How did you get started with ninpo?

[Shizen Shigoku]

It was love at first sight.

Trained in many different arts since I was young, but wasn't very satisfied. Always was a fan of the mystique and flavor of the ninja and did some self-study with books and videos; focused on Bujinkan specifically starting in '95 and found a nearby dojo in '98 (where I still train today).

My first ever time in a Bujinkan Dojo and the first ever technique I practiced was Fubi from Shinden Fudo Ryu.

I was hooked.

 

[Hudson69]

In college, way back in '89 there was a class called Self Defense and Martial Arts Philosophy. I never "officially" took it but a friend did and the instructor would let me sit in. The instructor was, at the time, a Nidan in Goju-ryu karate, but was studying Bujinkan Ninjutsu so his instructor, a Nidan in the Bujinkan, ran the class. At the time I didn't really think anything of it and instead began American Kenpo while my friend stuck to it and began taking "ninja" lessons outside of school. As luck would have it his classes ran about 30-60 minutes longer than mine did the two days a week he had classes and our schools were really close so I would sit in on his class after mine were over; I did this for over a year and my friends' instructor didn't care since I made a good uke and I got to throw my Kenpo at his ninja.

After a long stint in the Air Force I landed in Colorado in civilian law enforcement and found an opening Budo Taijutsu school. The instructor was a security guard who was moving to a different company where he would be armed so I ended up getting discounted lessons for providing firearms training; by this time I had taken a long break from Kenpo and had become a LE Defensive Tactics Instructor. I thought the Bujinkan might be a good fit for some training but only ended up sticking with this for about 18 months. The instructor was very nice, very knowledgable but it was too traditional (not that this is a bad thing, just not my thing).

After this last one I thought I was done with anything ninja but I saw a truck with an add on the back for another local Bujinkan school and thought what the heck. I, outside of work and personal life interfering, have been going to this school now for over a year; I do not think I can escape the Bujinkan and might end up a Shodan one day, far, far down the road but so far it has been coincidental and very convenient.

On a side note I like Budo Taijutsu for the side skills, the ukemi and taihenjutsu rather than for the taijutsu. I do not car for most of the weapons (like the sword) either since I am looking for simple modern fighting concepts (al la JKD, DT, Krav or Kenpo) and go for the gun, stick, knife training (not realistic to my perceptions or too much beyond KISS).

 

[Troy Wideman]

Hello,

I started back in the 80's when the ninja boom just started. I was looking for something that was different. I started training out of a school in kitchener, Ontario but soon realised that their information was limited on the art so I traveled to Toronto to train at the main school there. It was there that I was introduced to Doron Navon. One day he just walked into the dojo we were training at and sat down. At the end of the training he introduced himself and no one believed he was who he said he was. The teacher "Greg" called down to the USA and spoke to Stephen Hayes who confirmed Doron was infact a shihan in the Bujinkan. Needless to say I immediately noticed a difference between what Doron was doing and what the flavour of the day was in the 80's. I then started to train with the Israelie's and had the priviledge of going to their honbu and training in Israel with them. Unfortunately, I lost touch with them and then started to travel to all of Manaka's seminars to learn the ryu ha information.
It was then that I heard about a Genbukan Seminar happening in New York and decided to go see for myself what the Genbukan was all about. I was immediately impressed with the organization and inspired by Tanemura Sensei. I immediately joined and started the Canadian Genbukan from there. I have since traveled to Japan numerous times and had the priviledge to train in the traditional ryu ha under Tanemura Sensei.

Kind Regards,

Troy Wideman

 

[Kajowaraku]

Coming from a rather sportsminded, family physical exercise and endurance training in particular were rather high on the menu (both my parents were competetive marathon runners when i was little), but I wanted to do martial arts. After a few years of whining I was allowed to start Karate, Goju ryu only at that moment. I trained long and hard in goju ryu. When I was about 14 to 15 I got admitted in to the advanced group, where I was by far the youngest and most inexperienced. In fact ,the average person in that group had more years experience in Karate than I was old. Needless to say, I learned to be humble about my "skills" there. However, the extra training meant I got Kyukushinkai training on top of my Goju ryu, which resulted in becoming rather hardened in kumite. A few more years pass and I get to go to university, but since it's quite a distance from my hometome, I had my residence at the unitown. Easily made it to the university competition team. However, things went wrong during a warm-up sparring and I ended up with rather brutal facial trauma, resulting in 2 years of running to hospital on a bi-weekly basis, and much eating of liquid food. Not a pleasant period. Kyukushinkai means you're bound to have had some injuries, and I was beaten before (broke my nose a few times, things like that, no biggy) but this time was more serious. Anyway. I stoll loved martial arts (and goju ryu in particular at that point, even though there was no gojuryu club near the univerity at that time). Still, I had seen to many injuries (and experienced) in the name of competition, which made me conclude it was all quite futile. You fight according to rules, so you are limited and you are alot more likely to get injuries.

