Level 3: Improve with Purpose

Already practising in bōgu and preparing for 1–3 dan? This Level 3 guide helps you refine your fundamentals and connect posture, distance, timing, striking and zanshin. Use it alongside your instructor’s guidance.

Start today: ask your sensei which one or two issues need the most attention, then begin with the flow of kendo movements below. Improvement comes from making the basics work together, not collecting more complicated techniques.

Your Reading Order

1. Review the movement flow: kamae, ma, datotsu and zanshin.
2. Check posture and kiai throughout that flow.
3. Read the 1–3 dan preparation guide, then use the follow-up lessons at the end of this page.
4. Review kendo kata as part of your continuing practice.

Confirm current eligibility, kata and examination procedures with your federation and instructor. This guide does not guarantee a pass.

Still building your foundation? Return to Level 2 — Build Strong Basics.

Kendo Basics

When you think of kendo basics, you may picture big strikes or ki-ken-tai-icchi. Those remain important, but progressing through the dan grades means refining how your fundamentals work together.

For 1–3 dan, I want to see increasingly sound kihon. In a 3-dan examination, I particularly want to see sophisticated kihon strikes performed in a compact form. More complicated techniques are not a substitute for that foundation.

Let’s return to three parts of the basics:

• Etiquettes/Manners (Reihō)
• Appearance (Chakusō)
• Kendo Movements

Act respectfully, present yourself properly, and perform the fundamental movements with care. These are continuing training priorities, not a promise of passing an examination. The following sections show how the movements connect; work with your instructor to identify what needs improvement in your own kendo.

The Flow of Kendo Movements

As you know in kendo we need to have a good kamae. And you need to know about the distance or "ma". "Ma" also means timing in Japanese so you need to know about when you should execute your strike. You can say it is an opportunity. And you execute a strike/thrust or "datotsu". And followed by zanshin. This doesn't end here. You must go back to kamae.

Kamae

Kamae consists of 

• posture,
• feet positions,
• hand positions,
• grip,
• shinai height and 
• kiai

Everyone has different body shapes so I cannot speak for everyone. And I am sure that you have a teacher so consult your teacher with these points. But remember the definition of good kamae.

"A good kamae is from which you can execute your strike whenever you need to."

Ma

Ma can mean distance and timing in Japanese.  Ma as the distance you need to know

• tōma (too far to reach your target)
• chikama (too close to strike)
• Issoku ittō no ma (when you take a step forward, you can reach your opponent)
• uchima (striking distance)

There are 

• shokujin no ma (your shinai and your opponent's shinai touch) and
• Kōjin no ma (your shinai and your opponent's shinai cross).

If you remember these terms, you will understand what Japanese senseis teach when they visit your dōjō. 

Uchima: Now the most important thing for you to know is your own striking distance, uchima. If you don't know that you will have a huge problem. You cannot strike a target with the proper part of the shinai, which is monouchi. In other words, as long as you know your uchima, you can control the distance between you and your opponent so you can strike them but they cannot strike you. 

Anyway, if you don't know your own uchima, you cannot even learn techniques. So know your distance as quickly as possible. 

Now when you know your physical striking distance, start studying the timing to strike. Even when you are in your uchima, you need to know when to strike. As you advance, it only gets more complicated. But at least by 3-dan, know your uchima and timing to strike. 

Seme and Grading: What I Look For

For 1–3 dan, I do not expect you to demonstrate a great deal of seme. If you can show it well, that is welcome. Your priority should be increasingly refined kihon. In a 3-dan examination, I particularly want to see sophisticated kihon strikes performed in a compact form.

At 4-dan, I expect examinees to show seme. You can begin learning about it earlier, but the emphasis and level of performance I expect change as your kendo develops.

These are my teaching priorities and what I look for in examinees. Check your federation’s current requirements and prepare with your instructor. Study seme and tame progressively with that guidance; this page is not a universal grade-by-grade rule.

 

Datotsu

Datotsu (打突) doesn't only mean "strike". It also means "thrust". Theda part is "strike" and the totsu part is "thrust". The common problems regarding the datotsu are...

• Coordination of strike and footwork (KI Ken Tai Icchi)
• Tenouchi
• Fumikomi
• Hikitsuke 
• Kiai...

Basically these are the main components of datotsu. So you need to have 

• Fumikomi
• Fumikiri
• Hikitsuke 
• Shinai Control
• Tenouchi
• Kiai...

Zanshin

Zanshin is mental and physical preparation. In kendo, we have an opponent. We need to prepare to fight. Even after your successful strike, you should prepare yourself for another attack. Don't see zanshin one of the criteria for a "point". From the moment you think it like that, then kendo becomes a sport. 

This is another view of zanshin. This is my view of zanshin. In addition to the definition mentioned above, I see zanshin as etiquette. Even after you strike a target successfully, you shouldn't walk away from your opponent. You should pay the greatest respect to your opponent who did his/her best to fight you. Turn around and face to your opponent with the most respect. 

With such zanshin, your kendo remains as budō, the martial way.

Posture and Kiai

Posture and the level of your kiai should not be changed in this flow. *kiai is not only the volume of your voice but it is also the quality. Being loud is very important in kendo especially at kyu and 1-dan and 2-dan level. For 3-dan, start thinking about the quality at the same time of being loud. The quality will increase when you focus on the diaphragm breathing.  

• Good Posture: Ears, shoulders, hip bones and ankles are on the same line. And your buttocks and the shoulder blades should be on the same line. Pay attention to your shoulder blades. CG stands for center of gravity. Many sources (Japanese and English) shows that the center of gravity for male is located about 56% of the height from the ground. For female, it is located about 55% of the height from the ground.

• Kiai: Quantity and Quality. Work on the loudness and then work on quality. What is quality. It is loud but it will fill you with good energy and you can stay focused. Your breathing is smooth. You feel that your body and mind are harmonized. Kiai is well related to your posture. Have a good posture and learn the diaphragmatic breathing (see below for the diaphragmatic breathing).

Kendo Guide for The Intermediate
Table of Contents 

Are you ready to go to the next steps? Know what you need to do. Not what you want to do.

1. Requirements for 1-dan, 2-dan and 3-dan: Now you will know what you need to do for your exam!
2. Understanding of Seme: Before you take your 3-dan exam, you should understand the concept of seme. Do you really know what it is?
3. A Battle Strats Before Fight: When does your battle start? When you bow to your opponent? When you sit in sonkyo? Very important mental preparation for the improvement of your kendo.

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