Kuma's Kendo Seminar   

Contents

01. Prologue

02. Proper Kamae

03. Shikai

04. How to Use Hands and Feet

05. Munen-Muso

06. Footwork

Prologue
At first, study kendo pleasantly. To study and learn kendo enjoyably, you need to develop your skills. To be skillful, you must learn right circumstances, devise them, and practice properly. It is called sanma-no-kurai. It means learn, devise, and practice. As you repeat all three things over and over, your skills are improved rapidly. In kendo, the good or bad motor nerves has nothing to do. If one continues to make efforts with his obedient mind, he will progress well certainly. Kendo is fair even to whom.

Proper Kamae
A proper kamae means an kamae which gives no chance to hit to the opponent. It is called anshin-ritsumei-no-kamae (kamae of spiritual peace) that means an kamae which can surely protect own life. To build a proper kamae, you must obey the following circumstances.

Posture:

1. Face the right foot straight at the opponent, and raise the heel 1mm, and bend the knee a little.
2. The left foot must be parallel with the right, and the tiptoe of the left is at the position of the right heel. Raise the left heel about 2cm.
3. The distance between both feet is the width of own body. Stand naturally.
4. Stand up straight, and pull the chin, and open the chest greatly, and turn the stomach to the right elbow of the opponent.
5. Separate the left hand from the stomach by a distance of one and a half fist. The first joint of the left thumb must be located at the height of the stomach.
6. The distance between both hands is one fist. Keep the back of the hand perpendicularly to the floor.

How to hold a bamboo sword (shinai):

1. The left hand is located at the tip of the tsuka. Strangle the pinky, the ring finger, and the middle finger lightly. The thenar is on the top of the shinai.
2. At the right hand, strangle the pinky and the third finger lightly. The thenar is on the top of the shinai.
3. Do not move the left hand as much as possible. Point the extension line of shinai to the left eye of the opponent.
   Note: Do not grip the shinai tightly.

Shikai
Shikai is a lesson that you must not have any four of negative spiritual minds: a surprise, a fear, a suspicion, or a perplexity.

1. surprise - when the opponent attacks, you will become stiff if you surprise.
2. fear - if you think the opponent is stronger than you, you will be frightened and cannot show your ability.
3. suspicion - you cannot use any techniques if you are suspicious what techniques the opponent uses.
4. perplexity - when you attack, you cannot hit drastically if you are irresolute.

To not fall into these minds, do not think about victory or defeat. You should believe what you have learned, and practice as hard as you can. Then, a result will come out by itself.

How to Use Hands and Feet
The technology of kendo is divided by two things: how to use of hands and feet. How to use hands means that you should use both hands well to control sword (shinai) properly. Suburi is the most effective way to learn proper handling. You must make sure each action by yourself.

Suburi

1. Use the left hand to swing shinai up and down. The left hand is a task of an engine.
2. Control the right hand softly to determine directions. The right hand is a task of an handle.
3. When you swing up the shinai, raise the left hand to overhead. Relax and bend a both elbows at the same angle. At this point, make sure that both elbows are beside ears. Hold shinai lightly, and let the palm adhere to the shinai. (In the past, there is a lesson that you should hold a shinai as you clasp a row egg or a small bird. It means that you must not grip the shinai tightly.)
4. Relax your wrists, elbows, and shoulders, and swing down the shinai like you throw it far. Pull down the left hand to height of the pit of the stomach, and take down the tip of the shinai to the eye height. (When the shinai comes to that height, tighten both pinkies lightly.)

When you swing down the shinai, you must attack like you knock the opponent's forehead by the left hand.

Attention: Many people misunderstand a lesson of "squeeze hands" because they squeeze a thumb of both hands when they swing down the shinai. Squeezing hands means that you must tighten both pinkies and stop the shinai by the thenar.

Munen-Muso
In kendo, a phrase, a hit of "mushin" or "munen-muso", is usually used. In Japanese character of "mushin", "mu" means nothing, and "shin" means mind. Most people misunderstand "mushin" that defines one thinks nothing. "Munen-muso" or "mushin" in kendo means a situation that one do not have any desire which I want to hit or which I do not want to be hit. In other word, even if you have something in your mind, you must not think too much about it. If you have shikai, which was explained before, in your mind, you cannnot move freely. Then, challenging with courageous and drastic actions and being not captured by any negative minds will lead "mushin". Everyone can be in a situation of "mushin". For example, when an opponent hits men, do you have any experience that you hit de-kote, nuki-koh, etc without thinking? This is a hit of "mushin" because you use necessary techniques reacting with the opponent's movements. Therefore, when you have strong concentration, you are in a situation of "mushin" or "munen-muso".

Footwork
In kendo, how to use feet is called footwork.
There are five types of footwork.

1. Okuri-ashi - when you go forward and backward, you step a foot and immediately bring another one together.
2. Tsugi-ashi - bring left foot closer to behind the right, and then, immediately step the right foot forward.
3. Hiraki-ashi - you use this footwork when you dodge an opponent's attack to the left or right and turn for attack.
4. Ayumi-ashi - just like walking, make a distance closer or further.
5. Tobikomi-ashi - when you attack, you kick the ground by the left foot and step right one forward widely.

These footworks are used for when you maintain a distance with an opponent, attack, and turn from defense to offence. Using these footworks properly, you can maintain proper posture. Being able to keep proper posture, you can hit the opponent properly. Do not bend your body or neck, and you have to deal effectively with the opponent using footworks. This is the beginning of proper kendo. You must be conscious of footworks, especially the left foot. There is a lessen that the left hand, the left foot, and the left waist are the most important in kendo.

Index