Beginners course starts 7th Sep 2010
Home Contact Beginners News Gallery

Next Course starts	Tuesday 7th September 2010
Times	Tuesdays 8:00pm to 9:00pm
Costs	£75.00 (£40.00 for students) - all inclusive
Status	If you are already registered for the course you should shortly receive confirmation and details via email
	There are a limited number of places still available - use the email link below to apply or request more information
Contact	Beginners
Reading Kendo Club hosts regular beginners courses through the year. Courses typically last 10-12 weeks and are designed to take attendees to a point where they can wear armour and take part in the regular session. Courses are open to adults of all ages from 18 upwards, unfortunately we do not offer courses for children. Courses at Reading take place alongside the regular sessions on Tuesday evenings. For those unable to attend on Tuesdays, beginners courses are also held at our sister club in Mytchett, 35 mins from Reading dojo. Mytchett courses run on Thursday evenings. Equipment All that is required for the beginners course is loose comfortable clothing such as track-suit trousers and t-shirt. If you have practised other martial arts and have your own gi then the trousers/hakama are ideal but we recommend wearing a t-shirt in place of the jacket - it will restrict the large arm movements necessary for kendo. Kendo is practised in bare feet so please ensure your nails are kept short to prevent injury to others. You will receive a shinai (bamboo sword) inclusive of your course fee. To continue your kendo training past the beginners course you will require hakama (pleated trousers), kendo-gi (jacket), a full set of bogou (armour) and a bokuto (wooden sword styled on the katana and used for kata). Bogou consists of tare (hip/groin protector), dou (breast-plate), kote (gloves) and men (helmet). Costs The course fee is currently £75.00 (£40.00 for students) and includes all session fees and a complimentary shinai. The fee includes temporary (3-month) membership of the British Kendo Association. On completion of the course you will need to upgrade to full adult membership of the BKA. (Please refer here for more information and up-to-date BKA prices). Club session fees also become applicable from this point but are reasonably set at £5 per session or £15 per calendar month. Kendo armour can be expensive so we would strongly advise against purchasing your own until you are certain you will continue your kendo training past the beginners course. Towards the end of the course you will have the opportunity to wear, and practise in, armour owned by the club. You will therefore get the full "kendo experience" with all its weird and wonderful feelings (and smells!) before making any financial commitment. The club armour will be available to you for a reasonable period after your course, we simply ask that you kit yourself out and return the club armour in time for the following beginners class to use it. Club members are a friendly approachable lot and will gladly offer you advice on buying new or second-hand armour.