The first time anyone holds a sword, it feels unfamiliar. Will it be too heavy? Could I hurt myself with a wrong swing? Whether it’s Kendo or a classical sword art like Katori Shinto-ryu, here are the fundamentals everyone learns when first picking up a sword.
The First Thing You Learn: How to Grip It
The basic grip isn’t about gripping tightly with the hands — it’s holding the sword lightly, as if cradling it with both hands. The tighter you grip, the stiffer your wrists become, making it harder to move the sword quickly and precisely. It feels awkward at first, but learning to release that tension is the first gateway into swordsmanship.
Basic Stance: Low and Stable
The key to the basic stance while holding a sword is bending the knees slightly and lowering your center of gravity. If your upper body leans too far forward or back, you’ll easily lose balance when swinging. Simply standing still holding a bokken can already put considerable strain on the legs and lower back at first.
The Basic Cutting Motion
The vertical downward cut toward the front (shomen) is the first fundamental taught in most sword arts. The key isn’t swinging with arm strength alone — it’s using the whole body and breath together so that power is transmitted all the way to the tip of the blade. At first, it’s best to focus on a large, slow motion and learning the correct trajectory.
Learning a Sense of Distance (Ma-ai)
In swordsmanship, a sense of distance matters just as much as technique. Internalizing the razor-thin gap where the swords almost — but don’t quite — touch takes time, and repeated paired kata practice is the most effective way to develop this sense.
After Enough Practice With the Bokken
For safety, most dojos have students thoroughly master the fundamentals with a wooden bokken first, moving on to a live blade or practice sword only once sufficient skill has been built. Repeating the fundamentals without rushing is, in the end, the fastest path forward.