Are KENDO's strikes WEAK?

#katana #kenjutsu #kendo

[@blademan_b]

They understood my teaching well and succeeded even on the first try👍. As fans of the weaponism know, I am the Kenjutsu Guy of Kenjutsu vs. Kendo😁Thank you weaponism😃

[@breaktube]

Not bad, since the blade is so sharp, Seems like you need more control than power to cut. Very nice transition to defense after striking ! ~From Nashville, Tennessee USA

[@juandiegocorton9778]

No doubt that they are very skillfull.

[@umu8934]

you did very well man🐱👏👍

[@stickgarrote8582]

A kendoka used to train at my iaido dojo and told us that his kendo fellows complained that he hit too hard when he’d been doing iaido the day before. It’s not that they couldn’t hit hard, it’s just that he would swing instead of snapping because the iaido kiritsuke would still be on his mind. It’s not a good idea to hit harder than is necessary in sparring, that’s just egoism and risks injuring the partner. We trained to hit very hard, hitting car tires and with suburi bokkens but had to be able to stop the strike within an inch of the opponent. But with no free sparring in our regimen, we would have been completely clueless against a skilled kendoka. Since then I picked up Kali and realized I enjoy sparring quite a bit. Maybe koryu could benefit from some modern additions like controlled sparring when introduced with care and by a high level teacher.

[@thinhsuynhuoc]

To be honest, kendo hits hard enough for an urban setting anyhow. No real katana strike would really chop someone in half despite it being portrayed as a "thru-it-all" weapon. Katana, while being a sidearm, was probably more popular as an urban self defense weapon, suited for daily use. And in self-defense, it's probably best if you dont decapitate someone, anyways. Maybe chop a finger off, because they were tryna rob you but i dont see any more than that to be necessary

[@stickgarrote8582]

@@thinhsuynhuoc The ”good” swords were tested on actual bodies and yes, they can cut someone in half in the hands of a specialist. But it’s not something you can rely on.

[@thinhsuynhuoc]

@@stickgarrote8582 the human spine is very very hard to to thru with a sword. Also dont forget ribs, hip bones and etc. Unless they go thru in between a joint that connects 2 bones then yes they can slice someone clean half. Youve never butchered an animal if you think a sword can slice someone clean in half.

[@stickgarrote8582]

@@thinhsuynhuoc You’ve never read history then. The testing ofswords on corpses is a well documented practise and yes, the swords went completely through. The skill- and toolset of a butcher is completely different and for you to equate the two tells me you have zero experience with tameshigiri.

[@Veepee92]

@@stickgarrote8582 These things are still taught, although orally: "So, imagine that this massive bunch of straws is a human corpse. So when you are going to cut, you must take into account where this and this bone is and to avoid these parts to make a smooth cut through..." There ARE details that make the cut either harder or easier and you must pay attention to them.

[@thetattoodmini]

i do like that they showed that Kendo strikes can be just as powerful. also, very impressive for her to cut the straw so cleanly that it stayed upright. very awesome cut

[@henrikaugustsson4041]

It’s not AS powerful, but powerful enough. At least that’s what it looked like to me, but it could also be that the blade isn’t quite as sharp as it should be, or that they don’t align perfectly. A really great cut could go though cleanly, and the dummy should hardly move. In their cuts there was often straw that wasn’t cut, but more broken. Still very impressive and it really shows that kendo can be lethal with swords.

[@sklaWlivE]

Awesome. Another factor that wasn't explored here however, would be the fact that Katana is a curved sword with the blade on the outside of the curve, and hence very capable of "push cuts"...I wonder what effect the forward velocity generated by a Kendo-ka's dash would be, especially since the Kendo strikes are stopped so "shallowly", aka, in push cut territory.

[@shadowxtremo]

The idea for the shallow cuts is that your sword doesn't get stuck on the enemy's dead body, so you can quickly go back to be on guard, what they call sanshin.

[@jephilologist]

for sure, the push cuts are there as an option that will injure your opponent. The real issue is not in the "power" of the move, as the complainers are pointing out. The real issue is the security/safety of the person delivering the strike. All the opponent needs to do is put a blade in the way, and even if he gets cut mortally, his assailant will get ran through/impaled. Hence why kenjutsu does not do the dashing. One tactic that might be considerable however, is targeting kote cuts with the kendo technique, starting from just outside range, quickly launching it, while stepping diagonally to the side instead of straight forward. That might already be in some book or historical manual somewhere.

[@shadowxtremo]

@@jephilologist Those are valid points. You also have to consider that kenjutsu was techniques to kill people, in war or in duels, but kendo is much more modern, and the context can be simplified to just 1v1 duels. The sanshin and the techniques work because is a 1v1 setting, while maintaining some (but not all) general combat sense as an aesthetic.

[@Ianmar1]

@@jephilologist You just described how jikishinkage-ryu looks to me as an outsider.

[@doomedtolove9214]

i dunno about curve sword katana just look like long sword bend a bit, the curvy didn't function like scimitar or other curve sword but it nice insight from you 👍👍

[@llllKyonllll]

I absolutely love your channel. The video's are always so fun to watch and you are both very entertaining (both when talking and fighting). Keep up the amazing work!

[@kinn11]

THE EDGE ALIGHNMENT ON 2:00 OMG YOURE A GENIUS THIS IS SO DAMN INSANE

[@heresjonny666]

A lot of people forget that you don't need to literally cleave a limb off to disable it. That being said, if armour is a consideration (even clothes) then a cut that follows through is useful.

[@tietosanakirja]

The techniques for fighting with and against armor are very different. Just hitting harder is not enough. You aim for weak points in the armour, such as seams, armpits or hands. Many techniques assume no armor.

