Great video. Zanshin is a state of awareness after striking. You're not aware of anything if your back turned to your opponent and you're galloping off into the sunset.
This is very good to know. I failled my 3rd dan examination before a kendo break. I was tired after an international shiai and hurting (back injury) but that was not why i failled. I failled because my technique looked like nidan. I failled because i had little control over the center, bad seme and not elaborate enough zanshin. I will try again my 3rd dan when i get back in shape and work on these 3 things that probably made me fail. Thank you for this video. Restarting kendo makes me look at things in a different way. I just thought speed and that's all, i will work harder on creating opportunities instead of flying around like a kendo fly that ends up getting smacked.
Indeed.. I've been asked once by a fellow Kendō instructor about what was wrong with the performance of one his students, who had failed in Sandan Exam. I saw the video of the Exam, and it became clear to me that the examinee was much more concerned on "hit and pass" than 'pressing' (Seme!) then strike the surging 'breach' (Suki) into the opponent's Kamae... People get "stuck in the form" rather than the purpose...! In my opinion, that was the main flaw, and I suggested my friend to instruct his student accordingly.
I agree 100% with this. Defeats the purpose of having Zanshin when you leave your back open to your opponent by just passing through after doing men. Plus it looks more crisp and tight when you quickly regain zanshin after striking your opponent 👍
Just to add some more food for thought from America, during Jigeiko, my sensei's and I literally spend about half the time working on Ai-men while running into each other (part of it is to help me loosen my shoulders which is my main issue) and the goal is literally zanshin and return to kamae. That in and around itself shows that Zanshin is not just run through. The run through should always be thought of as a drill to train ki ken tai (specifically the body), you need momentum with your body and that is what the run through is 90%. Additionally something else to keep in mind although this is more for kids, during grading make sure the judges can see everything, remember tachiai, is not shiai, its about showing off your kendo to the judges. If you take time to slightly readjust yourselves to allow judges to see, it will go miles towards the judges impression of your kendo.
There's a difference between going through and going straight etc and training that as opposed to zanshin. You've still got to drive forward and through but you've also got to be able to see and also obey the laws of physics when you clash 😂
My senpais allways told me what you said: if you can pass great, if you can't just turn to your opponent and keep the kamae and the zanshin and it works I've just passed shodan exam
Nice video. My teachers taught me at first that I have to follow through on 'men' with 3 suri-ashi steps and then turning around... And now they keep telling me I need to turn around quickly and keep eye contact! Haha. The two are so contradictory.
Anyone who ever saw Karate Kid knows: "always look eye" - best advice ever! My background is wado-ryu karate, and all our kumite (fixed form attack/defense) end in respectfully moving back to the start position, while retaining kamae and zanshin. Sometimes we practice Kobudo kumite with bo/bokken/sai/etc. and that's when you really see the need to keep alert, all that extra reach with a potentially lethal weapon commands respect.
Just my two cents, but I think it is being thought about the wrong way. The drill of kiri kaeshi requires you to run past, but so do traditional men, kote men, do drills. Running through an opponent is about momentum and speed. I think its purpose is to train your subaris to have good energy and send it to your opponent. My sensei is a 7th dan and he has 2 requirements, connect with your opponent in the middle and hayatari, or move through them and turn around to continue. I don't see a need to run to the edge and turn around, but enough to turn and enter seme. it's kind of like taking the center yourself, your opponent moves or stays. It's there to Fundamentally train footwork and commitment with your strikes. But it is the nice thing, you can find your own path, the main goal is the perfect strike and technique in kendo! It is an art form as much as a martial arts.
I do find it strange that kendo has drills/ katas and techniques that require you stepping backwards, yet in sparring (geiko) we are encouraged to only move foreward... I started recently (march 2023) and only can attend 2 times a week so i dont know much... Its just strange
Thank you sensei Andy. I appreciate this insight. Could you recommend some grading videos we could watch as reference? I am due to retake my sandan soon as I didn’t do well on my last and would like to pick up a few pointers.
I am still very new, but against some senpais I can feel they want to hit me, feel they are ready to hit me if I spend too long in passing, so I turn around quickly and try to maintain zanshin.
![[KENDO VIDEO ANALYSIS] - Grading for 4th Dan: Pass vs Fail](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/rgbGmOF5nNo/mqdefault.jpg)
![[SEMINAR: HOW TO WIN SHIAI] - Points for Gyaku-Do](/img/1.gif)
Great video. Zanshin is a state of awareness after striking. You're not aware of anything if your back turned to your opponent and you're galloping off into the sunset.
