I can't answer this now 'cos I am off to the dojo in 5 mins, but while I'm gone, it might be worth knowing your reasoning for considering kendo as an art. Why does it interest you, and while we're on it, why did you choose your other martial arts that you currently study (plus those in your past)? Will respond properly later.
How much "real" swordfighting - actual FIGHTING - have you done then? And as for target areas, every one of these is potentially fatal/incapacitory
I think Lad_Gorg's point was more that you are willingly targeting the armoured areas rather than going in between the armour.
As much as your average bloke. So none And I only claim as much. But I have done a wide load of reading on the subject matter from Asian and European sources. When you aren't wearing Japanese armour yes. But Japanese armour covers almost all of those areas BECAUSE they are so lethal. I think the joint at the Kote would be an exception though, but it is still heavily armoured.
So it would be fair to say it approximates techniques more likely to be encountered mano e mano as opposed to battlefield then?
I know very little about Kendo but as I understand it trying to directly equate it with some form of real life combative scenario would be a mistake. The All Japan Kendo Federation states the concept of Kendo as: "Kendo is a way to discipline the human character through the application of the principles of the Katana." It's purpose to be: "To mold the mind and body. To cultivate a vigorous spirit, And through correct and rigid training, To strive for improvement in the art of Kendo. To hold in esteem human courtesy and honor. To associate with others with sincerity. And to forever pursue the cultivation of oneself. Thus will one be able: To love ones country and society. To contribute to the development of culture And to promote peace and prosperity among all peoples." That with the rules that have developed has resulted in something unique I think, Kendo is Kendo. An art with its own aims and purpose.
Well it used to interest me because it had the coolness factor like so many of you talk about. I mean you are handed a sword and expected to fight with it. Where I got disillusioned with Kendo was with all the add-ons which personally don't interest me, and finally made me move away from the art. To split it across the main arts that I've studied. TKD: My first art. Bluntly, it was just down the road from my old house, and a friend started, so I joined along. I must have been 8 or 9 (it's sad that I actually don't know what age I started). I wanted to do a MA from before because of guys like Jet Li and Jackie Chan. MT: I started this much later on. I practiced it for the sparring experience and to expand my understanding of MA and it's applications. Capoeira: Embarrased to admit it though. Joined it thinking it was the coolest thing in the world, left it feeling like I had wasted my time on a very nice dance routine albeit more flexable. The reasons I stay in my main art of TKD, is because I got into Bruce Lee and his philosophies, and I found that TKD as a pretty close fit for my needs as a MAist. Although with leaving my Chung Do Kwan and starting WTF (since I moved from home), I'm starting to re-evaluate my stance on this.
Yeh this is where my understanding of Kendo is. I'm just trying to get into the mind set of why someone would care for these altered aims and purposes. But I think for most people it's simply to hit someone with a stick!
Here is a clip of the tournament work I was talking about earlier. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4ad8nUAaz4"]TCSL 2011 National Tournament - Finals - YouTube[/ame] Best Wishes, Bruce
Now for those who want to get about as close to real combat as one can, J C Amberger (see: The Secret History of the Sword) writes of modern competitions where real swords are used. IIRC the contest is called at drawing first blood. Maybe some of our European people can add to this. BTW: That "stick-fighting" behavior is what happens when people stop viewing what they are doing and fall to simply fending-off being "stick tagged" by their partner. Best Wishes, Bruce
