It has been 5 months since 2022 Semester 1 beginners settled into bogu training. We invited Anne to share her Kendo experience.
Q1. Tell us about yourself.
Hi everyone, my name is Anne! I’m currently a 4th kyu in Kendo and a 3rd year student in USYD, studying medical science. I love to sing, read and eat natto.
Q2. How long have you been practising Kendo, and why did you begin?
I’ve been practising Kendo for over a year now – gosh, time flies fast. I started it because I get homesick very easily, and since I am an international student, I wanted to do something that would make me feel closer to home (I am half Japanese and half Taiwanese). It’s great because I get to hear a lot of Japanese in the club, so it makes me feel like I’m not in a foreign country sometimes. I am beyond grateful to have met some amazing people in the club – they are like my family away from home. Thank you, USYD kendo club, for giving me a reason to look forward to coming back to Sydney every time I go back home for the holidays.
Also, I’ve always been interested in martial arts because I aspired to be like those cool female characters that fight off bad guys in movies :p
Q3. Was there any difference you noticed when you transitioned from beginner to bogu training?
For sure! Bogu training is a lot more challenging, both mentally and physically. The first few months of bogu training was very tough, and there were times where I almost wanted to quit. But my motto for 2023 is “Growth only happens outside of your comfort zone”, so I’m learning to embrace the challenge and improve myself. What I love about bogu training is that I get to train with many lovely seniors (whom I admire), and they give me a lot of helpful advice on what I can work on. Even just by watching them do Kendo, you can learn a thing or two as well, so it’s a privilege to be able to train with them!
Q4. What do you get out of training?
I believe that I gained mental strength after I started Kendo. For example, I am more capable of handling stressful situations that would’ve previously given me a meltdown, because Kendo has taught me to be more resilient to high pressure and stress. I also feel that Kendo is a great place for self-discovery. A wise senior told me that the way we fight and train reflects our personality in all aspects of life. Training has taught me that I have to be braver and more confident in making choices. I am learning to be kinder to myself as well, because I often beat myself up after training for not meeting the crazy high expectations I put on myself. Progress is not linear, so it’s important to keep in mind that there are going to be both highs and lows in our kendo journey.
Q5. Until now, which part of training is your favourite?
Since I am still quite new to Kendo, I find it fascinating to learn about different Waza (techniques) and how they would be effective in certain situations. Also, I love the Kiai aspect. As someone who is not so good at putting my emotions into words, doing Kiai is one of my favourite (and healthy..?) ways to let them out. Plus if you think about it, where else can you scream your heart out without someone calling the police on you?
Well, let’s wrap it up at that! Thank you Anne and hope you have an incredible experience in your kendo journey!