[Finanziamento]

Hey, I was just wondering if any of you do both Kendo and a Hand to Hand based martial art (i know there are at least a good few). I just wanted to know how and if kendo helps with/hinders/improves/etc with your h2h ma. For instance, I would guess that if you sharpened your reflexes by having a shinai swung at you everyday you'd probably be a bit better at dodging a fist than you were before kendo. Or I could be completely wrong, feedback?

[gamecasta]

well what i have noticed that kendo has helped my hand to hand combat it has helped me dodge as you have stated but it also helps me just keep my distance from the person because i am used to the kendo maai

[viagraman]

I don't think the cross training would help much. In fact it would most probably hinder you more (initally).

1) foot work id different. Kendo body is straight on, and foot worked desigend to all you to travel greater distances. Hand 2 Hand, body is usualt side on. and foot work is desiged to move you a shorter distance.
2) Attack distance, even for short sharp cuts in Kendo the Shinai still have to travel a greater distance than a punch (eg you have more reaction time)
3) Due to life commitments it is hard to focus on two Martial arts and learn two new styles at the same time. Just ask anyone who has done another martial are (or even fencing) and then started kendo about how hard the find it to keep there body and feet pointing at their opponent.

It can be done and I know several people who do that. Just remember that the possible benfits you get from doing two martial arts may be cancled out by inherent differences in the art forms.

[jadabaad]

Ran out of time editing my last post.

Just to qualify:
This is how i have see cross training with martial are effect Kendo. I haven't seen the other side of the fence.

This common to all martial arts (Mia, commitment, awarness), are learn't through pratice so as long as you do them correctly the should have a follow through effect.

The single art pureist will argue why spend 2 night doing one art form and 2 night doing another when you can spend 4 night doing one and getting really good at it. (I personally ignore those comments)

I belive this is why Kendo, Iaido and Jodo. Cross training in the other art forms give the person a better understand of their primary disipline.

[forebirdo]

I'd been doing gendai jujutsu for a while, didn't start kendo until I reached dan in my primary art, so I had an idea of the basics before training a complementary art.

Kendo has done nothing but help my jujutsu -- I've noticed this a lot -- and jujutsu has to a much smaller extent helped kendo.

Benefits of studying kendo in jujutsu

1. kiai development -- my kiai, adequate before, has really improved through kendo -- in jj, we use kiai during hard ukemi, to disrupt attacker's concentration, and to focus our own waza.

2. breath control -- this goes along with kiai, I guess. But continuous kiai or kiai from continuous men is improving my breath control and internal strength (helps for hip throws, really any technique as your hara/saki tanden is your core, and a strong core is the key/ki to any martial art).

3. ma ai -- a better understanding and much practice in ma-ai

4. footwork -- suri ashi, moving quickly without losing one's center of gravity

5. zanshin -- reading the opponent's intent of attack, maintaining zanshin is enhanced

6. kendo ji-geiko -- even though my system is gendai jujutsu, there is little opportunity for fast randori, kendo ji-geiko is helping me see openings in opponents' defenses, giving me the resolve to attack those openings without hesitation (not necessarily yielding "ju", but the "ju" in jujutsu represents flexibility not softness; flexible means being soft or hard when necessary -- kendo is helping me develop better targeting for atemi-waza, a "hard" aspect of jujutsu).

7. mushin/fudoshin -- already a major element/focus in jujutsu, but significantly enhanced through kendo.



Benefits of jujutsu in studying kendo:

1. Kiai -- I didn't have to learn how to kiai, so I could focus on improving.

2. breath control -- much like #1.

3. mushin/fudoshin -- once I am able to do a kendo waza not too wrongly, I feel like it incorporates into my ji-geiko pretty fluently (but of course my fundamentals are very much in development)

4. patience -- more than anything, long-term/ongoing experience in any martial art prepares one to be patient in approaching the complementary art, and I think patience and endurance are very important in kendo. I'm not concerned about being a beginner, in fact I'm more concerned to remain in the beginner's mind, so that I can always learn and feel the newness and freshness in practicing waza.

On the surface, the two arts may appear different. Beneath the surface, they share essential commonalities.

[loolitoertego]

I have JUST started to train in Kendo, and I find that it is helping me in Muay Thai in many ways such as:

Foot speed
quickness
More shoulder strength
Expanding my knowledge

I find I am using speed more than I used to. I would rely much more on my strength and power, but now I find that I am using a good combination of both. This may not be the same for others?

[E4qC1qQ5]

I noticed that too. When I was sparring a guy not too long ago I noticed I could move around alot quicker. And I'm a pretty heavy guy, 5'11, 220. He came in to kick me looking for a head shot, I took a retreating leap backwards and I was a good 7 feet away without meaning to be. It was a "when did I learn to do that??" type of experience.

[Kiliunjubl]

I haven't done hand to hand since I was in the 2nd grade, but I noticed that kendo has helped me become a better fighter overall. Just to tell you though, I haven't fought since the 8th grade (I started kendo in the 12th grade).

So how do I know that kendo has helped? I play fight with my younger brother often. He's a workout maniac, so he's bigger and stronger than I am. I still beat him easily because of several reasons, and kendo is one of them. Kendo made me unafraid to take a few hits, but also made me quicker and more able to dodge and block. I can cover distance faster and attack faster. Looking for and creating openings became easier.

But above all, kendo taught me how to be patient and avoid confrontation. I win fights by avoiding them or winning mentally (with ki!!). I think that's the best. If I was attacked on the streets, I would look for a stick or shove my keys into the poor guy.

[markoiutrfffdsa]

well I can see how it can make you more fit, but technique-wise it's better to start with an empty slate, imo.