MSU supply chain management senior Dan DeLongchamp felt his passion for Korean martial arts had grown mundane and was looking for something else. It wasn’t long before he stumbled upon Kendo, which is Japanese for “the way of the sword.”
Flash forward to today, and DeLongchamp is president of the MSU Kendo Club, which meets every Monday and Wednesday from 8 to 10 p.m. in IM Sports-Circle.
According to the club’s guidebook, they have been in existence since 1974 and have been practicing twice a week since its inception.
Participants learn discipline to the human character by way of the Katana, according to the club’s website.
“Kendo is a Japanese martial art of fencing,” DeLongchamp said. “‘Ken’ is the Japanese word for sword, and ‘do’ is a path or way, so it literally translates into the way of the sword.”
He said his interest in the sport started way before he started attending MSU, as he achieved a black belt in Korean martial arts when he was 16.
“I actually started Kendo when I was at the University of Michigan,” DeLongchamp said. “I received my black belt in a Korean martial art and I was kind of tired of that, so I wanted to find something new ... I went to Festifall where I found the Kendo masks.”
DeLongchamp also said people can do Kendo for any number of reasons, as it is not only physical but mental as well.
“I think Kendo is really good physical fitness,” DeLongchamp said. “As it’s a martial art, it kind of assumes that you are learning to defend yourself and handle tense situations.”
Criminal justice freshman Jonathan Hernandez, a first-timer at the club, said he noticed the emphasis on discipline required during his training right away.
“Discipline, motivation and dedication are three things I learned,” Hernandez said. “It was a fun experience.”
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MSU alumnus Ron Fox, who has been a part of the club since 1978, said people can take what they learn from participating in Kendo and use it during their real lives.
“One thing Kendo stresses is focus, concentration and trying to perfect the groundwork,” Fox said. “These are all things that you can apply to daily life.”
An example he used was a student taking an exam. He said if the student is not concentrated, they are wasting time,
However, once they train their minds to live in the moment they utilize time better.
Fox said his interest in Kendo sparked when he was a student attending MSU back in the ‘70’s.
He said his friend discovered there was a Kendo club and dragged him along to one of the practices.
“I saw it and said ‘I’ve got to do this,’” Fox said. “I’ve been doing it ever since.”
