Are Most japanese students better than american students?
I am going to Japan for a competion in 6 months so yeah
I am going to Japan for a competion in 6 months so yeah
My 14 year olds have already done a "daily" Kendo practice since they were six. They get a free high school education based on their Kendo talent. I remember taking one up to Nenriki dojo (London9 and have him go through the entire dojo twice at Katchinuki before he even started to breath heavy.
Unless you are showing real promise you wont last long after "Hajime"
However, one thing I did notice was that their Kendo was very consistent with one another - it was clear that they had been training together for a very long time. Generally, they are all extremely fast, attentive, and had clean Kendo with occasional head-bobbing once in a while (though they would admit afterwards that you would have gotten a good men).
Something else I noticed was the sheer endurance these guys portrayed. Even after fighting everyone in the dojo, then doing keiko/kakarigeiko with many SoCal senseis, these guys never slowed down. You could hear their heavy breathing from across the dojo, and could sense the strain in their kiai, but they never showed any other signs of weakness. Thats probably the biggest difference.
(not I don't think japan is the country with the overall best players, just an observation...)
So, who do you think have the overall best kendo players?
The only country who gets remotely close is Korea, but my experience with Korean players is limited to the odd one or two and from watching the WKC..and going by that, Japan still has the lead.
Jakob
I was sort of saying the same thing with the line that it simply doesn't matter whose better than you, as long as you can measure your own improvement.
I am happy beyond all limits to be able to go to Japan, if only for the experiance of losing. Losses should always be learned from. I'll go down "fighting"
A bit about "the experience of losing". I would call it "the experience of learning" myself. :) A bit of a non-Kendo anecdote:
When I was in high school, a friend of mine and I used to get together at lunchtime and play chess. We were both okay at it and figured we could get in a game or two at lunchtime. Well, a substitute teacher saw us one day and offered to play us. Now this guy was someone who routinely went to Brighton Beach and played the Russian chessmasters down there all the time. In comparison to us, he was a chess god. So, routinely, he would kick our asses in. We never won against him.
But, more importantly, just by playing him, we got dramatically better. We started looking ahead in the game two or even three moves ahead. Old tricks that he used to play on us didn't work anymore. I doubt very much that he got much out of playing against us, but we got much better in much shorter time, because we faced up against a much higher standard.
So, think of it this way: if they are drastically better than you are, then you'll be "catching on" perhaps faster than you normally might... but only if you approach it with the right attitude. Against a much greater skill, you aren't "losing", you're "learning". So, even if you get beat, if you take something away from the experience, you're really "winning".
Besides, humility is a good trait for a Kendoka to foster. :)
In kendo? Probably
there you are
However, one thing I did notice was that their Kendo was very consistent with one another - it was clear that they had been training together for a very long time. Generally, they are all extremely fast, attentive, and had clean Kendo with occasional head-bobbing once in a while (though they would admit afterwards that you would have gotten a good men).
Something else I noticed was the sheer endurance these guys portrayed. Even after fighting everyone in the dojo, then doing keiko/kakarigeiko with many SoCal senseis, these guys never slowed down. You could hear their heavy breathing from across the dojo, and could sense the strain in their kiai, but they never showed any other signs of weakness. Thats probably the biggest difference.
Yeah...my sempai trained during his HS in Japan. He used to tell me how hard the training was. Whenever the Sensei stopped to give instruction, everyone would run to him and form a semicircle. One student had collapsed during keiko(summer in Tokyo) and everyone was just doing keiko around his still form. When my sempai looked to the others they shrugged and shook their heads, basically saying "keep going, don't bother".
Then the Sensei stopped the class to give instruction and out of the corner of his eye, my sempai could see the fallen kendoka literaly crawling by his fingertips to reach the group.
By way of sympathy the fallen guy got a 1000 suburi for his plight.
Hard as nails.
Heh...my Sensei shared a flat with them. He was really amazed...
As anyone who has ever been forced (by a representative of the proud Irish Nation) to answer the question "Who's yer' Daddy'?" can tell you, the fun kind of falls away after 8 or 10 such defeats. I mean, there's only so much the human spirit can take, right?
I would like to take this opportunity to point out that I have know idea what you are gibbering on about.
