Can u teach yourself

[Kyle-san]

It's completely possible to learn the techniques out of a book, but it becomes much easier if you've either had previous experience or know an instructor that you can go to now and again.

 

Feel free to try learning from the book as an aid to the times you get out to the Kendo club.

[doaninja]

Well, with all this talk about not being able to do anything without an instructor, I disagree.

 

IF.. IF you can find lets say a Weapons Instructor who could teach you Broadsword and Katana, you should be able to teach yourself Kendo, since Kendo as a martial art really only uses the sword. There is no complicated kicks, or grapples, or throws etc etc, just the sword. So if you can have someone teach you how to use the sword, you can apply it towards Kendo by reading a comprehensive book with guided explanations and pictures. The other part of Kendo is all mental and spiritual, which you can also accomplish on your own, if anyone tells you you cant, then I guess that is there opinion even though you can.

 

Besides, learning Sword and Kendo on your own will be very very fun, for the main reason that you will more or less create your own flare and style to go along with it, as you will not have a instructor trying to force feed down your throat his way of doing things. Hell, if you learn Kendo, and you want, You can add some other basic techniques of other arts, just for fun, in case you drop your sword, etc etc, where as an instructor would not let you do that.

 

And if you really want to make sure you are doing it correctly, you can do what you said in your first post Craknek, and that is to try and find a Kendo instructor near you, and let him watch your forms and movements, and let him critic you, you can do this once a week, two weeks or once a month, and thats it =).

 

Anyways, Have fun Craknek, I hope your journey is a hard and painful one, as it will just make it Ohhh so Sweeter when you accomplish what you set out to do.

 

D

[SandanPJ]

Nope.

[doaninja]

Hey, great reply Sandan, really informative. Any Joe American out there can just say Nope. How about a reason behind it? For the love of god, you do not need to train 100% of the time, 24/7 with a real live instructor to learn a martial art. If you really have the desire and will to do something, you can get it done. I along with anyone else, never said you can learn it as fast, or as good as someone who went to a real instructor everyday, but you can learn it, and be good at it, the parts your bad at, that is when you would need to consul someone of more exp. to help you.

 

I will be teh first to admit, that some of the more advanced martial arts in the world today, such as Kung Fu would probably need a dedicated instructor. Not every move requires you to be shown by someone. With practice, you will eventually get it down and once again, if you read about something that looks complicated, then by all means go and find someone agian who knows more then you, and have them show you that PART. You do not need someone to show you form and stance, if you have step by step instructions. If it make syou feel better, then have someone watch you, to point out bad habits, so you can work on it.

 

D.

[Martial_Artist]

Well, it seems we have an interesting topic here at hand. I would just like to add my 2 pesos.

 

If you are talking about learning an established art, that is, a system of martial arts with fundamental philosophies and techniques, then I would have to say that you cannot learn such an art on your own. No book would ever be sufficient to instruct you in the nuances of that art to any degree of proficiency. You may be able to learn the basics, as far as photos and videos can direct you, but without a teacher of those arts there to instruct you along the way both mentally and physically, you will not learn that art as that art is intended to be learned.

 

A teacher as that teacher teaches you about the art will be able to impart things to you on a personalized level that cannot be found in any book directed to the general public.

 

Therefore, if you wish to learn a system of karate, aikido, or kung fu then go find a good school.

 

Now, there is something else I would like to give light upon to help answer the questions that might be lingering in the minds of some readers.

 

If you were to approach the martial arts with the intent of developing your own art, not founded in the principles or philosophies of any other then that is a task a person can accomplish without a teacher. THIS PATH IS VERY DANGEROUS AND RARELY PROVIDES THE DESIRED RESULTS, BUT IS POSSIBLE.

 

 

 

For example, if you wish to create a style based solely on you philosophy of the arts approaching such from a methodical, what works what doesn't work, then someone could actually create and learn a style all their own without the aid of an instructor.

 

 

 

I will be the first to say such task is neither easy nor recommended for hundreds of such systems have come and gone with the lives of their creators without any real benefit to their masters. More danger is placed upon the mind that has convinced itself capable when it is not than upn the mind of one who knows their limitations. A student of a traditional system knows where they stand by virtue of their rank.

 

 

 

But, as was already stated, nothing is impossible. But that doesn't mean everyone is capable. It only further demonstrates the need to learn from a master in order to find the right path.

 

MA.

[doaninja]

I agree with you, alot, more so then you may think.

 

I just want yout know, that this thread pertains to the art of Kendo, even though we have gotten a lil side tracked.

 

Let me toss a scenario at you Martial artist, and tell me what you think.

 

Let's say you have met an instructor who knows the forms and techniques of many different weapons. Of those weapons, he agrees to teach you the use of Katana. If he was to teach you how to use, wield, move with a katana, and the forms that go along with it, do you not think that you could teach yourself kendo? Now, remember, I am not saying your teaching yourself to be as good as a master, you would still need to make periodic visits to an instructor to let him look at your forms, to make rank.

