Can someone explain to me why they hold their weapons at each others necks? If this is supposed to simulate swordplay wouldn't that mean that both of them are just slitting each others' throats? (I know nothing about Kendo but I love watching this)
True, that is why a lot of kendo practioners, including myself, refuse to do it due to principle and actually practicing cutting and aspects of Kenjutsu on the side :) It is a controversial topic in Kendo.
year late on this but here's some new inputs: You're allowed to put the swords at each others necks and both take a step back. Having a sword at each others necks is basically saying "yo, we can kill each other with a slight movement, lets start back from ground zero so we don't both have to die." However, in some cases, like this case, US team's Yang was like *nod (we good?) and Takenouchi was like "nope, fok u" and did a hiki men (smack to the head while retreating). You can't, however, take a step back *while* the sword is still on your opponent's body, if you slide your sword on them as you take the step back it's a hansoku (foul). Mainly because Kendo isn't a martial arts/sword training, it's a martial art/sport. I refer to it as a sport since regardless if you're talking about competition Kendo or dojo Kendo, neither is all too realistic because neither has shin hits or slices, only cuts... unless you're fighting against someone with a naginata (a Japanese polearm) in which case both players would wear shin guards and are free to hit the legs. It's also important to note that you're not given a point if your opponent's sword is firmly on your body as you strike them. Meaning, if they stick a sword towards your torso/neck and you repeated hit them, you won't get a point. It's supposed to simulate that movements when a real sword pressed against your body will actually get you killed instead.
Zero H when you put the sword at your opponents neck, is that to signify that “chill, we’re both gonna take a step back.”? If that’s the case then the red guy is dirty af. At least twice he did the sword at the neck move then blasted dude in the head!
This is nothing how a real sword fight would go. "Can I rest my sword on the side of your neck or on your hands please worthy opponent?".....yeah, I don't think so.
![[ไฮไลต์] รอบชิงชนะเลิศ "เทนนิส พาณิภัค" ไทย vs จีน Guo Qing เทควันโดหญิง 49kg | โอลิมปิก 2024](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/xgvTIdE8j3U/mqdefault.jpg)
Can someone explain to me why they hold their weapons at each others necks? If this is supposed to simulate swordplay wouldn't that mean that both of them are just slitting each others' throats? (I know nothing about Kendo but I love watching this)
Yeah someone explained that it's part of the sport of Kendo and it doesn't represent real sword play
True, that is why a lot of kendo practioners, including myself, refuse to do it due to principle and actually practicing cutting and aspects of Kenjutsu on the side :) It is a controversial topic in Kendo.
year late on this but here's some new inputs:
You're allowed to put the swords at each others necks and both take a step back.
Having a sword at each others necks is basically saying "yo, we can kill each other with a slight movement, lets start back from ground zero so we don't both have to die." However, in some cases, like this case, US team's Yang was like *nod (we good?) and Takenouchi was like "nope, fok u" and did a hiki men (smack to the head while retreating).
You can't, however, take a step back *while* the sword is still on your opponent's body, if you slide your sword on them as you take the step back it's a hansoku (foul). Mainly because Kendo isn't a martial arts/sword training, it's a martial art/sport. I refer to it as a sport since regardless if you're talking about competition Kendo or dojo Kendo, neither is all too realistic because neither has shin hits or slices, only cuts... unless you're fighting against someone with a naginata (a Japanese polearm) in which case both players would wear shin guards and are free to hit the legs.
It's also important to note that you're not given a point if your opponent's sword is firmly on your body as you strike them. Meaning, if they stick a sword towards your torso/neck and you repeated hit them, you won't get a point. It's supposed to simulate that movements when a real sword pressed against your body will actually get you killed instead.
Zero H when you put the sword at your opponents neck, is that to signify that “chill, we’re both gonna take a step back.”? If that’s the case then the red guy is dirty af. At least twice he did the sword at the neck move then blasted dude in the head!
This is nothing how a real sword fight would go. "Can I rest my sword on the side of your neck or on your hands please worthy opponent?".....yeah, I don't think so.
Noone says kendo is simulating a real sword fight. Read the manuals.