Kendo for LIFE

Kendo-Guide.Com Newsletter, Issue #022 - Kendo Championships: "Kendo not to lose" & "Kendo that doesn't lose"

Japanese men team got the crown back home. I am sure that the Japanese kendo world can sleep well again for another three years.

In the last issue, I said, personally, I would like Japan to show very nice kendo to the world. Did they or didn't they?

I would like to share my view with you in this issue.

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What we have in this issue is shown below. Enjoy this Newsletter!

Table of Content

- Kendo Q & A -

- Kendo Work Shop -

- Multimedia Suggestion -

- "Kendo not to lose" & "Kendo that doesn't lose" -

- Comments or Questions -

There are links to change your email address for the newsletter or unsubscribe at the bottom of every newsletter. Thanks!

- Kendo Q & A -

- Solo Practice Dress Code

- What's the difference between modern kendo and traditional kendo?

- How to use your ki to create a shikai on your opponent.

- What does it take to practice Nito Kendo?

- Solo practice with tachi

- Kendo Work Shop -

- 180 degree turn

- Different ways of passing by the opponent after striking right kote

- Different ways of striking Do

- Multimedia Suggestion -

- Do you know any good books on kendo?

World Championships Review: "Kendo not to lose" & "Kendo that doesn't lose"

First of all, congratulations to Team Japan.

I cannot imagine the pressure they must have felt in each match. The pressure to win and to show the good kendo. I think they have succeeded in both missions. They won the Champs and showed good kendo.

Kendo not to lose

As long as we have shiai and participate in tournaments we must know how not to lose our match, especially in a team tournament.

There is a situation where if you win or draw, your team will win, but if you lose, not only you lose but your team will go down with you. I am familiar with such situations. So you must know how not to lose.

If you watch men’s semi-final, Japan vs Korea, Japan’s kendo was kendo not to lose. In fight against Korea, one little mistake would let the team down. Japan did not strike as much as they did in the final. They were very careful with timing to execute their strikes.

Kendo that does not lose

In the final, Team Japan showed kendo that does not lose. You can actually see that they were going forwards (putting pressure) and executed their strikes. When their initial strike was not valid, they kept going.

Sempo (1st guy) and jiho (2nd guy) definitely were going for their victory. Of course, all the members were after their victory but sempo and jiho did their kendo to actually win.

They moved first almost all the time. They moved and struck before their opponents. They had a very good seme. When they blocked, they made sure that their opponents were done striking.

* seme

In chuken (3rd guy) fight, the Japanese guy stepped forwards and struck first. He was going to end the fight. His victory would make sure of Japan’s victory. That is why he went for it. Not only physically, but also mentally he was going to win. You can see how he was determined in this match. He kept going.

From sempo to chuken, Japan was in control of their matches. It looks to me that they completely overwhelmed the US fighters. As soon as they began their fights, you probably could tell that Japanese fighters would win.

I am not saying that the US fighters were weak or did not have as much as ki. Compared to the Japanese fighters, I did not really feel the energy from the US fighters. Probably the Japanese fighters’ ki was stronger than that of the US fighters.

Pride of USA

The chuken fight determined the Japan’s victory. But I really admire the attitudes of the USA’s fukusho (4th guy) and taisho (last guy).

Their team lost before their fight. They cannot do anything to win the battle. But their heart was not defeated. They fought to win with strong heart and good attitude.

My sensei told me once. “Taisho is the last person. He/she has to show what the kendo of that team is, even when the team has already lost before him” It is because taisho is the head of the team. Taisho means “head (boss) of the team”.

They did not give up their fighting. I think you can also see them fighting with pride. If you have time, please watch the videos again keeping the things I said.

- Comments or Questions -

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