General Club Information

There are several pieces of equipment that, while not strictly necessary, are highly recommended:

Kneepads - available through Dick's Sporting Goods, and other sports stores. Volleyball kneepads work great.

Gi, Obi and Hakama - the uniform for Iaido. The gi is the top, the obi is the belt and the hakama are the pants. The gi and hakama are not required, as one can practice Iaido in regular workout clothes, but are highly recommended if you wish to continue this art for any length of time. However, the obi should be your first purchase, as this is what is used to hold the saya, or scabbard, to your body, and if you do not have an obi, it will make the art difficult, if not impossible to practice. The club has a few obi that people can borrow, but if you wish to continue, it is recommended that you get your own.

Sword - We do NOT used sharpened swords, called either Katana or Shinken. Not only is it very dangerous to someone who has no experience with Iaido, they are not allowed on campus. We use either Bokuto, or wooden swords, or dull aluminum blades, called Iaito. The club does have a few spare bokuto for those who wish to try it, but if you are serious about continuing with this art, it is very recommended that you get your own. You should preferably get a bokuto first, just in case you change your mind later, as bokuto are much cheaper. If you choose to, you can also get an Iaito. It should be noted that a saya (scabbard) is required with all swords, as without it, there is no point in doing Iaido. However, a bokuto is not a worse option than an Iaito, as, not only is it cheaper, but it is still a sword, and not something that is less desirable.

There are several locations where one can get the above equipment:

www.swordstore.com

www.e-bogu.com

www.budogu.com

It should be noted that prices do range depending on what you are buying, as well as the quality.

Other General Club Information:

The only things required of club members are for you to show up to as many training sessions as possible and to pay dues. We do not allow people who have only come to one or two sessions to claim to be members of the club. Meetings will be once a week, and if you cannot come to a few because you are busy or sick, that is all right, as long as you actually come to other meetings, not just one or two. Dues are $5 a month, which may be changed based on the amount of people in the club.

There is also a seminar in Canada about once a month. There is a seperate cost for that, and going is not required. However, the seminar is very fun, and is a great opportunity to study with some higher level sensei. The club may take group trips, and individuals can go by themselves as well. Since it is a trip across the border, passports should be brought.