article

A little caveat about the article: Several Booj instructors in the area were interviewed for it, but I was the only one directly quoted; and the writer also did a little reading and poking around through other source material. What that means is that there are some comments and remarks in it which people might naturally assume came from me but did not, such as this part:

Also, steer clear of ninjutsu training videos. Anyone offering short cuts, like Richard Van Donk’s Beginner to Black Belt Home Study Course (www.ninjutsu.com) for the low, low price of $349 is full of *****. However, we would be remiss not to mention that the $349 also buys you a super-neat shoulder patch!

That wasn't me, folks: Whatever I might actually think, out of respect to Hatsumi sensei and the Bujinkan I won't bad-mouth a legitimate Bujinkan instructor in any public setting.

The writer, BTW, is an Aikido practitioner, which is why the photo of the throw in the dojo doesn't, um, "look right".
 
Interesting article... and it did inspire me to go watch some of the Tew-ryu action videos.

Some of what was in them was really cool, some was really... "Sho Kosugi"...

But that could probably be said of most videos, no?
 
Dale Seago said:
That wasn't me, folks: Whatever I might actually think, out of respect to Hatsumi sensei and the Bujinkan I won't bad-mouth a legitimate Bujinkan instructor in any public setting.

What do you actually think Dale? Let me ask a specific question... If a person is a legitimate student, with a legitimate instructor, can they benefit from these types of videos?
 
Technopunk said:
If a person is a legitimate student, with a legitimate instructor, can they benefit from these types of videos?

Given the specific way you posed the question -- yes, definitely!! It just needs to be kept in mind that videos should be supplemental to training with an instructor, not a substitute for it. There are all kinds of points that simply can't be brought out in a video but can easily be made apparent by an instructor who understands what's going on.

On a related note, in my opinion the best "visual introduction" to the Bujinkan martial arts currently out there is Hatsumi sensei's video Kobudo no Kihon or "fundamentals of ancient martial arts" (one possible translation). Soke goes through the kihon happo fundamentals (among other things) not just as "techniques", but as concepts which he illustrates in a variety of ways both unarmed and with weapons. The video can be found here. I can tell this one was filmed during a February, because Pedro Fleitas is in it along with the big herd of Spaniards he brings over every year at that time. :p (Pedro, by the way, rocks. If you ever get the chance to train with him, take it!)
 
Technopunk said:
Interesting article... and it did inspire me to go watch some of the Tew-ryu action videos.

Some of what was in them was really cool, some was really... "Sho Kosugi"...

But that could probably be said of most videos, no?
i think that if you want to show a video to grab attention... you should show all the flips and stuff or no one would want to watch it. and you probably wouldn't generate enough people interested in what you have to offer. thats what sparked my interest at first.:jedi1: i want to be able to flip one day. hee hee! i think sho kosugi should make another movie. maybe one where he teaches someone "the way".:supcool:
peace
 
Enson said:
i think sho kosugi should make another movie. maybe one where he teaches someone "the way".:supcool:
peace

"There's no Kosugi, Like Sho Kosugi, Like no Kosugi I know..." ---MST3k
 
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