[@heresjonny666]

@@tietosanakirja Armour can mean things like cloth, which is the context I meant here. Lighter armour can be cut through with a sword. Even some thinner, unhardened mild steel (or really iron) armour can be cut through.

[@supercalifragilistic5010]

Yeeeeaaah samurai's don't really use katanas in fights tho. And I dont really know why naginatas aren't as popular.

[@tietosanakirja]

@@heresjonny666 True, but armor is there for a reason. If it didn't protect at all, nobody would use it. Hitting any meaningful armor has the risk of messing up your cut and your blade. It is also true that wars were fought with different weapons. Sword was a backup. Nonetheless, there are kenjutsu Ryū specialized in fighting with armour on. I have trained in katana swordsmanship Iaido. Though it's not our schools speciality, we do have techniques designed to cut weak points or a gaps in the armour, such as at the waist, or so my Sensei has told me.

[@Neochrono]

​@@supercalifragilistic5010 Samurai don't exist anymore, so they don't use anything. Also, they used to use katana in duels which are fights. They wore armor in active warfare. That is also when they used naginata and other pole weapons such as the Yari.

[@jessereid8482]

I practice what I guess is a mix of kendo and kenjutsu by myself, I dont have anyone teaching me, I just fight and stuff. its very important to swing all the way through when you swing, I learned that from tennis. love the video, keep uploading

[@sweebos]

I know nothing of martial arts or weapons training... But find this extremely interesting and appreciate your videos. Thanks for sharing these techniques and information in entertaining videos. ✌️

[@christophersantrizos1657]

@1:50 What a Sublime Cut! The Blade moving back smoothly stopped abruptly when she noticed the still standing straw! Complete focus on the movement! Great Video! Keep up the great work! One question... What is the Name of the Demon Blade used in the intro? The one that kills and reanimates the dead?

[@23Disciple]

Nice cuts and great keiko. You are awesome. 0:48 I know different schools/styles have different methods and reasons. I trained battojutsu Toyama ryu and sensei told us to stop with kissaki/ tip of sword horizontally, not diagonally. Reasons what i remember: 1st: you still build with that secured maai/distance = when your kissaki is down, and your cut didnt hit your target, your are open to tsuki/stab or other techniques. When you stop cut with kissaki horizontally, you can continue with tsuki/stab like your second move and you save time. 2nd: master swordsmen in ancient times had techniques (i dont remember the names) to disarm your sword, one of them was step with feet on mune when kissaki directs down, so he can disarm you. Thats impossible when your kissaki directs horizontally.

[@tablechairs8696]

Imagine getting hit by a sword and calling it weak. My arm is cut off, is that all you got?!?

[@hantu7380]

T'is but a scratch

[@andreszarmach554]

I love this channel, cheers from america :)

[@AnasukeAK]

I don't see how a kendo strike wouldn't kill someone, I've practiced Kendo for a while and let me tell you, those Men and Kote hits I received during training and matches would have killed me it they had been from a real sword. And even if the cut itself wouldn't kill... most people would die out of bloodlost after the hit. So yeah... I simply think that some people act like professionals while they are, in fact, complete noobs... But thank you Blademan for the demonstration, it was awesome!!

[@szarekhthesilent2047]

You won't die instantly from this. which means the opponent can double.

[@CannikinX]

Hoping for your opponent to bleed out (which is no guarantee with a shallow cut) after several minutes in a real battle that is over in seconds is a very poor strategy and will more than likely get you killed. Mortally wounded does not equal a finished fight. To win a battle you must incapacitate them such that they physically cannot fight anymore (or surrender). See the 1986 FBI Miami shootout for a real battle with deadly consequences and modern forensics. Both culprits were more than capable of fighting even after being shot multiple times. Forensic analysis determined one of them was mortally wounded (bled out) by the first shot he received, yet continued to fight, killing 2 FBI agents. It took a whopping 11 more shots to finally stop him by hitting his spine.

[@Corey91666]

​@@CannikinXtry fighting back if i injure your lead Hand. Katana are weapons that need skill to use. Pulling a trigger is possible if you miss an arm but doing sword things is much Harder like that.

[@davidbennett1357]

So I am a gaijin obviously, and not some expert. But I do have some questions that anyone in the comments and any of the people IN the video can feel free to address. one of my questions is why Iaido practitioners typically don't incorporate actual cutting in to their art? it seems to me to be a logical progression of the idea of cutting from the sheath to ACTUALLY attempt to cut from the sheath. I was genuinely excited to see that happen in this video. My other question is in regard to the the ballistic test dummies that are now available. You see these primarily in firearms videos where a user will shoot the dummy to try and get an idea of how effect a round or even a particular style of bullet might be in a defensive situation. I know they aren't exactly cheap, but I would think that someone might have tried doing kenjutsu and iaido on such dummies to gage the effectiveness of their techniques. Anyone have thoughts on these two questions?

[@Ianmar1]

There was a bit of a cultural stigma to tameshigiri (test cutting) since it was primarily practiced by executioners. In the shinto and buddhist religions professions that dealt with death e.g. butchers, tanners, candle makers, executioners were considered to be spiritually unclean. Some schools still do incorporate tameshigiri into their kata. This is often a high level exercise because there are concerns that the showmanship and the focus on getting through distracts one from proper technique and understanding the meaning of the kata. Tameshigiri on its own is often considered to be a meaningless exercise since there is no intent, no awareness, no buildup: the cut is unearned. It is also high level because each of those mats cost €20, damage to a shinken costs significantly more, and damage to the user is unthinkable. I do not know if balistic dummies are used by modern day kenshi, I would not be surprised but as you said: those can be expensive. With that said, there are records of these techniques performing as expected on human bodies as recently as WWII.

