 16:25 to 18:12, 18:12 to 18:30min
      • Two-strike combination technique (ni-dan waza)
        • kote-men suburi: 18:31 to 19:30, 19:30 to 20:42min
      • Tips – 20:42 to 24:20min
      • Consecutive men (zenshin koutai men) – 24:20 to 25:45min
    • Advanced suburi:
      • Left and right men strikes (sayuu-men suburi): 25:46 to 27:05, 27:05 to 27:30min
      • Fast suburi (hayasuburi) – 27:30 to 29:42min.
• Inside-of-the-hand (tenouchi) action for the snap (sae) when swinging the shinai:
  • From 1:29 to 4:30 of Paul Shin, “How to grip your shinai for better Tenouchi in Kendo” (4:53mins).
  • George McCall, “Tenouchi,” Kenshi247.net.
  • Motoko Kendo, “Tenouchi” (1:13 mins).
• Warm-ups with the shinai:
  • Hayasuburi (Fast swings)
    • Hiro Imafuji, “How to do Haya Suburi” (4:56mins)
    • Hiro Imafuji, “Kendo Basics III:  Tandoku Dosa: Haya Suburi” (3:33mins)
    • KendoWorld, “Tip of the Week – Hayasuburi” (3:51mins)
  • Kirikaeshi (Continuous Left and Right Men strikes)
    • Max Davies,  “Kendo Techniques:  Basic Cutting Exercise – Kirikaeshi – The Kendo Show,” (24:12)
• Strikes with the shinai:
  • Men-uchi (Strike to the head)
    • Hiro Imafuji, “Kendo Basics III:  Tandoku Dosa:  Shoumen Uchi Important Points” (2:36mins)
    • Alex Fisher and Max Davies, “Kendo Techniques:  Basic Cutting Men – Men – The Kendo Show” (16:21mins)

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Self-Care and Equipment Maintenance

• Foot maintenance (since practice is typically with barefeet and to prevent blisters):*
  • Taping the big toe at the hinge:
    • 山田敬一 サイモン式・足の速くなるテーピング, Sept 26, 2015 (4:36 in Japanese).  Visuals from 0:22 to 0:57 (Medical or hockey tape should work fine, too).
  • Taping the front sole of the foot also:
    • Paul Shin, “How to Tape Your Foot for Kendo” (6:08mins).
  • If your sensei is fine with it, wearing a foot cover called a tabi (also potentially useful for a sticky floor (e.g. a freshly varnished floor).
    • Search on-line for “Kendo tabi”.
  • Trim the toe-nails to prevent losing one or hurting another person (needed more when one begins to wear the hakama and to spar).
• Hand maintenance (for prolonged gripping of the shinai and blister prevention):*
  • Trim the finger-nails to prevent nails from digging into the palm when gripping.
  • Taping the palms:
    • “Steve Hatch Racing:  Hand Tape How-To,” Oct 25, 2014 (1:20 mins).
    • drive80studios, “Crossfit hand tape (in less than 2 minutes),” June 9, 2012.
    • “Rocktape – Palm tape (Crossfit)”, May 16, 2013 (2:27).
  • For prolonged suburi practice at home,  wearing a pair of bicycle gloves (with the finger tips exposed) or kote (Kendo hand protectors) may help.
• Shinai maintenance:
  • Paul Shin, “How to Maintain a Kendo Shinai” (18:23mins)
  • Ladakh, “Shinai maintenance” (7:02)
  • Andy Fisher, “The Kendo Gear:  Types of Shinai and Shinai Maintenance – The Kendo Show” (19:45mins)

* With time, the palms and barefeet tend to become stronger and such maintenance techniques may eventually be only needed for special (e.g. day-long) practices.

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Additional Resources (Books, Articles, Websites, DVDs)

• Books (in PDF):
  • Holt Sensei, Kendo – Beginners Guide (PDF, 52 pages), 2014.
  • Masahiro Imafuji, Kendo Guide For Beginners (PDF, 31 pages), 2011.
  • Matt Jackson, Kendo Training Handbook, (PDF, 84 pages), Dec. 2011.
  • Stephen D. Quinlan, A Beginner’s Guide to Kendo, 5th ed., (PDF, 200 pages) Aug. 1, 2017.
  • Cary Yoshio Mizobe, Introduction to Kendo, Westside Kendo Dojo  (PDF, 108 pages)
• Booklets:
  • Shidokan Kendo and Iaido Club, Beginner’s Booklet, (PDF, 12 pages).
  • Dublin Kendo Kobukai, Introduction to Kendo – Japanese Fencing (PDF, 15 pages)
• Articles
  • George McCall, “Teaching beginners (初心者の指導法),” kendh247.net, June 3, 2017.
•  Websites:
  • Norwalk Kendo Dojo Website
  • Southern California Kendo Federation (SCKF) page with additional references
  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) Kendo Club, Resources Page.
  • Boston Kendo Kyokai:  Beginner’s Guide to Kendo.
• DVDs
  • Koda Kunihide (Kyoshi 8 dan), “Kendo Skill Revolution,” 剣道上達革命, TrendAqua DVD.  (I wish I had been able to view this when I had started kendo and highly recommend watching it.)

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References

[Kenshi247_Spirit] George McCall, “Pursuing the spirit and modern kendo (part 1),” Kenshi247.net, February 21, 2011.