Next beginners course Monday 27th Feb 2012 at 6.00 ? 7.00pm at the UWA and Wednesday 29th Feb at 5.00 ? 6.00pm at Curtin.(They are the same courses. Please enrole just one of them.）
Fee : $110 for 10 weeks including Shinai (Bamboo sward). We accept cash or check only.
Time : UWA Monday 6:00pm-7:00pm Curtin Wednesday 5:00pm-6:00pm
We are running an 8 weeks beginner's course twice a year, in March and July.
If you are interested in joining the class, please come to the UWA recreation centre 15 min before the first session to register and pay. Cash or check only.
If you came this page directly, please visit our main page to get more information about our club.
The following FAQ are about the beginner's course.
Q . How much do you charge for the Beginners' course?
A . $110 which includes shinai (bamboo sword) and UWA sports membership, valid until the end of the year. *
Q .What do I wear for the training ?
A .Don't come with Tuxedo.
Q .Do I have to buy a Kendo clothes or armor before the course start ?
A .No.
Q . What happens if I want to pay the full year membership of $120? Do I still need to pay $70?
A .It depends on which session you join. We will let you know at the end of the course.
Q .My children are 4 and 6 years old. Can they join the beginner's course?
A .This course is not designed for young children under 11 years old.
Q. How can I pay? Cash, cheque, credit car?
A .Cash or cheque only.
Q. Do I get a certificate or award?
A. A certificate is issued to those who want it.
Q. Is there any etiquette or rules I need to know before training?
A. No. You will learn them in the beginner's course.
Q. Do I need to attend both sessions as indicated on the training schedule?
A. Beginners need to finish the beginner's course before they can join the regular training session. The following FAQ are about the general subject of Kendo.
Q . Is Kendo useful for self defense?
A . Yes and no. The speed of Kendo is very fast and players must move quickly. This kind of training is useful for increasing reaction time and is a good alternative training for people who have experienced other martial arts. Players also have to learn to read their opponent’s movements and predict the next attack before it occurs. Through this kind of training, you will learn to be aware of what is going on around you, and how to stay calm when you are faced with trouble. Don’t forget though, you can’t carry a sword everywhere you go.
Q. I am not interested in fighting for competition. I want to learn real fighting skill.
A. If you expect to pick up street fighting skills from K Kendo, I recommend you re-think your choice of martial art. As a proper martial arts fighter you would not want to look for trouble. In history, well trained Samurai fighters could injure and kill other people easily with their skills. Therefore, they were prohibited to use their skills and they only fought to protect their master, family and friends in emergency and wartime situations. The fighting skills of Kendo are sufficient to give serious damage, but it is shameful to use these skills for personal fighting. If you don’t understand this point, we don’t want you to practice Kendo with us.
Q. The targets are only limited to four body part in Kendo; head, wrist, stomach and throat. Why are other parts not included?
A. These four targets are full protected with armor and it is safe to hit. These are also, the main body parts that deliver maximum damage to your opponent.
Q. Why do players wear a kind of kimono as the uniform?
A. That’s the way it is.
Q. Why do players have to shout?
A. There are a few reasons. 1) To encourage their fighting spirit and motivate themselves. 2) To score a point in Kendo, a player must shout the name of the target at the same time as they hit it. If the player hits one of the other possible targets but does not shout the name, no points are awarded as this is considered unfair. 3) When you shout with stomach breathing, you have to use the diaphragm. It helps to relax your shoulder muscles . We usually call this shout as "Kiai" which means concentrated spirit. (Or, you can translate this word as a "fighting spirit".)
Q. I heard that Kendo players should not show their emotion. But I think you should show how you feel like a soccer player, I mean, Kendo students are human.
A. One of most important idea of Kendo is "respecting others". If you do victory salute or equivalent during the competition or smash the floor with Shinai and show your anger after losing point, you will loose a winning point because this kind of attitude is disrespectful as a Kendo fighter. This is a worst attitude as a Kendo fighter and you just let all your team mates and coaches down. Kendo is not just a sport. We learn how we should act to be a respected member of the society through hard physical and mental training. This idea is sometimes a little different from sport for recreation or entertainment . Soccer and similar sports have their own code of conduct as do martial arts. Studying and understanding the history and development of Kendo will give a better insight into this martial art as a discipline rather than a spectator sport.
Q. How much does the armor cost?
A. The most reasonable new set of armor is about A$400, and used armor is a bit cheaper. It seems kind of expensive for students, but it will last a long time if you look after properly . Kendo clothes (Keiko-gi or Kendo-gi) cost A$ 4 0 - $1000. The price range of high quality armor is A$2000 – A$10000; Japanese hand-made decorative armor is especially very expensive. The price of Shinai (bamboo sword) is A$3 0 - $200 and depends on the quality , kind of bamboo and finish. But your armor does not have to be expensive for you to play well and enjoy training safely .
Q. Can I customize my armor?
A. Wearing order-made armor and uniforms is permitted as long as they comply with the regulations which are issued by the International Kendo Federation. Measuring, fixing and customizing armor is difficult. You need to consult with specialists. Other decorative accessories (including loud painting, lucky charms, extra parts, etc.) on your armor and uniform are not permitted for safety reasons. If your gear, including the Shinai (bamboo sword) does not meet the regulations for the game, you will be asked to change your armor immediately, or you will be suspended from competition.
Q. Is there a difference in Kendo fighting style for each club?
A. Many instructors have different points of view, different ideas and different processes of teaching. Therefore, small techniques may very well be different even though the standard style is the same. However, there is no such thing as a " 'X' club Kendo style". Sometimes I hear some people say that their club has their own fighting style, but most of these people don't understand what Kendo is and are just making styles up because their skill is not good enough. (In most cases in fact, the head instructor has had nothing to do with this.) It is not possible for people who only practice a few times a week for a few years to make up their own style. Even the world champions still say "I am still not good enough". Some Kendo masters also train with different styles of older sword fighting (Kenjutsu or Kobudo). However, e ven those people fight using the current Kendo fighting style when they practice Kendo with other people in training. For your information, the standard of present day Kendo was united by Dainihon Butokukai, the Japanese arts institute of Japan established in 1895 for the physical and mental development program for educational purposes. This standard fighting style is based on the same sword fighting style which used bamboo swords and armor for training in the Edo period.