Kendo Q&A: Fumikomi, Zanshin, Tenouchi

1. After striking and stepping the right foot, should I use the left foot to move forward faster?

Once you have stepping onto the right foot, your left foot should be off the floor.

It is necessary, however, to push yourself with the left foot in order to strike faster and move faster.

After striking, your body is moving forwards without you pushing yourself. It is just like running, you know.

Once you start running and when you reach your top speed, you cannot stop yourself at once, right?

Even you want to stop yourself, your body keeps moving forwards.

So when you strike, you have to reach your top speed with only one push by the left foot. And also don’t forget to use the right foot to pull your body forwards.

How?

“How to Lunge in Kendo?” is useful.

2. Can you explain me, according to each strike men, kote, do what move or what should I do as Zanshin ?

After you strike, you take zanshin. This is “must do”.

How do you take zanshin?

Basically you take chudan. So please take chudan after you strike to show zanshin. If you pass through your opponent, make sure that you turn around and face to your opponent and take chudan.

Zanshin is to show awareness.

Moreover, you want to make sure that you won’t get hit after you strike.

Therefore, there are some cases you show zanshin without taking chudan.

For example, you keep your hands above your head because you are too close to your opponent so you cannot take chudan to show zanshin.

3. About the snap you do to make your strike smaller, what is the correct way for doing that?

It is hard to explain in words. It is actually a combination of your wrist and grip. It would be much easier if I make a video for it. Is it ok with you? It may take a while.

There is an article about tenouchi; Kendo Terminology Tenouchi

I am sorry but a tenouchi (grip/snap) video is in the subscribers’area.

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