I compiled a list of videos and written resources below for the beginners at the dojo where I practice and for all those new to kendo. They cover a wide range of topics:
- Introduction to Kendo (Why? Overview, History, Customs, Terminology,…)
- Mechanical and Physical Aspects of Kendo
- Grip, Stance, Footwork, Bamboo Sword (shinai) Action
- Self-Care and Equipment-Care
- Additional Resources (Books, Articles, Websites, Videos, DVDs)
Notes: Videos are indicated with time duration information and written resources, without such information. A list of common issues and tips for beginners can be found in this companion article. I may update this page as I find new, helpful resources. Enjoy!
Essentially, the objective of kendo is to seek to deeply understand and polish the spirit. – Morishima Tateo (Hanshi 8 dan) [Kenshi247_Spirit]
Updates: Apr 20, 2022 – Added videos for wearing and folding the gi and hakama. Oct 3, 2021 – Added link to videos by Koda Kunihide sensei.
An Introduction to Kendo
- Why do kendo?
- Overview of Kendo:
- History of Kendo
- The Concept and Purpose of Kendo
- Manners and Etiquette in Kendo:
- Bamboo sword (shinai) – component names:
- Terminology in Kendo:
- For a brief summary of the main terms:
- For a detailed and comprehensive summary:
Mechanical and Physical Aspects of Kendo
How to Grip the Bamboo Sword (shinai)
- Hand and Finger Positions:
- From 0:00 to 1:07 of Paul Shin, “How to grip your shinai for better Tenouchi in Kendo” (4:53mins).
- ikutakazuma, “How to grip the shinai (竹刀の握り方),” Jan 2011 (10 secs).
- Pages 3-5 “Part 2: How to correctly hold the shinai” in The Parts of the Shinai, and How to Hold it Properly,” Univ. of Michigan Kendo Club.
- B. Sheppard, “Tenouchi – the grip,” Shugo-Nanseikan, Feb 8, 2009.
- Relative Grip Strengths – Between the Hands and Digits
- “Relative Grip Strengths Between the Hands and Digits – in Brief (Part 2).”
- The “grip” portion of the video (0:15 to 3:26) “Datotsu Points According to Chikamoto Sensei,” Let’s Kendo (11:47 mins, in Japanese)
- The main points for this portion are summarized in English in this article (with video time marks indicated from the 2nd bullet onwards).
- General Comments:
The on-guard position (kamae):
- Andy Fisher, “Kendo Basics: Fighting Stance, or Kamae and Sonkyo – The Kendo Show” (15:59mins).
- PDF p. 15 of Holt Sensei, Kendo – Beginners Guide (PDF, 52 pages).
- PDF p. 12 of Matt Jackson, Kendo Training Handbook, (PDF, 84 pages).
- Make sure to stay relaxed especially in the shoulder area and right arm and maintain a natural posture:
Footwork
- Sliding both feet (suri-ashi)
- Kendo Basics: Kendo Footwork (Ashi Sabaki) – The Kendo Show, Apr 23, 2017 (20:26mins).
- Sliding with the front pad of the right foot over a paper towel (2:40).
- Shuffling on the front pads of the feet – Okuri ashi (Suri-ashi) (3:59) and then with a shinai (7:30).
- Walking with the front pads of the feet – Ayumi-ashi (9:24) and then with a shinai (10:36).
- Diagonal steps – Hiraki-ashi (11:49) and then with a shinai (14:00).
- Changing directions (15:40) and then with a shinai (17:24).
- Hiro Imafuji, “Kendo Basics II: Suri ashi Okuri ashi” (5:15mins)
- itakazuma, “suri-ashi,” Jan 2011 (9 secs)
- B. Sheppard, “Ashi sabaki – footwork,” Shugo-Nanseikan, Feb. 3, 2009.
- Kendo Basics: Kendo Footwork (Ashi Sabaki) – The Kendo Show, Apr 23, 2017 (20:26mins).
- The “forward thrust” or “lunge” (Fumikomi-ashi)
- Kendo Basics: How to Improve Fumikomi (Stamping) Footwork- The Kendo Show, Sept 10, 2017 (11:34mins).
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Fumikomi basics starting at (1:20)
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Fumikomi with a shinai swing (suburi) (4:34)
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Fumikomi with a strike (7:32)
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- KendoWorld, “Tip of the Week – Fumikomi” (6:37mins)
- Articles with pointers from Kendoinfo.net by Geoff Salmon sensei:
- The Forward Heel Action for the “Stomp” in Fumikomi (KendoNotes)
- Kendo Basics: How to Improve Fumikomi (Stamping) Footwork- The Kendo Show, Sept 10, 2017 (11:34mins).
