Although the roots of ninja martial arts go far back in the history of ancient feudal Japan, if you really want to learn ninjutsu—the system of mastery of ninja combat and life—a great deal of your training focus must be on existence. Able to deal with real world attackers using contemporary attacks, not the ones that would have been common in Japan in the 13th and 16th centuries!
This article discusses the need for the modern student of Ninja to focus on approaching Ninjutsu as a combat system based on results and self-protection, rather than an athletic or competition-based system.
To the chagrin of many students who fantasize about being warriors in ancient Japanese society – we don’t live during that time. And I know how obvious that is when I say the truth is that we live in the 21st century, but…
… To look at the way most people train in the art of ninjutsu, there seems to be a great detachment or denial of this fact.
What I mean by that is the number of students and teachers alike who focus almost entirely on training with and against punches, kicks, and other attacking techniques that would have been popular in 13th or 16th century Japan. And while it’s important to learn the techniques that have been passed down through time by the masters of the past, I think the old masters will agree when I say that…
If you’re not training to defend against the attacks you’re likely to see, then training has little value outside of a fun pastime.
it’s the truth.
Now don’t confuse what I just said as my belief that traditional kata are useless. I don’t mean anything like that.
What I mean to point out is that kata are not lessons, they contain the lessons you need to learn to be a master on your own.
The truth is, the attacker doesn’t care what you think you know, or how many degrees you have behind your belt. In fact, the average street attacker doesn’t care about you knowing or using you in self-defense at all.
Why?
Because he would have already taken control of the situation to allow him to gain the greatest advantage. And if you’re just concentrating on defending against coaching style stamp strikes – if you haven’t figured out how to apply the principles and concepts of the art against a “haymaker” or a good cross, you’ll be no better off than anyone else with no training at all.
think about it. How many people do you think are really good at the traditional “tsuki” (pronounced “skate”), lung punch commonly performed in budo taijutsu classes and ninjutsu training groups? truly?
The answer is “only those of us who train”. And I must be honest with you. I only know a couple of art practitioners who really scare me with their punches. And I’m not interested in them because…
They are all my friends or teachers!
The question is not “How many techniques, fists or kata do you know?” the question is…
Can you effectively use what you have learned to counter, defend against, and survive an attack from an attacker attacking you:
1) A puncher’s punch or a right cross
2) Taekwondo kick
3) Shooting a fighter or wrestler
4) Blade Street Fighter
5) a thief with iron tires or even …
6) A co-worker shooting up the premises while committing an act of workplace violence?
no swords. Not long from the staff. no shuriken.
And there are no old punching, kicking or grabbing attacks.
