My progress

I am training hard for my kendo.My aim is to get to the upcoming kendo youth competition.Training more than what my plan was.This video above is a training at the singapore kendo club doju with my senior.It was tough the mostly on the left side was me.Now i already have the kendo armour,i am ready to be trained.More tough training like kakari keiko and all the different types of training will be coming up soon.I have confident in myself!!BUCK UP ZHENG HAO!!

kendo in singapore!!

THE CLUB
The most famous kendo club in singapore is SINGAPORE KENDO CLUB.This is main kendo club in singapore.This is also the main club where all kendo clubs around sinagpore gather together to have our gradings.It organise the programmes and it is under the stewardship of its executive committee, elected annually by the club’s adult local members.
A bit of history about this club:
The Club was founded in 1972 by the late Lim Kwa Chwee sensei and from its humble beginnings the Club has progressed much over the past 30 years.

Accorded a National Sports Association status by the National Sports Council of Singapore since its inception, SKC receives much support from the Sports Council as well as the Japanese Association and the Japanese School. As a member of the International Kendo Federation, SKC conducts training sessions and regular grading for its club members as well as members from clubs affiliated to SKC in Nayang Polytechnic and the National University of Singapore.

Apart from the annual East-West Competition, Lim Kwa Chwee Memorial Tournament, Singapore Ladies Championships and the Singapore Youth Tournament (in collaboration with SKC affiliated clubs), the Club has from time to time hosted regional events such as the ASEAN Kendo Tournament, last held in Singapore, in September 2001. Outwardly, SKC also participates in the World Kendo Championships held every three years and visits other clubs in the region given the opportunity.

Today, the Club stands strong with members of various nationalities practising the Way of the Sword under one roof.

AND 1 MORE THING!NYP took part in the singapore kendo youth compettition AND:
The NYP Kendo Club organised the 7th Singapore Kendo Youth Competition held at our Sports Hall on 30 Jan 05. A total of 99 participants took part in the competition. Our Team came in 2nd Runner-up for Men's Individual and Women's Team events.

5th post - Famous personalities

Nakakura Kiyoshi The Spirit of the Fighter.


He is famous for bringing kendo up.Me,myself admire him
http://www.abkf.be/pages/nakakura2.htm
The link is all about him and how he strives and promote kendo.
In summary he brought kendo to japan and how he feel kendo about kendo.He has the quality of being a true kendōka,He has the spirit and the will.
I admired him because he had showed his absolute strength to many people.In the East vs West match, he made an incredible 9 wins! People called Him ONI (Japanese monster).This is 1 main point that i really admire him.He actually won 9 wins which is impossible.It is so ridiculous but true.Althought its impossible i still wish to have his strength for kendo and the sprite.

4th post - Techniques & Styles

This are the few basic movement or strikes in kendo


This is called joge-buri.It is a cut where you hit all the way from the head th the bottom near the opponent thigh.


This is a man cut where you cut up to the opponents head


The few moves coming are actually for advanced player where they had their bogu(armour) on.The bogu will protect them from being hit and the impact.

Kakari-geiko is a style rather than a cut.It is short, intense, attack practice which teaches continuous alertness and readiness to attack, as well as building spirit and stamina.


Kiri-kaeshi is style that Strikes the left and right men target points in succession, practising centering, distance, and correct technique, while building spirit and stamina.


This final video will show you a summary of the cuts and moves.study it and you will have a rough idea about kendo

3rd post - Equipment needed

kendo need alot alot equiment and therefore lots of money are needed to be spent....
this is the standard uniform of Kendo.Coming up are the protective gears for kendo.



MEN
This is used to protect the head called "men" and is made of layers thick cloth on the sides with a metal grill and leather trimmings. Padding on the inside of the grill allows a tight fit between the top of the head and the chin. A throat guard ("tsuki") is made of padded cloth with leather on the outside. Usually the tsuki will have a "X" patter of stitches which serve as a target for thrusts.


DO
This is used to protect the body is called a "do". The do is traditionally made of bamboo panels although plastic materials and even carbon fiber can be found.


KOTE
This is used to protect the fingers are called "kote" and are also made of thick layers of cloth on the wrists with padded cloth or leather for the fingers.


TARE
The lower body protector is called a "tare". The tare is also made of thick layers of cloth with leather and stitches making patterns on it.It is used to protect our sexual organs!especially for guys!



This are the equipment used for hitting the opponent shinai,katana and sodu.Kantana and Sodo are used in a later stage of kendo.
Shinai

Sodo

Katana

2nd post - history/background

The sword is an integral part of Japanese history. With the rise of the warrior class (samurai) in Japanese society in the 13th century, the sword carved lasting impressions in Japan. Before the mid-eighteenth century, the Samurai used real blades (shinken) or a wooden sword (boken or bokuto) to practice their sword skills. Unfortunately, death or serious injuries were not an uncommon occurance.

In the mid-eighteenth century, Nakanishi Chuta created Kendo as a means to practice swordsmanship without fear of injury. He created the bamboo practice sword (shinai), allowing the swordsman to execute a full blow without fear of causing an injury. In addition, he created protective gauntlets (kote), chest guard (do), hip and groin protector (tare), and a head and throat protector (men). Kendo has remained fundamentally unchanged since then.

Kendo therefore, as opposed to kenjutsu, is not practiced in order to destroy opponents but rather to train oneself in character building. It is in this aim of spritual awakening that kendo has much in common with Zen Buddhism. However, kendo is deeply influenced not only by Zen but by orthodox Buddhist, Confucian, and Shinto philosophy. The expert manipulation of the sword is only the means to the end. In a kendo match only one person may win but many people may take part. Physical prowess and technical skill are counted less important than doing everything with full spirit and participation even if there's no hope of winning. What is important is attaining mental and spiritual calm and balance.

Kendo-first week of my plan

I have started going for kendo practise every twice a week.We were break up into 2 groups to train us in 2 areas of aspect in kendo.1 is speed and the latter which is stamina.I got into the speed section.It was a tought training that day.I just recovered from my injured ankle.Training was kind of painful that.

On my plan i told myself to practise more on my free time.I had been practising my "man" cuts this week.I have a video that shows the man cuts.It is a cut that hit the head.