Mental skills training in kendo: A reflection on preparing for national competition

Abstract

Kendo is a Japanese martial art utilizing a bamboo sword and an underrepresented performance area in the field of sport psychology. In response to recent demands to embrace contextual-specific interventions, this article delineates a mental skills training intervention for a kendo practitioner (i.e., kenshi) for competition at the United States Kendo National Championships. The intervention consisted of multiple stages: education, assessment, teaching mental skills, applying mental skills into context, and evaluation. Detailed discussions include special considerations in kendo, use of video technologies, and dual-role relationships between the kenshi and the consultant.