I just began kendo practice yesterday felt embaressing how slow I was and how horrible my technique was hah. Thank you for this video im definitely gonna be practicing this!
Thank you and welcome to the kendo world! I have a playlist with basic footwork (new videos) so you might want to check it out. th-cam.com/play/PLmdvM8fwuCxg165MaeTChmrWHJj4O77y_.html Let me know if you have questions/suggestions!
I am 5th dan, having been a student of kendo since 1980. Listen to your teacher. I would teach in the same way as your teacher, if many people did not have the dragging problem. But I came to this conclusion that we could lift up our feet from the beginning because that is what we do anyway. My goal of instructions is to make things easier to learn the movements so that people can get the basics right quickly.
Great videos. Well made and articulate. Thank you Sensei. Beginners would do well to watch and listen. There are times for questions and times to just listen. Keep practicing folks.
Thank you for the update! It is good to study iaido too. I think it is a good idea because you really learn how to treat your sword. I always tell my students not to think that they are doing kendo when they are tensed up. It takes some practice but try not to TAKE a stance. Just have your sword in front of you. That is all. Good luck! Don't forget to visit kendo-guide website too. It has a lot of articles there. Thanks again!
I'm starting Kendo in a weeks time and this is a good source of information to refer to and has helped me practice some footwork before statrting. I'll be sure to watch your other videos now. Arigato Gozaimasu :)
I really enjoyed it :) Was a little sore in the arms from being too tense, was told to relax, but I was also told it would happen hehehe. I'm back there tomorrow and I'm looking forward to it. Also started Iaido in the same week, I really enjoyed that as well. Thankyou again for the vidoes :)
Muchisimas gracias de veras, estoy empezando kendo y me trabava con el movimiento mas sencillo, creia que te impulsabas con el de atras, se que para muchos es sencillisimo y basico, pero soy persona de practicar las cosas mil veces hasta que las entiendo y no sabia si lo estaba haciendo bien, Domo arigato sensei, de veras que explicas muy bien
Dont be nervous! :) i just started a few weeks ago and was really nervous too, but after trying it i love it. and my Sensei's have a really good sense of humor and arent scary at all. except when they don their armor and go to war with eachother haha
I agree. People should find a dojo and practice. Not a mere dojo though. It has to teach a kihon based kendo so people do not get bad habits. We have an old saying, "We should find a good teacher even though it takes three years." Finding a good teacher is really important. Until they can find a good kendo dojo or until some good sensei go to somewhere near them, I would like people to know the kendo basics.
Sensei, your instruction is excellent. As to the 7th Kyu person. There are many many schools of Japanese fencing. Not all teach and or present things in the same way - that is the way of things and that is a good thing because otherwise if all were the same it would be boring. The question that any student of the way of kenjutsu/kendo should ask is am I a Heiho-sha, a Heiho-Jin or a Heiho-Tsukai. Strive, 7th Kyu to endeavour to become a Heisho-Tsukai and not just a Heiho-Sha.
Doitashimashite. Thank you for your comment. I am sure that you went to your first kendo class by now. How was it? Kendo takes time to improve. So take it easy. Don't get too frustrated. You will get there and the quick way to improve kendo is to do it right at the beginning :) Thanks again! Hiro
Thank you for your comment. I will be making some videos on basic strikes and how to receive. It will take some time though. But stay tuned because there will be! Thanks, Hiro
Miangara, Thanks for your comment. As YamiIkaru explained, kendo is a bit more complicated than that. Besides, you will enjoy the mind game we have before executing actual strikes.
i watched this vid 2 years ago xD right before i started practice... and i have to say... okuri ashi is like... well if u get faster ppl start doing a lot of mistakes on their footwork... but very funny how long and detailed they explained... i think i could do 10 times faster but thats the japanese... studying fighting a life long ^^ and owning us with ease then i watch this and see basics... and its basics u need to perfect xD
Hi guys, Thanks for the comments. I am glad that you liked the video. My desktop is not in good shape now so it will take a while to make another video. Sorry.
