[Dokescoonse]

I watch around 20 kendo videos last night online. Around 5 or so where Kendo Vs other wepon arts. Every one the kendo guys got their arses handed to them? WTF? Is there any data on this anywhere? Id think kendo would be a better sword form and art than most other ones. I mean they even found a one handed midevil sword fighter.

[SoorgoBardy]

I'd imagine that most of the people who're recording themselves doing kendo against weird weapons just aren't the ones who're very good at kendo. That's is what it looks like at least.

[pupyississido]

I'd imagine that most of the people who're recording themselves doing kendo against weird weapons just aren't the ones who're very good at kendo. That's is what it looks like at least.

And you're extremely unlikely to do kendo against someone who isn't doing kendo. Think yourself lucky to face someone doing jodan, especially lucky against someone doing nito and your'e a down right jammy sod if you're up against a naginata.

Chances are you're not going to see some medieval knight.

[VINPELA]

I've tried my hand at isshujiai against a yondan sensei and I easily got my rear handed to me on a silver platter. In regards to those vids, one of the more interesting ones I've seen are kendo vs. kama. Both were in regular kendo bogu but as soon as the kendoka got close enough, the kama guy swung the chain (can't remember the name of it) and landed it on top of the kendoka's men. The whole thing just seemed a little too odd to ever be a regular sight.

[Singukil]

kendo vs jukendo would be interesting to see. You have to realize that each art, style etc wether JMA or not has its own set of rules/valid targets.

you can find plenty of kendo vs naginata aka "isshujiai". Should be able to find some pretty high level video of it out there. some schools still hit do with the backend of the naginata.

[AllAdobeOEMSoftDownload]

In general, you find people practicing kendo against stuff that include targets that the kendo people are not good against because they never practice fighting trying to hit those targets so they get tooled. The other problem tends to come from the basic kendo swing. The whole up and down process tends to get kendo people tooled by other arts that incorporate more direct stabbing type attacks.

Kendo is generally best kept to kendo, in my opinion, because the path to challenging yourself and all that personal growth stuff doesn't really need to be mixed up with other wierd weapons that aren't usually part of the art. Anything else tends to be more goofy and novelty-ish. I know there are legit arts that mix, but most kendo vs. ____ videos on the net are crappy experiments that don't end so well.

[realfan87]

The problem is back in the day, when swords fighters REALY found The japanese guy wooped @$$. Why can kendo do it now?

[RIjdrVs3]

Id think kendo would be a better sword form and art than most other ones. I mean they even found a one handed midevil sword fighter.

As has been mentioned, kendo has a shorter list of valid targets. When compared to most other martial arts Kendo is also more of a "gentlemen's" art in that it enforces a strict mode of fair play and sportsmanship. Kendo does not compare well to arts that are more combat results oriented in their philosphy. Even if we restrict ourselves to similar gentlmen arts, a jo has the advantage of reach and can strike from multiple sides of the weapon, naginata has greater reach and a wider range of targets.
So, if you're comparing people of equal skill levels, it's really not a surprise to see a kendoka lose to a jodoka or naginataka.

sean

[forebirdo]

The problem is back in the day, when swords fighters REALY found The japanese guy wooped @$$. Why can kendo do it now?

Again you're not comparing the same things. Kendo is not about the sword, it's about self development, using sword techniques as a teaching medium.

Kendo is a small subset of the actual sword arts and combat usefulness is not the primary consideration in it's teachings.

sean

[Cyclicymn]

Again you're not comparing the same things. Kendo is not about the sword, it's about self development, using sword techniques as a teaching medium.

Kendo is a small subset of the actual sword arts and combat usefulness is not the primary consideration in it's teachings.

sean

Ok i understand that. Your argueing a point that has nothing to do with what im asking.

[googlopharm]

What are you asking?

[sFs4aOok]

What are you asking?

I believe it was "WTF?" Let the answers fly.

[BruceQW]

I watch around 20 kendo videos last night online. Around 5 or so where Kendo Vs other wepon arts. Every one the kendo guys got their arses handed to them? WTF? Is there any data on this anywhere? Id think kendo would be a better sword form and art than most other ones. I mean they even found a one handed midevil sword fighter.

A shinai is not the same as a katana being longer, straighter, fatter, having more wind resistance etc, and the targeting in kendo is not the same as classical swordsmanship, there are none of the rising cuts to the thigh or the ever popular slash across the face as seen in iaido etc - so kendo vs XXXX has no real relationship to katana vs XXXX...