[@anthonyalbertkilgrengutier7278]

All that's needed Is a quick draw and precision in striking with a sword or anything similar. Draw, strike, cut, draw back, etc. There's nothing weak about Kendo, Iaido, etc. It's all about persoective and practice.

[@lmonk9517]

but can it beat a flamethrower? I think so but it'll be very close.

[@tankmaster6062]

@@lmonk9517 i mean if u throw the katana theres a chance just gotta keep ur distance... lots of distance

[@lixxie3820]

When it comes to kendo, there isnt actually need to put so much force behind your swings. It only risks the injury of the other kendōka. Plus, when it comes to Kendo, you're supposed to snap your wrists at the end of your swing instead of only swinging the sword like a lunatic (atleast that's what my dojo teaches me? I'm sorry if im incorrect) So in conclusion: dont hit too hard when it comes to kendo, it hurts 😭

[@PervyOldToadSage]

Omg! Zenitsu popped off with that classic anime sliced thru so well the body still stays intact :o!!

[@Wirrn]

I am not well versed in it at all, but my understandign is Kendo is the more modern, effectively sportified version that restricts things to a very controlled and limited dueling scenario. THis is essentially what happened with western fencing, though not yet to the same extent. THe result is an art that gets more specialised and develops for its specific context, which is no longer martial and now a sport - it will lose a lot of the original sword arts designed to kill. This isn't necessarily a bad thing and fencers (and kendo practitioners I assume) are very skilled at what they do, its just something people should be aware of when talking about the sword art. (Even more 'realistic' ones like some HEMA tournaments are going to be unrealistic because we're trying NOT to actually kill people)

[@robbabcock_]

Great video! It looks like you had fun and it was very informative!

[@jesusguillen2158]

Great videos! Someday Haedong Kumdo vs Kenjutsu/Iaido? Saludos desde México/greetings from Mexico

[@myname-mz3lo]

i wish kenjutsu had sparring with armor like in kendo . i dont like doing only kata without knowing how to use it in real match. if kenjutsu schools did sparring everyone would quit kendo .

[@Ianmar1]

Some do, most don't. The following styles are known to have branches that spar as part of their training, and there is (limited) video content on youtube of them doing so: * Tennen Rishin-ryu * Jikishinkage-ryu * Hokushin Itto-ryu * Mugai-ryu * Toyama-ryu (note: not koryu) I have also been told that the following have sparring as well: * Yagyu Shinkage-ryu (Owari / Shunpukan line) * Oishi Shinkage-ryu * Asayama Ichiden-ryu * Shibukawa Ichi-ryu There are also plenty of fake kenjutsu styles i.e. not koryu, not developed by anyone with an extensive koryu background which spar as well.

[@RoboticSafey]

In a lot of hema manuals a cut or stab only needs to penetrate about 3 inches to be potentially incapacitating, possibly less in places like hands or fingers.

[@tuerkefechi]

Of course kendo strikes with a sharp katana are dangerous, harming or even deadly. Using the mechanics of a quick snapcut with a slicing motion forward, the curvature of the blade makes it even more effective. It is similar to snapcuts used in European military Sabre fencing. They will not sever a head, but they slice and cut you harmfully enough. Also Kendo knows downward going strikes from the Nihon kendo kata. Or see the do strikes, they are compared to men and kote relatively big motions. Also there are koryu kata which use sometimes the same quick snapcuts like kendo. So whoever said, the kendo strikes would not really cut, has not clue about this stuff. Nice video, love this channel.

[@nahrubish]

But how many times can you do snap cut in reality with real weight katana?

[@dragonmaster3030]

@@nahrubish a katana isn't that heavy, mine has a longer than average tsuka with a 34 inch blade(6-7 inches longer than normal), that swords only 3.1 pounds, an average katana is easily 2.5 if not less

[@23Disciple]

@@dragonmaster3030 Historical katanas from sengoku period or older, which was used in battle, with hiraniku/haniku and motokassane larger thab 7,5 mm, which historical katans mostly had, are easily 2,5 pounds?

[@muzkat101]

That second slice by the girl was beautiful and well done... near perfect.

[@comradeblin256]

Kendo mentality= i wanna fight in sporty way. Kenjutsu mentality= i wanna cut some dude in half. Those things are not the same.

[@quintessenceSL]

So what I got from a practitioner of kendo is the numerous concussions he's suffered. This from being hit by a wooden sword even with protection. It's a difference in approach, like from a boxer to a slugger; speed vs. power.

[@Ianmar1]

Kendo usually gets the opposite due to the -do suffix which implies that the mindset is philosophical rather than sporty. The mindset that we attempt to foster is called mushin which translates to "empty mind" or the ability to act without thinking. I cannot speak with authority on the kenjutsu mindset, but I train frequently with koryu guys, and I can assure you that this mindset is not bloodlust.

[@SirConto]

@@quintessenceSL If he's getting so many concussions from sword strikes, they must be doing something very seriously wrong in his kendo dojo. Kendo strikes shouldn't be that powerful. They should be done with power coming from the left arm, right one just guiding it and from the the tenouchi (the way you strengthen your grip in the moment of impact). They should be quick, sharp and snappy, bouncing from the helmet rather than really transferring full force into the impact. Through the armor, they shouldn't even hurt (beyond maybe like a light slap) Making painfully strong strikes usually means using too much right arm and/or wrong grip. It's a beginner's mistake and one of the main reasons most dojos have complete beginners start by just practicing strikes for about half a year before even giving them armor and letting them participate in any kind of matches. Speaking of the dojo I train in, we have about 20 people, we train 4 times a week, we never had a concussion.

