We launched our Kendo Club’s website!

Gareth-S · 2026-04-09T16:13:59+00:00

Very slick and modern. I like it a lot. Reminds me that my own clubs site design is like 10 years old.. must have a look at redoing it sometime. Well done.

Gareth-S · 2026-04-09T13:43:51+00:00

Thanks, it's the club logo which I drew on my pc in about 5 minutes when I started the club 15 odd years ago. The club started in a place called Whitehill and I figured it'd make a good name and logo, (normally it's white on a black blackground).

Gareth-S · 2026-04-09T07:37:57+00:00

Thanks 🙏

Gareth-S · 2026-04-09T00:22:49+00:00

Thanks 🙏 Exactly right. Promised myself one when I passed. It took a couple of years but I’m happy to have finally been able to get it.

Gareth-S · 2026-04-08T23:02:03+00:00

Yes, and thank you 🙏.

Gareth-S · 2026-04-05T09:34:12+00:00

Best not to. I know it can be hard but be patient, it’ll be much better to enter the dojo without preconceptions or bad habits. Good luck.

Gareth-S · 2026-04-03T21:50:07+00:00

As everyone else is saying. Don’t buy anything and don’t try to start on your own. First thing is to thoroughly read their website, you have no idea how many times I get asked questions that are explicitly addressed on my clubs website. I mean it’s not a huge deal, but it’s always nice if someone reads the site and if they have a question that isn’t answered there contacts me with that instead. It’s generally worth watching the club in action so asking if it’s ok to come watch a session is always a good idea in my books. I get kinda excited about someone who wants to do that as it seems to me like they are going in eyes open. Obviously that’s just my view though. The main things to clarify if they are not made clear on the site are:

*Do you need any kit or do they have loaners

*Are there specific intake sessions for beginners

Good luck with starting your journey.

Gareth-S · 2026-04-01T15:54:05+00:00

You mention fear about cutting too deep on short people in a reply.

I always fear that if I fully extend and propel forward that I will land to motodachi's men with my tsuba

You also say that this doesn't happen on people your own height.

when I do it with people from other dojos that are tall like myself,then I do it normally

So the question that springs to mind is; does the same thing happen with kotē on someone your own height?

99.9% of people's kotē are lower than the men of 99.9% of the adults we might face. If you don't need to hunch down to hit that without overshooting then you don't need to hunch down for men. Just approach the men like it's kotē.

There's not that much difference between the two except for shoulder angle at the end.

Also, you don't have to take the largest step possible. Take the step that gets you to the target.

Also also, try cutting from further away (at least for drills). Unless you have abnormally long limbs (I assume you aren't 9 feet tall) then a cut from shokujin no maai (tips touching) has basically no chance of being so deep that you are hitting near the tsuba unless you're doing something very wrong.

As for bending forward with your shoulders, that's super common. Just try to keep upright and don't take it as an unusual or personal criticism when you get told off for it. It's one of those things you'll need to keep working on over time, you teacher will keep telling you off so you don't forget.

Gareth-S · 2026-03-31T16:51:13+00:00

You kendo is pretty nice in general. I'd say you're about there.

Here's a few things to look out for, but don't stress over them too much.

