[shihoodiacarf]

Hey everyone,
I'm just wondering, i have studied fencing and i am looking to start kendo in the near future but im wondering how much, if any, of a problem is this going to cause to my style?

[yazetaw]

I'd say try it and see. Each person is different so it's hard to say. Do you only use a foil or do you pratice with the sabre too?

[orillaVar]

Foil mostly i was thinking of switching to sabre but my friend convinced me to try kendo

[Rchzygnc]

I'd say prior fencing experience has been an advantage for all of the former fencers we've had in our club. There is quite a lot technically that is different, but the mental skills transfer well.

[JorgiOLusinio]

The clothing isnt so tight and there is no need for a codpiece!!

[SoftrermaBioniaSat]

I'd say prior fencing experience has been an advantage for all of the former fencers we've had in our club. There is quite a lot technically that is different, but the mental skills transfer well.

This is definitely true. All sword arts rely on distance and timing. In addition, the abiility to sense movement and predict its intention does translate. Lastly, I was used to 15 years of practicing movements, over and over to develope muscle memory and automatic reactions. An understanding that skill does not come quickly or easily has been invaluable, to me.

[Arkadiyas]

As a former fencer myself (foil and sabre).

They are very different and very similar, you can describe actions in one using the vocabulary of another.

There are differences in attitude, certainly after about two years in fencing I stopped doing basics (This is in the UK YMMV), in Kendo after 5 years I am still practise the basics, almost every session (and I understand better about the fact that I should have been doing this in fencing).

Footwork takes time as you need to get that backfoot parallel rather than perpendicular (but everybody suffers there).

Kendo you kiai during the point while the observers are mostly silent, Fencing is silent until the point then you get a shout, but the observers are noisier all the time.
Fencing you don't clash bodies at all, Kendo you attack and go through and either end up clashing or he gets out the way.
Kendo is not all in line, Fencing is on a narrow piste.

I suspect to be a good fencer you need to understand Seme but it isn't taught.

And as also said the other mental processes all come in useful.

(My wife still fences, I gave up after our first child (10 years ago), I started Kendo 5 years ago).

[Coollabioto]

... certainly after about two years in fencing I stopped doing basics

For over a decade I took epee lessons twice a week from a Polish Coach who held an Olympic Silver Medal. Every lesson started with the basics (parry repost to attacks using 6, 4, & 8) and worked into more complex routines. The fact that there was no discussion of seme or kiai does not mean that your body and hand position were not "threats" and you didn't exhale sharply in a lunge or fleche. You trained your eye to perceive movement and to pick up almost imperceptable cues. From my perception there are many similarities.

[ROYMANgo]

No flashing lights.