Bottled Rice – a Home-Made Bokuto to Help Develop Tenouchi

A compact home-made bokuto.

A beginner asked for suggestions on exercises he could do between practices some time ago.  Given the current COVID-19 situation and the shelter-at-home order in many places worldwide, I thought an article on this could be useful.

Teaching Kids – Boundaries, Models and the Child Whisperer

Drawing by Ophie, Jan 2020.

At a local community center, I came across a sports teacher who seems to have a way with little kids (pre-kindergarten usually).  I call him the “Child Whisperer.”*  Whenever

For Beginners – Some Ways to Help Prevent Foot Blisters

This article is for the beginners at the dojo where I practice at who often develop blisters on the feet and, in particular, the rear foot (typically the left foot).  I, too, remember

Witnessing a Transformation in the Demeanor of a Child in Kendo

The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled. – Plutarch

I recently witnessed something quite astonishing.  The demeanor of a young child, who had been learning kendo for at least several years, changed remarkably during a

A Neat Way to Teach and Learn Suri-Ashi – For Beginners and Kids

This article is intended as an aid for those either teaching or learning suri-ashi at the dojo where I practice at and elsewhere.

Resources for Teaching Children Kendo

Cleaning the dojo floor which the kids seem to love doing.

Some instructors, parents and myself are preparing to start kendo classes specifically for children.  To facilitate that, I have compiled a list of resources that I’ve found so far in

Tips for Beginners and Common Issues

Here’s some tips for the beginners at the dojo where I practice in two parts on:  1) Mindset and Self-care and 2) The Mechanics of Kendo.  They are based on commonly