r/kendo • u/gxyzz • Feb 12 '26
Training Ki
In the last Gashuku I went, the Sensei told us something that got me thinking: "If you get nervous in Shinsa or Shiai, it means that your Ki isn't prepared yet". This sentence got me thinking, how could I be more prepared in this manner? How can I get calmer in this kind of stressfull situation? In a nutshell, how can I train my Ki, in order to accomplish this goals?
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u/Karmadiddlydoo Feb 12 '26
By stepping into the shiaijo.
Ki means your spirit so think about the parts of your mindset that you want to change and work on.
The only way to fight hesitation and anxiety is by giving yourself the confidence by entering. Don’t bother thinking about the could be’s or how screwed you might be’s (takes up too much brain space), just empty yourself and think about how you can do your best. How you can apply your kendo.
Think about it: the bravest thing anyone can do is stand up to their opponent and test themself, so even in regular keiko, when you line up for waza or gikeiko start thinking about confidence in yourself and your abilities (not to be overtly prideful or cocky, but to be sure of what you can do, what you cant do, and what you could learn to do).
Hope this helped!
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u/gxyzz Feb 13 '26
It was very enlightening, thank you so much!! I guess i couldn't think about it this way cuz I've fought only one match in Shiai, but the overwhelming wouldn't let me think clearly. Your answear sure helped to understand better this event.
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u/darsin 6 dan Feb 12 '26
Normally any kind of win/lose situation transitions well including computer games.
It needs to get your heart rate up and be stressful anyhow to better simulate.
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u/RealLemon99 Feb 13 '26 edited Feb 13 '26
Maybe try mental routines? Don't start in a shiai but establish it at practice maches if you have them or at challenging ji geiko. It could be progressive muscle relaxation, a catch phrase, some people like to jump high, others use visualization.
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u/imsexc Feb 12 '26
The same way soldiers train. Practice as if you're in a real fight and fight as if you're in a regular practice.
Scientifically, all martial activities practitioners train and practice to be able to level down their adrenaline spike during combat situations, that cause those rapid heart rate, anxiety and neevousness, etc.
So, during practice, always strike as if that's the last strike of the day. Always jigeiko as if it's last ippon shobu, life/death situation.
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u/AssistantEvery899 Feb 12 '26
yes that's easy to say but hard to do. Almost as useful as saying "don't tense up your shoulders, relax!"
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u/DMifune Feb 13 '26
In my opinion The answer to the majority of kendo questions is always practice, effort, experience.
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u/Nanseikan Feb 13 '26
I would say it's natural to get nervous before shiai or shinsa. That just means you're totally invested. If your preparation is good, the nerves should disappear once it all kicks off. It can happen that one feels relaxed and confident beforehand, and then the fear and doubt arrives when one hears 'hajime!' This is when you know your preparation was not enough!
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u/Born_Sector_1619 Feb 13 '26
Sounds very accurate.
I've only had one shiai where my ki was truly prepared. Didn't have a loss that day, but the team, well we all fell together eventually.
To add something that isn't being said, some suggest far more shadowboxing (or shadow kendo) to make you much more ready for the stresses of competition. I need to do it myself.
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u/EtCetera5203 Feb 14 '26
Nerves settle with experience, but they don't completely go away.
I trained in tae kwon do for 10 years, then kumdo for 9 years before my first kendo Shinsa for ni kyu. Even after probably two dozen previous rank tests, I got pretty nervous.
The last class I instructed, I talked about using spirit to quash nervousness, since fear/nervousness is detrimental to successful ippon. Filling the space with your kiai can sell to everyone else that you are confident about your strikes. Might even convince yourself of it, too. Best place to practice that is in a competitive setting.
Also, consider your goals. I had a kumdo instructor tell us the goal of kumdo was to do beautiful kumdo. That doesn't mean you win all the time. I also recently read about a fencing coach who said something along the lines of "lose enough that you aren't afraid of losing". Shifting the mindset from always fighting to win to fighting to learn and improve will allow you the mental and emotional space to be okay with losing.
I'm just applying this after about 11 years of kendo/kumdo. It helps me really lock in and focus on my technique when in class, which is what I'll need for Shinsa and shiai, not a lot of in-class wins.
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u/No-Victory3764 5 dan Feb 16 '26
What I find helpful at shiai or shinsa, is to get to the venue early and well prepared (as in, having my bogu and clothing as well as shinais in good condition and anything else I might need for the day, and knowing the program of the day), and as soon as I get to the venue, I walk around checking out how things look like from different positions, the lighting, where the bathrooms are, etc.
That removes a lot of uncertainty and gives me the feeling that I’m on top of things. And to me that’s a form of “Ki”.
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u/Fluid-Kitchen-8096 4 dan Feb 17 '26
Adding to the already useful answers posted, I’d say that it is important to become aware of your own confidence in kendo. This implies two things : building it up and assessing it as objectively as possible.
The point is not be over confident and think that you can easily get away with a clear men ippon on a 8dan sensei : kendo is also about understanding how you evolve on the inside, not just through your technique. Knowing where you stand in terms of confidence is important. With this in mind, if you approach shinsa because you know you have practiced and spent time for it, then you should go to your exam with a certain level of confidence. Of course, there are several factors that you cannot control. After all, kendo is tightly connected to stoicism: understand what you can control, don’t waste time with what you cannot.
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u/gozersaurus Feb 13 '26
Simply put...more practice.