- The hikitsuke – the immediate kicking in of the rear leg towards the front leg in fumikomi and suri-ashi.
- Where the body and rear leg is pulled forward quickly using the front leg in fumikomi as also describe in this summary of pointers and videos on hikitsuke.
Bamboo Sword (shinai) Action
- Swinging the shinai (suburi)
- “Tip of the Week – Suburi,” Kendo-World.com, Jan 22, 2012 (6:06 mins).
- Instructions with Alex Bennett sensei start from 0:30min.
- Andy Fisher, “Kendo Basics: Kendo Suburi (Practice Swings) – The Kendo Show,”, May 2017 (33:09 mins) – a video covering multiple swings:
- Full swings (jouge-suburi):
- 2:30 to 7:04min (arms only), 7:05 to 8:50min (with footwork)
- Diagonal swings (naname-suburi):
- 8:50 to 10:45min (arms only), 10:45 to 11:30min (with footwork)
- Strikes in the air (kuu-kan-datotsu)
- Shoumen suburi (to the head): 11:30 to 13:30, 13:30 to 14:13min
- Kote suburi (to the wrist): 14:13 to15:12, 15:12 to 16:24min
- Do suburi (to the side of the chest): 16:25 to 18:12, 18:12 to 18:30min
- Two-strike combination technique (ni-dan waza)
- kote-men suburi: 18:31 to 19:30, 19:30 to 20:42min
- Tips – 20:42 to 24:20min
- Consecutive men (zenshin koutai men) – 24:20 to 25:45min
- Advanced suburi:
- Left and right men strikes (sayuu-men suburi): 25:46 to 27:05, 27:05 to 27:30min
- Fast suburi (hayasuburi) – 27:30 to 29:42min.
- Full swings (jouge-suburi):
- “Tip of the Week – Suburi,” Kendo-World.com, Jan 22, 2012 (6:06 mins).
- Inside-of-the-hand (tenouchi) action for the snap (sae) when swinging the shinai:
- Warm-ups with the shinai:
- Hayasuburi (Fast swings)
- Kirikaeshi (Continuous Left and Right Men strikes)
- Strikes with the shinai:
Self-Care and Equipment-Care
- Foot maintenance (since practice is typically with barefeet and to prevent blisters):*
- Trim the toe-nails to prevent losing one or hurting another person (needed more when one begins to wear the hakama and to spar).
- To prevent foot blisters, often experienced by beginners, here’s Some Ways to Help Prevent Foot Blisters.
- Hand maintenance (for prolonged gripping of the shinai and blister prevention):*
- Trim the finger-nails to prevent nails from digging into the palm when gripping.
- Taping the palms:
- For prolonged suburi practice at home, wearing kote (Kendo hand protectors / gloves) or a pair of bicycle gloves (with the finger tips exposed) may help.
- Shinai maintenance:
- How to wear the gi (“jacket”) and hakama (“pants”)
- How to fold the hakama and gi
* With time, the palms and bare feet tend to become stronger and such maintenance techniques may eventually be needed only for special practices with a duration beyond the typical one to two hour practice.
Additional Resources (Books, Articles, Websites, DVDs)
- Books (in PDF):
- Holt Sensei, Kendo – Beginners Guide (PDF, 52 pages), 2014.
- Masahiro Imafuji, Kendo Guide For Beginners (PDF, 31 pages), 2011.
- Matt Jackson, Kendo Training Handbook, (PDF, 84 pages), Dec. 2011.
- Stephen D. Quinlan, A Beginner’s Guide to Kendo, 5th ed., (PDF, 200 pages) Aug. 1, 2017.
- Cary Yoshio Mizobe, Introduction to Kendo, Westside Kendo Dojo (PDF, 108 pages)
- Booklets:
- Articles
- Websites:
- Videos:
- Kouda Kunihide 8th Dan – Kendo Lessons, Basic Movements, Kendo Jidai International, Dec. 4, 2019 (Playlist of Six lessons). I would highly recommend beginners to watch these videos.
- DVDs:
- Koda Kunihide (Kyoshi 8 dan), “Kendo Skill Revolution,” 剣道上達革命, TrendAqua DVD. (I wish I had been able to view this when I had started kendo and highly recommend watching it.)
KendoNotes 