It seems LA Just is at it again. Apparently, their foray into taekwondo was not enough and they are now attempting kendo bogu. I watched this video all the way through, and honestly it was painful on multiple levels. But here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMIZXJB6UE0&feature=youtu.be
Electronic bogu. No thank you.
- Thread starter Daniel Sullivan
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Sanke
Green Belt
Not exactly ideal. I get where they're coming from, but it doesn't really work for kendo. From my understanding hitting your target is only one part of scoring ippon, and I doubt an electronic bogu could pick up on proper spirit, kiai, etc (kendo people, please correct me if I'm getting this wrong 
)
Sanke on the move.
)Sanke on the move.
You're pretty much on the mark.
Sanke
Green Belt
Cool, good to know. I like to tread carefully when talking about arts I don't practice! :uhyeah:
Do you know how the bogu there is determining points as it is? It seemed somewhat random, from what I could tell.
Sanke on the move.
Seems to be like the TKD hogu; pressure sensitive. As far as the kendo goes, the players in the video were not very good, one of them in particular having trouble maintaining a decent chudan.
Essentially, to score a valid point in kendo, one must strike with the correct part of the shinai, strike with ki-ken-tai-ichi; spirit, sword and body as one, and demonstrate zanshin after the strike. Zanshin was entirely lacking in both players in the video, as they just seemed to be whacking each other like kids playing with sticks.
Honestly, I had a hard time evaluating the gear, as I did not see anything that would have qualified as ippon. The gear may function well enough, though I thought that it looked very ugly.
LA Just's electronic hogu for TKD relied on some kind of sock and as I recall, that was a primary source of frustration for those who did not like the system.
One issue that I have is that the shinai needs to strike with the correct part in order to be ippon. In order to achieve this, more than just pressure sensitivity would be needed. Probably some conductive strip on the striking surface of the shinai and on the legal target areas of the bogu.
I can see how the chest guard could be done fairly easily. But there isn't much room for pressure sensing electronics in the men or kote. I just see a lot of headache.
I remember than an LA Just rep was kind enough to comment on one of the TKD threads on the subject. If he/she would be willing to weigh in, I would be appreciative.
LA Just's electronic hogu for TKD relied on some kind of sock and as I recall, that was a primary source of frustration for those who did not like the system.
One issue that I have is that the shinai needs to strike with the correct part in order to be ippon. In order to achieve this, more than just pressure sensitivity would be needed. Probably some conductive strip on the striking surface of the shinai and on the legal target areas of the bogu.
I can see how the chest guard could be done fairly easily. But there isn't much room for pressure sensing electronics in the men or kote. I just see a lot of headache.
I remember than an LA Just rep was kind enough to comment on one of the TKD threads on the subject. If he/she would be willing to weigh in, I would be appreciative.
I was not actually aware that Kendo uses ippon. I guess it makes sense though. When Ippon is scored, is it like Judo in that any strike with the result you want will score Ippon, or is Ippon harder to score? In Judo for example anytime your opponent goes to his back at speed it's an ippon.
Somewhat off topic, but what does Zanshin mean?
Somewhat off topic, but what does Zanshin mean?
No, ippon is actually fairly hard in kendo, mainly because there are fewer ways to score and more factors surrounding those ways. If you watch a good kendo match, you will see that when a point is scored, the kenshi's shinai strikes a valid target with the mono-uchi (cutting portion of roughly the last sixth of the blade) at the same moment their lead foot steps. The hard step, sometimes called a stomp, is fumikomi. Fumikomi and the actual strike must coincide in order to have a valid point. The cut must also have correct hasuji, meaning that the blade must move in such a way that if it were an edged weapon, it would cut rather than scuff its target. And it has to be a real cut. lifting your point six inches and slapping your opponent's wrist is not a cut, even if you are able to generate a good amount of force.
Zanshin, or remaining mind, refers to one's posture and maintaining one's awareness after making the cut.
Showing zanshin means that if you cut and pass, you go a little ways past your opponent, and turn, demonstrating awareness that the other swordsman could be right there... because he could be, and if your point wasn't score, as soon as you turn around, if your guard is weak or non existent, your opponent may strike.
If you do a retreating strike, you must likewise show zanshin. You don't strike, throw your hands up like you scored a touchdown and dance backward. You strike and then as you retreat, you keep a good guard. In the even that your strike did not score and your opponent pursues you, you will need to.
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