Are Trinis too weak for Kendo?

OK the title may be harsh, but it's a valid question, considering my classes are pretty soft compared to average US/Canada or Japan/Korea classes, yet guys are dropping out left and right, even after showing a genuine interest. Kendo attrition is famously high, and the average dropping out rate is more or less the same internationally, but beyond common reasons for stopping it seems that they find it physically too demanding. I have no proof that's the case, it's just an impression so far. But like mentioned, considering I go easy on them, it's a bit surprising to see them gasping for air all the time. Considering they all look quite in shape and have been or still are active in other sports, that most don't drink or smoke... It could be a bunch of things, like the fact the average age is higher than usual, the hot climate or that the classes are harder than I think they are.

Although I do see many drop Kendo because of the realization that it's too demanding mentally or simply not what it was expected to be, most seem to drop because of the physical aspect. They have that look and attitude that I can't quite explain but it screams "man, this is hard and I haven't been hit yet".

A colleague suggested a more intriguing reason for the high attrition. He thought that it could be that they don't expect Kendo to be so strict and that it required to follow clear guidelines. Something not necessarily the case in other budos that exist here. I attended a few different karate dojos and it's true that the most popular ones have quite a relaxed atmosphere while the strict one I saw was not so populated.

Discipline, order, respect, decorum, etiquette... Foreign concepts in Trinidad ? More to come on that aspect...