Beginners’ Course September 2005

Our third beginners’ course started on Monday 26th September 2005.

We are delighted to welcome 24 interested people to the world of kendo. This
number of beginners is astounding given the fact that StAKC is still very
young and not all that big a club. It seems our dedication to teaching
good basics is paying off. Fifteen beginners are from St Andrews, four
from other places in Fife and four from Dundee. The youngest is 14, the
oldest 55.

This course marks a new start in terms of content as we are pioneering a
scheme in which beginners learn to handle the wooden sword (bokuto) first
and then the bamboo sword (shinai). The bokuto is roughly shaped and
weighted like a real sword and, therefore, makes it easier for beginners
to understand correct grip, upswing and cut.