I’ve been practicing kendo for a few years now and find these fundamentals really helpful especially when preparing for a rank test. Thanks for the lesson.
Thanks for this. I'm an American living in Japan since 2000. My son is 6, half Japanese, and has been practicing Kendo for 2 years with our city police force. Recently his teacher convinced me to start practicing as well and I am really excited to learn as much as possible while having something my son and I can do together. Fumikomi ashi is the first real hurdle I've come across, but this video has helped quite a bit. My teacher is very good and quite knowledgeable, but his English is non-existent and my Japanese is quite basic. So for some things, even with my wife's help translating, I have a hard time. Again, thanks for the videos. I really appreciate them and have learned a lot.
I'm starting kendo a mounth ago, and i'm really aprecciate all the martial art and want to walk more and more in Way of sword. Your video really help me a lot. Thank you . 頑張りましょう！
This was extremely helpful! I always thought that loud stomp is a must, and never even questioned it, making my foot hurt a bit at the end of the practice! Now I know the drill, thanks a lot :)
New Kendoka here, just got my bogu this past winter. Thanks for the helpful video on fumikomi! I’ve been enjoying the V-1 bogu too, fantastic product! I can’t praise it enough. All the best, Andy!
This video is awsome Andy is my one of my only kendo source's I am teaching my self kendo and I'm so grateful Andy is making these videos to help people improve Thanks Andy😄
as new kendoka i neeeeedddd thissss, i've been practice sparring with my hema friend and recorded it, and it showed how bad my foot work, so this tip will gladly help me so muchhhhhhhh thank youuu :O
Great video Andy, thanks for breaking it down the reasons for doing it. I'm living and training in Japan, but my Japanese isn't quite at the level to understand really detailed explanations from my senseis yet, so this is a real help!
I'm gonna search through your channel cause this is gold! Very good Andy! Could you do a video on basics about how to relax your shoulders while cutting. I notice it myself, even after 5 yrs of training that my shoulders, subconsciously, goes up when cutting. Also, could you make a video about how to do kiai. What to think about so you don't just do a high pitch scream that sounds ridiculous and only leave you voiceless the day after. I sing in a professional choir as first tenor so the voice is important for me. But also because I think there's some misconception about kiai that even the top athletes have missed out on, and that is to channel your energy through it.. Thank you! @thekendoshow
Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I feel like when you do your men suburi at 5:01, you're raising the kensen of your shinai too far back. I was told that your shinai, when you raise it, should be at a 45 degree angle to the ceiling, with the kensen pointing up. Your kensen, however, is going all the way horizontal, or even pointing downwards sometimes. I was told that this makes it harder to only use your left hand when hitting because it makes pulling up with your right hand more attractive if you bring your shinai back too far. Interested to hear your thoughts on this. Thanks for all you do! Informative video!
Hi Smiley. The issue stems from the difference between "big men" and "small men" strikes. The men you're referring to is "small men", which is typically not practiced as a suburi, but rather only in keiko. It comes to 45 degrees and relies on the strength of the left hand, as you mention. "Big men" is practiced in keiko as well as suburi, and involves a larger range of motion where the shinai comes all the way back, to the point where it is parallel to the ceiling. As with small men, big men also relies on the left arm rather than the right arm, while also drawing power from the movement of the hips and the muscles of the back. Big men is the most fundamental suburi, in Japan and abroad. Most teachers will emphasize that a proper big men is essential to develop an effective small men.
Thank you for your response. I understand big men to be more fundamental than small men. But I was told that big men should also involve the sword being raised (fully above the head) at a 45 degree angle. I was told that bringing the men back too far (parallel) is not efficient for fast men cuts. I have noticed that this does not usually happen in shiai, but this is what my senseis have told me.
Hi Andy, I joined a kendo club a few months ago, trouble is I broke my right knee pretty badly a couple of years ago and I sometimes feel pain while or after practicing kendo. It's not excruciating, but I fear the effects that practicing kendo, and especially fumikomi, may have on my knee in the long term. Do you have any advice for me? Thanks in advance.