[@crimsonkatsu5919]

I think they do it the way they do in kendo, because you can't pull through a body with a shinai. However for do you can pull through and that's why you pull through for do.

[@LeoStont]

Awesome! Entertaining and educating content, thank you!

[@A.C_B.]

2:00 extremely impressive cut. Incredibly clean.

[@umu8934]

but I wish they use a proper mats to cut on, it would resemble as a proper appendage of a human limb size.... Well the video is so entertaining for non martial arts or weapon practicionaire like us.... good job on the video🐱👏👍

[@happy65364]

1:50 Got cut so fast it didnt evenr realize it had been cut

[@lamxung5000]

Think of stances in video games Light Medium and Heavy Kendo is pretty much the light and fast strikes

[@l.d.p.9365]

Very good demonstration. The cutting ability of a katana is more from edge hone being convex and the fineness of the one who weilds it. The strength on of steel pales in comparison to the will that guides its path.

[@mishmashmedley]

@4:00 the prepared, dry grass stalks cut easy from kendo's love taps. but they're still weak sauce compared to kenjutsu

[@sprth-bc2ne]

I got hit in men by a 3-dan for 3 years and I can say... They are not weak 😆

[@SirConto]

It really depends. A lot of people really go for very minimalist, weak but very fast strikes, that get a good tap sound, but are hardly felt.

[@aleksandrpirogov6339]

You may try to make a collaboration with SlowMotionGuys (sorry, don’t remember exact name) for projectile deflection video. I think it would be really cool

[@blademan_b]

He is Blademan B😁

[@teeprice7499]

I'm new to your channel, and liked this demonstration very much.

[@jamiejames416]

Love your guys'z content

[@TheGiantRobot]

Even though they don't slash, kendo strikes can be extremely hard. Those bamboo shinai are made to collapse for a soft impact, and you still need a helmet and gauntlets.

[@myname-mz3lo]

kendo hit ... katana slices .... kendo use shinai to hit like an axe

[@Ianmar1]

@@myname-mz3lo Well, the shinai cannot cut, what do you want us to do? We practice cutting in the kata.

[@myname-mz3lo]

@@Ianmar1 kendo is meant to be realistic practice. That's why there is a string on the back..

[@Ianmar1]

@@myname-mz3lo The tsuru also holds the shinai together and gives tension to the bamboo so that the sae is correct.

[@myname-mz3lo]

@@Ianmar1 you think the japanese couldnt have found another system for that? It is to check edge alignment mostly

[@jax7715]

And strong core flexibility helps. Love Blademan B 👍👍😎

[@blademan_b]

Thank you😆👍

[@whynottalklikeapirat]

“The teacher teaches so well!” - Essential Japanese dialogue, vol. II

[@-RONNIE]

WOW that is very impressive👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 I remember watching the man cut the BB on the Guinness Book of World Records and Superhuman show.

[@rickwang890]

Cutting through as opposed to stopping looks very similar to the first kata in kendo.

[@jons9239]

1:53 Yeeeaaa!! Bad ass!!

[@Yupppi]

Heh, if anyone suggests kendo strikes aren't dangerous, I welcome them to stand in front of a kendo practicer who wields a proper katana, and take a hit. Armchair professionals at loose. They might also be surprised how different it is to dodge or defend against a quick snap instead of a big swing. Like would you be more scared of the professional boxer jab or a swing at the night grill queue? The boxer jab is like a snake, no wasted effort, while the grill swing is giving you all the cues you might wish for.

[@hanspanzer1260]

I really like to look at katanas, even considering that I'm pairing with friends using a one-handed axe when dressed in Slavic costumes. And yes, my respect for the costumes from Demon slayer.

[@C-ex]

1:51 that cut reminded me of something like Zatoichi.

[@taccntb4345]

My sensai Toshishiro Obata lives in Los Angeles. He would approve.

[@LaggyMcDougal]

those katana are friggin huge and thick and heavy dunno if my old sword school teacher still calls them boats lol

[@jontodd5462]

I'm taken back to Indiana Jones when the guy is showing off his swordsmanship and Indy just shoots him 😁

[@coreychambers416]

her sword is clean like a mirror

[@barny541]

I love the demon slayer references i saw in 2 videos xd 👍

[@nikolaiortiz]

😬the muscles of the kendo pals are well trained, they are not week, they just need to adapt the technic. 👏👏👏👏

[@hunterironside9969]

she nailed it that second time!

[@JensMorrison]

Pretty sure that bamboo is tougher than skin, and all you need to bleed out, is a good deep cut. I wouldn't want to get hit by Kendo, or Kenjutsu. I imagine it'd go through bone pretty easily too, but I don't have anything to back that up with.

[@pamir375]

Can you do more fencing? :O

[@injegomontoya370]

She is deadly and beautiful ♥️

[@marcoregulacion1461]

in the last part hurt me the most the way he pull his katana and bend it in the process is just un professional in a real katana it can ruins its beauty

[@taccntb4345]

Plus those are not real tatami. They are supposed to simulate a human arm or body and one must have a the perfect 45 degree angle to cut the most efficiently. They should be water soaked too. It’s much more difficult to cut when they are wet…. :)

[@jimslater8685]

That cut at 1:55 😱

[@redTanto]

The problem of armor and being attacked in return. If your opponent is not immediately incapacitated and you are vulnerable, that is an issue. The kendo thrusts are great though.