In kendo? Probably
In Japanese? Of course
In English? Of course not
Regardless, the point isn't whether or not you're as good or better than the Japanese, or the Koreans, or the Irish (I would have taken him, eventually). . . The point is, are you better than you were yesterday?
I've only just gotten to the point that my Sensei has stopped asking me "Why do you hate me so, Rustin-san?" And buddy, that feels good. Which is kind of sad if you think about it.
I am going to Japan for a competion in 6 months so yeah
It's simply a matter of logisitcs. They have more teachers. They have more qualified teachers, too. They have more clubs. They start at younger ages so they have more experience. It's not so much a matter of generalizing or stereotypes, as it is a matter of them just starting earlier and with more, often better instruction. Granted they aren't unbeatable, but you gotta put in the practice to reach the same level of experience. Hardwork will balance out all barriers (with proper instruction).
Hehe. Well...tell that to the Tawanese team. Those guys were tanking it every nite at the WKC. They drank, smoked and played Chor Tai Tee(a type of poker) all nite long and I could smell the booze on their breath as they walked into the shiaijo...and still they fought like tigers...
The true enforces of the Liquored Inquisition.
I dunno the final results for that particular WKC offhand, but if they played Chor Tai Tee during the tournament, I'm sure their tactical and strategic skills were very finely honed!
I am happy beyond all limits to be able to go to Japan, if only for the experiance of losing. Losses should always be learned from. I'll go down "fighting"http://www.kendo-world.com/forum/images/icons/icon7.gif
Dan-dan-daaaaaan! Another Blasphemer!!!
Hehe. Well...tell that to the Tawanese team. Those guys were tanking it every nite at the WKC. They drank, smoked and played Chor Tai Tee(a type of poker) all nite long and I could smell the booze on their breath as they walked into the shiaijo...and still they fought like tigers...
The true enforces of the Liquored Inquisition.
As anyone who has ever been forced (by a representative of the proud Irish Nation) to answer the question "Who's yer' Daddy'?" can tell you, the fun kind of falls away after 8 or 10 such defeats. I mean, there's only so much the human spirit can take, right?
myeah, but then again, how did you meet this players? If it were a japanese delegation of players that came to your country, they SHOULD be shit hot...^^
(not I don't think japan is the country with the overall best players, just an observation...)
Yes...I tried to explain that to my Housemaster in High School. Days before my finals we were still playing it...then he banned it...
You'd definately have to have read both posts to catch it. Sorry, I'm not generally so verbose. Well, actually that's a lie.
I'm just sayin'.
You might win a few surprise matches but in all probability you are going to get hammered. BUT don't be disheartened. When my high school in Australia went to New Zealend on a rugby tour against other schools we got destroyed...but when we came back we won our state comp. No matter the outcome you are going to learn a lot from competing in Japan.
Gambare!!
(not I don't think japan is the country with the overall best players, just an observation...)
This isn't necessarily true - for example, I know that the delegations of Kanto students send around the world are far from their best - they're all too busy training to go abroad...
I don't intend to let that hinder my efforts I was just stating a very big variable. Kendo jesus is an obvious hyperbole though.
thanks
Regardless, the point isn't whether or not you're as good or better than the Japanese, or the Koreans, or the Irish (I would have taken him, eventually). . . The point is, are you better than you were yesterday?
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and thats all that should really matter.
but I think japanese possess a lot more knowledge then those in foreign countries because they are at the heart of kendo
Its eased up a bit now but the standards still good after twelve months.
The advantages lie in the fact that kids have a very young zombie like attitude. More of a do as you are told attitude and rather predictable. I have junior high school kids that just passed nidan last week that are still well into that moulding process.
Get a bit of experience as a young adult and use your brain and it takes you a good way. Kids begin to look like rather predictable mosquitoes. Take your time and swat them.
Hehe. Well...tell that to the Tawanese team. Those guys were tanking it every nite at the WKC. They drank, smoked and played Chor Tai Tee(a type of poker) all nite long and I could smell the booze on their breath as they walked into the shiaijo...and still they fought like tigers...
The true enforces of the Liquored Inquisition. I saw them on my sensei's WKC video and if what you say is true then it is very simple: they are not human and thus can drink as much spirits as they want. As for me, I now retch every single time I smell rum or whiskey.
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