Kaoru's Skills

WEAPON USE {MASTER}
Kaoru has almost mastered the use of using weapons. She is an expert with practically any bladed weapon, though she is more well versed with a sword and speared weapons. Though, this skill has come with years of practicing and training with a variety of melee weapons. However, through her training she found that she was able to more effectively use the sword (katana), than any other kind of weapon as well as a spear, for that was the form her Shikai had decided to take. Most if not all of her time Kaoru practice and trained with her zanpakuto in sealed and released form, as well she was one of the most proficient sword fighter when she was at the academy. She could deliver quick but effective attacks, and even though her attacks were not that powerful she knew where to strike almost as if she had contemplated where to attack before hand.

ZANJUTSU {MASTER}
Kaoru excels greatly in the art of the sword and has mastered many of the techniques that come with it. Even though she is not of lieutenant or captain she has specifically trained in this skill more than others; she felt a connection to the blade, to her Zanpakuto and to the skills and arts that came with it that she trained whenever possible in this art. She has even modified a few sword skills to be used with a spear instead. To do this, she had to spend hours on end to modify movements to be coordinated with using a spear instead of a sword. 

HAND-TO-HAND {PRACTITIONER}
Though, not as skilled with hand to hand combat, when she needs to Kaoru can deal a pretty good punch..though she doesn't really have the right body type/muscle. She has dabbled in this art, though more so focused on her speed and knowledge of the sword. She does know a few tricks of this trade and if she had to she could fight with her bare fists and legs.

AGILITY {EXPERT}
Kaoru's slender figure enables her to be pretty fast and nimble. Kaoru has a light foot, which is effective for quick moves in battle. She discovered that during her training with the sword and when battling others at her time in the academy she had quick reflexes and movements, in part because of her slender body type. So, she choose to exploit that strength in her fighting style, combining her skills with the sword with quick movements and reflexes. She choose to train in speed and agility as well, practicing for hours to become faster and to train in shunpo. Kaoru is slightly faster than the average shinigami, but still faster than a bulky swordsman whom focused more on muscles and the power of his blows. Kaoru decided to focus on the small quick-movements to get in attacks, instead of one or two powerful attacks she is able to deliver smaller but multiple, though still effective, blows that seem as if she is dancing around her opponent with attacks.

SPIRITUAL CONTROL {PRACTITIONER}

Other than swordsmanship, shinigami had to learn kido..which was semi-similar to magic. This had never really been a strong point for Kaoru, she'd at least had to practice it a bit in the academy but the main focus for Kaoru was Zanjutsu and Agility, so what need did she have for magic skills? They could give her an advantage in battle. Kaoru has practiced a bit with kido, learning a few offensive and defensive kidos, though she seemed to like 'trap' kidos so that her opponent couldn't move or what not. Though, she has only practiced in this and knows only a few kido spells.

Along with kido, shinigami have spiritual power. Kaoru had always had a medium-ish spiritual power, so she never really had to hide it much. But, as she started to learn sword skills her spiritual power began to increase so she had to learn how to suppress it. She also needed to learn spiritual control for her zanjutsu attacks that require at times energy to use them. Because her need to control her spiritual power came out as a necessity she hasn't dabbled much in trying to use kido, feeling that her main weapon was instead her sword arts. 

PERCEPTION {EXPERT}

Kaoru has been one to be known to have anticipated an opponents movement while she went in for a strike, that it only took her moment to figure out a way to get in an attack. She could be described as smarter than someone whom would use brute force, which also keys in with her agility and sword skills, you can't just attack someone randomly with a sword you need to know where to attack, what area on an opponent is open for an attack, etc. She is good with predicting others moves and semi-good with judging others reiatsu, though not as keen with her own. Though, hers does take on a light blue hue.