[@nicholasthompson6152]

True but in if they are wareing armor then blunt force trauma may be the best way to actually hurt them. You might not cut them but the impact will still be felt

[@redTanto]

@@nicholasthompson6152 Everyone had their own version of the coif, protective cloth worn under the helmet. The way through is with antiarmor or heavy impact weapons, the nadziak of the winged hussars or in japan that would be the kanabo. Armor was a severe problem. The belly cutting oft seen in kenjutsu is because the later evolution of japanese armor had a gap there, as opposed to the early generations lacking the gap but being stiff and inflexible. soon after remedied with lamellar, chain, and/or cloth. Typically remained one of the best gaps to target, along with the eye thrust you see in kendo. There were even bullet tested armors, seen as a required proof of craft.

[@nicholasthompson6152]

@@redTanto Yeah no attacking an armored part of the body isn't ideal or practical but if that's the only place one can attack then as you also pointed out blunt force is the best approach so giving a powerful committed strike may still be better then simply hoping to be fast enough to get back to guard before they can counter attack. If they do it's more likely to happen immediately following your first hit

[@Ianmar1]

Takano Sasaburo, the father of kendo had this to say on helmet cutting: Cutting rolled up straw mats (巻藁, makiwara) is just like a silly game for children. It is of no importance. Tameshigiri in the past was done on iron helmets.

[@theguileraven7014]

@@nicholasthompson6152 Armor isn’t just heavy metal suits. Silk, cloth, wool, and linen were often used for armor as well. Soft armors won’t stop a proper slash, but it can absolutely protect against draw and push cuts.

[@damiensteiner9919]

Absolutely amazing skills

[@Sam-mz9qv]

could you pleas do a Iaido vs kendo video it would mean the world to me

[@Ianmar1]

I am curious, how would that work precisely? Iaido deals in asymmetric or asocial violence e.g. ambushes, whereas kendo deals in symmetric or social violence e.g. duals. It seems hard to put those in the same context. I have been part of an exercise in preparation for a celebration training where we walked through some iaido kata but with actual teki in bogu with shinai ... it did not achieve the desired effect. Maybe you have some better ideas.

[@iRA_mkb]

1:57 beautiful. Anime shit right there.

[@diogenes42069]

She swung that sword with the power of friendship the second time that's why it broke the first time no power of friendship

[@soundmind2555]

First, I am a 6th kyu iaido/iaijutsu of Muso Jikiden Eishin-Ryu (~500-year-old system). Second, "kenjutsu" is a much older term that means "art of the Japanese sword," and it refers to not only katana, but also tachi and other nihonto of various shapes. Third, the effectiveness of a katana's sword blow is more dependent on the arc of the strike than its force. In tameshigiri (cutting of the mats), one learns quickly that a mere chop will result in the sword getting stuck in the mat. But if one follows proper technique, the curved katana will slice through the mat. The kendo cuts in the video would not work on a real tatami mat properly prepared to resemble the consistency of an appendage. By the way, with all due respect, ending the cut with the katana near the ground is poor technique. Fourth, kendo (as opposed to kenjutsu) was never intended as combat training. It was developed as exercise for internal development, so the strikes were not meant to do anyone harm (though wearing the protective gear prevents bruises), except, possibly, the tsukes (thrusts). Plus the swords used are shinai, straight and made of bamboo strips. Finally, as also a nidan in karate and kobudo with over 15 years of training, it's timing, skill, and simplicity that achieve victory, not speed.

[@Ianmar1]

Why would you preface a very accurate and informative post with the very low rank of 6th kyu? I have seen 4th kyu who forget that sanpo giri means that you have to do three cuts.

[@soundmind2555]

@@Ianmar1 Thank you for the compliment (I think). I just wanted non-practitioners to know that I actually practice a sword art and some credibility. And I suspect you are well aware that ranking is not necessarily an accurate indicator of knowledge or ability. I wish you well in your kai.

[@Ianmar1]

@@soundmind2555 I like to imagine that most conversation online is in good faith, a naive view but I am happier with it. I expect 6th kyu to know tō rei, and yet yours was probably the most informative comment here: kendo doesn't instruct on cutting. Blindingly obvious and yet people seem so passionate about kendo's status as an incomplete martial art. I am sure that you have looked around to see that we are all keyboard swordsmen here. Just say that you study Muso Jikiden Eishin-Ryu, there is no need for rank we are not doing reiho, and continue to present your knowledge honestly and in good faith. Any knowledge that you can inject improves the conversation.

[@stickgarrote8582]

The stopping height of a cut is very dependent on the style. Eishin-ryu’s cuts are stopped quite high because they are using the kissaki to threaten and ”push” at the opponent. Other schools do not have this element and end their cuts lower. It’s not necessarily bad form, it’s just a different style.

[@TheMatizyahu]

Very informative and accurate. I trained kenjutsu (with katana and wakizashi) and our sensei told us that it is actually good practice to have contact with real sword by training tameshigiri. Training with boken only can lead to develop lot of bad habits such as poor movement and momentum controll. I think he was right - i started to practice tameshigiri and i observed that in sparring with bokkens i had much more controll over what i was doing. I found tameshigiri also very relaxing excercise.

[@anonymousbeaver4486]

Really cool!

[@SeanWinters]

Short answer, yes, Kendo strikes are weak. Longer answer, they don't have to be strong.

[@arculengaming5794]

Imagine thinking that a sword to the top of the skull with even a flick of the wrist wouldnt embed itself...its deadly and it doesnt take much especially with the way the katana is designed.

[@equidistanthoneyjoy7600]

Exactly, you don't need to cut someone in half to kill them. If anything, I would expect the faster strike to be more effective because it doesn't *over* commit to the strike and deal more damage to what is effectively already a corpse. The main advantage of a longer strike would be that you're more likely to still hit your opponent if they dodge, but if you land your blow either way you would want to be prepared to pull back.

