Bujinkan as a way of Life.

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aikidogb

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I have a chance to study Bujinkan in Green Bay and had a couple of questions for you guys. How has the study of Bujinkan, Ninjitsu, etc... improved your life. I am talking physically, mentally, and spiritually. I love Japanese culture and consider martial arts an integral component to the overall culture. What does somebody gain by spending two to ten hours a week training in this art? Any respones would be much appreciated.
 

stephen

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aikidogb said:
I have a chance to study Bujinkan in Green Bay and had a couple of questions for you guys.

I value the perspective it offers, as well as its use as a method for "training my kamae".

I'm sure my reasons will change with more training.

Who are you thinking of training with up there?

/steve
 

rutherford

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I noticed immediate changes.

My first day training with my group was quite literally the worst day of my life. It started with my wife's car breaking a CV shaft on a -30 degree F day as she pulled out of the driveway. She and I spent a half hour just getting the car off the street and back into the driveway.

I had a terrible day at work, and my grandmother was hospitalized with congestive heart failure (she is now out of the hospital and thankfully seems to have at least a little more time).

On the way to training, I wrecked our second car. Going about 60 on roads that looked fine, I hit a spot of black ice and went deep through a snowbank and took out two street signs. I spent an hour digging out my car, and notified the closest house of my name and phone number so that I could be contacted to pay for the signs.

Now, I'm a Buddhist. So, the real reason it was the worst day of my life is because of how I handled these events. I was extremely upset, depressed, and wondering how much longer I was willing to live this life. Irrational saddness and despair is a good way to describe my mental state.

After training, I was happy. My body hurt, but it was a good pain that told me I was growing. My spirit was full of energy. I felt light, and joyful.


Fighting ability is not the reason I train. I am in good physical shape, and I haven't lost a fight since I was 13. Several months before beginning training, I got into a NHB fight with my best friend. He's 5 years younger, faster, stronger and has been training in the BBT for 2 years.

But, he also talks a lot of **** and I needed to explain to him that there are people in this world he just shouldn't **** with - for his safety. It took me less than 30 seconds to get him totally locked up and into a solid choke hold with my legs around his neck. If I'd rolled, I definitely could have killed him by snapping his neck. Most of the time was me waiting for an opening to shoot in for the takedown.

Why did I win? Because I grew up in a big city, had huge aggression problems, got into a lot of fights, and have a good understanding of what I do know. This is not a source of pride for me. It's just fact. I don't look for fights, don't like to fight, and have in the last several years been hit by drunks without even considering fighting back. No point to it.


I have no doubt that sticking with BBT will make me the best fighter I can possibly be. And, I'm sure a lot of my boyhood fantasies and male egoism play a part in my enjoying training. But, it's not why I train. On the purely physical side, it is more important to me that I can't do handsprings or rolls without using my hands, or a lot of the stuff that I hope to learn and still be able to do when I am Soke's age.


But, the real reason I train is because I am happy when I am looking forward to training. At the end of training, I am often in a deeply conscious no-mind state. I find myself listening and experiencing the world with my whole self. The useless noise that often clutters my mind is cleared, and I feel so alive.

This personal growth, and the balance it has given my life is why I train. I may be a new student, but I hope this explains my fanatical devotion. I have no doubt that this is something I will do forever.
 

stephen

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Technopunk said:
Aside from the fighting skills you mean?

I'm currently in Utah, snowboarding in Park City. I've never skied, I've never snowboarded. In two days I've felt I've made insane progress. Why? Training. Snowboarding is just like training, just like life, just like everything. If you stay in Kamae on the board and don't force it, you're fine. You try to muscle it, force it, be 'in charge' the board will win, and will **** you up.

It's not to say that I didn't fall, and didn't suck. I fell a lot, I'm going to be sore next week. I'm not going to training tomorrow. Why? because I've been training all weekend on the board. The Bujinkan has given me eyes to see the training in life and in everything. THAT is important. That is why I train.

You see, there is a flip side. If you can see the training in everything, you can see the everything in training.

I'm not so convinced it's WHAT we do, but HOW we do it....


/steve
 
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aikidogb

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Yeah, I guess I mean outside of the fighting skills. I have trouble personally with starting something unless I can convince myself that it is the best option for me. I live in Green Bay so my options are somewhat limited. I just would like some feedback concerning the finer points of the art. I also thought about Aikido and find myself leaning towards Bujinkan. Yet, I do not want to train for six months to a year in Aikido when I could have been doing Ninjitsu or vice versa.

How realistic are the fighting skills and how enjoyable are the classes? I mean you could have a really fun class that was pretty ineffective, but you could also box which I would think could get a little tedious and rigorous. Any comments?
 

Cryozombie

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aikidogb said:
How realistic are the fighting skills and how enjoyable are the classes? I mean you could have a really fun class that was pretty ineffective, but you could also box which I would think could get a little tedious and rigorous. Any comments?
In my opinion, what you get out of it depends on both your commitment and the school you join... how good your instructor is. Not JUST the quality of his Taijutsu, but how well he teaches the class.
 

rutherford

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Time spent in Aikido is not going to be wasted. Aikido will give you experience as Uke and stuff like falling techniques and good ukemi you'll use the rest of your life, even if you never get in a fight.

Have you visited the schools in your area? I wouldn't make a decision without taking a class at each.
 

stephen

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aikidogb said:
Yeah, I guess I mean outside of the fighting skills. I have trouble personally with starting something unless I can convince myself that it is the best option for me. I live in Green Bay so my options are somewhat limited. I just would like some feedback concerning the finer points of the art. I also thought about Aikido and find myself leaning towards Bujinkan. Yet, I do not want to train for six months to a year in Aikido when I could have been doing Ninjitsu or vice versa.

How realistic are the fighting skills and how enjoyable are the classes? I mean you could have a really fun class that was pretty ineffective, but you could also box which I would think could get a little tedious and rigorous. Any comments?


Who are you planning on training with in Green Bay?


/steve
 
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Tenjin

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How realistic are the fighting skills and how enjoyable are the classes? I mean you could have a really fun class that was pretty ineffective, but you could also box which I would think could get a little tedious and rigorous. Any comments?
Can't really tell how combat effective, realistic a martil arts/class is as a beginner. Its the huge bummer of MA that you have to actually get past learning the basics in something before you can see it at the next level.
 

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