Kendo basics: Kamae and Sonkyo

In this episode of The Kendo Show the host Andy Fisher takes us through the basics of Kamae, or the basic fighting position in Kendo, and also how to perform Sonkyo - a methodology of basic sitting in which the body is curled up and crouched - in Japanese; in other words, the knees are folded and the hips are lowered.

Middle is important in Kendo - if you lose the middle you lose the match, and that's why the shinay always remains in the middle when you arm it lifting your hands above your head and when you hit, when you stand Kamae and when you perform Sonkyo. In Kendo and Sumo, Sonkyo is posture of courtesy made prior to the engagement in a match.