Quote:
Originally Posted by Hatredcopter
Just FYI, Kendo doesn't really teach you how to use a real sword. Kendo is fencing with bamboo swords, and the techniques and movements used in it are, for the most part, not applicable to that of real swordplay. I know this because I've been in kendo for several years (quit awhile back though because of the hours of the classes).
On the other hand, there are other martial arts, Kenjutsu, Shinkendo, and Iaido, all which have to do with using a real sword. Dojos for these martial arts are much more difficult to find in the US than a Kendo dojo, but they do exist - I've visited a few in the past just to see what they were like.
Also, Kendo is an ungodly expensive martial art. Hopefully you find a dojo which is cheap (run by a university or something like that), because just the equipment costs can be painful. A full set of BEGINNER'S armor runs around $300 minimum. A good shinai (bamboo sword) runs around $50. Equipment has to be replaced somewhat often, as they get worn out.
Lastly, Kendo is also one of the hardest martial arts I've ever been involved with. Just a few short rounds of sparring can really take the wind out of you until you learn to properly control breathing and such. It takes years and years to build up your speed and technique. The turnover rate in Kendo is pretty harsh - in the classes that I was in, only about 30-40% of the people there continued kendo after they bought their armor.
There are kendo resources on the internet dedicated to finding dojos, just use google and you'll see all sorts of stuff. Hope this information helps!
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Thanks for the info. I'll check it out.