Hi! Thanks for your comment! I recommend that you consult your teacher, and ask their advice, as it is really them who decides what is the best way to teach you, in the context of your Dojo. If I were your teacher, my advice would be that, if you are experieincing pain, then that is a problem that needs to be addressed. As I said in the video, it is not a problem if the stamp does not make a loud noise, and actually if it is due to injury it is also acceptable for you to make attacks using sliding footwork, instead of stamping. This requires a different approach to teaching Kendo, but it is perfect acceptable... Once again, I suggest you talk it over with your teacher. All the best, Andy
My teachers are strict with me to keep my feet on the ground until the last moment. Then I raise it slightly and stamp, almost taking a full step forward before lifting the foot. They also say I should otherwise never let my feet leave the floor. Am I being taught wrong?
It sounds right to me, by right doing fumikomi should be applied the moment you strike your shinai in the downward motion and not during the lifting motion.
Any I an a 4 th Dan in Karate and just started kendo. I love it. But why stamp your feet does this not transfer energy back k to you body instead of transforming it to your opponent. Please come to South Africa.
I’ve been practicing kendo for a few years now and find these fundamentals really helpful especially when preparing for a rank test. Thanks for the lesson.
Thanks for this. I'm an American living in Japan since 2000. My son is 6, half Japanese, and has been practicing Kendo for 2 years with our city police force. Recently his teacher convinced me to start practicing as well and I am really excited to learn as much as possible while having something my son and I can do together.
Fumikomi ashi is the first real hurdle I've come across, but this video has helped quite a bit. My teacher is very good and quite knowledgeable, but his English is non-existent and my Japanese is quite basic. So for some things, even with my wife's help translating, I have a hard time.
Again, thanks for the videos. I really appreciate them and have learned a lot.
I'm starting kendo a mounth ago, and i'm really aprecciate all the martial art and want to walk more and more in Way of sword. Your video really help me a lot. Thank you . 頑張りましょう！
This was extremely helpful! I always thought that loud stomp is a must, and never even questioned it, making my foot hurt a bit at the end of the practice! Now I know the drill, thanks a lot :)
Great! Glad to help!
I'm practicing Kendo and I'm struggling with fumikomi. This video is a really great help! I want to do it myself right away. Thanks a lot!
Hurt my shoulder very badly but somehow happy im able to work on fumikomi and start over to make it even better!
This is what my Sensei has us do! Supposed to be a shift in weight and not an intentional stomp. Thank you for what you do 🙏✝️💖
This is SUPER HELPFUL!! Thanks for making a video about Fumikomi!
No problem! Thank you!
New Kendoka here, just got my bogu this past winter. Thanks for the helpful video on fumikomi! I’ve been enjoying the V-1 bogu too, fantastic product! I can’t praise it enough.
All the best, Andy!
It's magical! I put the shinai behind my back and the fumikomi finally came out!
This video is awsome Andy is my one of my only kendo source's I am teaching my self kendo and I'm so grateful Andy is making these videos to help people improve Thanks Andy😄
I just joined my Kendo club at my University and we started practicing this a week ago. This video really helps!!
Thank you a lot! It's really helpful to make my fumikomi better.
Nice video
I am struggling with it, so this helps me
as new kendoka i neeeeedddd thissss, i've been practice sparring with my hema friend and recorded it, and it showed how bad my foot work, so this tip will gladly help me so muchhhhhhhh thank youuu :O
Just injured my heel after kendo practice, after the video I realised that my fumikomi wasn’t right. Thanks for the video! I will work on my fumikomi🙂
Thank you Andy
Just started learning fumikomi today. This helps alot. Thanks!
really sophisticated
Great channel
Great video Andy, thanks for breaking it down the reasons for doing it. I'm living and training in Japan, but my Japanese isn't quite at the level to understand really detailed explanations from my senseis yet, so this is a real help!
Thank you for the information and the useful tips 🙏
Exactly what I needed, thanks again! I wish I could give this video 10 likes :)
わかりやすい。 素晴らしい！
Thank youuuu Andy this is the video I've been waiting for.
Great video Andy. Thank you so much!
Thank you, Andy!
You do really good job. Thank you sooo much!
Thank you!
Thank You for your channel, it's very useful!!! Could You make a video about jodan?
Great video mate, keep it up!