[@myname-mz3lo]

nope . a skull can chip or bend your katana if you dont have technique ... try cutting a large branch and come back

[@TheZlysir]

@@equidistanthoneyjoy7600 The reason kendo is bad isn't necessarily because its strikes are weak, but because it lacks variations of attack. There are literally only 4 attacks, and kendo just kind of looks boring. If you watch kenjutsu fighting, they look much more epic.

[@equidistanthoneyjoy7600]

@@TheZlysir "I don't fear the man who practiced a thousand strikes once, I fear the man who has practiced a single strike a thousand times" -Bruce Lee The point of martial arts is to be effective, not to look "epic". If that's what you're looking for, watch WWE.

[@TheZlysir]

@@equidistanthoneyjoy7600 Are you telling me you think kendo can replace kenjutsu in terms of real actual combat?

[@bushidoc2851]

It's funny how some kenjutsu "experts" who have never spar somehow think they are so much better than kendo practicioners. I bet in a real fight to the death with katanas, a high level kendo player like Nishimura or Miyazaki will beat no problem any of those armchair "Kenjutsu masters".

[@Harry-mf6rq]

In a real fight to the death with katanas, my money would be on the ones that practice with katanas (kenjutsu) rather than the ones that don't practice with katanas (kendo). Just like a tennis player will probably beat a baseball player at tennis.

[@jedBSME]

They also spar in Kenjutsu kzbin.info/www/bejne/iYjdpYuFqsmKd9U

[@Ianmar1]

@@jedBSME That is not (official) kenjutsu sparring. That is two kendoka, one with koryu training sparring with rubber bokken.

[@jotape5681]

@@Harry-mf6rq I've seen kenjutsu fight tournaments, Can you guess what they use to fight? Yes, shinai.

[@bushidoc2851]

@@Harry-mf6rq most koryu dont train with katanas, since that would be really dangerous and expensive af, and even the ones that do, they only do it when striking tatami mats, which isn't the same as trying to hit a moving oponent. Also, in kendo there is the Nihon kendo kata, which is based on kenjutsu forms from different schools like the hokushin ittō-ryu, jikishinkage-ryu and tennen rishin ryu, so we do train the notion of using a real sword. I've done bogu sparring a few times with katori shinto ryu practicioners and bujinkan clowns and they have no idea how to hit a moving target because they just pratice kata.

[@thaloh]

I don't understand how a sword strike can be weak. a sword is not an axe or mace. Cutting with a sword is almost all in the technique instead of power.

[@LaggyMcDougal]

love the demon slayer stuff too

[@vincentmenard1682]

No kendo moove on bamboo ? Sad... 😢 Beside that, good video.

[@jordanezell5132]

Could you pit two knives against a katana?

[@Ianmar1]

You can ... to varying degrees of success: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aJjRhnWgebRpiJI kzbin.info/www/bejne/mZrYqGqtaKp9a8U kzbin.info/www/bejne/fYfVn4OwoZ6LrKc all examples from this channel.

[@cm24624]

1:55 outstanding!!

[@lilosnitch3247]

Can u do kendo vs aikido? This will be interesting

[@Ianmar1]

It looks like they haven't translated those yet. Here is aikido: kzbin.info/www/bejne/kKqxm5ipg8-lmbs Here is daitoryu aikijujutsu: kzbin.info/www/bejne/lX-ZmaevhdB8hsk

[@lilosnitch3247]

@@Ianmar1 ohh wow thanks so much!

[@kenken8765]

Is it possible to do cut straw/bamboo/people with the Katana with no blade? Recreate Yamada Asaemon from Kubikuri Asa manga who executes convicts with a katana with no blade yet he cuts through flesh with ease. Probably via just skill of use and technique.

[@gnuumyn]

Is there a video with a Korean polearm against bamboo?

[@xeniabichler5103]

재밌게 잘 봤습니다 ㅎ

[@az-6262]

From what i see in kendo, are techniques that were once used for war, these were meant to train people that are not trained for any form of combat, the peasants, and train them light yet effective suicidal techniques that are dangerous when done by groups, they did mostly downward strikes and some stabbing strikes. Though the samurai, or nobility, are likely to be trained in all forms, spears, bows, various polearms, konabo, horse archery, guns and many more. Peasants were the ones who used the gun the most with their samurai comanders, but most samurai were already trained and effective in horse archery or any other combat. In case the enemy got too close, supporting units of spearmen will move in, and the gunners will use either a spear or sometimes the sword, and the gunners with swords would have used a style similar to modern kendo

[@Ianmar1]

Kendo was intended to be standardized physical education for the military and police, and eventually schools in anticipation of a war with the US following Commodor Perry's black ships / gunboat diplomacy. They anticipated the need for courage, discipline, and decisiveness, they did not anticipate that the sword would be used meaningfully in future conflicts. See Toyama-ryu for a kenjutsu style that anticipated swordmanship in early-modern warfare. Edit: early-modern means something very specific i.e. 1450-1800 which was not what I intended which was 20th century warfare.

[@az-6262]

@@Ianmar1 you should also go and see nodachi jigen ryu

[@Ianmar1]

@@az-6262 I watched some videos, and those guys are aggressive, very different from the kenjutsu that I usually see.

[@az-6262]

@@Ianmar1 this is what i was talking about in my comment

[@Ianmar1]

@@az-6262 I don't believe that kendo descends strongly from nodachi jigen-ryu. Usually we look to shinkage-ryu (introduced shinai), jikishinkage-ryu (introduced bogu) and especially the various itto-ryu styles (kendo waza). These are notably very upper class ryuha the headmasters of which were tutors and bodyguards to the shogun.

