The Way of the Sword
Transcription
The Way of the Sword
l People & Social The Way of the Sword Examiner Alain Gaillard tells us about his passion for Kendo, a Japanese martial art which moulds the mind and body. “I didn’t know why everyone was screaming and spearing each other”, was Alain Gaillard’s initial reaction when his colleagues introduced him to Kendo about four years ago. Kendo meaning “Way of the Sword” is a modern Japanese martial art involving sword-fighting based on traditional Japanese swordsmanship (“Kenjutsu”) as practised by the famed samurai warriors, using one or less commonly two “shinai” (bamboo slats used to represent a samurai sword “katana”). Kendōka (swordsmen) also use hard wooden swords called “bokutō” during Kata-performances). Kendo employs strikes involving both one edge and the tip of the shinai or bokutō. The training is quite noisy in comparison to other martial arts or sports. This is because kendōka use a shout, or “kiai”, to express and enhance their fighting spirit when striking. Additionally, they execute “fumikomi-ashi”, an action similar to a stamp of the front foot, when making a strike. At first Alain found it difficult to adapt to the screaming. But once he realised that the main point of it was to free energy sources, he forgot his hang-ups and really began to enjoy the sport. “Kendo is different from other martial arts”, he tells us: “it is not just about defence, rather it is a very physical sport involving attack, with strong roots in Japanese tradition, especially in Zen Buddhism, designed to mould the mind and body through discipline and endurance.” A physical and mental challenge “Kendo is very physically demanding”, says Alain. “It’s hard to keep your muscles taut, and to be constantly alert for attack. I would compare it to a cat the second before catching a mouse. You have to expect it to hurt a bit.” On the other hand, he says it helps him to forget his sense of self and compares it to entering a meditative state where you empty your mind of all thoughts. Alain always liked the idea of zen meditation, but found sitting in zazen very difficult and needed movement. He now enjoys incorporating a physical activity with this spiritual dimension. Another challenge to master was the equipment. Kendo is practiced wearing a Japanese traditional style of clothing and armour to protect specified target areas on the head, arms and body. The head is protected by a stylised helmet with a metal grille to protect the face, a series of hard leather and fabric flaps to protect the throat and padded fabric flaps to protect the side of the neck and shoulders. “At first I found this very stifling”, says Alain, “but I soon got used to it.” When asked if Kendo could be considered a dangerous sport, he says that danger is relative. Compared with football or handball it is not so dangerous. It is tiring and sometimes 34 gazette 5/09 hurts, and Alain cannot deny that he occasionally has the odd bruise. Serious injuries, however, do not occur so often, due both to the protective equipment and the precision of the movements. Training with the locals One of Alain’s most memorable experiences was when he spent a week training with a group in Tokyo. He first got into contact with this group through another association where he trains children. He knew that some members were travelling to Japan and asked if he could get in contact with the group there. When an e-mail came agreeing to this, he was delighted. In Japan, kendo is practised in “dojos” (martial arts houses) rather than sport clubs. “It was a real honour to be welcomed there”, he says: “as normally these Dojos are closed to foreigners”. Alain trained with 25 people of all ages, from young girls up to a man of 85 or 90. “I was surprised to see this gentleman still practising the sport. Despite the fact that his movements were constricted, they were very precise and he was mentally still a formidable opponent.” Alain found the group to be very friendly and welcoming and enjoyed seeing the Japanese etiquette and flair. “Things were a lot stricter in People & Social l Japan, where only the teacher could speak and we always had to remain alert and ready for a fight”, he tells us. He hopes to return there next year or the year after with the EPO club. Kendo at the EPO Alain now trains about twice a week with the AMICALE Kendo club. The club has about 20 members, with about eight or ten attending each training session. When the club meets, members have a series of fights, often without a break, with each fight lasting four minutes. “Our trainer, Branislav Peric, is a very motivated third Dan kendōka, who takes the time to look after each individual’s posture and movements,” says Alain. This helps him to learn much more quickly than in other associations with larger numbers. Training consists of four phases – stretching, sword basic movements, learning the sequence of movements and strategies for effective fighting, and finally exercises on speed – basically putting everything together, learning to hit and learning to move in response to the opponent. When asked how many women are in the club, Alain replied: “We had some, but at the moment we don’t have any. We would like to have more. Kendo is a good sport for women, as it is excellent physical and mental training. Sometimes women can see this sport as too aggressive as the men can hit very hard, but that is not the aim. Speed and precision are more important than force. This technique is particularly mastered by the Japanese.” Future generations of kendōka Alain is also a co-trainer in an association in Munich for small children and adolescents aged between six and 15 years. “Children are good to train”, he tells us. “As the main thing is to foster a love of the sport, training is not so strict as with the adults. Kids also have fewer hang-ups than adults, which is refreshing.” And – it’s not just for boys! The association also has three or four female members, including Alain’s nine-yearold daughter Gwenn. “My son Yann also trains with us”, says Alain: “and my children even join us at the EPO club sometimes. The best thing about this is that I never forced them to get into Kendo. They saw me practising and decided to try it for themselves. Unfortunately, I have yet to convince my wife to give it a go.” So, what advice would Alain give to anyone looking to take up the sport: “Just come along with training trousers and a t-shirt, leave your hang-ups behind and try it out – and don’t be afraid to scream!” Alain’s daughter Gwenn during a demonstration at the EPO Sommerfest Wollen Sie Kendo ausprobieren? Dann kommen Sie zum Kendo Beginner-Workshop. Kendo-dojo.de und die Kendo Abteilung des ESV München, laden zum eintägigen “Kendo – Beginner Workshop” ein. Hier lernen Sie die Grundlagen dieser faszinierenden Sportart kennen und können danach sechs Wochen lang das Training im “Kendo Dojo” kostenfrei testen. Termin: Samstag, 16. Mai, 10-12 Uhr und 13-15 Uhr Ort: ESV München (Sportpark Nymphenburg), Margarethe-Danzi-Str. 21, 80639 München Gebühr: 40 Euro (in bar vor Ort zu zahlen), zzgl. Shinai = Bambusschwert für 30 Euro, kann auch bei der Anmeldung bestellt werden Kostenfreies Training: jeden Montag 18.30-20.00 Uhr und jeden Donnerstag 18.30-19.30 (bis 29. Juni) Trainer: Branislav Peric, 3. Dan Kendo: “Mit sieben Jahren stand ich das erste Mal auf der (Kampfsport-)Matte und durfte seitdem in unterschiedlichen Kampfkünsten (Judo, Muay Thai, Ninjutsu) meine Erfahrungen sammeln. Seit 2000 praktiziere ich ununterbrochen Kendo, unter anderem auch auf internationalen Wettkämpfen. Für mich ist Kendo kein Kampfsport, es ist eine Lebenseinstellung.” Ausrüstung: für den Anfang reichen ein lockerer Trainingsanzug (auch von anderen Kampfsportarten) und ein Shinai. Anmeldung und weitere Infos: www.kendo-dojo.de L Mary Kennedy, Internal Communication gazette 5/09 35