Is it wrong to practice kendo because of the philosophy behind it?

I am from Europe, and am unable to practice at a dojo since there are no dojos in my hometown.

I have decided to start practicing on my own. I see the disadvantages of this, lacking the partner to practice it with, but I still want to do it. I see it as a way of improving my own mental and physical health and focus.

Is it possible to train on one's own and how effective is it?

I really want to learn as much as possible, so please tell me can I achieve anything on my own?

Besf regards,

Matija.

Answer: Thank you for your question, Matija! I am so happy to hear how enthusiastic you are!

Now you do understand the disadvantages of studying kendo alone. It is very good.

Another big disadvantage is that you have no one to correct you when you do things wrong. Therefore, you must do it very carefully. And you must determine to copy exactly what you are learning from. Well, that is exactly we all should do when we learn from actual instructors too.

But that is why it is very important for not only you but all of us to choose our instructor. Please read “How can you tell about good instructor or not?”.

And this video might help too.

How Effective Is It?

It all depends on you. Even when you have a good teacher, if you don't listen to him/her, it's not very effective.

· How much can you pay attention to details?

· How much can you be “objective” and look at yourself?

· Can you think that you are always wrong? (Objective view to improve yourself by yourself)

· Are you willing to travel to the closest dojo and have someone to check? (Dedication)

I am sure you can make it work but it is all up to you.

Hope this helps!