Hitting the drum stats and stops training.
Sparring
Kendo is a full contact sport, so student must learn how to take a hit as well as how to deliver one. Jigeiko is the term used for sparring - when you practice what you have learned with a partner. Students can develop their techniques against opponents to see what works for them and what does not. When sparring, a student does not know which techniques their partner is going to use, and timing and precision become very important.
Jigeiko is not competitive as there is no winner or loser. It is a method of practicing so that the students learn from one another. The rules of jigeiko are set to by the instructor.
Before student commence sparring, they warm up by running around the dojo. They also practice simple techniques up and down the dojo. One partner will attack and the other will defend, then they switch so the defender becomes the attacker. This warmup exercise is always performed with shinai.
Kata (forms)
Like most martial arts, Kendo has kata. Kata are a series of movements which students practice over and over again. Kata enable students to practice moves they have learned, with or without a partner. Kata are performed with bokuto and without armor, and blows are not allowed to touch your partner's body.
There are ten kata. Techniques in each designed to practice defensive and attacking moves. 7 kata are demonstrations of techniques using the long sword, and three kata are demonstrations of techniques using a short sword against the long sword. The techniques learned by beginners are demonstrated in the first kata. The attacker is called the uchitachi and the defender is called the shidachi.