This is most clearly seen in the fencing vs kendo ones - the 17th century Spanish / Dutch / English had no illusions that going one on one with a sword against the Japanese was not a good thing to do in terms of life expectancy even if you win, better to stand off and use canon - but in the modern sports versions there is usually no contest and the foil wins.

On the other hand it is not suprising that katana should lose one on one to naginata or spear or bow or teppo, skill being equal in an open space or the Japanese would not have used those other weapons as the major battlefield weapons and would have just used swords.

Aden

[Gorlummm]

I believe it was "WTF?" Let the answers fly.

Im asking why all these guys are whoopin the kendos guy @$$'s? I would think kendo is a better stricking art. Even the midevil guy fighting one handed beat the kendo guy.

Is there a better term than "kendo guy" ?

[ibiDb4uu]

Im asking why all these guys are whoopin the kendos guy @$$'s? I would think kendo is a better stricking art. Even the midevil guy fighting one handed beat the kendo guy.

This has already been answered, but I'll try and summarise. Anyone please feel free to correct me if I slip up, being a kendo noob myself.

1. The people who make these kinds of videos generally aren't very good at kendo.
2. Kendo is not the same as real-life swordfighting. Kendo is kendo. Kendo is self-development through the principles of the sword, not duelling or battlefield combat.
3. The rules for kendo and fencing are very different. A point in fencing might not score in kendo, and vice versa. Whatever rules were used in these videos, it's highly unlikely they were kendo rules.
4. Kendo players for the most part train to do kendo. Change the rules or add new target areas and suddenly there are unfamiliar elements in play which present new challenges (such as having to defend the legs in isshu-jiai with naginata).
5. There is no reason to assume that just because a sword art is Japanese it is better. Why would kendo be better for 'striking' than (say) a German longsword style?

Is there a better term than "kendo guy" ? 'Kendoka' is the usual term.

[Cabinanteerip]

6. Kendo was not developed to simply "whoop @ss" on YouTube.
7. Stick-fighting is not an art, nor does it have rules - it is to kendo like cage-fighting is to boxing.
8. Fencing is the sport of poking someone before being poked and its modern display is typically devoid of the humility, respect and sportsmanship in kendo.
9. A fast blade does not mean a quick mind.
10. Kendo develops a human being, not a swordsman.

[Mabeavyledlib]

8. Fencing is the sport of poking someone before being poked and its modern display is typically devoid of the humility, respect and sportsmanship in kendo.

That's a cliché and is as false as saying that showing respect to your teacher in kendo means never bother him with questions. I tried fencing for three months, and that's enough to say that you're wrong. Preferring kendo to fencing as I do does not mean that fencing is a "reiho-less" sport.

[codecouponqw]

7. Stick-fighting is not an art, nor does it have rules - it is to kendo like cage-fighting is to boxing.

Got to call you on this too as i know practitioners of stick fighting arts that would disagree.

Short of the matter is though, these fights tend to be approached as shinai kendo vs XXXX.... like a stick fight. A shinai is only a stick because it looks like a stick, everything else about it says sword.

[smifatv]

That's a cliché and is as false as saying that showing respect to your teacher in kendo means never bother him with questions. I tried fencing for three months, and that's enough to say that you're wrong. Preferring kendo to fencing as I do does not mean that fencing is a "reiho-less" sport.

I agree with that, by that token it could be argued that Kendo is just about smacking people over the head with a stick.

I wouldn't call it poking either, I am sure that being stabbed by rapier between the ribs wasn't a lot of fun back in the day when they used actual swords. I also think that modern western fencing is closer to real dueling than Kendo is.

[NikkitaZ]

Ok i understand that. Your argueing a point that has nothing to do with what im asking.

But what you're asking isn't realistic. It's like who would win in a fight between Luke Skywalker and Conan the barbarian. Luke with his Jedi mind tricks should win but Conan actually trained in fighting not wafting light-sabres at blaster lasers in a dance-baseball fashion.

The fact is this is/was/will never happen as although they were a long time ago one was in a galaxy far, far away so they will never meet, as neither did medieval knight and samurai. This will also be the reason why there is no data on these fights, cos it never happened.

You will find theories on who would win online but in the end it doesn't matter as you have chosen, or so it would seem, kendo and you will learn and develop that skill. You will not face King Arthur, Robin Hood [who would kick your ass with his bow and arrow], Conan, Prince Colwyn from Krull [watch out for the glaive], Hawk the Slayer, Henry I, Henry II, Henry III, Henry IV, Henry V, Henry VI, Henry VII or even Henry VIII, in the dojo so don't worry about it.