Stirling preschool Midtown West : Martial arts comparison series
Stirling preschool Midtown West : Kendo means ‘Way of the Sword” and is a traditional Japanese martial art. It has origins in Kenjutsu, or swordsmanship and uses bamboo swords and armor. It is prevalent throughout Japan and the rest of the world. But what is it about this sport that makes it so accessible? Here we explore Kendo so you can decide if it’s a sport for you or your kids.
What is Kendo?
The swordsman of Japan create schools for learning Kenjutsu; these techniques continue for centuries and form the basis of Kendo. The sport uses kata, or patterns of movements to learn sword techniques. The bamboo swords become part of the competition during the 1700s. As the sport evolves to become full-contact with armor and bamboo swords, the popularity soars.
Kendo is part of a ban on martial arts during the 1940s by occupying powers. As times change in Japan, the sport is part of life again in the 1950s. As a discipline, the purpose of Kendo aims to:
- Provide structure through training
- Mold the mind and body
- Promote courtesy and honor
- Pursue the betterment of the self
Kendo or karate – which is better for kids?
Kendo uses armor to protect the body, but it is a full-contact sport using swords. Because of this, it requires high levels of skill. The hard impacts from kendo swords are not something that children will want from their martial arts practice.
Martial arts for kids will promote many of the excellent principals of Kendo. A safer sport for children is Karate. Moves and techniques use minimal force, so the risk of injury in karate is much lower. Children will still get great benefits such as higher levels of fitness and better focus. They can enjoy learning technical moves, but without the higher levels of danger, we see in kendo. Stirling preschool Midtown West