Why am I not allowed to dodge in kendo?

Nov 26, 2008
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You can dodge the first men, but what about the kote and do that immediately follows?
by: Matt

If you have time to sway back you have time to step back. Opening the maai is a much more acceptable way of dodging, but for beginners it is a bad habit to constantly retreat.

Also, if you break your shisei (posture) by leaning back you will not be able to counterattack from that position which leaves you vulnerable to nidan (two continuous strikes)/sandan waza (three continuous strikes). Sure you can dodge the first men, but what about the kote and do that immediately follows?

Kendo-Guide.Com: I agree. At the beginning, especially you are ni-dan (second degree black belt) or lower, you should only think about going forwards and striking, rather than how to avoid being hit and defending.

Now having said that, there is a technique called amashi-waza. It is quite similar to nuki-waza. And depending on how you look at this technique some people might say it is the same as nuki-waza.

Anyway, in amashi-waza, you avoid strikes by slightly moving your body backwards and counterattack.

For example, your opponent strikes your men. You avoid this men cut by tilting your head slightly back. As you do this, your body also start moving backwards. Then you strike.

It is hard to explain exactly how this technique should be executed but this is a fairly advanced technique.

Kendo is unlimited. The higher and more advanced you get, the more variation of techniques will be there for you. BUT!!!

Even though there is such technique as amashi-waza, I don't encourage you to use this too often. Why? It is because of the things mentioned above.

Again, if you talk about what is allowed and what is not, it is allowed to sway back but we don't encourage you to do that until you can do other important techniques i.e. techniques to get you strike going forwards.

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Nov 26, 2008
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Submitted by: Matt

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If you have time to sway back you have time to step back. Opening the maai is a much more acceptable way of dodging, but for beginners it is a bad habit to constantly retreat. Also, if you break your shisei (posture) by leaning back you will not be able to counterattack from that position which leaves you vulnerable to nidan (two continuous strikes)/sandan waza (three continuous strikes). Sure you can dodge the first men, but what about the kote and do that immediately follows? Kendo-Guide.Com: I agree. At the beginning, especially you are ni-dan (second degree black belt) or lower, you should only think about going forwards and striking, rather than how to avoid being hit and defending. Now having said that, there is a technique called amashi-waza. It is quite similar to nuki-waza. And depending on how you look at this technique some people might say it is the same as nuki-waza. Anyway, in amashi-waza, you avoid strikes by slightly moving your body backwards and counterattack. For example, your opponent strikes your men. You avoid this men cut by tilting your head slightly back. As you do this, your body also start moving backwards. Then you strike. It is hard to explain exactly how this technique should be executed but this is a fairly advanced technique. Kendo is unlimited. The higher and more advanced you get, the more variation of techniques will be there for you. BUT!!! Even though there is such technique as amashi-waza, I don't encourage you to use this too often. Why? It is because of the things mentioned above. Again, if you talk about what is allowed and what is not, it is allowed to sway back but we don't encourage you to do that until you can do other important techniques i.e. techniques to get you strike going forwards.

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Why am I not allowed to dodge in kendo?

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Why am I not allowed to dodge in kendo?