Shinai maintenance
Wednesday, the Mushin kendoka set aside 30 minutes of their training time to dedicate it to shinai maintenance.
Not a lot of time during the year is set aside for shinai maintenance, so suffice to say that when we do organise such an evening, attendance is high.
During this time, intermediate members get a chance to practice how to properly take care of their shinai, since their training has increased the strain placed on it. While beginners new to kendo learn about the different parts of their shinai and how to notice potential dangerous problems like splinters and very loose tsurus.
This also provides a safe environment for all (new and old to kendo) to perfect their shinai without fear of not being able to correct any mistakes.
Anesu headed this first session for 2016. Making members take apart their shinais until they only had bamboo slats in front of them and showing them how to put it all back together, pointing out sites that might be prone to splintering, how to recognize splinters and how to get rid of them without damaging your equipment.
We encourage members to try and practice at home, if ever you made a mistake that you can't fix, just bring your shinai to class and one of the seniors will fix it for you before your class starts. The most important thing is that if you never practice, you will never become confident.