So, I quit karate, and started "modern" jujutsu, which I did several years until I was (again)on my way through the Dan-grades. A guy in that club trained in genbukan however, a professional bodyguard. We were matched in randori and often trained together, but his techniques always had that little extra, so fights usually ended in his favour. At about nidan level I also started to realise the school I was training at could not teach me anything new. The curriculum of the next dangrade was basicly the same as the previous, but with more opponents, extra weapons, a bit more limitations (use one arm etc). But no real curriculum. I'm an academic, I like to learn new things. So I combined the JJ with escrima for a while, but it got in the way of my studies, so I dropped out. Ironically I eventually ended up hitching rides to the genbukandojo 25 km from where i resided (i had no car or anything of my own), and found the curriculum to be much more demanding and much richer than anything I've done so far. To the point one has to resent in accepting it is nearly impossible to train all the schools and disciplines Tanemura sensei has made available for us. I was immediatly impressed by the level of etiquette, controlled, yet spirited training and the vastness of new things I could get to learn. I started a training group when i moved to my homeregion again, but still keep up my training with Renshi Pofe, who looks over my shoulder and is patiently trying to instruct me in the fine elements of "properly running a dojo". I'm set for life with Genbukan. no doubt. I can only regret I couldn't have started much, much earlier in my life .

I seem to write long posts. At least I refrained from using endnotes, that's an improvement, I guess.

 

[nitflegal]

Mine was one of Sensei Hayes' books back in '89. I wrote off to the Shadows of Iga Society and got a pamphlet back and a short note that while I could purchase their directory, here were the names of a couple of teachers within 100 miles of me to get started. I always appreciated the gesture of giving me the contacts instead of just telling em to purchase the directory. It's a little thing but the personal touch made a difference to me.

Matt

 

[waystland]

hello, my first time post

It was to get out of the house and do something....... 4 kids in sports and my wife a fitness instructor, i was "stuck" being the taxi because i did not have thing to do...
a few years ago i say the school and thought it looked interesting, then the school moved down the street to where i worked so i went back to watch a few classes. then after talking to the Sensei and some other students i joined and have not looked back in the 6 months i have been there i have become more flexible lost 4" from my waist and added 3" to my upperbody. I can move faster and feel more confident all around, i have meet new friends and have learned new things, 2 months ago i joined the Kenjutsu Classes and the Close Quarter Combat and i am having a blast. in C.Q.C we are learning full weapons training(from hand guns to .50 Snipper rifles) but the Ninjutsu is the best class, i will keep going till i can no longer move..lol

 

[Newbie]

When a mate of mine said to me last year..."you've done martial arts before, i was thinking of starting one in the new year...any thoughts?"

I replied "Hmmm that might be an idea...i'll come with you and we can have a look around"

I knew i didn't want to do a "sport based art" again and wanted something that would be a bit streetwise and useful...i had no idea of Ninjutsu or what it was but started a few beginners classes...while at the same time trying out kickboxing, MMA, Jiujitsu and Boxing. I continued the beginners classes still dubious about how much i would take to it, until after a few weeks i was able to join in the regular classes and see a bit more about what it was about. Not having any idea that it included stand up striking, as well as grappling, restraints and locks i was hooked!

The other reason i chose this class/art was that it was harder than what i was used to...whereas in the past, each technique i'd learnt with a partner, we had to pull our punches or stop an inch from contact, which i felt would just land me in trouble one day (i realise this is a completely different subject open to debate lol). Now i/we train with a bit more intent and contact which i much prefer to just pretending to complete a technique! I now train 3 times a week and practice at home and still keep up a little MMA too for fitness!

 

[rocksham]

I found it quite deliberately after the judo guy I trained under left the area and I frankly got sick and tired of the undeserving bloated egos in the local TKD set, which was typical at least in my area at the time. I don't that competitive bullshoi in ninpo.

 

[ElfTengu]

The other reason i chose this class/art was that it was harder than what i was used to...whereas in the past, each technique i'd learnt with a partner, we had to pull our punches or stop an inch from contact, which i felt would just land me in trouble one day (i realise this is a completely different subject open to debate lol). Now i/we train with a bit more intent and contact which i much prefer to just pretending to complete a technique! I now train 3 times a week and practice at home and still keep up a little MMA too for fitness!

A very good point, some arts train until they can move like blurs, but it must be difficult when faced with an opponent that you are actually supposed to hit, to switch to a mindset whereby you are thinking "All I have to do is everything I've trained for except 2-4 inches further forward than usual. This can mess with your spatial awareness and make you feel tied up when the distance closes more than you are used to. Yes, some of these people can break boards and bricks, and I won't go down the tired old cliché of boards not fighting back, but one thing they definitely won't do is crowd you and close you down.

One of the most important lessons for the taijutsu student as uke is to move your head, body etc, because tori should be punching, kicking etc to the full extent that they would if they were striking 'through' the target. I got hit a lot until I realised this.

The next step is for tori to use uke's defensive movement against them. So in a real fight you make someone duck and then use their ducking motion to throw them, and if they don't duck they get hit anyway, as the feint can also be a real punch if you like. The crux is to have an inbuilt plan B and C for every plan A, and flow naturally from one to the other without hesitation.

And this goes for your MMA as well, which I applaud the practice of in addition to taijutsu.

I keep hearing accounts of people pulling off taijutsu moves during MMA/BJJ rolling with the equivalent surprise as when somebody first thought of putting strawberries in a savoury salad. You would think they wouldn't fit, and in the natural state they don't, but add a bit of balsamic vinegar and Bingo!

I sneak bits of other arts into my taijutsu if they seem to fit a particular opportunity, so why not sneak bit of taijutsu into other arts? You don't have to change the Ten Chi Jin, just don't be afraid to personalise as long as it works.