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What would you do? Fencing or Kendo?

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What would you rather take classes for? fencing or kendo? I am at a point where I have a good amount of time to devote to new studies between undergrad and grad school, and I decided to do something fun that I was not able to do during school. So why not play with swords? I did karate in the form of Renbuki a long time ago and it was honestly not that interesting, so sword play seems to be the logical item on the menu. However, I am not really sure which discipline to pick.

Fencing is essentially "the art or sport of fighting with swords (especially the use of foils or epees or sabres to score points under a set of rules)." I like the fact that you can use different styles and different weapons while using the same type of footwork. With fencing, there is a really well known school in the Philadelphia area that is apparently very good as far as the instructors and facility is concerned. The website says that, "?emphasis is on having fun while learning discipline and work ethic, acquiring strength and gross motor skills. Through a variety of games the developing athlete gains strength, coordination and knowledge. FAP engages in true physical education. After passing their footwork exam a student earns the privilege of learning to use a weapon and the development of fine motor skills begins. When appropriate the athlete is introduced to competition as a part of the fencing experience, with emphasis on learning the competition skills that lead to results. There are competitions for all ages and levels, and the sport is enjoyed by both recreational and competitive fencers!" Wheee!!!! LOL! I suppose this is directed towards the larger junior portion of the school which does day classes. I would be forced to do night classes because of my age (am I really getting that old?). The prices are not that bad, around $30 a person for ? hour of private lessons. I want to do the classes with my fianc? because it would be completely lame to learn it and not have anybody readily available to spar with. Apparently, I could do a full course to the end of the intermediate level in 20 classes. Here is an example of fencing;

YouTube - Heimsath ( UNC ) v. Pryor ( OSU ), NCAA Epee Fencing

Kendo on the other hand is "The "way of the sword," Japan's oldest martial art, using wooden staves, with its roots in samurai training exercises." I have to say this looks pretty bad-ass. Who wouldn't want to play samurai, right? Though I think I would pick the kendo over the fencing any day of the week, there are a few issues. A lot of the exercises in kendo require a lot of knee bending and stuff like that. I don't really have knee problems, I just don't want to damage anything right now. Also, I would think that kendo would be a little less useful than fencing in terms of footwork and other things which you would be able to adapt to your everyday life. The closest school for kendo is about 30 minutes away, so it would be a pain to get there as well. But it seems so much more appetizing though, so it may very well be worth the time to do that rather than fencing. Here is a sample of Kendo;

YouTube - Kendo Basics

On top of you personal preferences, I would like to hear anyone's suggestions or personal experiences with any of these disciplines because I am curious to know about any particular quirk the sport entails. And for anyone curious about a super awesome kendo vs Fencing fight to the death Japanese game show style match? yearn no more;

YouTube - Kendo vs Fencing

@VideCorSpoon,

Hi,

I have studied Chinese Martial Arts as well as having some exposure to fencing.

Both have lots to offer, and the way I go about choosing classes of study, is always by how well I relate to the teacher and the school (other students). This is what I look for.

Rich

@VideCorSpoon,

I would take the fencing because I think you would get the most out it for say 1-2 years. Kendo will take longer to get to a similar level of satisfaction. BUT ... If you are considering it for a long term committment (10 years) then Kendo would be better. You would get more satisfaction out of the middle and the end.

---------- Post added 08-02-2009 at 01:27 AM ----------

Yep, rich is right. I so totally agree with him. If you have great instructor/student in either - go with that one.

@VideCorSpoon,

Gotta be the Kendo. Footwork is even more essential, as Kendo does not simply deal with the forward opponent. The possibility of several varied possitions of attack requires immediate and constant balance in switching manouveres and stances. Fencing deals primarily with a forward and backward motion. Limiting pivitol, rotational and side-stepping techniques. Of course Kendo is, like all Japanese art, a lifetime in creation. However, it is formost defense by hand that elevates to be armed. Remove the blade and still it is an art, where fencing reveals a puncy fingerpointing arguement. Mind my ineloquance, I get that way when I think of the French.

