Kendo classes are held barefoot and in special uniforms - hakama and keikogi. On average, with due diligence, it should take at least 3 months of training before you are allowed to train in armor.
You can start practicing at sports uniform, but once you are convinced of your desire to continue to study, you will need:
Purchase the necessary uniform - keikogi (jacket), hakama (skirt-pants). If you have the financial opportunity, try to purchase a uniform for kendo practice as soon as possible, because it is not permissible to practice kendo in ordinary sports uniform.
Price per form
Prices at the beginning of 2006 range from 1800 to 3000 rubles. The option for 1200 rubles differs in the thickness of the keikogi, as well as in the fact that at first it will be heavily colored. When purchasing a hakama, pay attention to the size.
It is recommended to buy hakama for a height that is approximately 5-10 cm less than your actual height. Especially if you are a beginner. A long hakama will only get in your way. A properly sized hakama should end just below the ankles.
Shinai training sword
swords - bamboo (shinai) and wooden (bokken).
Sword price
The average price for a bamboo shinai varies from 1000 to 3000 rubles.
Which one is better to choose?
To begin with, a very ordinary shinai will do. Bokken - depending on the wood from which it is made - from 400 rubles and above. If you have a choice, it is better to take the one that is heavier.
After purchasing a bamboo shinai, it is necessary to disassemble it and treat it with oil so that it lasts longer and does not break or crumble.
- Learn counting
- Learn basic words and phrases used in training
- Get acquainted with general rules behavior in the dojo
What to do if your ankle hurts in kendo for beginners?
Please note that when practicing kendo, especially at the very beginning, your ankle may hurt greatly due to the peculiar position of the body, sitting with your legs bent under you - seiza.
The only way to cope with this pain is to endure as much as possible. Over time, the pain will go away.
Is it possible to exercise with a knee injury?
If you have had a knee injury, you should approach training very responsibly and consult with an instructor. If the knee injury was minor, you can try working out in knee pads.
What to do if calluses are bothering you?
Another problem for beginners is worn out feet and calluses on the left hand. You can combat foot wear by sticking on a patch before training, buying a protector or shoes. You can exercise in them only as needed.
Dealing with calluses on your hand is almost useless. When the skin on your hands becomes thicker and your grip is more correct, the problem will disappear.
Looking good is very important in kendo.
But this doesn’t mean you have to buy yourself a $200 striped silk hakama and a speckled keikogi. They won't help you train better. Buy a standard set of keikogi-hakama for kendo, which is sold at any online store for $40-$100. It will last you for several years. Be careful when choosing because the clothing set for kendo and iaido are different. Before purchasing, consult with your instructor, this will save you from most mistakes.
How and where to buy equipment for kendo in Russia
Unfortunately, in Russia there is not yet a decent store that would sell kendo equipment. Therefore, 95% of purchases have to be made through online stores from Japan and Korea - they work quickly and in most cases with high quality. In this regard, to purchase online you will need an electronic card - Visa or MasterCard (depending on the store). If you don’t have it, then it’s better to get one, as you will need it more than once.
Unfortunately, the customs code of the Russian Federation imposes quite serious restrictions on the purchase of goods by individuals from abroad. Namely, you cannot buy things more than once every 3 months, and if the amount of your order exceeds 10,000 rubles, then you will have to pay a duty equal to 20% of the difference in the amount of your order and 10,000. In addition to all this, customs is extremely slow and the branch where you need to pay the fee is located at the opposite end of the city. In this regard, the release of the parcel from customs may take at least 2 days.
Check out the preface from Hiroshi Ozawa's book "Fundamentals of Kendo":
1. What is Kendo?
The practice of Kendo has a long tradition in Japanese culture. Originally a method of wielding a sword, Kendo was more fully understood through the observance of natural laws on the battlefield.
It can be divided into the following three components:
- The way of the body - how to hold the sword, maai (spatial distance separating two opponents), etc.
- The way of the sword - how to strike, the right moment to strike, etc.
- The path of consciousness is the right mental attitude.