Than you for your comments guys. Good to hear that you found the video helpful. There are articles at The Cyber Dojo so come and visit when you have time. Thanks, Hiro
You will get used to it. One thing: You do not want to drag your feet when you glide back and forth. Your feet are slightly up so that you can still feel the floor but not sticking on the floor. Please refer to articles about footwork at kendo-guide, too.
nice legs xD so white, anyway the way you teach is so easy to understand compared to other videos well or is it just me i hope i can learn more about your teaching
where did you get those cool pants and what are they called. I am looking for really wide kung fu pants and this is the closest thing I found anywhere.
Foot work is the hardest part for me. All those years of doing taekwondo, powerlifting, and wrestling; my feet always want to turn outward. My Sensei told me it prevents me from scoring during a match because it makes my fumikomi look bad. Is that true?
***** It depends on how much it turns outward. Please listen to what I say just as a reference. It is OK to let it turn outward a little bit. It is because it is natural. But when you move forward to strike, if your body becomes side on, then it is BAD. Keep your feet close to each other. Not talking about the width. Keep the left toes closer to the right heel. This prevents your body from becoming side on when striking. Hope this helps!
I am just starting and that is one of my problems too...mostly because of the experience in TKD, and other disciplines also....definitely an adjustment.
he might be telling different things because there are all sorts of ken-jutsu/Kendo styles i really dont think every samurai used the same style and by the way i think he's a great teacher for the people who self study kendo. who needs a dojo if you got youtube no rules :P kendo isnt easy but isnt hard too. Sayonara and may Buddah's compasion go with you all.
our first practice is tomorrow... not too worried about sore arms or anything since ive done volley ball but what i am worried about is whether or not its going to be a point scoring sport like fencing. by that I mean instead of being sword fighting it's merely whoever hits first, not whether or not the hit would actually do any damage if they were real swords... I have seen matches were points were scored from listless brushes of the thy when sliding past... and that just isn't cool...
Some parts should be similar. If you want to learn kenjutsu, you should learn kenjutsu. Not kendo. Even though they share the origin and have similarities and the same teachings, many things are different.
@dojo2go I just started a few hours ago but the point is to not have the foot sticking to the floor, at the same time it's just barely skimming the floor, right? I keep tripping when I try to move forward.
Kendo is derived from samurai swordsmanship. The footwork were developed because they started practicing on the floor not outside anymore. Some people start teaching how to swing their sword. But since footwork is said to be more important than swinging a sword, I always start instructing footwork. It is always a good idea to learn from a proper teacher if you have a dojo near you. If you don't have a dojo near you, you can start doing it on your own but with the right resource.
is there a way to do fumikomi without hurting your feet? also is there any way to practice timing fumikomi and swinging the sword so the swing is timed just right?
You say Right foot forward and left foot back. But for some reason the movements for kendo/sword practice feels more comfortable to me with my left foot forward and right foot back. Is that bad? Should I force myself to lead with my right foot?
Yes, except in case of practicing jodan no kamae (but normally it's been studied after reaching level of sandan), this is incorrect. Get used to left leg forward. After couple months of practice, it will become natural.
The right foot forward. The reason: Back to the principles of the sword. When cutting down with the sword with the right hand forward, it is always easier to cut diagonally from your up right to down left. That means if you have your left foot forward, you might cut your left foot. That is why. So it is not how comfortable you feel, it is to protect yourself from your own cut.
also..is it absolutely necissary to have my right foot foward and not my left? having my left foot foward is natural to me. if i were to practice kendo with my left foot foward would i be crippling myself later on?
amon RA Yes. It is because of how we use a sword. Our right hand is close to the hand guard and the left hand is the end of the handle or tsuka. So it is natural that the sword diagonally goes down to the left side. If your left foot is forward, your will increase the likelihood of cutting your left leg. So it is not about how you feel. It is about how you use your sword. So follow the instructions and learn the movements. the more you do kendo, the deeper your understandings will be. Hope this helps.
May i ask what grade are you? I'm only 7th kyuu but some of the things you are teaching in this video is different from what my sensei teach me. Like for example, you said that you're supposed to lift your back foot. I believe that you dont drag your left foot, but you're sliding on your left foot as well, so its not the same as lifting.