@urangutan,

The Kendo outfits are far more appealing. You'll look better doing Kendo.

@VideCorSpoon,

I love the idea of beating someone with a stick. Don't get me wrong I am not into bondage or anything, though I don't mind beating someone who is tied up.

Lame as, what do ya reckon. Sometimes my mind bewilders even me.

@VideCorSpoon,

Fencing feels much more elegant, so the-three-musketeer-ish. But Kendo might be a bit more useful, you never know when you're going to bump into a angry ninja :shocked:

@Lily,

Just don't join the SCA, and if you do don't claim you know sword fighting because you have run around a park in PVC armor swinging a stick.

@GoshisDead,

GoshisDead;81121 wrote:

Just don't join the SCA, and if you do don't claim you know sword fighting because you have run around a park in PVC armor swinging a stick.

LOL! I had no idea what the SCA was until I looked it up? good? god. Though I have to admit they look like they are having a good time doing what they are doing, the man code strictly forbids me from acknowledging these guys as being members of the "society of creative anarchism."

Were I to join though, my PVC battle panoply would look something like this;

As you can clearly see, the armor provides more than adequate defense against Nerf or any foam based weaponry. It will also ensure that the wearer remains a virgin for the remainder of their life? so its pretty protective gear. I should also note that Yosemite Sam is there as a warning for people to "back off" and hello-kitty is there to inspire sheer terror in the hearts of my enemies. And no PVC -clad knight would be complete without a dynamic duo of awesome squires to accompany him into the maelstrom of battle;

Unfortunately, Bill's flute techniques will not help him survive beyond the typical high school level beating, nor will Alan's juggling techniques keep him from being stabbed with a blunted rapier. However, I will commend them on those hats? they are very? well? special hats

@VideCorSpoon,

I actually began a topic some time in the past, there was little notice to it, (I am over it now). The discussion I wished to trade on was the complete opposites of Cricket and baseball. Cricket, I will show is a mans test and abillity to manouver either the ball or the bat. Like Kendo, it is not a simple swing and hit. Cricket is the ultimate swordsman tribute. On the other hand if hacking into trees like a french beheader is your thing, then obviously baseball is the sport for you.

I believe the reason America plays baseball is because it did not wish to be British in any way. The reason you all run around with one glove has little to do with your inability to catch a ball, but is a tribute to punncy french ways and like smacking a gauntlet in the face of an opponent, you carry the glove evermore.

Kendo and Cricket, two pinnacles of art.
Fencing and baseball, two opposites of.

These smilies need one with a swinging hand that has just completed a wild slap in the face.

@urangutan,

I suppose no one really noticed the baseball or cricket thread was because no one is interested in baseball anymore, let alone cricket. LOL! Baseball in particular has really fallen off in popularity in America (attendance and viewing rates), although there is still a very strong following even still, especially with the global economic crisis in full swing. It's honestly become more of a family gathering event more than super-serious fan following sport. But I think cricket has a lot of good merits, it seems like a very light and pleasant sport that doesn't demand too much physical exertion in comparison to baseball.

But I would never go so far as to suppose a sport like cricket would be in anyway better than another sport like baseball since they are different sports and need to be considered on different grounds. Different rules, different objectives, different most everything.

Hilariously, baseball is much in line with "a man's test" of hitting the ball in a certain way much like a cricket. I would suppose that's why both sports have bounds. I actually watched a youtube clip of part of a cricket match, and I honestly believe Americans have adopted it ? but we call it soft ball. Seriously. It's actually a pretty fun version of baseball. I know my sister was very into it when she was in highschool. Not to say it's a girl sport, it's just a more reasonable version of baseball. And to tell the truth, I prefer it more than baseball because the underhanded pitch seems a bit more reasonable than the over-handed, 100 mph pitches in baseball. Seems a lot more enjoyable and leisurely.

