MeanGreenStompa wrote:I'm an ex-rugby player and in fairly good physical condition but am carrying too much weight as a result of office working and pub visitation for the last 14 years. I have retained a good degree of physical strength and stamina but have lost flexibility and reaction speeds as a result.
How physically fit will I need to be to start this up?
How intensive will it be in terms of commitment?
How expensive does the equipment tend to be?
Are there complimentary exercises that lend themselves to the sport?
Any other tips?
Physical condition isn't such a big thing, there are certain muscles involved that you don't use in other sports like Rugby. For example, for the footwork, you'll be sstanding on the front of your feet with your heels up in the air. You won't be able to do it long at first, but the muscle gets stronger with practise (like all).
Kendo is derived from itto-ryu, one of the swords of Japanese Ken-Jutsu (sword fighting). It may have been sanitised and had some of the more lethal aspects removed (for example, I was only taught one killing blow, the
tsuke ) but what you are ultimately learning is how to wield a katana. Whilst you might be using a shinai in Kendo, the trainign you receive can be applied to a boken, or an iatio quite easily.
In terms of commitment, obviously if you do it more, you'll grow more proficient more quickly, but practicing twice a week for a year should zoom you through the Kyu grades to first Dan without any problems.
A full set of equipment is expensive, however most dojos should provide equipment for you as you go. Initially, you can train in just a t-shirt and shorts, but a hakama and gi, and shinai should only set you back fifty quid or so. A full set of Bogu armour is somewhere in the region of three hundred for a good set, but your dojo should have sets for you to use until you decide to purchase your own.
Most people are right handed, which actually puts them at a slight disadvantage for Kendo, as when wielding a shinai, all the strength for a blow comes from your left arm, whilst your right arm is only there for control and aim. My sensei (the renowned Takeshi mano, sensei of the English Kendo team) used to have us flick the shinai over our heads back and forth with our left arms only for a period of time, in order to create muscle there. So yes, if you're right handed, anything you can do create muscle in your left arm would be advantageous. However, I would advise you to make sure its not just pure anarobic muscle, and you have stamina there too (so if you choose to use weights, lots of pulls with medium ones, instead of a few with big ones).
There's a lot of history and etiquette involved in Kendo, and it is a skill you're learning (to use a sword), even if its not directly applicable in real life. The footwork you learn helps give you a bit more poise, and you'll find your left arm as strong as your right!
In terms of other advice, one of the big parts of kendo is the kiai, or your battle scream (
IIRC it translates directly as 'fighting spirit' or somesuch). You basically have to shout the whole time. Every time you launch a strike. So if you don't have a good pair of lungs on you, you may have to work on developing some.
