The Way of the Sword

[golok]

Kendo may probably be an obscure art form outside Japan. However in the Land of the Rising Sun, it is believed that Kendo is part and parcel of the Way of the Samurai.


I often wonder how much of a contrbution does Kendo play in developing an exponent's expertise with a katana?

Is the opening stance like the above vital in the duel of swords, with particular reference to the katana?

Ancient texts indicate that there were different opening stances in sword-play as there were different schools of Japanese martial arts.

Who knows better?

 

[Ferrous Wheel]

not much. Kendo practitioners tend to whip the shinai for a strike, as it is flexible. This is sloppy use of somethinng designed to approximate the sword, since yer basically pulling punches with a sword in Kendo. I would not say that kendo has no value, tho. I jsut think there are numerous fight schools that can fulfil the same role or even do better.

Opening stances. In eastern and western martial arts, there are numerous stances, each with a certain advantage or disadvantage. You can use a stance to feign an opening in your guard, you can take high or low guards with certain stances. IN Aikibudo Kobudo, we used a pretty basic but modified front stance, left or right. We also did sword movements form the kneelinng posture, like used for shikko walking.

Keith

 

[hank_rearden]

kendo is a 20th century innovation, much like most of the 'do' arts. they developed over the basic 'jutsu' or techniques.

samurai initiates in the old days were trained in a stew of combative techniques called (among others) bojutsu. here, techniques on how to use the sword, spear, halberd, bow and arrow and firearms were taught.

kenjutsu
kyujutsu
naginata-jutsu
ju-jitsu

replace the jutsus above with 'do' and you have the modern arts.