[scewDeasp]

Or you could bat each other around with a 3 foot foam noodle.
Hasbro would get my money if they made a Nerf katana....

....That glows in the dark.

...And has a rocket launcher.

Me too....

[flielagit]

Hello everyone, I am new to the boards here and to the world of Kendo. I was wondering if there were any nonlethal stlyes to use with a Katana? I want to use it in terms of self defense and just to show off, but just in case if it does hit someone in the area, it dosen't kill them Thanks

are you perchance one of our youtube monkeys? i mean pets...er freinds, yeah freinds

hehe haihais avatar does rule
im not a fan of guinea pigs, but it reminds me of the egg card adverts, which really crack me up

[regfortruegoo]

To the original poster, you can learn Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu so you won't kill. But before you can learn that you have to kill tons of people, repent bitterly, change your lifestyle and then find someone who will make you a reverse bladed sword...Come on, you want to find a non-lethal way of using a bladed weapon? Why do you think they were created and used in the first place?

You are living 300 years too late, oh fearless warrior. Surely you must know what gun is. Do you plan on proudly carrying the soul of the samurai to Burger King for protective purposes?

[jincomplet]

I agree with that completely The equipment we use can be used lethaly, but then again so can a baseball bat or a ski pole. (I know I am comparing apples and oranges here)

What I mean is do you consider kendo or iaido a lethal martial art?

Yes. Considering the fact that we learn techniques that can be used to kill people. Just because we don't doesn't make the art non-lethal.
I did military service which contains a lot of "martial arts" (running, shooting, climbing trees) and I would consider that trainig pretty lethal, despite the fact that no one died during training, or that I have yet not killed any one.

[ZX3URrBH]

Do you plan on proudly carrying the soul of the samurai to Burger King for protective purposes?

Hehe brilliant...

[11Pecepebra]

{Hmmm.... I am disappointed... those guys are usually much quicker at spotting the rotting corpse of a troll...}

Why yes, original poster San... the only safe way to practice with a Katana is to hold it by the pointy end... use the blunt silk covered end to strike the opponent... totally safe... in fact this was how Iyama Burushita the famous 17th century swordsman conducted all of his training sessions... He also traiined with his Katana still sheathed... known as safer swordplay...

[Jambjanatan]

Let's be truthful here - 3ft Razorblade. a foot of it is blunt tsuka!

Point taken...

[Vomekayafboke]

A little off subject but am I the only one here that does not consider kendo or iai to be leathal arts?

i think it is. even more, i think a good kendo or iaido shodan would/should be able to effectively kill another human being in one blow/cut/thrust if he/she was holding a katana/shinken instead of a bokuto/shinai

don't tell me it's not potentially dangerous or lethal, we just use air filled bamboo sticks and armours to be able to make it to the next practice

to the original poster, as you see katanas had a simple purpose. kill and dismember opponents. you can try and use it for defense, but it will always have a sharp end. if you want self defense learn aikido, judo, karate, etc. that's what the police forces around the world actually use and learn, not kendo or iaido.

[massons]

Yes. Considering the fact that we learn techniques that can be used to kill people. Just because we don't doesn't make the art non-lethal.

OH MY GOD, this is a forum of killers.
I was convinced this was a kendo one.
I gotta starting killing people too. From now on I'll take my shinai (and bokuto and kodachi) wherever I go. Better yet today I'll go to a chinese-shop and buy me a sword.

Hey here's an idea, why don't we ask the KW forum staff to ad a body-counter to our personal information?

[Logaleta]

OH MY GOD, this is a forum of killers.
I was convinced this was a kendo one.

I've faced some sensei with whom I've no doubt that the bamboo could be replaced with steel, no problem.

[portoskins]

Hey here's an idea, why don't we ask the KW forum staff to ad a body-counter to our personal information?

Good Idea - put me down for:

taken lives: none
saved lives: one

[Frjrbefd]

Pu-Ping is a non-lethal style.

[vasyasvc]

I found the dojo you are looking for. They use the katana... in very flashy ways.

http://sunnytang.com/XSD.htm

[CymnMaync]

i think it is. even more, i think a good kendo or iaido shodan would/should be able to effectively kill another human being in one blow/cut/thrust if he/she was holding a katana/shinken instead of a bokuto/shinai

You don't need any training to kill someone with a katana. You do, however, need training to kill someone who is going to FIGHT BACK with a katana.

[GustavM]

Pu-Ping is a non-lethal style.

Depends on how it is done. My mrs would disagree with you...

[Numbiydq]

You don't need any training to kill someone with a katana. You do, however, need training to kill someone who is going to FIGHT BACK with a katana.

notice how i especifically noted 'in one blow/cut/thrust' (what we mean by ippon, death on one shot).

i don't think it's that easy.... usually murderers and criminals need a lot more than that

[bumxumer]

OH MY GOD, this is a forum of killers.
I was convinced this was a kendo one.
I gotta starting killing people too. From now on I'll take my shinai (and bokuto and kodachi) wherever I go. Better yet today I'll go to a chinese-shop and buy me a sword.

Hey here's an idea, why don't we ask the KW forum staff to ad a body-counter to our personal information?

I am not sure whether you are trying to be funny or if you are just being ironic and condescending. I'm hoping for the first option.

No, I don't think we are all killers. But I do consider kendo and iaido to be lethal arts since we learn techniques that can kill a human being quite easily. I mean, I can kill you with a spoon, but I think a sword might do it a bit more efficiently, if you know what i mean.
As I said in my previous post... just because we learn something that has a potential lethality doesn't mean we all become killers.

It would be nice if someone who doesn't think kendo/iaido are "lethal arts" could explain why they think so.

[Arrectiff]

I am not sure whether you are trying to be funny or if you are just being ironic and condescending. I'm hoping for the first option.

No, I don't think we are all killers. But I do consider kendo and iaido to be lethal arts since we learn techniques that can kill a human being quite easily. I mean, I can kill you with a spoon, but I think a sword might do it a bit more efficiently, if you know what i mean.
As I said in my previous post... just because we learn something that has a potential lethality doesn't mean we all become killers.

It would be nice if someone who doesn't think kendo/iaido are "lethal arts" could explain why they think so.

how long

have you

been practicing kendo and iaido?


do you think

that with that

amount of time

you are more likely

to kill?

or to restrain yourself?

[ftqwhbvxlcfop]

Yes it has roots in war but are we training to kill every week? I always considered it an art that cultivated spirit and a way to improve ones mind and body, as opposed to the military training that h2o described which is ultimately designed to teach you how to neutralize the enemy.
I am surprised at some of the responses, perhaps I am taking the wrong approach and I need to reconsider my attitude. Thanks for sharing.