| Herein is a brief description of tournament rules.
A match is held in a square area from 9 to 11 metres a side.
A match is adjudicated by a referee (shimpan) and two corner judges.
Scoring is best two of three points, similar to traditional karate. Matches are usually
5 minutes long for men, 3 minutes for women and juniors. If the score is tied at the end
of regulation time, sudden-death overtime periods (ensho) are held.
The four legal targets in kendo are the men (top of the head), do (abdomen), kote (wrist)
and tsuki (throat). The official regulations contain pages of directives as to what
comprises a point, but the two most important things are: ki-ken-tai-ichi and zanshin.
Ki-ken-tai-ichi means mind, sword and body as one. The cut is not only with the sword,
but also with the body and the mind. In practical terms, the shinai must accurately
strike the target at the same time as the body weight comes down onto the leading foot
(accompanied by a loud stamping sound) and the targets name is yelled (kiai).
Zanshin literally means the heart that remains. In practice, it means to be in a state of
physical and mental readiness; to be in such a position to continue the attack; to be
sufficiently alert so as to not be in danger of attack. In practical terms this means
following through after the cut and ending up in the correct posture, obviously alert
and ready to fight.
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