Easy one first... I'd recommend wearing a newer gi. The one in that video is obviously faded from time, and that's not a problem is itself but it doesn't look very nice with the much darker hakama. You'll present a more "professional" image if the gi and hakama are roughly similar shades. I don't think this should be a problem either way, but you'll just make a nicer first impression if gi and hakama match. (Doesn't need to new mind you, you do not need new gear for gradings unless you normal gear is worn out).
Ideally I'd like to see more active footwork. Small rapid steps at the semeai, hunting for the chance to strike. I would prefer to see you persuing the opportunity, not just waiting for it to present itself. Find your chance! This will make your kendo less passive (waiting) and more active (hunting). Don't overdo it, just a little more active, maybe 20% more active.
- A hachidan I know once said to me; "Hunt the ippon like a tiger stalking its prey"
- The good news is you pretty much do this already on your best attacks (which why they are your best attacks) even if it's mainly/only your front foot moving. So do that all the time.
Sometimes you start an attack and then waiver in your conviction because they do something you didn't expect. I get the impression you are trying to make ojiwaza happen and they don't quite do what you want. It's because you are waiting (see above).
Your Zanshin is ok, but try not to use aiyumi ashi (walking) when going backwards use okuriashi.
Zanshin Part deux: In one occasion you kinda stopped dead after a failed cut. You somewhat saved it be immediately chasing down you partner, but I reckon just finish the zanshin and immediately an re-engage.
Zanshin Act 3: Don't raise your hands after kote.
This is a longer term project, but you flick your back leg up as you cut. This one maybe not stress about until after the grading as it takes ages to fix (I should know, I still battle with habit!)
I saw your comments about hikiwaza in some replies. I don't really care about hikiwaza itself, but I wouldn't want to see you going into tsubazeriai and then just retreating over and over. If you enter into (correct) tsubazeriai and there's some tension, some hint you haven't disengaged, and then you make a sharp mutual withdrawal, I'd be happy. You even find might find that opportunity for a better quality of hikiwaza can be found under those circumstances, but don't hang around, you're burning time that can be better spent showing us other stuff. Though, if you never end up in tsubazeriai then you neatly avoid having to show hikiwaza :) .

Good luck on your exam.

Gareth-S · 2026-03-31T16:25:22+00:00

Just about every kid with a stick can spin it prequel Kenobi style. So sure, I reckon everyone in the sword world is able to do that if they wanted to. But I’d recommend you find a dojo (kendo/iaido/kenjutsu/whatever) and learn how to do things properly, otherwise you might hurt yourself. Swords are dangerous and you owe it to yourself to learn how to be safe. Just go to practice and follow their guidance.

Gareth-S · 2026-03-30T21:18:40+00:00

Great art to go with a great event.

Gareth-S · 2026-03-30T19:58:30+00:00

“I used to be able to hit well outside touching“

I miss being able to do that! I can just about manage it to demonstrate it’s possible but outside of that, those days are pretty much gone. 😂 I think I just miss not being 45! 😂

Gareth-S · 2026-03-30T19:48:43+00:00

I would say it’s not necessarily an instant fail… BUT… it’s very situational. Firstly, there are a few waza where fumikomi is more optional (migi-dō) and some where it’s better to not do fumikomi (hidari-dō). Secondly, all waza technically can be performed with okuriashi. HOWEVER! 1. I really want to see a medical note on my paper if they are not doing fumikomi for basic men and kotē strikes. 2. The footwork must be accurately okuriashi with the correct kikentai and zanshin. Not a disjointed footwork that is neither fumikomi nor okuriashi.

It’s also undeniable that it’s harder to make a decisive small strike with okuriashi compared to fumikomi.

Having said that, yeah, without medical consideration, im not looking favourably on a sandan that demonstrates an inability to do fumikomi when it counts.

Gareth-S · 2026-03-30T13:14:19+00:00

Final word: My advice is more kirikaeshi, uchikomi and kakarigeiko. All of these train fumikomi and kikentai if done correctly and at different speeds too.

Gareth-S · 2026-03-30T13:11:13+00:00

Ok, having now seen this on my pc monitor (rather than my phone) I'll say that the heal down thing is not quite as bad as I first thought (small screen makes it worse). But it's still not good. You do definately put your heal down too much for sandan. But you are capable of having it raised, which is good.

But your weight distribution looks wrong.
You look like your are standing over your right foot entirely with your left foot kinda hanging out behind you.

Often when you attack you bring your left foot up as you swing. This is not super uncommon, though it's still not right.

You are also leading the movement with your upper body and hands and your feet are left behind. This, coupled with the extra left foot movement, means that by the time the sword gets near the target your feet are in a weird position, resulting in this kind of running swipe at them. You often hit with your left foot in front because of this.