[@Raven_shifter]

Depends on the breathing and chi flow control of the user. Fear not the weapon but the one who wields the weapon. A Master of the Arts could take down a giant with but a single stone. 🎉 #OneFamily

[@ircensko7324]

1:51 Anime style

[@teunisrijk6174]

man if this guy cutting trough straw means hes good, then i must be a progidy i sliced a trashcan.

[@mariapavone9762]

Muchas GRACIAS por esto video 📸 muy forte Aqui y Ahora . Gracidao siempre Paz Armonia Felicidad Cristalline en Toda la TIERRA. Gracidao Dear Teachers Thanks 😊 You Very much. Gracidao.

[@jeanmarcreyes6927]

i can only imagine how the kendo girl and the kendo camera guy is slightly infuriated each time the kenjutsu guy mention kendo's supposedly "WEAKNESS". Kinda like how a karate master would train under a taekwondo master and the instructor kept on noting how this is better than that.

[@Ianmar1]

They were both 1dan kendo, the kenjutsu guy is 3dan kendo.

[@jeanmarcreyes6927]

@@Ianmar1 ohhh the kenjutsu guy was a kendo master too?Then pls disregard my comment

[@trollfam1887]

Kenjustu Iaido vs kendo 👍👍👍🥰

[@sandythamtono2081]

I meen its fine not being able to just kill in one shot.. not like it can beat guns anyway in this day and age for manslaughter purposes

[@katrielisrael7262]

When a women welds the sword yes, kendo is weak.

[@stefan1977full]

A martial art without real-time sparring is philosophy/religion. It sounds nice but without practical applicability. Just one end of the stick.

[@noodle4454]

THE ZENITSU HAORI

[@ttchme9816]

A kendo strike probably can't kill, that's true. But if you think a kendo's strike is not damaging enough that it decides the fight then you are very very wrong. Their fast attacks allow them to harass your unguarded arm when you try to windup for a strong slash. Since a kendoka's attack is also a lot less powerful, they can return their sword to a guard position faster as well since the sword resist less.

[@tuanhd6068]

I’m Japanese 🇯🇵 and I have a real katana too but i have seventy of them

[@7ninjasblade]

I want practice it😍

[@nahrubish]

is kenjutsu able to compete with kendo in sparring?

[@Ianmar1]

There are a few ways to interpret your question: 1) Can you use kenjutsu moves in kendo? Kendo is very restrictive in what constitutes a valid strike: target areas on the bogu, cutting areas on the shinai, chopping rather than slicing, etc.. Kendo is also restrictive in how you fight: no halfswording, grabbing or sweeping the opponent. Kenjutsu techniques may be used provided that they do not violate these restrictions, however they are typically not as efficient as the kendo techniques for the kendo sparring system. 2) Will a strong kenjutsuka do well in the kendo sparring system? This depends on how they train. Many kenjutsuka cross train kendo because they see the arts as complimentary, and experience benefits to both. Other kenjutsu ryuha have branches that have maintained the sparring systems that gave inspiration to kendo e.g. Tennen Rishin-ryu, Jikishinkage-ryu, and Hokushin Itto-ryu, and kenjutsuka from such traditions can adapt easily since kendo is a restriction of what they do. A kenjutsuka who does not spar as part of their training will not do very well in kendo shiai. I train kendo at a koryu dojo, and have had the priviledge of sparring with some *very* high ranked kenjutsuka; everything about their technique is perfect, it is really quite intimidating, right up until the moment that I bop them on the head because they move in slow motion to me. 3) Is there an unrestricted sparring system in which kenjutsu styles can compete that is not biased in favor of any training system? No.

[@nahrubish]

@@Ianmar1 @Ianmar1 thank you for the answer. I'm not a kendoka. It is true, it will be different to each practitioner whether he does sparring or not. The speed, reaction time are trained in sparring. The snap attack of the kendo also bornt out of effectiveness in the sparring. the speed of kendo is the cutting edge of sword fighting. Any sword techniques that claim to be effective must be tested under kendo speed and reaction time. The rules in kendo are still fine. I noticed during my training in fencing. Foil players are more athletic than epee player since there are more rules in foil. In the sense, rules hone the techniques and athletism. Of course, I despise kendokas who close distance just because they know they can just avoid men with head movement only or hit on other body parts are not counted. That is just exploiting the rules of kendo. In addition, it is still good for no rules or cross sparring with HEMA to check and balance if kendo still relevant in real sparring. they will respect the distance more. You can check cross sparring videos in this channel. The kendo snap attack is still effective. I'm not sure not sure where kenjutsu should be. Probably, in one against many situation. It is unlikely lunge snap attack kendo will be useful in that situation since it is all or nothing technique. For iaijutsu still has the place since that's the only option if the fight starts in sheathed form.

[@Ianmar1]

@@nahrubish Yeah, kendo's stupid head dodge. I have been told to think of it as an exercise for me: if I broadcast my intentions so that my opponents have the presence of mind to do the head dodge then my attack was unsuccessful, a better opponent will attack me in preparation instead. Kesagiri is probably kendo's most conspicuously absent technique: it is ubiquiteous in kenjutsu, and battlefield archeology indicates that it was a common killing stroke. I am told that it is hard to armor the clavicle, and the ability to strike there is approximated by the ability to strike the head but I would love to see it introduced as a valid strike on the condition that the opponent has broken their posture with a head dodge. There has been a recent change in this direction: if an opponent leans back so that their face is cut rather than their head it still counts as if the head dodge failed.

