Beginner - Need some advice :)

[onyros]

Hello all

This is my 1st post so I'll introduce myself as well - I'm Vasilis and I am studying medicine abroad (graduating in June) and I did 1 month course in Ninjutsu last summer when I was back home which I intend to continue when I return home.

However, in my current status I have work approx. 5 to 8 hours a day and the rest I'm stuck at home. There are no gyms anywhere near I am (for the last months I'm stationed somewhere *really* remote).

I was wondering if you guys have any idea on how I should prepare for my upcoming training in these months I still have here.

I was thinking fitness so I acquired 2 dumbbells, a punching bag, a skip rope and a medium resistance band but I am no expert on what to do / when to do it etc.

I also picked up 2-3 books on Ninjutsu (one being sensei Hatsumi's book) and some ZEN meditation ones...

But I'm kind of lost here and can't orient myself on what / how to do it

If anyone here would like to spend some time to help me out with this I'd be glad. Being home all the time is driving me crazy and I'd like to invest my time to prepare for my training.

I hope this is the right place to post



P.S. I studied under a Sensei Hatsumi's student during my course.

 

[Razor]

Hello,

I am quite new to Ninjutsu (been training for about 1.5 years), so I am sure some more experienced people will correct me and/or give you better advice

I just wanted to say that from what I have experienced, you do not need to be extremely fit for Ninjutsu training. Unless you are overweight or particularly unfit, a reasonable level of fitness should be fine. Unless you want to be fitter for other reasons, it is not particularly necessary for Ninjutsu.

In my opinion, books are a good complement to your training, but (this pretty much goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway), do not try to learn from the books - look up techniques after you have practised them in class and been shown how to do them by your instructor rather than trying on your own. If you are preparing for your training, books will be an interesting read and may help teach some of the basic principles so that you understand them better when you being training, but be sure to read them through after some more training as you will probably gain more from them after some practice.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Pick up the rope and start jumping. You'll learn speed, timing, hand-eye coordination, and increase your cardiovascular fitness, all at the same time. You can vary your routine if you feel bored doing that all the time, and learn difficult tricks that are fun to do and also force you to speed up, slow down, and vary your timing to master them. All are very useful in martial arts training of any kind.

Practice stretching. Attach a pulley to the top of a doorframe and attach a rope to the pulley. Tie a loop in one end of the rope, such that you can put your foot through it and rest your ankle inside. Carefully pull the other end of the rope, which will raise your leg in the air by the ankle. Use this to alternately stretch your legs, to the extent that you can without damage. Strive to stretch more each day. There are commercial stretchers made, but they are large, bulky, and cost a lot. This is cheap and effective, plus it is very small. A pulley and a piece of rope is all you need.

You can practice shadow boxing if you like. A traditional boxer's exercise which also increases endurance, cardiovascular health, flexibility, and speed if done right. The biggest problem with shadow boxing is you can go slow if you like and going slow won't push your limits. Skipping rope in my opinion is preferable because no matter how slow you go, you get a benefit from it.

Always time yourself and keep a log. Strive to increase your endurance. If you feel like it, you can also monitor your BP and pulse as well, see how long it takes for both to return to normal after you stop exercising as a measure of increasing fitness, and baseline measurements as well. Not needed, but it can help you to encourage yourself to keep going.

And welcome to MT.

 

[onyros]

Thanks for your advice guys.

Yes I picked up the books to learn more about history and so on, not to learn technique. Also as an effort to understand how to prepare for my training (I'll be permanently settled + working from June so I will attend 2 hour trainings for 2 days a week as scheduled by the dojo).

Sense I'm a doctor, my lifestyle is pretty sedentary that is why I considered some preparation

I'd go to a gym (which I hate) but there are none available here (yes I'm that remote )

In my previous course of ninjutsu I did see some acrobatic rolls and such and I thought I better prepare my body for that - I'm 5'7 tall / 175lbs (a mix of muscle with a flabby belly basically) and due to previous Muay Thai training for 2 years I got strong legs. I'm no smoker or drinker either


I will start with the rope, get a scale to measure myself and a BP monitor - Pulley I don't know where to find here basically... I'm interested in stretching because I feel this is where I lack the most...

Shadow boxing I'm well acquainted to it so it won't be a problem.

Do you think I should do a routine daily ? Many times per day ? every other day? any recommendations from you veterans ?

I think If I can lose 20 pounds or so it will be easier for me to train and also appearance wise and I have approx. 4 to 5 months to do it...

 

[oaktree]

You need a teacher. You might have to travel or train
In another style till you are able to. You can practice
what you learned in that month course and I think
just practicing that is worth trying to learn from
Some books and videos.

