Kendo Fighting

Kendo literally means the way of the sword and it is a type of traditional Japanese martial art that was based on Kenjutsu. When practicing Kendo fighting, making use of the Bogu (Kendo armor) and the Shinai (bamboo sword) are necessary and it is best that every Kendoka has their own set of these. Kendo is also a martial art form that requires its participants to engage in rigorous physical activities and regular practice to perfect the martial art.

The swordsmen from Japan were the ones who set up dojos where individuals practiced Kenjutsu and the kendo fighting exercises were called the Kata. In the year 1946, a ban on Kendo was raised yet in the year 1950, the practice of the art was returned. The year 1952 came and right after the independence of the country, the All Japan Kendo Federation was founded and simultaneously, the ban on all traditional martial arts was lifted; everything went well for the practitioners of the arts and in the year 1970, the International Kendo Federation was finally founded. Those who practice the martial art form of Kendo fighting are called the Kendoka and these individuals do not engage in Kendo practice in silence. Everyone who practices this traditional martial art expresses their fighting spirit and courage through the shout called Kiai, and when they execute a strike, these practitioners yell out the target spot they will attack and stomp their feet as well. When practicing Kendo, every Kendoka engages in the art with their bare feet and the proper locations to practice the art of Kendo fighting are in places that feature wooden floors.

Kendo fighting techniques and methods are generally made up of thrusts and strikes; strikes are usually targeted on the wrist or head area and the Kendoka’s body is usually concealed by a protective armor. These protective gears are vital when practicing Kendo since a wrong strike can easily lead to severe injuries; so with that, it is a must to practice Kendo regularly and it is also vital to follow all the rules to avoid accidents and injuries.

Kendo Tournament

Among the known Kendo Tournament is the World Kendo Championship – a renowned international Kendo tournament where the member nations that are part of the International Kendo Federation gather and compete. The FIK is the international federation of regional and national Kendo groups, and it is the governing body specifically for its members. Championships for the martial art have continuously been conducted every three years since its beginning in the year 1970.
Team, the Men’s Team, Women’s Individual, and the Men’s Individual. For the team matches in the Kendo competition, these are individual between five members from each present team, and these constantly change at the end of every round. It is said in Japan that this Kendo tournament is not of the same quality as the All-Japan Police Kendo Championship or the All-Japan Kendo Championship since they claim that there are definite differences in the quality when it comes to the competitive level and style exhibited by the countries where some Japanese have lived, reigned or immigrated before the Second World War. They have shared another opinion and this stated that the level of referees who were non-Japanese do not exhibit enough qualities to properly and fairly judge these Kendo tournament matches. To offset this way of thinking, the International Kendo Federation organized mandatory international referee conventions or seminars with high-ranking Kendo officials are made the lecturers.