Yeah, we aren't lancers on horse putting one through someone and can now think about afternoon tea because they aren't getting up.
This is very good to know. I failled my 3rd dan examination before a kendo break. I was tired after an international shiai and hurting (back injury) but that was not why i failled. I failled because my technique looked like nidan. I failled because i had little control over the center, bad seme and not elaborate enough zanshin. I will try again my 3rd dan when i get back in shape and work on these 3 things that probably made me fail. Thank you for this video. Restarting kendo makes me look at things in a different way. I just thought speed and that's all, i will work harder on creating opportunities instead of flying around like a kendo fly that ends up getting smacked.
Indeed.. I've been asked once by a fellow Kendō instructor about what was wrong with the performance of one his students, who had failed in Sandan Exam. I saw the video of the Exam, and it became clear to me that the examinee was much more concerned on "hit and pass" than 'pressing' (Seme!) then strike the surging 'breach' (Suki) into the opponent's Kamae... People get "stuck in the form" rather than the purpose...! In my opinion, that was the main flaw, and I suggested my friend to instruct his student accordingly.
I agree 100% with this. Defeats the purpose of having Zanshin when you leave your back open to your opponent by just passing through after doing men. Plus it looks more crisp and tight when you quickly regain zanshin after striking your opponent 👍
BEST KENDO ADVICE…EVER!
I’m so glad that the screenshot I took a while back is now cannon in this video thumbnail.
Especially with a major BKA Grading coming up, I think this is very valuable advice!
Just to add some more food for thought from America, during Jigeiko, my sensei's and I literally spend about half the time working on Ai-men while running into each other (part of it is to help me loosen my shoulders which is my main issue) and the goal is literally zanshin and return to kamae. That in and around itself shows that Zanshin is not just run through. The run through should always be thought of as a drill to train ki ken tai (specifically the body), you need momentum with your body and that is what the run through is 90%.
Additionally something else to keep in mind although this is more for kids, during grading make sure the judges can see everything, remember tachiai, is not shiai, its about showing off your kendo to the judges. If you take time to slightly readjust yourselves to allow judges to see, it will go miles towards the judges impression of your kendo.
There's a difference between going through and going straight etc and training that as opposed to zanshin. You've still got to drive forward and through but you've also got to be able to see and also obey the laws of physics when you clash 😂
You Kendoit!
My senpais allways told me what you said: if you can pass great, if you can't just turn to your opponent and keep the kamae and the zanshin and it works I've just passed shodan exam
Nice video. My teachers taught me at first that I have to follow through on 'men' with 3 suri-ashi steps and then turning around... And now they keep telling me I need to turn around quickly and keep eye contact! Haha. The two are so contradictory.
Anyone who ever saw Karate Kid knows: "always look eye" - best advice ever!
My background is wado-ryu karate, and all our kumite (fixed form attack/defense) end in respectfully moving back to the start position, while retaining kamae and zanshin.
Sometimes we practice Kobudo kumite with bo/bokken/sai/etc. and that's when you really see the need to keep alert, all that extra reach with a potentially lethal weapon commands respect.
Just my two cents, but I think it is being thought about the wrong way. The drill of kiri kaeshi requires you to run past, but so do traditional men, kote men, do drills. Running through an opponent is about momentum and speed. I think its purpose is to train your subaris to have good energy and send it to your opponent. My sensei is a 7th dan and he has 2 requirements, connect with your opponent in the middle and hayatari, or move through them and turn around to continue. I don't see a need to run to the edge and turn around, but enough to turn and enter seme. it's kind of like taking the center yourself, your opponent moves or stays. It's there to Fundamentally train footwork and commitment with your strikes. But it is the nice thing, you can find your own path, the main goal is the perfect strike and technique in kendo! It is an art form as much as a martial arts.
*insert Scott from The Office Thank You meme*
I do find it strange that kendo has drills/ katas and techniques that require you stepping backwards, yet in sparring (geiko) we are encouraged to only move foreward...
I started recently (march 2023) and only can attend 2 times a week so i dont know much...
Its just strange
One may spend a lifetime crafting the perfect cup, yet without water, that lifetime is short and empty.
Thank you sensei Andy. I appreciate this insight.
Could you recommend some grading videos we could watch as reference? I am due to retake my sandan soon as I didn’t do well on my last and would like to pick up a few pointers.
I'll be posting a feedback video shortly - I give feedback on a successful 3dan grading in that ;) It should be live in the next hour or so.
@@TheKendoShow thank you!
I am still very new, but against some senpais I can feel they want to hit me, feel they are ready to hit me if I spend too long in passing, so I turn around quickly and try to maintain zanshin.