The Three Stages of Kendo Development
Stage one - climbing the first fence This is from beginner to about 4th kyu, but it can last longer. You can hear noise and people having fun on the other side of a high fence. You've been inspired to try Kendo and you think it's for you but now it seems to be brutally difficult. Whether it's the basics of footwork or getting the shinai to 'stick' on the target, there's something that remains out of reach. And never mind the big one - achieving a genuine scoring cut (yuko datotsu) on another person when they're actually trying! That just seems too far away. How do the sensei and sempai make it look so easy? I can't imagine ever doing what they can do... But after a while things slowly fall in to place. How? You just keep going to training. You don't try to work it out in your head you just trust your teacher and the fact that probably everyone else went through this frustration as well. Part of you knows that this is how it has always been with Kendo
