[Everwondopedo]

If have space, another good practice besides suburi is shomen. Try to hit men on a invisible target from a distance closer from itto-issoku-no-kamae. Try to hit men with one step, keeping your back straight, chin down, moving with your hips, body faced squarely at the opponent, and without shuffling your feet. As it gets easier, increase the distance. If will take time, but you will be able to hit a nice shomen with one step, and it helps your posture and speeds up your men.

[foodselfdourileka]

Suburi

Many times. Various types.
Then you'll be able to take the most out of your group renshu.

And hold on.

[tobaccoman]

i think the best things to practice on your own is to get all the key fundamental attack strikes correctly,i.e men, kote, and do cuts...it is really important that you perform these cuts correctly...also do them real slowly at first so that you are aware of what you are doing, and then gradually begin to speed up and then try to not think about doing the cut, but do it as if it was an instintive reaction...these are really important cuts that are really fundamental to learn, especially considering you are new to kendo...yes i know that it might sound boring to do but trust me it will benefit you because one you get into armour you will see the benefits and how good your cuts will look. Furthermore if you are worried about not being able to get outside to do your training and you only have your house...which usely many people will say that "oh the roof of my house is to low" well thats no excuse to not be able to practice at home, you can still practice your cuts by sitting down on the floor, alternatively you can also try lieing on your back and doing the cuts, this will be good practice for how far back you should swing your shini. anyhoo, just keep at it, and just try to get the fundamentals right first....good luck!!!!

[MzTT]

I don't know fellas, I would think that lone practice can be very dangerous. Unlike what you see in old martial arts movies, you cannot lock yourself in a room (rather, seclude yourself in the bamboo grove, meditate under a waterfall, etc.), "study" kendo for a long time, and emerge as a hachidan.

Lone practice, especially during the early stages of one's kendo study, is more conducive to forming bad habits and misconceptions about the sport. Even with repetitive suburi - many people end up doing a series of genric "up-down" motions with a shinai, not knowing where to end the strike, the dynamics of the upswing vs. the downswing, etc.

If you want to improve your kendo outside the dojo, I think physical conditioning is the best way to go. Run, swim, do push-ups, work out in general. That way you can be sure you're fit for kendo, and when you step back into the dojo, you'll be in a most prepared state to learn and absorb what you're about to be taught.

James R: you can always visit Achilles on a tourist visa.

[xtrupoke]

just remembered another importnat thing that you can learn at home is foot work which is very key to kendo...a nice thing to do is just get your self moving around in your bedroom or wherever, so basic guideline to consider, when moving forward always move with your leading foot first and follow through with the back foot, and do the reverse when moving backwards, also when moving to the right, it is always right foot first and then left foot, and then opposite if moving to the left, lastly, when doing diagonal movements it is basically the same as the right or left movements, but of course in a upward or downward diagonal postion....do this for about five miniutes with 2 mins rest and do it about 10 times if you can...again good luck!!!!

[rusculture]

Originally posted by Achilles
Last Weds. our *warm-up* was haya-suburi (don't know how you say it in Korean). We did sets of 100 with a 40 second break in between until we'd completed 1000 total. *THEN* we put on our Hong-Myen (men) and did drills.

All this in a converted warehouse with no air conditioning or windows in the hottest summer on record in my neck of the woods.
Explain to me again why you think I'd want to join your dojo

[Xewksghy]

James R

I'm with the others. Suburi. After you work up to several hundred, get as heavy a suburito as you can find and bring that into your suburi. Personally, I wouldn't recommend doing it in front of the TV. If you aren't concentrating on the suburi, it's easy to develop bad habits.

[Loopyjr]

When you can't get to the dojo, the best excercise that you can perform is suburi. I try to do about 300-350 avg. [sometimes up to 1,000] suburi a day consisting of:

Men Ikkyodo uchi, Kote Ikkyodo uchi, Do Ikkyodo uchi
Kote-Men & Kote-Do Nikyodo uchi,
Sayu-Men
Zenshin Kotai Men - i.e. striking men forwards and backwards.

You would be surprised that at 50 suburi per set, you will be finished within 15 minutes........

Sometimes I will just sit and swing the shinai in front of the TV while watching Simpsons or Everybody Loves Raymond.

Other things you can do is to cross train like going to the gym or do some aerobic type activity such as running, biking, or swimming.

I have also found that stretching is very beneficial to overall muscle conditioning, strength, and recovery....If I stretch everyday, I find that my practices are relatively easier because my muscles do not get fatigued as easily, and I can push harder and further to get the most out of practice.

Ultimately, What's important is to just do suburi or some other excercises when you are unable to get to the Dojo to keep your muscles in shape and condition your muscle memory for critical aspects of Kendo such as tenouchi.

You have to find the right formula that works for you. The important thing is that make the time to do it.

Anything positive for yourself and your kendo will continue to add up into the future. Whereas, if you compromised your kendo pursuit for work or leisure, the benefit is Zero.

Adding nothing to nothing always ends in zero results.


amatsuda
http://mywebpage.netscape.com/sjkendo

[DiatryDal]

Last Weds. our *warm-up* was haya-suburi (don't know how you say it in Korean). We did sets of 100 with a 40 second break in between until we'd completed 1000 total. *THEN* we put on our Hong-Myen (men) and did drills.

All this in a converted warehouse with no air conditioning or windows in the hottest summer on record in my neck of the woods.

Now do you see why I'm ready to throw up at practice? If this crap doesn't get me in killer shape, then I'm trading my shinai for a pack of twinkies and relegating my as$ to the couch for all eternity.

[bely832new]

One of the best thing about my dojang is that the space is open 6 days a week. They have a wonderful practice dummy. Whenever you are free, you can stop in and practice on it.

My advice? Move to America and join my dojang.

[juspimoubbodo]

Originally posted by Confound
i'm pathetic.
We know that, you don't have to keep reminding us....

p.s. just joking, but you knew that did'nt you?