KENDO

What is Kendo?

Kendo, sounds fairly simple huh? Pick up a wooden sword and smash your opponent until you score. The truth is, it's more complicated than that. It is the art of swordsmanship, a Japanese sport practiced since ancient times. The meaning of the word "kendo" is: The Way of the Sword. It is practiced with a wooden sword called the "shinai", there are different characteristics that make a shinai, the weight may vary depending on the quality of the bamboo which is made with.

The concept behind Kendo is to discipline the human mind through the art of mastering the shinai. Concentration is highly important as it can transition rapidly from a slow pace sport to high paced one. It also develops the reaction time of reflexes as the athlete must quickly respond to unpredicted movements executed by his or her opponent.

EQUIPMENT

Kendo can come across of being described as a dangerous sport, which is why competitiors wear protective gear in order to fully practice without placing themselves at risk.

The Shinai

The shinai is your best friend in this sport, its is a wooden sword made out of bamboo. The shinai simulates a Katana, it was used in training by the Samurai. This sword is your offence, as well as your defence. The athlete focuses on mastering different movements with the shinai, which allows them to rapidly switch from a defence stance to an offence one.

The Men

As mentioned above, even though the shinai is made of bamboo, it can severly hurt the athlete, therefore protection is required for all parts of the body. The men is used to protect the athlete's head, face and shoulders from any hit that they might recive from the Shinai.

The Do

This piece of arnor is used to protect the athlete's rib cage, stomach and chest from hits recieved by the shinai.

The Tare

This part of the kendo armor focuses on protecting the waist along with the groin area.

The Kote

The Kote are thickly paddded gloves that protect the wrist, hands and forearms from the Shinai.

Match Styles

Singles

In a singles match, the winner is determined in the following way:

1. For the contestant to win, he or she must score 3 points on his opponent. This rule is calles the SAN-BON-SHOBU.

2. In this type of match, if one of the athletes has scored at least 2 points once the time limit is over, he/she will be declared the winner.

3. If neither player scores a point within the time limit, extra time may be added, also known as ENCHO in the kendo terminology. The first player to score a point will be declared the winner. The winner can also be decided through the referee's judgements (HANTEI). The ref's jusdgement will be based upon fouls, skills, posture and manners.

4. If neither of the players does not score a point, the match can be declared a draw (HIKIWAKE)

Team Match

As there are single matches, there's also a team match which is carried on in the following way:

1. Individual matches are carried on in a pre-determined order.

2. Each point and match that each individual wins is added to a total score for the team

3. In the end it is the team with the most added points that is declared the winner.

4. If there is a draw in points then two individual members come to fight until one of them is declared the winner.

5. There can be a successive winner, meaning that a member of the team can remain on the field until one of the memebers of the opposite team beats him.