Although this division provides a convenient basis for a theoretical understanding of the main elements of Kendo, in practice they are so closely intertwined that the differences between them are not always so clear. However, it is imperative that those who study Kendo first grasp these basic components and realize that the practice of Kendo is much more than just a way to defeat an opponent.
2. Why practice Kendo?
Depending on the prevailing social conditions of the era, Kendo was practiced for different purposes at different stages of its development.
And although everyone who begins to study Kendo will have their own personal motives, it can be said that the goal of Kendo today is to develop healthy body and consciousness through prolonged practice (keiko).
In Japan, approximately five million people practice Kendo, both in schools, businesses and police stations, as well as in dojos.
Today's Kendo is a technique that allows the opponent to be struck at predetermined locations with a shinai (bamboo sword). In this sense, Kendo can be classified as modern species sports However, we must also preserve the spirit of Kendo, which has remained a constant tradition throughout the centuries.
The original motto of Kendo was: "Victory means life, defeat means death."
And although today this should not be taken literally, it is nevertheless very important to develop a serious attitude towards Kendo training, the goal of which should be the formation of a comprehensively developed personality, which includes both physical, spiritual and social development.
Tips that can help you understand the essence of Kendo training
- In the dojo, free yourself from personal relationships with your comrades. As long as you are wearing a men (protective mask), your opponent should be perceived as an opponent, and keiko (occupation) as a one-on-one encounter.
- It must be recognized that each individual has his own style and philosophy of Kendo, which must be respected, but at the same time a sense of harmony within the group must be maintained.
- Keiko must be performed with a complete unification of spirit (kihaku), physical strength and technique.
- Every keiko and every blow during a keiko should be performed with the feeling as if it were your last and only chance.
- Throughout keiko, try your best to develop your personality.
Improve your Kendo by giving your all to keiko for its own sake. At any stage of training, it is necessary to remember that Kendo cannot be known; rather, it is an art, the study of which gives constant pleasure. Therefore, Kendo begins to work out well for you automatically, after a certain period of time.
3. Develop a generous and humane attitude towards your opponent
Although Kendo goes through different stages in its development, its essence (honshitsu) remains the same: one person comes face to face with another person with a shinai in his hands, consciousness meets consciousness and opponents strike. Through the training of the spirit and the correct, honest and energetic performance of keiko, human nature is ennobled.
Initially this may seem like a paradox. How can human nature be ennobled by waiting for the moment when the enemy is unprotected and striking?
Kendo teaches respect
To understand this, it is necessary to realize that Kendo today is practiced in an artificial environment. The attack and parry are carried out with the full knowledge that no one actually wants to kill or injure the enemy. Rather, on the contrary, involved in such an action, both opponents compete and interact with each other. Never forget to respect your opponent and recognize his humanity, but at the same time resist with all your might. In this way, each can ennoble the human nature of the other. The rules of competition exist precisely to help maintain this vital balance.
Also, winning a match in Kendo is certainly important, but it is just as important, in the difficult situation you are put in, to beat yourself. In other words, when studying Kendo, it is necessary to develop a spirit of self-denial, which will lead to the ennobling of the individual.
Women and Kendo
Today in the USA, and in other countries, the number of women practicing Kendo exceeds the number of men. Moreover, it is predicted that this trend will continue to develop into the next century, so that eventually more women than men will practice Kendo. And although it is difficult to understand why this is so, it seems that Kendo offers women something that other martial arts cannot provide.
For quite a long time, many women have been attracted to such types of martial arts as Judo and Aikido. Very often this comes from the desire to acquire certain self-defense skills. Kendo, on the other hand, requires the use of special armor and therefore does not fall into this category of martial arts.
Reasons why girls should take up kendo
Thus, it must be recognized that women begin to engage in it for some other reasons. Some of them are no doubt similar to the reasons cited by Japanese women who practice Kendo.
Kendo not only relieves stress and gives a feeling of physical and mental well-being - many sports do the same - it strengthens self-confidence.
Moreover, it can be cultivated in a non-threatening environment since, unlike most other martial arts, the use of armor in Kendo means that no physical contact actually occurs.
