Disabled persons and Kendo

I'm speechless...

Mr. Smalls has trained in Japan with some of the most famous martial
arts technicians, gaining their respect by demonstrating his spiritual
strength, determination, and high skill level. He has traveled
throughout the UnitedStates for many years, demonstrating his ability
as a martial artist and an inspirational performer. He is a
practitioner of Kendo (Japanese swordsmanship) and many other martial
art styles such as Iaido (the art of drawing the sword), Aikido,
Karate-do, Kung Fu, Jujitsu and other empty hands forms of fighting. He
is now one of the most recognized Kendo practitioner¹s in the world.

more...

Thanks God for giving me perfect, fully fuctional and healthy body and limbs. Although I have the worst eyesight as a result from my own fault (watching tv and playing computer 24/7 )

He's like YODA!!!!!!

Have a look at these videos. This guy Henry Smalls, is a 'legless' 4th Dan, but still able to play Kendo well. I hope this can inspire us to respect Kendo more...

Izzaz, it turns out yesterday there is a documentary on people who are physical disabled playing kendo. According to Ito san the bogu shop owner, the showed few people with physical disability, one is person who lost his right arm, and playing kendo in katate jodan left hand. And it so happen i found an old kendo book at his shop written somewhere around the 70's where there is a kamae call katate jodan with a right hand. so i guess if you were to lose one of your arms it is not impossible to play kendo, since there is also a kendo player in korea who play kendo with a prosthetic arm with his real arm.

And in the second part there is a player who lost both his leg up to his knee, he was practising kendo without using a wheel chair. With that , Ito san told me that in kendo, if you are willing to face hardship then there is always a way to play kendo, thus it would conclude to me if a wheel chair person wants to play kendo, i don't think there would be any barrier for him to do so. For a person who are deaf and mute, it is not a problem too. In the case of blind that is something that i can't say much. I have no idea.

But in the case of shiai whether they could participate, i could not say much. It is beyond my knowledge. In the case of losing an arm, or maybe mute and deaf. they could have the highest possibility to be able to participate in a normal competition provided the shinpan may have to know first the condition of the player. Beyond that disability then i have no idea, and i have yet to read upon news on a para-kendo tournament.

i see.

There are quite a few disabled people learning Kendo. =) But of course their disability may cause them certain disadvantages. They do adapt by assuming different methods of practicing, like as you said, using jodan and all.

Deaf: I would think that this is no problem at all as most of us can't hear really well in our men most of the time. The only problem is that, you can't really hear the sound of your stamping and shinai hitting to judge it's accuracy.

Blind: Blind people often have good hearing but who knows. I can't say much about it although I do practise Kendo half blind 99.9% of the time.

Prosthetic: One is still manageable. Though two...no idea. I'd seen people who use fake limbs to help their Kendo like one who has lost his arm. Though he has a disadvantage of executing less cuts.

Spinal injury: Not recommended unless your doctor says ok.

Mute: Never encountered such. Just difficult in communication when learning? Other than that...some kendokas do have bad habits of not kiai'ing. *coughlikemecough*

I had a dream last night that I was involved in a car accident that resulted in my right arm being sliced clean off. But I remember in the dream being really sad that I couldn't Kendo with one arm. But I did go for practice, and a sensei asked me to compensate for the loss of my right arm by using left-handed jodan. So from there I kendo using left hand jodan.

However, the dream is not important, but i'd like to ask, (especially max22), are disabled people allowed to train in kendo? For example if I am one-armed, will i still be able to ddo kendo? Are there adjustments to technique that has to be made? Can I practice kendo if I'm:

>Deaf?
>Blind?
>Have a prosthetic leg (or two)?
>Have a spinal injury?
>Mute, as in not able to kiai?

That dream really showed me that we have to be thankful that we're all in perfect condition