my thoughts on my Kendo pt 1

I have been doing Kendo for awhile now, just think it may be a good time to look back and reflect on what I have learnt.

I started last year back in May.
I would have started earlier but had some things on my mind which in the end was the initial reason for joining Kendo.

Why I joined? Revenge.

I wanted to beat someone else who also did a martial arts. I wanted to hurt this person, not just physically. But to prove my skills were deadlier. I still to this day hate this person very much.

So if you see my shinai is striking Men higher than my head height, just know that person was taller than me.

After several months, my love for kendo outgrew that hate.
I fully enjoyed this. For the first time since hockey Im fighting (just not brawling ^_^).
Admitedly I am a geek. In my Lunchtimes I'd go to the Library and get out books on Kendo. I learnt much from Chiba Sensei and D.M Craig Sensei. I recomend "The Heart of Kendo" to anyone wanting some light reading on Kendo. I brought it $56 from Pathfinder on Wellesley/Lorne St.

I found the first warm up very hard to resist laughing. I fully felt like I was doing some kind of funky aerobics! Oscar kept making weird jokes and unfortunately practicing vs Steve just made it irresistible to Laugh! For the rest of the lesson Oscar would have to tell me to shut up, and steve would threaten to knock me on the head with the Bokuto.
Kendo is not always seriousness. There was the time one of the "Sempai's" said 'now dont be too quick when you are pulling out the bokuto, you dont want Premature Swordulation'



Holy shit you dont know how much i wanted to die 'cause i had to hold my breath that badly or i would laugh!




Then there was the quite amusing times when Patrick would hitch his hakama up into his obi and try to show us noobs how to okuri-ashi and fumikomi... Not to mention the time he fell flat on his face and NO ONE SAID A WORD... We will miss you when you leave!

When I first started I met Oscar I beleive. Then I met Bek's, Rachel and Lacey. Awesome Trio.
I came in when they had Kata practice. And Ben was teaching me, along side of Beks. I copied everything I could.
I always wore Jeans to practice. I dont have any clothes to beat around in!
I made fast friends with Geoffrey and Nina. Me and Geoff hang out every now and then. Nina is hard to get in touch with.

The second time I did Grading I made sure that most people knew my name properly!
Oscar had written down my name wrong on the Grading List. when my name was called out I yelled "ITS REGAN!!" and even corrected it on the list.

I made friends with Mina, she was cool to watch doing Kendo. I still have to learn to move like her especially when passing through.
When I first met Hisashi, he was... omoshiroi. His english was so bad I felt very sorry for him!
"Two men Horward, two men back..." @_@ (LOL)
Jeeze even the beginners class starting ganging up on him!
- "But we were told this!"
Im glad that I heard him say at the last lesson I saw him teach "My ways are different please take them on for this lesson at least"
After awhile he's gotten pretty good at teaching. I can see he enjoys making the kendoka fumikomi up and down the dojo, and try 'okashi' techniques. :o)


I have huge respect for the Sensei's. They are wonderful teachers. I love Brents Haisuburi class.. just not at the moment I am so unfit and I swear my back's gonna break!
Oh and Kens '1000' Suburi class! What a effort, I love haisuburi. I cant beleive I was so fit back then and now look at me! I hate Office work!

Speaking of the office, I love it when they ask me where I got my Bruises from. It makes me think of the night before... Kinda like im having a "Fight Club" moment.


to wrap up this reminiscing: I have fully enjoyed Kendo and I will never give it up. I have learnt so much from it, made really good friends and been on some good trips.