[ClorrerVeks]

I have only been shinpan once or twice and only within my own dojo (hope that still counts). Despite the fact that I've only been practicing kendo for a year (about three practices a week) I think it is important to get this kind of experience. In fact, our sensei has been encouraging dojo members to try refereeing internal matches and to not hesitate to stop the match when something is less than clear to those of us with little experience. It's really a learning experience for all those involved.
Two important points seem to be:
1) Watch the fight as if you "are" the opposing fighters and try to sense the flow of a match (helps in atticipating what will happen and not get caught "sleeping").
2) If you make a call be ready to justify your decision because it will be questionned (not right away but later on).

[abouthotels]

Only been doing kendo for about a year. But this was internal to the dojo, no big deal really and it was all in good fun. For the record I have obviously never shinpaned in anything close to a tournament (crowd laughs in amusement).
You should try it out for yourself: it's loads of fun to hand out hansoku for no apparent reason or suddenly go blind when there's an ippon (especially to those dojo mates who have earned it!). Also helps to appreciate how tough refereeing is (plus it looks like you're doing some kind of a flag dance when you're unsure).

[jobsfancy]

I am interested how often the majority of our members have experience being a shinpan. I am lucky enough to get to shinpan about 3 to 4 times a year (the number of small tourneys in my area). When I pass yon-dan that number goes up to 7 or more per year. Based on some of the previous polls it would appear that we have a young group here. It also appears that the impression that shinpan are too subjective. In my experience being a shinpan is very hard and requires a tremendous amount of concentration. I am interested in others experience.

[AlbrtJhnsqw]

Sorry Alex, I am san-dan but I should have yondan in ten years.

Gareth I am interested in how you fit six shinpan in the court? Was this is a real shiai?

[enasseneiff]

hmm alex

i think trying to anticipate is not the best idea, reason is if there is two oponents and there is one you know better than the other one, you know his kendo and the way he is going to react in certain situation, as for the other kendoka you don't really know what he can do. If you try too much to anticipate and being into the action, at that time you can be surprised by a hit of the person you didn't know or couldn't anticipate, thus you won't give a point.


But i'm a really bad shinpan and I don't really know what the hell i'm talking about.

[mybooboo]

Hi,

Although there might be a large number of people who are young in their Kendo life....... This should not really stop you from being a shinpan (all be it in a controlled area).

I have been practicing for almost three years now (Nidan in October so fingers crossed). I have been lucky enough to act as shinpan a number times.

The BKA has decided that Shiai and refing will be a major part of all seminar's in Britian.

I found this to be a realy good Idea. The way they run it is that you have six ref's. Three are the inexperienced kendoka and the other three are experienced Kendoka, who follow the other three around telling them what to do and say.

This has seemed to work really well. I'm not sure what others from Britain think ? but personally this has been really good. Not only from the point of view of, getting to try it instead of just slagging the ref's off saying they missed my points, but you get to have a bit of a shiai fence.

[proslaviy]

I had drawn a little diagram but, it was far too much hassle to put it on the web so I'll just try and describe it for you.

The three trainee Ref's stand in the normal place. Then three experienced Ref's stand behind them and help them move about the square, in an ordally fashion and also help them with the flag's and commands. But the decission's are left up to the three guys who are refing.

I get the impression that I didn't explain it properly last time. But this is a very informal freindly training shiai. There is nothing riding on it, and it is all very friendly. It usually ends up with people laughing and joking afterwards about the pionts that where missed and also the pionts that they got when they shouldn't.

After trying Refing a few times myself it makes me realise how difficult it is, I think it was something my sensai said about the Ref's have to be high grade so that they can anticipate when the Kendoka is going to cut so that they almost know before the Kendoka's do when something is going to happen.

I have actually seen this when you watch the ref's and you can sometimes see them participating in the match they feel the pressure build and are alomost willing the kendoka to cut(I don't know if I have explained that very well. But I know what I me )