Any basic moves?

[White spike]

Hi



Im really into ninjutsu.....can anyone point me a direction?



Im working on my flexibility ....im not very strong but fast.

 

[Chris Parker]

Get an instructor.

Look, I'm sorry to be blunt, but without that, you won't get anywhere at all.

 

[White spike]

No chance to get a instructor.....not yet.

 

[Chris Parker]

Then there is no point in giving you any technical advice, as you have no way of understanding what we would be saying. If you can't get to an instructor, that means you can't train in the systems. That, really, is the truth of it.

 

[Cyriacus]

*Points at a Dojo*

Good Luck!

 

[White spike]

what about books???DVD's?????

 

[Chris Parker]

They're best thought of as supplementary aids to actual instruction. With no background, they won't really give you any real education or training ability at all.

 

[jedtx88]

He's right about the books. I ended up with some crazy mutated round back kick thing that I was positive was a side kick. Of course I probably could have picked a book that didn't start with The Complete Idiots Guide.

 

[Cyriacus]

Also, of course Youre not Strong but Fast. Just about everyone who isnt overweight thinks that when They first start.
Strength is Taught.

I kid You not.

 

[Sukerkin]

Aye, it's disheartening I know but the fellows above are speaking the unvarnished truth. Altho' there are those that would have you think otherwise, 'distance learning' of a non-academic subject, the physical output of which is the movement of your own body, is something of a non-starter.

Even if you are diligent with your "Be A Ninja in Five Weeks" DVD set and apply yourself well, the first time you find yourself in front of an instructor you will almost certainly find that what you have spent so much time practising is wrong. You will then have to spend even more time 'unlearning' all the stuff your have trained into muscle memory.

So, at the end of the day, if you cannot get to an instructor then it is best to treat such things as books and DVD's on martial arts as material to fuel your interest rather than a means of actual study - if nothing else they will give you an idea of what you will have to learn when you start training.

 

[Grenadier]

what about books???DVD's?????

I am not a Ninjutsu practitioner, but can still offer some insight into this matter.

Books, videos, etc., are good materials for polishing up techniques that someone already has learned, and not good for learning the technique in the first place.

Learning the techniques correctly means that you need a live instructor who knows his material, to watch over you, to make sure that you are using the correct mechanics, timing, etc. Without this, you have no way of knowing how to properly throw those techniques, nor will you receive any kind of feedback on whether or not you're doing it correctly.


That being said, you need to find live instruction in some art to get started. Where do you live?

 

[Sanke]

Seconded on everything. Books and DVD's won't help you without prior instruction, and even then they can be more harm than good, depending on which ones you get your hands on (RVD for example).
Sounds like you're enthusiastic, perhaps another search in your area for a school? They're more common than you might think, if you know what you're looking for.


Sanke on the move.

 

[bwindussa]

Luckily there are more qualified instructors around than there used to be. If you're financially unable to attend a school then I suggest you start to get creative. My first year of training I earned by cleaning the dojo daily. Look around, ask around in your local community. You might be surprised what you are able to do to get formal instruction.

 

[Indagator]

If you are thinking of looking into books or dvds until you can train physically, my advice would be don't waste your time trying to learn anything from a book or a dvd that you will have to unlearn later.

If you must go with books and dvds, I suggest sticking to things that will cover some of the philosophical or historical perspectives on ninjutsu and thus give you a bit of a basis for understanding some of the roots of the art when you are able to study in it - I'd recommend probably History and Tradition by Dr Masaaki Hatsumi (although in large part ghostwritten by SKH) for a bit of an insight into some of the historical tools and traditions you will come across - although even this must be taken with a grain of salt.

Tell you what - I recommend The Essence of Ninjutsu by Dr Masaaki Hatsumi. Just get that, and maybe some decent dvds on the history of the art. Why? Because every time I read that book I read it with new eyes based on how far I have come or what I have learned.
It is a very deep and fruitful book to help get your mind working on the things it might pay to get it working on lol.

Out of interest, why is there no chance for you to get an instructor?

Maybe somebody here can help

 

[bwindussa]

Another thought is that, until you can get to an insteructor, you might consider working on your conditioning. That's something we all need to do on a regular basis anyway. You can work on building your strength, coordination, and fitness. That way when you find an instructor you'll be better prepared.