Can I get what I want?

[Adept]

Having read through the forums here for a day or two, I see most of the discussion seems to centre around details, lineage, history and tradition.

What I want, what I am interested in, is technique. I want to learn the techniques that ninjutsu teaches, decide for myself what will be applicable to me, and then add those techniques to my repretoire.

What I definately don't want is to spend thousands of dollars travelling to foreign countries, learning foregin languages, and spending years training in a traditional ninjutsu ryu/dojo.

I'm not exactly an inexperienced martial artist, and get plenty of 'hands on' real life experience through my work as a bouncer. I'm not some newbie who wants to be a ninja without putting in the hard yards, I'm just looking to add to, or refine, what I already know.

Hopefully, there will be two ways the good people on MT can help me. The first is by recommending books or videos which can demonstrate these ninjutsu techniques to me. I would prefer to learn from a credible instructor, but my location will no doubt make the cost prohibitive. Added to which, I don't think I would be likely to find someone who would skip the 'fluff' and just teach me what I want to know.

The second way you can help me is by defining ninjutsu by technique. What grappling and joint manipulation can I learn from ninjutsu that I could not learn from jujutsu? What striking techniques that I wouldn't learn from boxing, karate and taekwondo?

 

[Grey Eyed Bandit]

Since we're principle-orientated instead of technique-orientated, I'd wager you're up for some disappointment. Besides, no one has the sole rights to any type of technique.

What I value the most about Bujinkan training is the detail in which we go to determine what makes everything we do work (and most of the time, it is in some way or another related to the movements of your lower body). That takes time and dedication, and I gather you're not interested in learning Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu thoroughly.

 

[bydand]

What I want, what I am interested in, is technique. I want to learn the techniques that ninjutsu teaches, decide for myself what will be applicable to me, and then add those techniques to my repretoire.

What I definately don't want is to spend thousands of dollars travelling to foreign countries, learning foregin languages, and spending years training in a traditional ninjutsu ryu/dojo.

In a nutshell, probably no. Nimravus has it right. It takes more than just raw techniques, and the knowledge of another arts movement. While you could probably snag some techniques and force them to work, what you end up with in the end is a cobbled together art that doesn't have the benifit of years (decades, or even centuries) of trial to get rid of the rough edges so it flows smoothly and effectivly. Good luck with your search, but techniques learned from video and books doesn't have the benifit of an instructor showing the finer points that make a huge difference.

 

[Drac]

What I definately don't want is to spend thousands of dollars travelling to foreign countries, learning foregin languages, and spending years training in a traditional ninjutsu ryu/dojo.Hopefully, there will be two ways the good people on MT can help me. The first is by recommending books or videos which can demonstrate these ninjutsu techniques to me. I would prefer to learn from a credible instructor, but my location will no doubt make the cost prohibitive

You don't need to travel to Japan, there ARE Ninjutsu Sensei's in the US, it's closer than Japan and there wold be no language problem...Book's and DVD's while helpful will NEVER take the place of an Instructor..An Instructor points out the fine points that the other 2 media miss..I wish you luck...

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Adept, I see that you are in Australia. Maybe you could check out a few of these Budo Taijutsu Dojo's and see if it is for you.

Australia
[FONT=verdana,arial]Bujinkan Courageous Heart (Sydney)
[/FONT]Bujinkan Taijutsu North Shore dojo
Bujinkan Dojo Brisbane
Bujinkan Dojo Perth
Bujinkan Goshu Dojos
Bujinkan Goshu Dojos Perth
Bujinkan Kobudo Australia (Ed Lomax)
Bujinkan Martial Arts Melbourne

There is no way you can learn Budo Taijutsu from video tape. However they can be good referance tools when you are training with an instructor. Good luck.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

I pasted this from www.winjutsu.com unfortunately there are a few dead links. Sorry!

 

[Bigshadow]

One thing I would like reiterate that Nimravus said... Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu is principle oriented, not technique oriented, this often is confusing to people and they get disappointed with it. That being said, you will find that learning Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu will require you to reexamine the very foundation of your body movement and tactics before the techniques will work properly.

Good luck with your training!

 

[Don Roley]

Well, there are things that you in other arts and look similar. I ahve run into stuff that looked like Bujinkan in everything from Indonesian styles to old Western Martial arts manuals. So there probably is not much that is unique to ninjutsu, just the way it is put together.

And that is the problem. When you put together a pasenger car, a truck or a race car you have to use things like wheels. But the wheel on a truck will not work on a race car and vice versa.

Many of the things that we do IMO do not work as well as they could if they were taken in isolation. I have seen arts that can really punch people hard. But if you tried what they do in Bujinkan everything else would not work. The punch we do is an opening for some of the throws and such. It is made to transition into other things and does it very well.

So you can see how there will be some things you can pick up, and others that really can't be taken unless you look at the big picture. Maybe you have the type of car that can fit the new tire on, maybe not. It does not mean that the tire nor you is bad. Just that they were made for different purposes.

And why don't you look over some of the clips at youtube on Bujinkan/ Genbukan and see what you are getting into before you decide to lay out cash for a DVD?

 

[DWeidman]

What I want, what I am interested in, is technique. I want to learn the techniques that ninjutsu teaches, decide for myself what will be applicable to me, and then add those techniques to my repretoire.

Ok...

I'm just looking to add to, or refine, what I already know.

Ok...

Hopefully, there will be two ways the good people on MT can help me. The first is by recommending books or videos which can demonstrate these ninjutsu techniques to me.

Anything by a chap named Hatsumi is a good start. Applicable - probably not. But he is the best place to start for ninjutsu techniques.

I would prefer to learn from a credible instructor, but my location will no doubt make the cost prohibitive.

Hm. So you want to learn good technique but you don't think there is anyone close to you who can teach it...

Added to which, I don't think I would be likely to find someone who would skip the 'fluff' and just teach me what I want to know.

Most dojos have "private training" -- expensive -- but you get to dictate what you want to learn (for a price).

...What grappling and joint manipulation can I learn from ninjutsu that I could not learn from jujutsu?

"real" jujutsu has everything we have. Good luck finding one of them...

What striking techniques that I wouldn't learn from boxing, karate and taekwondo?

Striking "techniques" -- hmmmm... too hard to answer.

We have a different way of approaching things that you will find clash with your current ideas.

Good luck though.

-Daniel