[SEMINAR: HOW TO WIN SHIAI] - Men-Misete-Kote (Using Feints) 

Generally 'bouncing' off them after Kote is not 'correct' Zanshin, and it leaves you exposed to a counterattack.

Great comment - and you highlight a fundamental problem that Kendo has in the western world. I'll answer this properly in Kendo RANT tomorrow, as I have a lot to say about how blocking, dodging and Zanshin is completely misunderstood, especially outside of Japan. Keeping awareness of the opponent, and avoiding a potential counter-attack or Ato-uchi is an essential part of what Zanshin is. Blocking and dodging are a normal part of Kendo, and can be seen even at the highest levels - even in successful 8th Dan exams. They are not 'wrong' or 'bad Zanshin' or even worse 'not Kendo'. They are normal. Any Shinpan that disregards a good Kote point because the player dodged to avoid a counter-attack after the strike has a fundamental misunderstanding of the concept of Zanshin. Unfortunately - especially in the west - such Shinpan are quite common.

@@TheKendoShow First of all thank you for the answer. It is a good point and I in first person have reflected many times about the validity of blocking an opponent in kendo. I was always taught not to block or dodge the incoming strikes (especially outside of shiai, such as in jigeiko), even by japanese hachidan sensei visiting Italy (thinking about Tani, Ishii, Hirakawa, Asami...). For what I have caught of those lessons there are two main points of view. Blocking and dodging is fundamentally wrong because it destroy the concept of sutemi. Once you start an action you should commit to it completely without fear or being struck (again, this does not mean launching reckless attacks or not having a strong defensive posture to negate the opponent their intended targets, sutemi is self sacrifice, not suicide.), the second reason is because Kendo is supposed to be a way to refine and perfect ourself, if I block my opponent, without executing ojiwaza, I'm just expressing fear. I'm negating him the possibility to study the technique (especially in jigeiko) and I'm not learning anything myself. I should give myself generously to my opponent, committing myself fully but without expressing shikai. This in my opinion is the truest form of kendo. On the other side if we think of a real swordfight it is clear that blocking or dodging are fundamental to not being killed by a lucky strike from our opponent, and that this kind of blocking after a strike coukd be considered a form of zanshin because I am presenting a reaction to a possibile countermove and I'm aware of the movement of my opponent. However, the true question here is: Do we consider Kendo as a "modern" martial art, in which the goal is self improvement following the way of the sword, and as such acts like blocking or dodging have no sense other than expressing fear, or do we consider Kendo as a realistic sword duel, in which I'm fighting for my life and as such blocking is perfectly ok and encouraged ad I do not want to die? This in my opinion is the true question. (final note, even taking all of your points I think that many many people in shiai block only because they are afraid to lose the ippon, they are scared. There is no real sense in those blocks other than "I want to win the match and so I must not be hit") Again, thanks a lot for the answer, and if you have any reference or videos of hachidan examination with blocking or dodging in it I would like to see them.

@@xxgiovajokerxx no problem - I’ll talk about it more in Kendo Rant tomorrow, and I’ll address the points in your reply also. Here’s the first video I randomly picked out of successful 8dan exams - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-UZaJZscxCoI.html Successful candidates both block and dodge in this example. Don’t forget the topic of the Seminar my video is from is How to Win Shiai - and you’ll see even more blocking and dodging from the 8dan tournament too.