WHAT IS KENDO

Kendō is traditional Japanese fencing.

Japanese world Ken means "sword" while Dō means way or path. The two ideograms which compose the word Kendō may well be translated as "the way of the sword" or "the doctrine of the sword".

Who can practice Kendō?

Kendō may be practiced by everybody, with different goals and personal reasons, focusing one own attention on various aspects of the practice:

• Sportive point of view;
• Control of mind and body;
• Fighting;
• Psycho-physical well-being deriving from practice;
• Kendō basic phylosophy;
• Various other aspects which may interest the practitioners;

Practicing Kendō the most important qualities are:

• Speed;
• Control of the movements;
• Reflexes;
• Ability to concentrate;
• Posture and equilibrium;
• Focused spirit;

Strength and power are not essential.
Indeed, even though Kendō is a demanding activity, men and women may well train together and there are no particular age limits to begin and continue practice. In Japan children start practice very young and keep on training throughout the whole school period. There are Kendō clubs in universities all around the world and in the East many big firms have a agonistic Kendō team among the employees. In Japan in the championship reserved to 8th Dan athletes – one of the events which displays the highest quality of Kendō performance in the world – is not rare to see fighting in the championship masters more than sixty years old.

In the picture above: archive image; trainees in action.