Kendo: A Comprehensive Guide to Japanese Swordsmanship

This richly informative book takes a definitive look at kendo—the ancient Japanese "Way of the Sword." Kendo holds a special place within the martial arts as one of the few martial practices tracing back directly to Japan's ancient samurai heritage. Modern students flock to kendo for physically—and mentally—challenging activity that combines traditional martial arts values with strenuous physical activity.Author Geoff Salmon has over 40 years of kendo experience gained in and outside of Japan. His goal in this book is to dispel many misconceptions about the sport and to make kendo training accessible and effective for anyone. His simple, straightforward writing style is especially helpful for beginning students and martial artists from other disciplines who wish to add kendo training to their repertoire.The core of the book is a series of detailed instructional sequences demonstrating the basic kendo techniques. The author also presents the fundamental principles and philosophy that make kendo as much an exercise of the mind as of the sword. For many adherents, the goal is to train your mind to achieve a state of mushin (no-mind). Beyond that, this book also shows you how to win competitions and integrate kendo into your personal fitness routines.This is the first book to clearly link the philosophical and mental elements of kendo to the physical techniques, thereby enabling readers to gain a holistic understanding of the martial art. It offers a comprehensive training program similar to those given by leading kendo teachers in Japan, past and present.
The art of kendo holds a special place within the Japanese martial arts. Meaning "Way of the Sword", kendo is actively practiced today. Tens of thousands study it because kendo is one of the most physically and mentally challenging of all martial forms.Geoffrey Salmon is one of the few Westerners to successfully compete in kendo competitions and holds a 7th Dan black belt from the All Japan Kendo Federation. In Kendo: A Comprehensive Guide to Japanese Swordsmanship, Salmon dispels misconceptions about the sport and makes kendo training more accessible for newcomers.At its core, this book provides a series of highly detailed instructional sequences demonstrating all the basic kendo stick-fighting techniques. Along the way, Salmon presents the fundamental principles and philosophy which lie at the heart of kendo and make it as much a training of the mind as of the body. For many adherents, the principal goal in practicing kendo is to achieve a state of mushin (no-mind) as taught by the great Zen Buddhist masters of ancient China and Japan. Salmon's also explains how to integrate kendo training into your personal fitness routine.The first and only book to link the philosophical and mental elements of kendo to the rigorous physical training techniques, Kendo is indeed a comprehensive guide to this ancient and highly revered martial art form.