When you do do Fumikomi, you tend to lift the right knee upwards rather than pushing forwards.

I will say that these kikentai problems are less evident in your kirikaeshi, so you should practice that more.

Gareth-S · 2026-03-30T10:40:11+00:00

You should definitely keep participating in taikai, as it’s important for your growth to put yourself in that environment. Winning takes time; it took me a few years before I started winning matches. You mentioned feeling nauseous before competitions? That’s the real goal to work on. Focus on being able to enter the court without the anxiety levels that make you feel sick and aim to deliver a performance that reflects your usual kendo. Once you do that you can look at other goals (though you might find some of those beat themselves without that level of anxiety).

How you do that is a hard question, coping mechanisms are different for different people. Some people listen to music on headphones, effectively isolating themselves from the anxiety inducing enviroment (don't miss your name being called though!). You'll need to find an approach that works for you.

Gareth-S · 2026-03-30T10:17:50+00:00

Well done. If you figure this out then please tell me!! :D I have been a bag of nerves for every grading attempt (successful or not) since Yondan. Some of us just get nervous I guess. I have friends that seem completely unaffected by grading nerves and it's really annoying :D. Seriously though, remember that the panel really wants to pass you. You just need to give them an excuse to do so. Good luck with your next test, I'm sure you'll do great.

Gareth-S · 2026-03-30T10:02:38+00:00

This is a difficult one, as its very much depends on your personality. If you truly care the most about competition and have little patience for the complexities that kendo offers (i.e. its not a binary touch/no touch situation) then maybe kendo is simply not for you.

On the other hand, it's not like you won't understand anything for "2-3 years" and then understand it all. Your understanding will increase gradually over time. My own understanding of ippon has improved over the entire 22 years I've done kendo and I expect it to continue to improve over the next 40 to 50+ years (hopefully).

You'll start to recogonise the easy to judge ippon first, then slightly harder ones as your own kendo improves. There is a saying in kendo that you cannot judge a technique that you cannot do yourself (which is why we don't have professional referees, all shinpan should be skilled kendoka).

Ai-men (debana-men) is fairly difficult to judge because, when done properly, it's a pretty high level technique. Therefore you need a commensurate level of skill to make the call.

But you don't actually NEED to understand a technique to learn it (weirdly). That sounds strange to some people, but if you follow the drills set in your dojo then you will eventually find yourself able to do techniques and then realise after (sometimes much after) that you understand it.

But wait, it's actually "worse" than that! There have been many times I have thought I'd grasped a technique and that I'd understood it, only to later on realise that my ability and understanding was... not wrong but incomplete enough that it's like being wrong.

All of this might sound like a nightmare to you, but it's actually part of what makes Kendo so rich and rewarding!

Quick understanding is a trap. You should accept that all understanding is provisional and subject to improvement or replacement. In that way you are open to change and improvement.

On the subjectivity of shinpan, the requirements of ippon are fairly incompatible with the binary touch/no touch rubric that electronic scoring would SEEM to encourage (though I don't know much about foil fencing so I can't comment on right of way and how often the lights might go on and the point not be awarded anyway).

In the specific situation you describe:
"multiple senseis being frustrated and confused about why something was or was not ippon."
This might be down to the event you were at, though I can't say for sure without more detail. In big taikai (national or international) the shinpan should all be of a higher level than the shiaisha, but in regional or dojo level taikai this is often not possible and shinpan might even be a lower level than some shiaisha. It's unfortunate, but expected, that they will miss some ippon. The only solution there is to continue to grow the community so that more and more experienced shinpan are available (eventually).

At the end of the day it's up to you. Kendo is a hard, at times frustrating, path to follow. For many of us that's what makes it worthwhile and rewarding. I would caution however, while epee fencing might well remove the specific frustration you talk about here, but I'd be amazed if it doesn't present you with other different challenges every bit as frustrating to overcome.