My dojo is also a dance studio, and the floor is lined with neoprene. There's a lot of friction. Does my Sensai let us lift our feet off the floor instead of sliding? No, he most certainly does not.
sorry, a bit off topic but i notice your hakama was too long and you had to tie it up so that it wouldn't stick in your foot movement right? can you show me how you tied it? :D
Im just angry that my mom constantly told me not to drag (slide) my feet when i walked. finally broke that habbit. and now a few years later i have to get used to doing that again for kendo lol :P
New videos on kendo footwork/ashi-sabaki. Please check them out at th-cam.com/play/PLmdvM8fwuCxiX5iG1no31pY1xiKIIzek1.html
I just began kendo practice yesterday felt embaressing how slow I was and how horrible my technique was hah. Thank you for this video im definitely gonna be practicing this!
Thank you and welcome to the kendo world! I have a playlist with basic footwork (new videos) so you might want to check it out. th-cam.com/play/PLmdvM8fwuCxg165MaeTChmrWHJj4O77y_.html Let me know if you have questions/suggestions!
I just started Kendo today and this is very helpful! Thank you so much for this!!🔥
I am 5th dan, having been a student of kendo since 1980.
Listen to your teacher. I would teach in the same way as your teacher, if many people did not have the dragging problem. But I came to this conclusion that we could lift up our feet from the beginning because that is what we do anyway.
My goal of instructions is to make things easier to learn the movements so that people can get the basics right quickly.
Thank you for a valuable lesson that will make me stronger and enable me to teach others in the future
Great videos. Well made and articulate. Thank you Sensei. Beginners would do well to watch and listen. There are times for questions and times to just listen. Keep practicing folks.
Thank you for the update! It is good to study iaido too. I think it is a good idea because you really learn how to treat your sword.
I always tell my students not to think that they are doing kendo when they are tensed up. It takes some practice but try not to TAKE a stance. Just have your sword in front of you. That is all.
Good luck! Don't forget to visit kendo-guide website too. It has a lot of articles there.
Thanks again!
I'm starting Kendo in a weeks time and this is a good source of information to refer to and has helped me practice some footwork before statrting. I'll be sure to watch your other videos now.
Arigato Gozaimasu :)
I really enjoyed it :) Was a little sore in the arms from being too tense, was told to relax, but I was also told it would happen hehehe.
I'm back there tomorrow and I'm looking forward to it.
Also started Iaido in the same week, I really enjoyed that as well.
Thankyou again for the vidoes :)
top video i'm understanding the foot work bit more. just gotta find places which are easier on the feet to practice
Muchisimas gracias de veras, estoy empezando kendo y me trabava con el movimiento mas sencillo, creia que te impulsabas con el de atras, se que para muchos es sencillisimo y basico, pero soy persona de practicar las cosas mil veces hasta que las entiendo y no sabia si lo estaba haciendo bien, Domo arigato sensei, de veras que explicas muy bien
You're welcome!
Awww a very young Mr. Imafuji :D Thanks for your videos by the way.
LOL! I was young once :)
Young forever my friend.
thanks for the vid man. ik about to learn kendo and its good to get a head start.
Good explaind! Great Job! Thank you a Lot!
Thanks for your comment and you're welcome, Markus Henselmann! 😄
Dont be nervous! :) i just started a few weeks ago and was really nervous too, but after trying it i love it. and my Sensei's have a really good sense of humor and arent scary at all. except when they don their armor and go to war with eachother haha
Thank you so much! I have always been having trouble with this.
I agree. People should find a dojo and practice. Not a mere dojo though. It has to teach a kihon based kendo so people do not get bad habits.
We have an old saying, "We should find a good teacher even though it takes three years." Finding a good teacher is really important.
Until they can find a good kendo dojo or until some good sensei go to somewhere near them, I would like people to know the kendo basics.
Sensei, your instruction is excellent. As to the 7th Kyu person. There are many many schools of Japanese fencing. Not all teach and or present things in the same way - that is the way of things and that is a good thing because otherwise if all were the same it would be boring. The question that any student of the way of kenjutsu/kendo should ask is am I a Heiho-sha, a Heiho-Jin or a Heiho-Tsukai. Strive, 7th Kyu to endeavour to become a Heisho-Tsukai and not just a Heiho-Sha.
