Kendo training menu

by Olga
(Ukraine)



I would like to ask about your training schedule.

In training,  how long do you usually spend for warm-up? Suburi? Basic techniques? What is always included in every training? What is the order of techniques and exercises during training, etc.?

For example,  in our dojo we have 2-hours trainings. Our warming-up  is  about 15-20 minutes;  some stretching exercises, jumping, flexibility exercise, warming-up joints and muscles.

Then about 25-30 minutes we do suburi.  After that we do men uchi, do uchi, kote uchi, kirikaeshi without bogu for about 20 minutes.  

Then we put our bogu on and for about 20-25 minutes we do all those techniques in bogu. During that period of time we may learn something new or train some advanced technique. After that we usually have uchi (komi) geiko, kakari geiko or/and jigeiko.

Answer: It looks good to me.  I have one suggestion, though.  Go to your dōjō  a bit early and spend some time for warm-up. You will have more time for actual kendō training.

I tend to spend too much time on the very basics. 

What about yours? Share it with us!

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Nov 03, 2015
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by: Anonymous

good post
Mar 05, 2010
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by: Anonymous

"At my dojo in Japan, we only did jigeiko."

Wow! So is it ok when all training time is for jigeiko? Or it makes sense when everyone in dojo is above shodan or so. 

How is it applicable for dojos outside Japan?

Kendo-Guide.Com:  When I was a child, we did not do jigeiko that often. Even when I was 1 kyu, we only did jigeiko once a week (training was held three times a week). So other two days were dedicated to kirikaeshi,  uchikomi and kakarigeiko.

Jigeiko only session is held for only those who have done the basics thoroughly. If sensei thinks one needs to do more basics, they will turn their jigeiko session to the basics session.

Of course, most of the motodachi are 6th dan or above.  As I said above, these sensei decide what kakarite (students) need to work on. So they give kakarite appropriate training.

At the end of each jigeiko, I did uchikomi and kakari-geiko, and of course kirikaeshi. We never leave the basics behind in any cases. :)

Hope this helps.
Feb 08, 2010
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by: Matt


We also have 2 hour sessions and the following is one of our normal patterns:

Warmup - 15 mins

Footwork and suburi - 20mins

Put on men

Kirikaeshi - 10 mins

Kihon Uchi - 15 mins

Uchikomi - 10 mins

Waza practice (shikake waza, oji waza, hiki waza, things we don?t get to practice often like tsuki) - 15mins

Butsukargeiko - 5 mins

kakarigeiko - 10 mins

jigeiko - 20mins

Variety also comes from doing different kinds of kirikaeshi (like ladders or doubles or across the gym) different kihon exercises, different uchikomi (patterns, in a line etc).

We have also done Japanese university style practices which consist of kirikaeshi and 20 mins of kakarigeiko at the end.

Kendo-Guide.Com: Thanks for sharing.  Like Matt said, it varies.  The menu Matt and Olga have shared with us is ?standard? menu.

At my dojo in Japan, we only did jigeiko.  Of course, after every jigeiko, students (lower graders) do uchikomi or kakari geiko against sensei.

Oikomi is another good one if you have a long dojo. There is a video in the Subscribers? only area.

There is a video of kids training at the subscribers? area too. This may also be helpful.

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