KENDO RULES

Valid Strikes

Points are scored in a pretty basic way. All you have to do is accomplish the objective of hitting your opponent around any of the patted areas. However there are some regulations that must be followed in order to make that hit a valid strike, which are the following:

1. The competitor may hit his oppenent's men, any part of the areas covered by the "men", except for the metallic part of the "men". There's an exception made only when the target throws his/her head backwards and the competitor's sinai's happens to hit it.

2. Another vaid strike, happens when the competitor hits his/her opponents "kote", the patted area around the forearm. This may only count as a valid strike if the offensive player hits the arm which he/she uses for forward holding (the arm used to hold the top part of the shinai), and vice versa.

3. The other strike points which the offensive player may target are pretty basic. He may hit any part of the "Do" or any part of the patted areas which the "Tare" covers.

Fouls

The following actions are cinsidered fouls in kendo:

1. Stepping out of bounds.

A player is considered to be out of bounds when placing one foot completely outside the ring.
A competitor is declared to be out of bounds when bracing the body or part of the shinai outside the court line
Falling on to the floor with one body part crossing the court line
Its illegal to push the player out of bounds. In this case the player that results to be out of bounds is free of judgement.

2. No foul is made if the Shinai is dropped, however if the armed player strikes the unarmed one, the palayer who launched the hit will be DQ.

3. Intentionally sweeping an opponent off his feet will result in a foul.

4. Pushing an opponent with the tip of the shinai will result in a foul.

5. It is illegal to hold your opponent. Contact to the body should only be made with the assistance of the shinai.

6. Grabbing an opponents Shinai will also result in a foul.

7. Wasting time

8. Using unnecessary force on your opponent.

Match Time Periods

A Kendo match may last up to 5 min standard time. During the given time period, both competitors must focus on scoring a certain amount of points depending on which match style they engage in (singles or team match).

The standard extension time is of 3 min (overtime). It's given in case of ending in a draw during the standard time.