Doitashimashite. Thank you for your comment.
I am sure that you went to your first kendo class by now.
How was it?
Kendo takes time to improve. So take it easy. Don't get too frustrated.
You will get there and the quick way to improve kendo is to do it right at the beginning :)
Thanks again!
Hiro
Thank you for your comment.
I will be making some videos on basic strikes and how to receive.
It will take some time though. But stay tuned because there will be!
Thanks,
Hiro
arigato gozaimashita for footwork lesson, I could recall some basics :D
Miangara,
Thanks for your comment.
As YamiIkaru explained, kendo is a bit more complicated than that.
Besides, you will enjoy the mind game we have before executing actual strikes.
you are great sensei ! Please continue the good work! *bow*
i watched this vid 2 years ago xD right before i started practice... and i have to say... okuri ashi is like... well if u get faster ppl start doing a lot of mistakes on their footwork... but very funny how long and detailed they explained... i think i could do 10 times faster but thats the japanese... studying fighting a life long ^^ and owning us with ease then i watch this and see basics... and its basics u need to perfect xD
Hi guys,
Thanks for the comments. I am glad that you liked the video. My desktop is not in good shape now so it will take a while to make another video. Sorry.
Arigatou gohaimasu for your videos. Gokurosamadeshita.
@Seidik However, the hakama seems slightly tied at the lower ends. mine is a more traditional "skirt" look.
SasukeLP1349 and Kenji1710,
Thank you for your comments, guys.
Glad that you liked the videos.
Your comments keep me going!
Cheers,
Hiro
Than you for your comments guys.
Good to hear that you found the video helpful.
There are articles at The Cyber Dojo so come and visit when you have time.
Thanks,
Hiro
Awesome! Thanks again, much appreciated, Arigato.
You will get used to it. One thing: You do not want to drag your feet when you glide back and forth. Your feet are slightly up so that you can still feel the floor but not sticking on the floor. Please refer to articles about footwork at kendo-guide, too.
Very very helpful!
Thank you! Glad to hear that!
nice legs xD so white, anyway the way you teach is so easy to understand compared to other videos well or is it just me i hope i can learn more about your teaching
where did you get those cool pants and what are they called. I am looking for really wide kung fu pants and this is the closest thing I found anywhere.
Foot work is the hardest part for me. All those years of doing taekwondo, powerlifting, and wrestling; my feet always want to turn outward. My Sensei told me it prevents me from scoring during a match because it makes my fumikomi look bad. Is that true?
***** It depends on how much it turns outward. Please listen to what I say just as a reference. It is OK to let it turn outward a little bit. It is because it is natural. But when you move forward to strike, if your body becomes side on, then it is BAD.
Keep your feet close to each other. Not talking about the width. Keep the left toes closer to the right heel. This prevents your body from becoming side on when striking.
Hope this helps!
Hiro Imafuji This video might be helpful. th-cam.com/video/eT81n-QGmiY/w-d-xo.html
And you will see how my feet are placed.
I am just starting and that is one of my problems too...mostly because of the experience in TKD, and other disciplines also....definitely an adjustment.
i'll really like to know how did you tie your hakama like that, can you make a video? i will really thank you :)
You're welcome!
Go to the International Kendo Federation Site. They have their affiliate countries' info.
he might be telling different things because there are all sorts of ken-jutsu/Kendo styles i really dont think every samurai used the same style and by the way i think he's a great teacher for the people who self study kendo. who needs a dojo if you got youtube no rules :P kendo isnt easy but isnt hard too.
Sayonara and may Buddah's compasion go with you all.
thank you, very usefull for me!
our first practice is tomorrow... not too worried about sore arms or anything since ive done volley ball but what i am worried about is whether or not its going to be a point scoring sport like fencing. by that I mean instead of being sword fighting it's merely whoever hits first, not whether or not the hit would actually do any damage if they were real swords... I have seen matches were points were scored from listless brushes of the thy when sliding past... and that just isn't cool...
Thank you and it is a good answer!
is that accurate to Kenjutsu as well? also what about a different stances? any books you can advise?
