By Nuno Vieira de Almeida After a quick Shinkansen trip (if you are travelling with a lot of luggage, make sure you get a reserved seat or that you get in the right part of the train-car where you can store it behind the seats) I finally got to Nagoya! Right in the train platform... Continue Reading →
Do tsuki is the first strike I learned in tankendo - a very straightforward thrust to the centre of the opponent's torso. From naore to chudan no kamae The movement to go into kamae is done in two smooth motions. You start with the tanken in your left hand which is resting lightly down... Continue Reading →
By Nuno Vieira de Almeida July 22nd 2018 After an airline delay (thank you, TAP, as efficient as ever) and a night spent at a Frankfurt airport hotel, I am finally on my way to Japan. First stop: Kansai International Airport! On my way to Japan…for real and for the first time. After... Continue Reading →
Commentary by Simon Larsen Ewa is really good at maintaining constant pressure and doing kaeshi (returning strikes) techniques. I find kaeshi techniques are really annoying, it means I have to get away from her after a successful strike so much faster and with maintained covering against her. I believe it is entirely possible in tankendo... Continue Reading →
By Jacek Lipiński What is your budo background? I am a kendo godan, when I started doing jukendo I was a yondan. Why did you start a jukendo training group? I was always interested in jukendo, but it was one of those martial arts, that you knew was there somewhere, but too far... Continue Reading →
Commentary by Simon Larsen Both players open in the same manner. Moving forward but in a circular pattern. To my mind this is a fairly defensive way of testing out an opponent you suspect is going to be good. The first series of strikes all look to be made by confident mindsets and the attacking... Continue Reading →
What is your budo background? I’ve been studying atarashii naginata for over a decade now and acting as instructor for the Victorian Naginata Renmei for about 8 years; I wasn’t yet shodan when I began instructing, it was a case of there was no-one senior to me left to run classes and it was figure... Continue Reading →
Commentary by Simon Larsen I have a better win ratio in the teams than the individuals, especially if I play in the first position (senpo). As far as I am aware the psychology of going first is not so much to win but to set a good mood for your team i.e. if you lose... Continue Reading →
Disclaimer: these kata descriptions are the authors own interpretations of the patterns are based on the AJJF videos and the written descriptions from Kendo World articles. Some of the terminology may not be 100% accurate but is intended more to help in visualise positioning based on basic strike knowledge. Any errors lie with the author... Continue Reading →
Disclaimer: these kata descriptions are the authors own interpretations of the patterns are based on the AJJF videos and the written descriptions from Kendo World articles. Some of the terminology may not be 100% accurate but is intended more to help in visualise positioning based on basic strike knowledge. Any errors lie with the author... Continue Reading →