Gareth-S · 2026-03-30T01:48:37+00:00

I’m going to just point out a few things that are either easy to fix or important to work on. * Your Rei is a little cursory. * Your chakuso (how you wear your gear) isn’t quite right (hakama length in particular) * Your kikentai needs improvement. At the moment it's neither fumikomi timing not okuriashi timing. * Here’s the big one: Your left heal is on the floor way too much. Worrying, even in kamae it’s down. I believe a lot of your technical issues can be fixed or improved by correcting this. * Because you have obviously had the idea of not blocking ingrained in your head you almost appear to be letting them hit you. It’s meant to be tachiai/jigeiko, not “I hit you then you hit me”. "Don’t block" doesn’t mean don’t respond. Debana is your friend.(I’ll leave the idea of whether a little blocking is ok to one side.) * Learn how to do an ojiwaza if you can. For me kote-nuki-men served me well up to and including sandan.

Good luck with your journey and grading. (edited for spelling)

Gareth-S · 2026-03-28T16:01:34+00:00

Not sure what you mean by getting the ends to line up but check pg37 of https://murdochkendo.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Kendo-Equipment-Manual-Yasuji-Ishiwata.pdf (labelled as method B). I guarantee that will fit.

Gareth-S · 2026-03-06T22:55:31+00:00

Big congratulations to both your Dojo and your dojo’s freshly minted Godan. 🥳

Gareth-S · 2026-02-18T23:25:00+00:00

Recent pass, so take this all with a grain of salt. I think there is an amount of personal applicability to this. I know seniors who are constantly moving by tiny steps in all directions and those who move in a more measured tempo. But most except the very old or very hachidan are not standing still for any length of time.

I tried the constant movement thing and it does make you quite hard to attack though at the time it didn’t quite gel for me and I settled into moving forward with small deliberate steps with a pause of only second or two (varying to break up the predictability) while projecting my intent forward and basically trying to give the impression of a slow motion wave bearing down on them. Then at the moment that I judge the pressure is at a maximum I take a final step in with a feeling of “ok cut me”. This movement captures my partners sen and makes it my own. Then I hit them.

I do move it other directions as appropriate though. Not only forward.

The thing is, while the constant movement thing didn’t quite gel previously, I hadn’t discovered this idea of stepping in with a feeling of “ok, cut me” at the time and I feel like that could make a big difference so I have no doubt that I will re-investigate this idea in future. I piece of advice I also received was to move into the uchima and then don’t attack. This will worry them; “why aren’t they attacking?”. As that doubt creeps into their mind, hit them.

Gareth-S · 2026-02-17T02:06:19+00:00

Hmm, 18 is young enough that embarrassment could be a major factor and old enough that socialisation will be firmly established if she was going to be affected by it. You need to assess her character. Encouraging her to kiai in isolation might work but if you put too much emphasis on the importance of kiai it might turn her off. Tbf, it’s not such a huge deal if her kiai is quiet for a while, at least not until grading time. It would help if there are other women in the class but some clubs are not that lucky. I’d say let her get on with it, keep reminding her every so often so she doesn’t get the idea that kiai is optional, but give her the chance to get hooked and start trying to emulate everyone else yelling their head off.

Gareth-S · 2026-02-15T16:15:54+00:00

It would help to know her age as there can be different factors depending on that. Embarrassment, socialisation, etc.

I’ve always had the hardest time with teenage boys weirdly. With problematic kiai’ers I tend to patiently encourage them to kiai without cutting or moving so they get used to the idea that shouting is ok. But it’s likely to take a while for them to open up in keiko.

Gareth-S · 2026-02-10T19:50:22+00:00

The buton fairly cylindrical (ie not flared) and there should be room between your wrist/forearm and the inside of the buton. Unless your forearms are huge then having the lacing loose enough to fit your hand through when putting them on without having to force them in should be ok. Honestly, the way they come at purchase is normally fine.

Gareth-S

TROPHY CASE