Basic Kendo

Understanding of basic kendo, or kihon is in itself a life-long pursuit. You can practice for decades upon decades and still not even have a partial understanding of the basics of this martial art much less the more advanced waza or techniques.

Instructors will all agree that the basic forms, strikes, foot-work, etiquettes, and practices all form the foundation of kendo. As contradictory as it may seem, the fundamental parts of kendo are actually the hardest part to learn and execute correctly. Mastering the basics is a step many advanced kendoists have yet to achieve.

This section of the site is designed as a general overview of the concepts you will be introduced to in class. The topics we will briefly cover are as followed:

Basic Kendo Commands : Overview of the basic commands you will hear in a typical kendo practice.

Basic Kendo Stances (kamae) : To overview the basic stances in kendo including a brief overview of the different stances you may encounter in a taikai, or tournament.

Kendo Footwork (Ashisabaki) : To overview several different types of footwork used in kendo including a short photo-guide on okuriashi.

Kendo Strikes : An overview of the basic strikes used in kendo including a photo-guide on the basic men-uchi-ikkyodo drill.

Types of Practices (Keiko) An overview of the different types of keiko, or practices, you will encounter in a typical kendo class.

Because there is so much information to be shared about kendo basics, new topics and articles will be added to this section over the next few months. Be sure to check back often for new content!