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Jun 25, 2025
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starstarstarstarstar 		training versus each exercise
by: Dan-Marius

Probably that you are thinking about the whole training and I am thinking about each exercise. One exercise can be running 100 meters, hitting men, hitting kote or whatever. There are breaks between exercises in one training. Small breaks, but breaks necessary for recovery and breathing, and they probably exist in any sport.

You said that an anaerobic exercise is one that uses energy sources found directly within the contracting muscles. And we need two things for that energy: glucose and oxygen. We get glucose from food and oxygen from air. The difference between the aerobic and anaerobic is the quantity of oxygen we are using for that exercise (how many breaths).

Kendo-Guide.Com: Thanks again for the great discussion, Dan-Marius! 😊

You’re spot on that each individual kendo strike, like men, kote, or do, is an anaerobic burst. And yes, there are breaks between drills to catch our breath.

You are right about me seeing it as the whole training, Dan-Marius 👍
What I meant earlier is that while each strike is anaerobic, the overall practice of kendo, especially in drills like uchikomi-geiko, kakari-geiko, and jigeiko, engages both aerobic and anaerobic systems because of the sustained effort over time. That’s why kendo can be more exhausting than people expect, even if they’re already fit.

So I think we’re not really disagreeing, just coming at it from different angles:

  • Individual actions = anaerobic ✔️
  • Overall training = both anaerobic and aerobic ✔️

Thanks again for the awesome conversation. I really enjoy these kinds of discussions!
Jun 23, 2025
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starstarstarstarstar 		anaerobic
by: Dan-Marius

Kendō is not both aerobic and anaerobic, Kendō is full anaerobic. Aerobic / anaerobic is the rate of air we are breathing while doing the sport. Consider running. When one is running the Marathon one can not stop breathing for two hours so one is breathing in, breathing out, and so on. That's aerobic. When running out 100 meters one breaths in, run that speed, they breaths out. That's anaerobic. When practicing Kendō one breaths in, does the exercise while breathing out (ki-ai), and one breaths in only after finishing the exercise. That's no aerobic, that's full anaerobic.

Kendo-Guide.Com: Thank you for your comment, Dan-Marius. This is an interesting discussion.

You make an excellent point about the explosive nature of a kendo strike. To build on that, the definition of an anaerobic exercise is one that uses energy sources found directly within the contracting muscles. In that sense, kendo's constant sharp and rapid strikes clearly fall into this definition.

This brings up a more detailed question: Does the method of breathing, exhaling with a kiai versus holding the breath, change the fact that the movement is anaerobic?

My own view is that while the actions look different, they both serve the same purpose. Whether holding the breath for a heavy lift or shouting with a kiai, both methods create maximum core stability, which is essential for such powerful movements. The key, as you correctly identified, is that we are not inhaling at that moment of peak exertion.

While the single strike is clearly anaerobic, the overall practice of kendo, with its constant footwork and need for recovery, relies on our aerobic system as well.

Thank you again for starting this great conversation.
Mar 06, 2011
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starstarstarstarstar 		just starting
by: Anonymous

When you just start out doing basic swings, how long should a training session be? I want to know when should I start and stop, to gain my own training style. Also I don't know exactly how to sync me yelling and kendo breathing at the same time with me swinging. I think I get too nervous any advice would be best.


Thanks!

Kendo-Guide.Com:  Thank you for your post. The length of training session, especially when training alone, varies. If you are talking about suburi (empty cut: you said “basic swings”), sometimes it goes from 30 times on different types of suburi to 100, 500 and so on. If you are a beginner, start from 30 times on each suburi.

Please refer to Kendo Basics: Kendo Beginners Guide too.

In suburi, breathe in when you are lifting your hands up and yell when you are striking.

Hope this helps.
Feb 26, 2011
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starstarstarstarstar 		Kendo: a fitness 'grinding machine'
by: Santiago B. Tejada

If anybody would like to know how much of a good physical exercise Kendo is (that is calories burning-wise), just go to Martial Arts Calorie Burn Calculator.


  • Type in your weight (in kilos, you may need a pounds-to-kilo converter),

  • put 90 minutes (1.5 hours) in 'session duration' box and

  • select 'Kendo' as activity.



If your body weight is about 180 pounds (81.6 kilograms), you will burn close to 898 calories (although, I suspect it could be a little more.) Not bad, uh?

Kendo-Guide.Com: Interesting! Thanks for sharing.

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