Kendo Classes in Johannesburg

As far as martial arts go, Kendo is not a very well-known sport.
It doesn't have the fame of Karate, or the flair of Kung Fu & in fact at first glance it can seem quite straightforward – participants follow a set form of exercises, following along perfectly to their Sensei (or Teacher). It's also quite loud as shouts are used often: either for timing & counting as a group, or to demonstrate your fighting spirit within.

What you realise after a few lessons is that kendo is essentially the quest for perfection, & this principle is displayed in the discipline & dedication of kendoka (those that practice kendo) as they learn to master the techniques of the art.

Kendo, or “way of the sword” is a Japanese martial art whose techniques are based on traditional samurai swordsmanship (kenjutsu).

As with all martial arts, Kendo focuses on learning to control the body & the mind, creating a harmony between the two that results in perfection of the art.

It's a good idea to go & watch for your first kendo lesson, so that you get a feel for the sport & see how the lesson works.

Lessons start with a warm-up to ensure that your muscles are suitably prepared for the vigorous exercise that follows later. Once that is over, kendoka engage in repetitive exercises, which help them to perfect their sword strikes. After repetitions of the different cuts, the class splits up into groups, with the more junior members are grouped together & taught the basics.

This is where you'll find yourself for a while at first, learning to walk first, before you can run.

And that's literally what you'll be learning, as kendo calls for a completely different type of motion with your feet.

Kendoka glide across the dojo (training area), sliding their feet instead of lifting them. So there's a whole new way of moving you have to learn first, before you can even pick up a shinai (bamboo sword used to practice the sword strikes).

When you've got your footwork sorted, you learn how to hold the shinai, with your hands & fingers positioned very specifically. With the right technique in place, you can start learning the basics of striking with your sword, which is no easy feat as there are only four major strikes in the martial art & each one is very specific: men or forehead, the kote or forearm, the do or torso, and the tsuki or throat.

As a beginner you will be introduced first to the men strike, & then kote & do. The tsuki strike is only used by more experienced kendoka. After a couple of lessons you're ready to try out some of the techniques on a motodachi, which is a volunteer in kendo armour who allows you to practice strikes on them while you are learning.

For a while at first it's quite overwhelming as there is so much to learn & you feel so awkward. You also have to learn some Japanese words & phrases as they're used as cues in the lessons. Then there's footwork you have to learn, combined with all the strikes that have to be timed perfectly with said footwork.

It's very challenging & at times down-right frustrating, but it's important to realise that everyone starts out at the same point – eventually it'll all come together & you'll start to feel like you're actually doing a bit of kendo.

It's a martial art that focuses your mind on your body as you learn to not only master the sword, but you also learn to master your mind, body & your opponent.

It's definitely one of the most challenging sports/martial arts I have ever tried & it takes a while to get into. But if you sit back & watch the more senior kendoka practising, you see that patience does pay off in the end as the art is fun, a great fitness challenge & is certainly something that'll keep your brain fit while you train your body.

Currently there are only 2 dojos in Johannesburg (though there are others in major cities around the country).

The first is the San Kawa Kendo Dojo who practice in Rosebank on Tuesday & Thursday evenings, from 6 to 7:30pm for beginners.

The second is Ken Yu Kai Dojo, who practice Monday's & Thursdays at the Bryanston Primary School.

There's also a beginner's class on Saturdays from 9am to 10am at the Japanese School in Emmerentia. This is run by both clubs.

For more information, you can visit the various dojo profiles, where contact details are available should you be interested in attending a class.

Living & working in Johannesburg, South Africa