As most of us are still in lockdown, lots of Dojo are organising online sessions for their members. From adapting their drills, to creating new ways to keep everyone engaged, online Martial Arts classes have been keeping students going all around the world.

This week we spoke with the Kendo instructors Baz Straughan (6th Dan) and James Ogle (5th Dan and GB Kendo Team member) about their experiences with the classes they’ve been organising online and the challenges they’ve faced.

Which platform do you usually use?

BAZ S. - Jitsi, Zoom or Teams

JAMES O. - Jitsi or Zoom

How many members usually attend an online class that you organise?

BAZ S. - It varies from 5 to 20. I only had 20 for one session.

JAMES O. - Ha! Anything from 3 up to 15.

What are the main challenges of Online Kendo Classes for you?

BAZ S. - Keeping the enthusiasm of the participants. Repeating the same process over and over works in the dojo but not online. Becoming imaginative with Suburi has been quite challenging but has also expanded the scope of ideas. Some of these I will carry on when back in the dojo.

JAMES O. - Providing variety in the exercises to keep everyone interested and learning effectively.

As people’s living arrangements are different, is it hard to find exercises that can be adapted by the members and the space they have available to practice? Can you give some examples?

BAZ S. - I have been encouraging people to make small Shinai from old Take but of course this is not possible for everyone. For people with low ceilings, adding more Sonkyo Suburi has worked well as performing exercises in Seiza becomes very boring. Also, working on more small cutting has proved beneficial.

JAMES O. - I haven’t found space much of a problem as we’ve always tried to make it clear that people can always do the exercises without a shinai or just use a rolled-up newspaper if they have lower ceilings.

Because video quality is not always the best, it might be hard to catch if someone is doing something wrong. What about bad habits that could be picked up by the students?

BAZ S. - Making specific points is extremely difficult using this medium. I have found that my experience as a teacher has been invaluable in this situation. Understanding the most common mistakes allows you to make general recommendations which apply to the vast majority of students. I feel for less experienced teachers at present, teaching online is a very difficult process. Encouraging questions has been the most productive way of addressing individual points.

JAMES O. - Yeah, this can be difficult. It technically provides the same challenges as ‘in person’ teaching in many ways. If I’m doing the same exercises, it’s more difficult to see what others are doing. But yes, by becoming an online session it then adds the difficulty of trying to watch an onscreen session with everyone doing the exercises at different times etc due to the connection!

What is the plan as soon as we can get back in the Dojo?

BAZ S. - Lots of Kakarigeiko!!! Haha. Utilising more physical fitness training online has highlighted some areas for improvement once back in the dojo, so I plan to continue this. Dealing with those who have been sedentary during the pandemic will be the biggest challenge. I intend to get everyone back into full Bogu immediately but with a slow incremental based Kihon program. It will be some time before any competitions or gradings, so without that pressure it will allow everyone to regain their former skills at a manageable pace.

JAMES O. - Build back up to full Keiko. Do the same exercises but less overall repetition and with more focus on technique and improving aspects that they may not have been able to focus on before as now is a great time to make fundamental changes in your training as there is no immediate knowledge of competition/grading dates etc… So it allows people to make large changes without the worry of a ‘dip’ in performance.

If you are a member of the BKA, don’t miss the Online Keiko sessions led by different UK instructors and some international guests. Baz Straughan will be leading one this Saturday 13/02/2021 at 10am. For more information check in the BKA group or with your Dojo leaders.