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Sitting in a McDonalds waiting for my daughter’s job training session to end when I should have been at the dojo, my mind wandered to the state of kendo in Ontario.

Kendo, along with other weapons-based martial arts suffers from low participation rates. Karate, jiu-jitsu, taekwondo and the newcomer of MMA all have much higher numbers of people practicing. I think there are several reasons for this.

Perhaps the most prominent reason is that non-weapons-based arts are viewed as more practical if one ever needed to defend one’s self. Most folks aren’t going to have a sword on their person when they’re being mugged, so it’s better to know how to punch and kick. I haven’t done a comprehensive study on factors that influence a person’s decision to study a form of hand to hand combat, but this seems like a reasonable place to start.

Another factor might be the fear of getting hurt. Kendo is a full-contact art. Instead of getting hit with a fist or foot, you’re getting hit with a stick, and the primary target is the head. I can see why people might be wary of signing up their children for such an activity.

Cost is likely another factor. Kendo equipment is more expensive than a karate uniform and belt. Depending on one’s community, kendo may seem unaffordable to many.

As important as these factors may be, I think they pale in comparison to other issues that if unaddressed, could destine kendo to remain a martial art on the fringe.

Apparently my daughter’s training session is almost done, so I will continue my ramblings in another post. I welcome your thoughts on these ideas.