Kendo is a traditional Japanese martial art. Therefore, we use Japanese terms for most of the techniques and to express the ideas of Kendo, in the same way that French terms are used in ballet or European fencing. The following are the terms you will hear in beginners’ class and that you should learn as soon as possible.
kendo – the way of the sword (ken = sword, do = way)
rei – to bow ; also means showing courtesy, politeness and respect in any form
ritsurei bow from a standing position
zarei – bow from sitting position (seiza)
hai – yes!; answer emphatically with spirit when spoken to
sensei – teacher
sempai – a senior (more experienced) student
kohai – a junior (less experienced) student
Commands for opening class:
seiza (MKC – chakuza) – correct sitting posture; sitting on the heals in a natural, centered, strong posture
mokuso (MKC – seiza) – quietude; eyes closed, quiet your mind, prepare for training or consider the training just completed
mokuso yame (MKC – yame) – end quietude period; open your eyes
shomen ni rei – bow to the front of the training hall; remember you are in a special place for self development
sensei ni rei – bow to the teachers
kiritsu – stand up from seiza
Commands for closing class:
(same as opening except that “shomen ni rei” and “sensei ni rei” are reversed)
Practice:
Counting 1 – 10: ichi, ni, san, shi, go, roku, shichi, hachi, ku, ju
Counting 11 – 20: ju-ichi, ju-ni, ju-san, ju-shi, ju-go, ju-roku, ju-shichi, juhachi, ju-ku, ni-ju
arigato gozaimashita – thank you very much (said by students during closing rei to teacher)
sonkyo – a crouching posture, sitting on the heels, balanced on the balls of the feet, knees low, with an upright posture
(sonkyo) nuketo – assume sonkyo, draw the sword and assume kamae to open an engagement with an opponent
(sonkyo osameto) – assume sonkyo and put away the sword after engaging with an opponent
ma-ai – the distance between opponents
chikama – near
uchima – one step
toma – far
waza – the techniques of Kendo
shizentai – natural standing posture
ashi sabaki – footwork
okuri ashi – gather step; for fast, short range movements in any direction; snap the trailing foot into a good stance
renzoku ashi – smooth, continuous stepping without pauses
fumikomi ashi – a stomping step used in making a longer attack
suburi – sword swinging techniques
jogeburi – full sword swing; used for warming up, stretching and strengthening exercise jo – high area ge – low area
hayasuburi – fast paced sword swing; used as warm up, endurance, and strengthening exercise
uchi – striking (cutting) with the sword
men uchi – (helmet) strike
shomen uchi – striking the middle of the opponent’s helmet
sayumen uchi – left and right men strike; a men strike slightly to the right or left of center
hidari men uchi – striking the opponent’s left men
migi men uchi – striking the opponent’s right men
kote – forearm strike
do uchi – ribcage strike
tsuki – trust to the throat or chest
keiko – Kendo practice
uchikomi geiko – striking practice actually hitting a target, first against partner’s shinai, then against someone in armor
kakarigeiko – an all out attacking practice
jigeiko – free practice; unprearranged sparring
kirikaeshi – a prearranged striking drill
hajime – begin!
yame – stop!
sageto – standing with the sword in the left hand, at arms’ length
taito – standing with the sword held at the left hip, left thumb on the sword guard
nuketo – drawing the sword from a taito position
kamae – on guard position; your spirit and mental attentiveness should be fully on your opponent.
yasume – disengage the sword and your pressure on your opponent by relaxing your sword tip down to knee height and slightly to the right side, cutting edge facing slightly to the left.
osameto – return the sword to taito from a kamae position, keep both hands on the sword.
kiai – shout; a way of building up and extending / expressing your spirit
uchikomi geiko – striking practice actually hitting a target, first against partner’s shinai, then against someone in armor
kata – prearanged formal patterns with a bokuto that teach footwork, distancing, concentration, sword handling, etc.
taikai – tournament
shiai – a match
shimpan – a judge during a match
shinai – bamboo sword
bokken – (bokuto) hardwood sword used for Kendo kata
shinai parts:
tsuka – leather handle
tsuba – hilt
tsuru – string
nakayui – middle leather
sakigawa – leather cap
kensen – tip of the sword
bokken parts:
tsuka – handle
tsuba -hilt
kensen – tip of the sword
bogu parts:
keikogi – Kendo jacket
hakama – Kendo pants bogu Kendo armor
men – helmet
do – trunk protector
kote – gloves tare waist protector
tare – waist protector
REFERENCE
spokanekendo.com (http://www.spokanekendo.com/pdf/terms1.pdf & http://www.spokanekendo.com/pdf/terms2.pdf)