But ill assume you are someone who wishes
to use video and books. Here's IMO the best
Way to do this. Contact the nearest school of your art.
Explain the situation to the teacher. See if he will
Allow you to join the school as a long distance student.
Ask what material to work on. Gather some friends to practice
with. Videotape yourself doing it to submit to
Your teacher. Have him evaluate you and correct you.
You may also invite him for seminars or all of
Your group save up money and each of you visit
the teacher and share what you learn.
this way is way better than you trying to
Learn by yourself with books.

 

[onyros]

I think you misunderstood me...I don't want to train over distance !

I'm going back to my dojo in June (it is in my home country- now I'm abroad).

I just want some advice on how to prepare physically mostly (and maybe mentally) until then (I have 4-5 months until I start training).

Fitness, stretching etc. - I got the books just to get some information on ninjutsu and Japan, meditation and so on, not to learn the art from them - Basically food for thought until I can *really* start learning.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

I will start with the rope, get a scale to measure myself and a BP monitor - Pulley I don't know where to find here basically... I'm interested in stretching because I feel this is where I lack the most...

Shadow boxing I'm well acquainted to it so it won't be a problem.

Do you think I should do a routine daily ? Many times per day ? every other day? any recommendations from you veterans ?

I think If I can lose 20 pounds or so it will be easier for me to train and also appearance wise and I have approx. 4 to 5 months to do it...

Pulleys are at hardware stores, but I'm presuming you are so remote you don't have one of those either?

I can't comment on how often you should exercise except in general terms. First, as I'm sure your aware, the body needs recovery time from strenuous exercise, or it begins to break down. Second, whatever routine you come up with, the most important part is that it becomes firmly fixed habit. Do what whatever frequency you feel comfortable with, but always do it. Never take time off. Make it such a habit that if you don't do it, you feel like you're missing something. Once it's a habit, then it stays with you.

If you can't stretch with a rope, then stretch on the floor; I presume you know how to stretch. I like the rope and pulley because I cannot push past my muscular limits by just pushing me feet apart, but by picking up a rope and hauling my leg up one at a time, I can take it to the point of resistance and then just a little bit more.

I can't advise you on rolling. It's certain something you can practice, but I'd hate to develop a habit of rolling a particular way, then attend formal training and find out I was doing it wrong and had now made it a bad habit. I guess whatever you feel is best.

 

[oaktree]

If you want endurance than I suggest interval training
And yoga.

 

[onyros]

Thanks all for contributions

I'll try to make up some workout that includes interval training, cardio, some lifting possibly and try to find some nice exercises to make up a stretch session... When I conclude, I'll post it up for comments

On another note, hardware store here doesn't have a pulley and I am hosted in a loft which makes it hard to find a mounting point !

I'm stuck here for 4 months doing residency so I thought I'd put it to good use !

I won't roll or focus on anything like that because of what you said. Don't want to get into a habit of doing things wrong...


Also, do I need a yoga instructor or is it something I can start on my own ?

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Thanks all for contributions

I'll try to make up some workout that includes interval training, cardio, some lifting possibly and try to find some nice exercises to make up a stretch session... When I conclude, I'll post it up for comments

On another note, hardware store here doesn't have a pulley and I am hosted in a loft which makes it hard to find a mounting point !

I'm stuck here for 4 months doing residency so I thought I'd put it to good use !

I won't roll or focus on anything like that because of what you said. Don't want to get into a habit of doing things wrong...


Also, do I need a yoga instructor or is it something I can start on my own ?

Personally, I think yoga is dangerous, but others disagree. As to the rest of it, I'm not an expert, keep that in mind. Just offering my opinion, is all. Good luck!

 

[Twin Fist]

yoga is dangerous?

 

[oaktree]

Yoga is only dangerous if you do not have a qualified teacher
And do not Ger a doctors OK. Its been practice for over 1,000 years

 

[Bill Mattocks]

yoga is dangerous?

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/08/magazine/how-yoga-can-wreck-your-body.html?_r=2

It's also not ancient wisdom handed down from Indian sages and gurus dating back to the dawn of time, as it's packaged...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nicholas-rosen/going-to-the-mat-confessi_b_186332.html

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Yoga is only dangerous if you do not have a qualified teacher
And do not Ger a doctors OK. Its been practice for over 1,000 years

A) Even instructors get injured. Maybe especially instructors get injured.
B) It is only about as old as I am - 50 years or so.

