Beginner FAQ

1. What are the basic etiquettes?
2. How do I know the rank of others?
3. When can I wear bogu (armor)?
4. How do I get promoted in rank?
5. Should I practice at home?
6. My ceiling is too low for suburi, what other exercise can I do?

1. What are the basic etiquettes?

   1. Always take your shoes off before entering a dojo
   2. Bow before entering and leaving a dojo
   3. Never walk in front of someone especially sensei and seniors
   4. Always follow the sensei/senior's actions such as DO NOT bowing out before the senior does
   5. Treat your shinai with respect. Never abuse it such as leaning on it or stepping over it. It is a sword, not just a piece of bamboo.

2. How do I know the rank of others?

   Kendo, unlike many other martial arts, has no visible distinction of rank such as a colored belt or other markings. Students line up in order with the higher ranking students to the left of the lower ranking students. The lowest ranking person will be on the last person on the right. Rank is attained through formal testing, but is also dependent on the length of time and sometimes frequency that someone has been practicing. When attending your first practice, you will be the last student to the right of all others when lining up at the beginning and end of practice.

3. When can I wear bogu (armor)?

   This is up to the instructor to decide whether you're ready or not. It can be 3 to 6 months - or longer - mostly depending on how frequently you can practice. You will start out by wearing parts of the equipment to get used to the weight and changes in feeling.

4. How do I get promoted in rank?

   This also depends on the instructor to decide whether you're ready to test or not. Kendo rank consist of Kyu and Dan. Kyu rank from lowest to highest are Rokkyu (6th Kyu) through Ikkyu (1st Kyu). Dan rank from lowest to highest are Shodan (1st Dan) through Judan (10th Dan). Shodan is the equivalent of a "black belt" in most other martial arts ranking systems. The shinsa (exams) for Kyu and Dan are usually held the day before or after one of the various taikai (tournaments). How quickly you advance is largely dependent on how frequently and consistently you train.

5. Should I practice at home?

   As a beginner for the first few weeks or months, ideally you should have supervision when practicing swings because you can develop bad habits. After a few months of practice, you should practice Suburi (basic swings) at a slower pace on your own.

6. My ceiling is too low for suburi, what other exercise can I do?

   You can still do suburi, some ideas:

   1. Bent your knees down at shoulder width and do suburi - that way you can both strengthen your arms and legs at the same time
   2. Get on your knees and do suburi
   3. Saw the Tsukagawa (the handle) shorter