So cool
Thank you!
what DAN are you, sensei Andy Fisher (?) I'm still learning on FUMIKOMI and this video, helps me A LOT. THANK YOU SENSEI ^^
hes 5th dan... mb 6th by now
Fumikomi is so difficult to me. I don't know. Hopefully this video will help me, to do fumikomi correctly.
I'm gonna search through your channel cause this is gold! Very good Andy!
Could you do a video on basics about how to relax your shoulders while cutting. I notice it myself, even after 5 yrs of training that my shoulders, subconsciously, goes up when cutting.
Also, could you make a video about how to do kiai. What to think about so you don't just do a high pitch scream that sounds ridiculous and only leave you voiceless the day after. I sing in a professional choir as first tenor so the voice is important for me. But also because I think there's some misconception about kiai that even the top athletes have missed out on, and that is to channel your energy through it.. Thank you!
@thekendoshow
Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I feel like when you do your men suburi at 5:01, you're raising the kensen of your shinai too far back. I was told that your shinai, when you raise it, should be at a 45 degree angle to the ceiling, with the kensen pointing up. Your kensen, however, is going all the way horizontal, or even pointing downwards sometimes. I was told that this makes it harder to only use your left hand when hitting because it makes pulling up with your right hand more attractive if you bring your shinai back too far. Interested to hear your thoughts on this. Thanks for all you do! Informative video!
Hi Smiley. The issue stems from the difference between "big men" and "small men" strikes. The men you're referring to is "small men", which is typically not practiced as a suburi, but rather only in keiko. It comes to 45 degrees and relies on the strength of the left hand, as you mention. "Big men" is practiced in keiko as well as suburi, and involves a larger range of motion where the shinai comes all the way back, to the point where it is parallel to the ceiling. As with small men, big men also relies on the left arm rather than the right arm, while also drawing power from the movement of the hips and the muscles of the back. Big men is the most fundamental suburi, in Japan and abroad. Most teachers will emphasize that a proper big men is essential to develop an effective small men.
Thank you for your response. I understand big men to be more fundamental than small men. But I was told that big men should also involve the sword being raised (fully above the head) at a 45 degree angle. I was told that bringing the men back too far (parallel) is not efficient for fast men cuts. I have noticed that this does not usually happen in shiai, but this is what my senseis have told me.
very helpful thank a lot!
so the important point is raising shinai and right foot at the same time when we do fumikomi?
andy I was on your website for shinai I like the deep smoked set does smoking it really help durability?
Hi Andy, I joined a kendo club a few months ago, trouble is I broke my right knee pretty badly a couple of years ago and I sometimes feel pain while or after practicing kendo.
It's not excruciating, but I fear the effects that practicing kendo, and especially fumikomi, may have on my knee in the long term.
Do you have any advice for me?
Thanks in advance.
Hi! Thanks for your comment!
I recommend that you consult your teacher, and ask their advice, as it is really them who decides what is the best way to teach you, in the context of your Dojo.
If I were your teacher, my advice would be that, if you are experieincing pain, then that is a problem that needs to be addressed. As I said in the video, it is not a problem if the stamp does not make a loud noise, and actually if it is due to injury it is also acceptable for you to make attacks using sliding footwork, instead of stamping. This requires a different approach to teaching Kendo, but it is perfect acceptable...
Once again, I suggest you talk it over with your teacher.
All the best,
Andy
Will do, thanks Andy :)
Greeting Fisher Sensei, i have a question about kikentainoichi. Do we need to hit the man, kirai and fumikomi hit the ground at the very same time?
Not at the *exact* same time - just roughly ;)
oss
My teachers are strict with me to keep my feet on the ground until the last moment. Then I raise it slightly and stamp, almost taking a full step forward before lifting the foot. They also say I should otherwise never let my feet leave the floor.
Am I being taught wrong?
It sounds right to me, by right doing fumikomi should be applied the moment you strike your shinai in the downward motion and not during the lifting motion.
Any I an a 4 th Dan in Karate and just started kendo. I love it. But why stamp your feet does this not transfer energy back k to you body instead of transforming it to your opponent. Please come to South Africa.
10:38 \m/
Using our feet for footwork...
can I really strike a point using my left foot?
You need cooler intro music!!!
Whats this language?? 🤣