What Do You See in a Kendo Match
I found it very interesting to hear different opinions about a kend match. We see exactly the same match but depending on the level and phase of the observers we see totally different things.
If you are a beginner and just started kendo, you might not know what's going on and wonder why certain strikes are valid and others are not.
If you become a bit advanced and started doing jigeiko, you probably are interested in striking targets.
You might be into shiai and how to win a match. So you
might pay attention to how to execute techniques and fancy techniques.
You might be more interested in how to pass your next kendo promotion test so you want to know how to perform a good kendo in your exam.
You might be more interested in polishing up and stepping up to the next level if you are a high grade holder.
This is normal. And we cannot really tell people what is right and what is wrong because they are all kendo.
We watch one same kendo but we can see many different kendo depending of the level and phase of the observers.
Keeping the Core in Mind
That is why it is very important to have the core of the kendo, which is the concept of kendo. When we get lost in the way of the sword, we always go back to the concept of kendo.
This is not a map for us to find our way. It is a goal and we
have to find ways to get there. This is the important process. But most people do not like it because they want to know exactly where to go and what to do.
As an instructor, I know many students want to know exactly what to do and how to do. I show them and explain. But it is not exactly the same as when you get lost. Getting the right direction like when getting lost is not simply good enough in
kendo.
We learn how to grab a sword and how to move. Those senior kendoists like sensei and sempai tell us what to do and how to do but these are what they found out.
They struggled to come to that conclusion. That is why you hear different things from different people about exactly the same thing.
But as long as the core of our kendo (the goal of your kendo) is stable and we know we are going towards it, we are on the right track!
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