[@Ianmar1]

@@nahrubish Kendo is not very balanced for actual sparring. The kenjutsu styles which heavily influenced the development of kendo reached the conclusion that defense on its own was pretty much pointless, you only give your opponent another chance to cut you. Instead they favored a strategy of attacking into the opponents attack e.g. itto-ryu is known for cutting through the opponents attack with kiriotoshi thereby attacking and defending at the same time, whereas shinkage-ryu is known for initiating initiative and adapting to or rolling past the opponents initiative with marobashi. The trouble here is that we are used to sparring with opponents that don't defend, and usually only attempt orthodox kendo strikes. This may have worked for those kenjutsu masters whose insights inspired kendo, but a students attacks are not yet unblockable. Imagine a fencing school that observes that at the top levels of competition, most fencing is done absence of blade, thus only instructs absence of blade. Students of this school will struggle at intermediate levels of competition where distance and tempo are short of perfect, since they have developed blindspots for the parrying mechanics of the sport. WWII kendo encouraged much more cross training as part of one's development e.g. 2v1, naginata (glaive), and jukendo (bayonette), but unfortunately today such things are viewed as playing and not a serious part of one's development. Today you can still do 2v1 matches if you have two friends in your dojo who don't take themselves (and dojo etiquette) too seriously. I did this a few times in the dojo where I first trained (not the koryu guys) the problem is that kendo target areas provide no meaningful flanking manoeuvres. What is more common is 1vMany in drills, for instance engine where one is attacked by each opponent immediately upon facing them and must counterattack and face the next opponent which one is deflected to (like pistons in an engine), this builds tight footwork for continuous attacks. Cross sparring, called isshu-jiai seems to be primarily ceremonial today even with the availability of naginata, jukendo, and tankendo players, all of which are less common than kendo. I try to frequent a nearby dojo which trains both kendo and naginata, but to my knowledge even they do cross sparring less often than once each year. I have been interested in visiting a HEMA club, but honestly the equipment is rather expensive for something which I do not presently have the time to do seriously.

[@nahrubish]

@@Ianmar1 thank you for the reply. I'm afraid I m too inexperienced to asses your mounting experiences. I'm just an enthusiast now. I'm just swinging my bokken at home. I actually have thought defense is too slow compared to attack. It is also too risky in real fight. Blade still can bend and wild (random) slash is enough to kill and chop limbs. I cannot plan well for next attack. I still remember how fast it is one handed sword slash. I need to consider its angle of attack, its weight distribution (some sword are heavy at the front), feint, etc. Because once I make mistake, my fingers will be gone or it passes through my guard. One more thing is the mind set. I feel like attacking mindset is helping to be active and creative. If I have the mindset to defense, I feel that it has already slowed me down. Regarding one vs many, it is just about individual preference. Train it if you feel like it and learn from it. Unlikely, we have the chance to use it real fight. You might as well enjoy the process of learning.

[@jajoez3291]

Wear FUCKING eye protection when use bb's. Do you want to lose eyes?

[@VTPSTTU]

You do some great content, but this guy looks silly wearing a mask that won't protect against anything but not wearing eye protection when he has small, solid objects coming towards his face. A sliced BB could easily be deflected towards his eyes and cause serious injury.

[@domosrage5434]

seeing as how a head is not made out of straw, its a poor example to show lethality. I'll give it credit, it cuts more than I thought, but those cuts would only be good for cutting flesh, not bone. In a duel to the death (not first blood) then you would need significantly more than just a tap to end the fight. All you'd do is give them a really crazy scar on their face.

[@VanguardArmament]

A crazy scar to the opponent's face is a great way to follow up with a fatal strike. They would be very disoriented by pain, mental shock, and reduced vision.

[@jonnyjonny4897]

2:00-4:30 (Great!!!!)

[@albertobatistadeandrade3213]

Muito bommm!

[@陳崇崢]

Yes...a kendo cut can cut into or through flesh and even bamboo...the problem is not how powerful the cut is but how powerful can it be executed without being "set aside." You can be "deadly" with a sharp thing and penetrate flesh with as little force as you wish, but why would any opponent allow you to do that without striking back as soon as you move or striking at your outreaching katana? A kendo cut is not a bad technique. Just a bad tactic.

[@Ianmar1]

When you say "set aside" do you mean ai-uchi, simultaneous strikes?

[@陳崇崢]

@@Ianmar1 More like kiriotoshi

[@Ianmar1]

@@陳崇崢 That's the signature technique of the itto-ryu family of ryuha. I have heard sensei give that name when attacking from center while the opponent is off center. I have heard that kiriotoshi cannot be done in kendo due to the geometry of the shinai. I have seen it done with a fukuro shinai in a YSR embu, although I believe that they call it gasshi uchi. I believe that the timing should be the same as for debana-men but you close the line instead of charging forwards. The trouble is that debana men is hard to do. With perfect technique, chisai-men takes 0.1 seconds, while a good human reaction time is between 0.2s and 0.3s with the best ever recorded at 0.15s. There is no setting that aside.

[@陳崇崢]

@@Ianmar1 If you are holding a katana, you might get stabbed first for reaching out your blade tip and raising it instead of pushing it forward at your opponent. If this happens in kendo shiai, it is a scene you probably have seen many times, which is the one striking men been stabbed or touched at his men, throat or upper and lower body part. Aiuchi happens in a similar way but both party wants to strike and score. If the defending party wants to stab you in your face or chest once you close in, you will have a bad time defending it. Since Kendo rule does not count stabbing any part of the body except throat as valid strike, people feel safe and are encouraged to close in and strike.