It must be emphasized that the Kendo practiced by women is absolutely no different from the Kendo practiced by men. Since the basis of Kendo is not physical strength, and the right waza and the right mental attitude, then it is equally suitable for both men and women. And so the current trend is extremely encouraging.
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Wild Eco Fitness Club is located on the street. Rodionovskaya, in the Kurkino area. You can get to it by the following routes: from metro station Planernaya by minibuses No. 268 and 870, as well as by bus No. 268 to the stop “6th microdistrict. Kurkino". You can get closer to the club by minibus No. 569. Eco Fitness Club is ready to receive its visitors every day from seven in the morning until midnight. You can come there with children too - it works kids club, ready to accept children from 3 to 14 years old. Open for adults gym, a fitness studio for women, offers a whole range of aquatic programs - aqua aerobics, cardio classes, strength classes, as well as specialized classes and mixed training. Fighting programs include kickboxing, judo, kendo, wrestling and self-defense. Eco Fitness Club is notable for the fact that visitors have the opportunity to train in the open air - a gym is equipped in a tent on an open area, and the aerobics room is located in a huge gazebo surrounded by coniferous trees in a nature conservation area. Guests can also rent bicycles, play basketball, beach volleyball, paintball, or play football on a professional artificial turf. The Willd club is equipped with exercise equipment from the world's leading manufacturers - HOIST, HAMMER, FLEX, ICARIAN. The latest line of excellent exercise equipment is selected exclusively for training programs, developed by the Laboratory Sports Technologies together with world and European champions S. Shelestov and S. Savina.
The history of modern fencing, called kendo, begins with the traditional Japanese swordsmanship of the ancient samurai of the kenjutsu school. This is a whole culture based on the concepts of nobility and honor of the Japanese knights. The kendo section in Moscow strengthens the body and spirit of a fencer in various fights with an armed opponent. This sport for adults and children is considered a cultural heritage that connects the history and philosophy of Japanese culture. Kendo classes in Moscow are conducted under the supervision of real masters and certified specialists specializing in professional equipment sword wielding. The monthly price, equipment prices and other additional attributes are quite reasonable, you can find out more about them from your trainer.
The art of fencing (“the way of the sword”) received its name at the end of the 19th century. Like the kendo school in Moscow, this sport originated from the traditional use of edged weapons, kenjutsu, which translated means “sword art.”
What a future fencer should know
The kendo section in Moscow combines the principles and traditions of its ancestor, which is expressed as follows:
- a fencer armed with a sword cannot make a mistake - one mistake can cost him his life;
- Kendo for beginners implies that inattention or excessive carelessness of a person with a sword is fatal to him;
- The same situations or the same fights for women and men do not exist; each fight is won only with a renewed spirit and desire for victory.
As in real life, students need to take such things extremely seriously, because there may not be time to think about a critical situation.
Kendo classes in Moscow educate a person in the spirit of a deadly threat, where skills honed through intense training can reflexively save a student’s life. In the Japanese school of fencing for men, the word sword is perceived as a natural extension of the hand, capable of causing death with one touch.
The kendo school in Moscow associates training attributes with real weapons that train the spirit and a cool outlook on the situation.
"The Way of the Sword" means the formation of a swordsman as an individual capable of facing mortal threats. Kendo for beginners assumes that achieving perfection in the art of swordsmanship is considered impossible, so the fundamental principles of constantly honing one's skills are paramount in the philosophy of fencing.
History of Kendo
Traditional kendo for adults is one of oldest species martial art Japan, which is about a thousand years old. Back in 1185-1233, during the time of Kamakura, the ability to shoot a bow, fight with a spear and wield a samurai sword was honed on the island of the rising sun, which was considered basic training young warriors. Unlike modern martial arts, there were no female fencers in the art of kendo at that time.
Over the next few centuries, the samurai sword began to be used not as the main weapon, after which it temporarily became a decorative or ritual object, which was used only in critical situations requiring self-defense. And only at the beginning of the 17th century the sword again became the main and traditional attribute of the Japanese samurai; from that moment on, the ability to use it in battle played a key role.
