Newbie Question

[Adam Tetley]

Hello, I have been lurking on this forum for quite awhile, and wanted to ask a question... I have been training in a Aikibudo group for a number of years, I remain in good standing with the group, but do to current circumstances I am unableto train with other members of the group. (Geographical location, and family priorities.)
For several years I have been doing research on Ninjutsu, and have found a Bujinkan school close to my home. I am considering approaching the school to bein training there, but would like to know based on the assembled experience of the people on this forum, if any one has any input on transitioning from other arts to Bujinkan Ninjutsu?
I have been some what vague in this question, if any more info is required to form a good answer please let me know.
Thanks
Adam

 

[Muawijhe]

The only advice I can give is generic, from switching one art to another.

Attend classes with as open a mind as possible.

Some things (techniques, stances, training methods, body requirements) will be the same, some won't, and some will be really similar and work (I don't want to say against you, rather...) just differently.

Personally, I'd say don't stop training Aikido on your own time (no need to let that wonderful knowledge go to waste). When you learn a new technique in the new art, compare it (in your head) to an old technique, or if they are different, similar situations in which they'd both be useful and why.

Think about why there are differences, and why there are similarities. Personally, from switching arts before, when I've done that it's lead to a deeper understanding of both the new and old techniques.

And always, have fun with it!

I know that's pretty generic, and doesn't relate to the Bujinkan or Aikido specifically, but I hope it was somewhat helpful.

 

[bwindussa]

My only recommendation is to be as up front with both schools as possible. Talk to your ols instructor, ask for recommendations and referrals. There might be a training group near you that you just don't know about. This makes returning to class easier should your circumstances change in the future.

Also, when inquiring with the new school, tell them your background and what you are looking to accomplish. Whenever possible try to talk to the head instructor and get a feel of his training style, make sure it suits your personality and needs.

Good luck, I hope all goes well with you.

 

[Chris Parker]

Hello, I have been lurking on this forum for quite awhile, and wanted to ask a question... I have been training in a Aikibudo group for a number of years, I remain in good standing with the group, but do to current circumstances I am unableto train with other members of the group. (Geographical location, and family priorities.)
For several years I have been doing research on Ninjutsu, and have found a Bujinkan school close to my home. I am considering approaching the school to bein training there, but would like to know based on the assembled experience of the people on this forum, if any one has any input on transitioning from other arts to Bujinkan Ninjutsu?
I have been some what vague in this question, if any more info is required to form a good answer please let me know.
Thanks
Adam

Hi Adam,

Vague isn't such a bad thing here, as it will allow me to be rather non-specific in my answer as well... and that just makes it easier to put across what I'm saying. Here goes...

If we are looking at the concept of simply moving from one system to another, and the issues, both pro and con of such a move, then let's first look at what makes different arts unique in the first place (why the differences exist, really).

All martial arts can be looked at as being physical representations of base philosophies. Those philosophies can be spiritual, political, physical, or any thing else, really, and they form the base values of an art, which, when combined with social and human elements (who, where, when etc) give it it's physical approach (techniques). In other words, techniques do not make a martial art, they are merely the outward display of the actual system itself. Some examples? Okay.

Wing Chun has a primarily physical philosophy, including such ideas as protecting your centreline, the shortest distance to a target is a straight line (therefore the fastest), holding things (your hands, grappling, trapping etc) closer to your body increases their strength, and more. This philosophy is directly seen in their techniques. But there is more, it is a Northern Chinese System, lending itself to taller, narrower postures (due to the terrain), and a preference for striking over grappling (as many Chinese systems are), and more.

Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu has a number of guiding philosophies, some of which are to do with training methods, others more spiritual, and others political. On the political side, the Katori Shinto Ryu refused to be aligned with any political power other than the Emperor or Shogun, allowing them to continue without needing to alter their techniques to suit one or another group that they were working for. This has allowed it to remain virtually unaltered over it's 500+ year history. Due to it's origins and place, it focuses on Japanese weaponry, focusing particularly on the sword (the influence of the human element on technique).

With Aikido, a major philosophy is O Sensei's belief that there should be no cause for unnecessarily bringing injury to another person. This, combined with it's geographical location (Japan) lends Aikido a high focus on grappling skills, particularly controls, and the adaptation of techniques from the way they are done in other systems to a less-damaging form in many cases (small caveat here, this ideal is from the end of O Sensei's life, other schools that trace themselves back to an earlier split, such as Shioda Sensei's Yoshinkan, have a much "nastier" application of techniques... and, of course, even the "nicer" techniques and applications can be rather nasty if you don't know how to fall out of them properly...).

Other systems such as MMA, boxing, fencing, and so on have their philosphies inherant in their rule systems, giving them the range of techniques that score points, and allow success.

As it comes to the Bujinkan, it as a body of knowledge is made up of 9 disctint martial systems, some related, some not, each with their own inherant philosophies and approaches, techniques, and so on. But the Bujinkan itself can be defined, philosophically speaking, as the beliefs of Hatsumi Sensei as to the truth of the principles of Budo, as handed down to him in the various Ryu-ha. This has lead to a teaching and learning experience which is unique, based on learning principles rather than focusing on techniques. This is different from, say, the Genbukan's philosophy, which is based on transmitting the traditional arts, and preserving them as such. This makes the Genbukan a more "traditional" organisation, which will be better for some, the Bujinkan being better for others.

So while simply getting used to differences in technical aspects can take a little while to get used to (although you'll find a lot of similarities to Aikido, just a greater use of striking really), the biggest thing to adjust to is a different philosophy. That will be the biggest thing for your transition. You will probably find that, although the technique you get shown may be very similar to what you're used to, it is applied differently, possibly in a way that you have been told previously is "wrong". The thing to remember is that it is only wrong from one perspective.

To give you an idea of that, here are two Japanese Sword Systems, the Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu, and the Hyoho Niten Ichi Ryu. Both are highly respected arts, both focus on the use of the Japanese Sword, and both were born out of real combative use (albeit about 200 years apart). Both systems are highly influenced by religious thinkings (Bhuddism for Hyoho Niten Ichi Ryu, Shinto for Katori Shinto Ryu), yet despite those and many other similarities these two systems differ on many things, including training methodology, dimensions of weapons, postures, and a lot more, even down to the proper, or correct way to grip a sword...

(Hyoho Niten Ichi Ryu)

(Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu)

Hopefully you can see how these arts, similar in many ways, are also very different.

And each individual instructor will have their own philosophy as to how they teach as well, by the way. So in terms of what you will have to deal with with your transition, that will be a combination of your ability to accept being "wrong" in a new system, and your instructors ability to instill a new philosophy in you.

 

[ElfTengu]

Or for a nice short answer, moving from an Aiki-based art to Bujinkan Taijutsu is probably going to be a far smoother transition than from most other arts.