I find your comment interesting though that you believe that America has not really subscribed to cricket because they do not wish to be British in any way. Well? why should they to begin with? Is it extremely necessary to be British in some way or another in order to appreciate a sport like cricket? Tell that to the Indians, Sri Lankans, Pakistani's, and ?gasp? Austrailians. Interesting enough though, where cricket is the most popular, is where the wounds are only recently starting to heal over from British imperialism. Cricket may be a byproduct of a darker time that many nations choose to embrace as their own rather than completely reject it. How interesting is it to note how Ghandi endorsed cricket in his Satyagraha movement not because it was a superior sport, but because it became an Indian-owned sport as a form of non-violent resistance. Perhaps it may be that American's don't want to be British because they have had enough time to shape their own identity? ironically more than enough to export their own cultural products overseas with more than adequate demand.

I'm also very sorry that you perceive the French in such a bad light, especially since they are your neighbors. The French have a very long and complex history that is inextricably connected to the British history. On that note, what is considered quintessentially British like Parliamentary systems and privy counsels are fundamentally French and German in origin (i.e. Witangemut, etc.). Good ole Taswell Langmead.

@VideCorSpoon,

I am part french but that is not my reason. I am part Italian but that doesn't make me a "gini", I am part Welsh and even Scottish, or some northern English county. My child is all this plus the Philipine and Chinese, so I really don't hate anyone, I just choose to go with the french in this sort of manner, that is jest. They are not the only peoples one could say deserve scrutiny.

If you choose Kendo, watch some cricket, you may get the imagery I spoke of.

@urangutan,

I'm first generation American, my parents are Italian (Lazian- Sicilian). However, I don't really consider myself part Italian or anything like that (even though I have dual citizenship) because it never made sense for me to identify with any other country other than my current one. If I identified myself with Italian, I might as well call myself an American-Italian-German-Greek-Indus- whatever. It would never stop. That's all the more amusing because there are quite a few Americans who identify with their Italian or German or French heritage but know nothing about it, nor its culture, language, etc. I wonder if it is fair to identify with a culture so removed? I would also note that no culture deserves scrutiny one way or the other. Social frameworks are extremely relative. Does it extend as far as repressive societies? Probably, but then again, that's all relative. But anyway?

But I can see some superficial similarities in cricket and kendo. Now, if they mixed rugby in with cricket, that would be one hell-uh-va sport.

@VideCorSpoon,

VideCorSpoon;81270 wrote:

Now, if they mixed rugby in with cricket, that would be one hell-uh-va sport.

We used to play that game as kids. I think it was called 'Kill the Man with the Ball'.

@Didymos Thomas,

Hi, i just started fencing at FAP a couple of months ago. Let me tell you, it's fantastic. Very intensive, you will work harder then ever before, but you learn quickly, the instructors are awesome (they're the kind of sarcastic jerks who you can't help but love) and there are plenty of other students who are there all the time. It's only once a week unless you do a makeup, and lessons are one hour so it's not a huge time commitment. Already I've noticed that in everyday life i'm sitting up straighter, moving faster, and a bit more agile. Fencing is awesome, would love to see you at FAP!

@VideCorSpoon,

That's great to hear! I've been emailing back and forth with someone by the name of Lara Masters about getting the private lessons three or four times a week. She says they are on the summer schedule and they will be able to do private lessons soon. I hope they are able to accommodate my fiance and I because it seems like the best option right now.

@VideCorSpoon,

glad to hear it! I've met coach Lara a couple times, she's a great coach.

@VideCorSpoon,

Both, if I had the time. But since I've always wanted to have a katana, I'd pick kendo for preference. But that fencing school in the area also seems interesting...I'm gonna hafta check it out.

@hammersklavier,

and just to clarify, in fencing, you're going to start with the foil. The video above was epe? fencing. After you get more advanced you'll be able to choose to continue with the foil, or switch to the epe? or saber. katanas are awesome too though, you're right Smile

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