A Kendo practice is composed of many types of training. Each type has a different purpose for developing the Kendo student. Kendo, like other martial arts requires discipline and a dedication to training. A new student begins with learning the basics such as: etiquette (reigi), different postures and footwork, and how to properly swing a sword. The student progresses through a series of skills preparing them to begin training with armor (bogu).
Kendo techniques
There are 4 types of attacks in Kendo, namely:
Men
Head blow. Tebasannya target is from the tip of the forehead to the chin.
Kote
Hand blow. If your opponent uses 'chudan-no-kamae', then the target is right-handed, but if your opponent uses 'jodan-no-kamae', the goal is the left hand. If your opponent uses two swords ('Nito-ryu'), then both arms can be targeted.
do
Body blow. The goal is to the left or right side of the abdomen.
Tsuki
Puncture. The target was the neck.
For Tsuki techniques, indispensable skill and goal setting proper thrust, therefore these tactics should only be used by senior members, and is not recommended for use during the game, unless approved by the instructor [Sensei (先生)]
Once a student begins to practice in armor, a practice may be composed of any or all of the following types of practice and this will depend upon what the instructor's focus is at a particular time:
Kiri-Kaeshi: successively striking the left and right men, practice centering, distance, and proper cutting while building spirit and stamina.
Waza-Geiko: technique practice in which the student learns to use the many techniques of Kendo with a receiving partner.
Kakari-Geiko: short, intense, attack practice which teaches continuous alertness, the ability to attack no matter what has come before, as well as building spirit and stamina.
Ji-Geiko: sparring practice where the kendoist has a chance to try all that he or she has learned with a resisting partner.
Gokaku-Geiko: sparring practice between two kendoist of similar skill level.
Hikitate-Geiko: sparring practice where a senior kendoist guides a junior kendoist through practice.
Shiai-Geiko: competition matches which are judged on the basis of a person scoring valid cuts against an opponent.
In practice, Kendo uses equipment such as:
> Uniform: Kendo Gi and Hakama
> Sword of bamboo (Shinai)
> Bogu, consisting of:
> Men (protective headgear)
> Do (body protector)
> Kote (protective hand)
> Tare (protective thigh and genitals)
Exercise Kendo [(Keiko (恵 子))] consists of a variety of purposes to develop themselves. As with other martial arts, Kendo requires discipline and dedication to training, such as ethics (religion), posture and stepping techniques, and how to swing a sword properly.
There are two types of wooden swords used. First, the bokken or bokuto, a solid wood sword made of oak or another suitable hardwood. The bokken is used for basics and forms practice (kata). Second, the shinai, is made up of four bamboo staves and leather. The shinai is used for full contact sparring practice.
The uniform or dogi consists of woven cotton top called a keikogi and pleated skirt-like trousers called a hakama.
The armor or bogu consists of four pieces: the helmet (men), the body protector (do), the gloves (kote), and the hip and groin protector (tare). Modern Kendo armor design is fashioned after the Oyoroi of the Samurai.