 

[gregtca]

Try this
http://budodoukoukai.blogspot.com/2011/12/training-alone-part-1-taijutsu.html

Good Luck

greg

 

[Jenna]

Hello all

This is my 1st post so I'll introduce myself as well - I'm Vasilis and I am studying medicine abroad (graduating in June) and I did 1 month course in Ninjutsu last summer when I was back home which I intend to continue when I return home.

However, in my current status I have work approx. 5 to 8 hours a day and the rest I'm stuck at home. There are no gyms anywhere near I am (for the last months I'm stationed somewhere *really* remote).

I was wondering if you guys have any idea on how I should prepare for my upcoming training in these months I still have here.

I was thinking fitness so I acquired 2 dumbbells, a punching bag, a skip rope and a medium resistance band but I am no expert on what to do / when to do it etc.

I also picked up 2-3 books on Ninjutsu (one being sensei Hatsumi's book) and some ZEN meditation ones...

But I'm kind of lost here and can't orient myself on what / how to do it

If anyone here would like to spend some time to help me out with this I'd be glad. Being home all the time is driving me crazy and I'd like to invest my time to prepare for my training.

I hope this is the right place to post



P.S. I studied under a Sensei Hatsumi's student during my course.

If you have not completed much training to date then you may not yet know what specific aspects of your fitness and conditioning you might need to address. As you have said yourself, improving your general health, physique and condition is surely a worthwhile endeavour to participate to your maximum in any martial art.

Remote or not, you have all the equipment you need already: your body!

You can try interval running outdoors (or maybe it is cold enough for cross contry skiing?), jumprope for indoors and work your way up to thirty or forty burpees. That is all you need do before thoroughly thorough stretching of your major muscle groups. Make your stretching progressive - a little more each time. I think stretching is a horrendously overlooked discipline in most MA training programmes (people like to get straight to the hitting I think).

How remote are you anyway? Do you have polar bears to run away from? Or maybe crocodiles or leopards? I like leopards... or maybe that should be leotards. In any case, if you are relatively new to your art then nobody will expect you to be a superfast Usain Bolt or superflexible bendy Wendy and but a little general fitness and conditioning will serve you well as you get into the specifics of Ninjutsu. I wish you bestest wishes with your wilderness training.

 

[Jenna]

yoga is dangerous?

Indeed. I once got trapped in a yoganidrasana pose. The only way they could get me out was with two large crowbars and plenty of non-stick honey from non-stick bees. What an ordeal. The honey was delicious though.

 

[oaktree]

A) Even instructors get injured. Maybe especially instructors get injured.
B) It is only about as old as I am - 50 years or so.[/QUOTE
Rarely do people get injured doing yoga. Most
Injuries are caused by incorrect practice.
In the over 1,000 years of yoga history the risk
Of yoga IF DONE CORRECT causing damage is
almost non existent. Jumping rope can be dangerous
hell anything can be IF DONE INCORRECTLY
And no yoga is not 50 years old you may be
that age but yoga has been around for centuries
and has plenty of evidence IF DONE CORRECTLY
Of it having health benefits.

 

[onyros]

ok due to my work I cant risk injury so no yoga for me If I cant find a pulley, I dont think I'll be able to find someone to fix me if i get stuck

I'd prefer to do all of my workouts and stretching indoors (unless I want to run outside minus 32 celsius = -26 Fahrenheit) which I wouldn't really love


I'm just want to be in a good physical condition - I remember when I started my month course in ninjutsu that I couldn't run as much as the others and ran out of steam or couldn't bend as easily/as much as the rest...These are the things I'm trying to address... I think 4-5 months is enough time for that yeah ?

Oh forgot to say I'm 26 years old - I think I forgot, can't check my original post now

 

[Bill Mattocks]

ok due to my work I cant risk injury so no yoga for me If I cant find a pulley, I dont think I'll be able to find someone to fix me if i get stuck

I'd prefer to do all of my workouts and stretching indoors (unless I want to run outside minus 32 celsius = -26 Fahrenheit) which I wouldn't really love


I'm just want to be in a good physical condition - I remember when I started my month course in ninjutsu that I couldn't run as much as the others and ran out of steam or couldn't bend as easily/as much as the rest...These are the things I'm trying to address... I think 4-5 months is enough time for that yeah ?

Oh forgot to say I'm 26 years old - I think I forgot, can't check my original post now

Where are you, on the moon?

But yeah, at your age, it should be no problem. I got into the best shape of my life in 13 weeks when I was 18 years old (and you're not that much older). It was called Marine Corps Boot Camp. I went in weighing 175 and came out weighing 145. I'm 5' 10" tall. Of course, I now weight quite a bit more than that...but I forgive myself, I'm 50.