Some parts should be similar. If you want to learn kenjutsu, you should learn kenjutsu. Not kendo. Even though they share the origin and have similarities and the same teachings, many things are different.
i see thanks. will look into kenjustu then :)
You're welcome!
Cool video
@dojo2go I just started a few hours ago but the point is to not have the foot sticking to the floor, at the same time it's just barely skimming the floor, right? I keep tripping when I try to move forward.
Kendo is derived from samurai swordsmanship. The footwork were developed because they started practicing on the floor not outside anymore.
Some people start teaching how to swing their sword. But since footwork is said to be more important than swinging a sword, I always start instructing footwork.
It is always a good idea to learn from a proper teacher if you have a dojo near you. If you don't have a dojo near you, you can start doing it on your own but with the right resource.
is there a way to do fumikomi without hurting your feet? also is there any way to practice timing fumikomi and swinging the sword so the swing is timed just right?
Should you mention that all movements start from back foot? the first to move is the back foot as far as push off from?
You say Right foot forward and left foot back. But for some reason the movements for kendo/sword practice feels more comfortable to me with my left foot forward and right foot back. Is that bad? Should I force myself to lead with my right foot?
Yes, except in case of practicing jodan no kamae (but normally it's been studied after reaching level of sandan), this is incorrect. Get used to left leg forward. After couple months of practice, it will become natural.
The right foot forward. The reason: Back to the principles of the sword. When cutting down with the sword with the right hand forward, it is always easier to cut diagonally from your up right to down left. That means if you have your left foot forward, you might cut your left foot. That is why. So it is not how comfortable you feel, it is to protect yourself from your own cut.
OnnaMushaGozen I think you meant to say "Get used to RIGHT leg forward" not "left leg forward".
also..is it absolutely necissary to have my right foot foward and not my left? having my left foot foward is natural to me. if i were to practice kendo with my left foot foward would i be crippling myself later on?
amon RA Yes. It is because of how we use a sword. Our right hand is close to the hand guard and the left hand is the end of the handle or tsuka. So it is natural that the sword diagonally goes down to the left side. If your left foot is forward, your will increase the likelihood of cutting your left leg.
So it is not about how you feel. It is about how you use your sword. So follow the instructions and learn the movements. the more you do kendo, the deeper your understandings will be.
Hope this helps.
@TheFitnessShinobi kendo gi (shirt) and hakama (pants)
May i ask what grade are you?
I'm only 7th kyuu but some of the things you are teaching in this video is different from what my sensei teach me. Like for example, you said that you're supposed to lift your back foot. I believe that you dont drag your left foot, but you're sliding on your left foot as well, so its not the same as lifting.
I'm thinkng abou starting kendo myself, i'm 18 and would like to know if there is an age limit for it?
My dojo is also a dance studio, and the floor is lined with neoprene. There's a lot of friction. Does my Sensai let us lift our feet off the floor instead of sliding? No, he most certainly does not.
sorry, a bit off topic but i notice your hakama was too long and you had to tie it up so that it wouldn't stick in your foot movement right? can you show me how you tied it? :D
ten giau Just tuck the side part top part of the sides of hakama into the belt. No tricks there :)
what country are you in?
perfect!!!
Well you can never break your worries unless you actually try it.
You just need to get used to the strict attitude of your senseis. :)
The fact that I actually used to dash everyday to move around okura aushi is a coincidence
Im just angry that my mom constantly told me not to drag (slide) my feet when i walked. finally broke that habbit. and now a few years later i have to get used to doing that again for kendo lol :P
I want to learn kendo but I'm a little nervous about it.
My first try was hard with the foot work my feet kept getting stuck to the wood !
his hakama is very different from mine...
arigato Sensei
Same I get nervis about leearning anything because you don't know what to do. And some times that's embarasing.
thanks i live in indiana they don't even teach sword fighting just tae know do
どうもありがとうございました
Not really. If you do this on the concrete floor with bear feet, it must hurt.
Throwback to when you had your hair down.
it sucks practicing kendo on varnished wood ... so much friction haha
same here! XD
I slipped just like you,then i took an splinter in the feet. ;(
Yea, very important to keep both feet on the ground. LoL
Tae Kwon Do*
6:39 showing off some skin there, are we?lol jk