 

But, do you think that it is entirely impossible? The main problem with Craknek, when he wrote this is just that. He wants to take Kendo, the closent Kendo instructor is a godo 45 mins drive away from him, however he has found an instructor to teach him swordplay, however his instructor does not know Kendo as an Art. So could he not teach himself Kendo, and go to the instructor who is so far away for grading etc etc etc?

 

The only reason why I am saying yes to this, is because Kendo is just swordplay. As I said before, there are no kicks, no punches, no grapples or throws. No board breaking, no spinning kicks, nothing! just the Sword and how to wield it.

 

I agree 100% with you martial artist, that unless you have a Hapkido instructor, don't try to learn Hapkido or Karate etc. Styles like that have such a dynamic set of moves that you can not possibily teach yourself, as they encompass more then just a sword (if even that), as they utilize your entire body and the movement of it, in styles like that, you need someone to point out to you whether or not your swinging your hip right, or how to execute a roundhouse, or how to do a turning spin kick. But Kendo, no, as long as you can learn swordplay, you can learn the katas and forms from a book. Just my 2 pesos

 

D.

[ramymensa]

Let me put here my 2 lei (that's our currency in Romania.)

 

I started to learn karate from a book. Started with Oi Zuki. Stopped there cause I didn't understand too much. It was a good book though and after I joined a dojo I used it to learn more. At the beginning it was useless. Shotokan is quite rigid when it comes to thechniques ... a techniques is to be performed in a certain way, with angles, inches and so on It's like geometry sometimes. Even now I make some mistakes and it's good to have someone to poit them out.

 

Regarding similar styles I think it's compulsory to have an instructor. Bad habits are hard to "un-learn". On the other hand karate is a social experience. Why are people affraid to go with others? Why train alone when you can meet special people, work with real teachers and benefit in every way from your hobby?

Edited March 17, 2003 by ramymensa

[doaninja]

I never said anyone was afraid to go and learn with others, what I said was, Craknek does not have a Kendo instructor available to him to drive to every day, kind of hard to learn with others, when everyday you have to drive an hour. Once again, this thread was about Kendo, not karate, not Kungfu, etc. I agree with you, that Karate is to dynamic to learn on your own.

 

D.

[Martial_Artist]

doaninja,

 

I see what you're saying, and you're making a good point. But, Kendo is more than just sword play. There is a philosophy to the movements and subtle nuances behind many of the forms and katas usually demonstrated in books.

 

The art of Kendo is deeper than mere swordplay.

 

Now, however, you bring up a good follow-up point. Craknek can teach himself swordplay. It would be cannibalized and mostly based off of his perception of the movements of kendo found in books. He would learn to wield a sword in a manner that resembled Kendo but wouldn't quite be Kendo. It would have too many of his own little perks added into it that are not taught as the original art. He could technically learn to swordfight that way, but he shouldn't call it Kendo because it wouldn't be Kendo as the art is taught.

 

I understand where your perception of it's just a sword nothing more complex than the weapon. But Kendo is an art and has certain things that distinguish it from other arts. That's the very reason it was systemized and made into an art. There are things in Kendo that are not found in other systems of swordplay. It is an art that requires a teacher. Otherwise, you're just learning to swing a sword and calling it Kendo.

 

This doesn't mean Craknek can't learn to use a sword. I already said he could learn to wield a sword that had roots, and resembled Kendo, but it wouldn't be Kendo. That doesn't mean he won't be any good at using a sword. It just means it won't Kendo.

 

Even seeing an instructor once a week is better than never when trying to learn another's art. He could go to the instructor for grading, &c., however I'm not sure the instructor would grade a self-taught student and rank him according to the standards set by his school. Doing so would mean the instructor would have accept Craknek as an example for that particular rank. Meaning, Craknek's rank would be given by the school he sought grading at, and since he never attended the lessons just went for grading he would still be associated with that school. Meaning, his credentials would be from that school, because that school would judge and rank him. That means the instructor would have to accept that Craknek is as good an example of the teachings of his school without ever having attended a single lesson. I don't think any instructor would readily do such a thing: give a rank to someone who has never attended a class, has never learned the philosophy of that school, and who never made the sacrifice to be a student.

 

And even then, Craknek, if he could go for grading, etc., still wouldn't be learning the art of Kendo. Because he didn't have a teacher who customed tailored the philosophy and lessons of kendo to Craknek's personal needs and progression.

 

But, Craknek, could learn to swordfight in a manner that resembled Kendo, even give himself a good foundation of understanding in preparation to take the actual art. That is, if he even wants to learn that art and not just plain swordfighting. Which he can do very well on his own.

 

MA.

[SandanPJ]

You learn by trial and error but everyone needs a mentor. Even if it is just once a week you need someone of equal or higher rank to help you with your view from the outisde looking in. On your own, it is impossible to reach your peak potential...

 

much better than nope but it was a y/n question.......

 

one first answers the question then follows with input when needed.