Wanna be a Ninja?

[jthomas1600]

I haven't seen a "cheap post" section here, but I had to put this somewhere and since I'm most active in the TKD thread...here it is. I saw this in the online version of my local newspaper.

 

[ralphmcpherson]

The funniest thing about that advert is that that guy's phone will be ringing hot with hundreds of people wanting to "become a ninja". If people are stupid enough to fall for this then I really hold nothing against the guy for cashing in on idiots

 

[Rayban]

*facepalm*

I wonder if he likes heavy metal given the dopey way he has his hands.

 

[Touch Of Death]

The funniest thing about that advert is that that guy's phone will be ringing hot with hundreds of people wanting to "become a ninja". If people are stupid enough to fall for this then I really hold nothing against the guy for cashing in on idiots

So what if their motivations are stupid. It gets them in the door, and they learn Martial Arts. Where is the harm?
Sean

 

[Touch Of Death]

oops, I guess it's on line. Never mind. The whole thing is stupid. Sorry.
Sean

 

[K-man]

Looks like BB within three years. Only $327 too. Pity I'm too old! :rofl:

 

[K-man]

Actually it sounds all right. Just checked out the website. 10 years to 10th dan if you can do what his wife did! I could probably just fit that in.

 

[72ronin]

10 years to 10th dan if you can do what his wife did! I could probably just fit that in.

.......... I wont say it.. I have a warped sense of humour and umm, yeah LOL

 

[Bruno@MT]

Actually it sounds all right. Just checked out the website. 10 years to 10th dan if you can do what his wife did! I could probably just fit that in.

Actually, RVD only get you up to 4th dan.
For the Godan test you need to go to Japan, and your chances of success are slim if all you had was RVDs online training. But you'll still be a 4th dan.

 

[Cirdan]

What do I need that guy for? I just signed my own Super Soke Uber Ninjer diploma. I completely deserve it after finishing Tekken 6 on ultra high difficulty with Yoshimitsu the ninjutsu stylist.

 

[K-man]

Actually, RVD only get you up to 4th dan.
For the Godan test you need to go to Japan, and your chances of success are slim if all you had was RVDs online training. But you'll still be a 4th dan.

That's ok. 4th Dan Ninja will still sound good in the eulogy ... I think. And, I'll have some shurikens decorating the coffin.

 

[Chris Parker]

Hmm, for a Ninjutsu themed thread, perhaps the Ninjutsu section would have been better (if you couldn't think of where to put this)?

RVD has been well discussed, he has his fans and his detractors (although his biggest fans seem to be himself and his students, and his biggest detractors are the rest of the Bujinkan who look down on his business practices and Home Study Courses....), a quick search will find a number of threads in existence there if you're insterested.

*facepalm*

I wonder if he likes heavy metal given the dopey way he has his hands.

Uh, Rayban, the way of holding your hands there is Hannin no Kamae from Gyokko Ryu, and is part of the Kuji aspect of that particular Ryu-ha. It's one of the higher Kuden teachings of the Ryu itself.

 

[Cryozombie]

Uh, Rayban, the way of holding your hands there is Hannin no Kamae from Gyokko Ryu, and is part of the Kuji aspect of that particular Ryu-ha. It's one of the higher Kuden teachings of the Ryu itself.

Ok Chris, that's it. I'm moving down there. Got room for a Student?

 

[Chris Parker]

Ha, I look forward to it, Cryo! I'm sure I can find room for you somewhere....

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

Hmm, for a Ninjutsu themed thread, perhaps the Ninjutsu section would have been better (if you couldn't think of where to put this)?

RVD has been well discussed, he has his fans and his detractors (although his biggest fans seem to be himself and his students, and his biggest detractors are the rest of the Bujinkan who look down on his business practices and Home Study Courses....), a quick search will find a number of threads in existence there if you're insterested.

So what is the content of his course like? Is the primary issue the delivery method? And what are his credentials? Are they legitimate or did he self promote.

His site bills itself as being part of the International Bujinkan Dojo Association. So is he and his course recognized by the Bujinkan?

The complete course is 397.00. Some people get gouged for more than that just for their blackbelt test at a brick and mortar school and look like green belts. I don't see how this is so awful in the grand scheme of things if the material is legitimate and he himself is not a fraud.

Not jumping up to support video training or this gent in particular, mind you; my thoughts and reservations on video study are expressed in many threads (go to the HKD section and look up Combat Hapkido).

But I have to ask if he's at least a less hideous alternative to a belt factory that charges 100+ dollars per month plus various special club fees, testing fees, and then a whopper of a black belt testing fee, leaving you about three grand in the hole with training equal to or less than what one would get from a video course.

Daniel

 

[Chris Parker]

He has a structured syllabus for grades up to Yondan (4th Dan), starting with basic postures, fists, rolls etc, moving through combative sequences until Shodan. From there the syllabus becomes Ryu-ha specific with certain weapons for each (for Nidan, the syllabus is Gyokko Ryu and Hanbo [half-staff], Sandan is Shinden Fudo Ryu and Bojutsu [staff], Yondan is Takagi Yoshin Ryu and Sojutsu [spear]). RVD provides a training manual, as well as suggesting a range of DVDs of Hatsumi's and others to help as training aids (his own tapes are only up to Shodan).

In terms of whether or not it is recognised by the Bujinkan, I'm going to be as delicate as I can here....

Each Shidoshi (Teacher in the Bujinkan, a member of the Shidoshi-Kai, and at least 5th Dan or higher) can order certificates at any time from Japan for any of their students up to Yondan, so in terms of whether or not Japan will provide the certificate and honour it regardless of actual quality of the student in question, or even whether they have ever had a real flesh and blood teacher, rather than just videos and books, yeah, they will. From Godan you need to test with Hatsumi Sensei, the test for Godan is a sensitivity exercise, avoiding a sword strike (with a padded shinai) from behind. That's all there is to the Godan test. Beyond that it's at the discression of the senior teachers, up to and including Hatsumi. There are no requirements for any grade in the Bujinkan at any level other than the Godan test.

So the plus side for what RVD is doing is that it at least has a fair degree of structure to it. The downside, of course, is that it is a Home Training, Grade-by-Video course, little to no real quality control, and so on.

RVDs credentials (in the Bujinkan) are as legit as any other 15th Dan member, really. There is some contention over the Escrima he has inherited the title of head of the system for, but not his Bujinkan rank. That said, he does tend to present things in a rather odd way... for example, he has equated his 15th Dan grade with being a Menkyo Kaiden in the Bujinkan, which is a completely different ranking system, not used by the Bujinkan for the most part, and completely unrelated to the Kyu/Dan grading system. That, and a number of other rather embarrassing cultural faux pas's have earned him a rather dubious place in the Bujinkan community. When that is combined with his commercial-orientated position (when Hatsumi has stated a number of times that no-one is to earn money from these arts, and if you run a school, you are expected to use that money to finance further study, such as trips to Japan), the grade-in-the-mail approach of this course, and other things, and his reputation just takes a further beating. I'm not dealing with his movement here, either, by the way.....

 

[Bruno@MT]

Ha, I look forward to it, Cryo! I'm sure I can find room for you somewhere....

Hah. Well if he is coming, then I'll drop by as well.
Of course I can't train ninpo with you (sadly) but I could participate in the self defense training.

There are a couple of other people I'd like to visit down under so I might as well make a road trip out of it. Once the floods recede and you got rid of the sharks of course

 

[Chris Parker]

Ha, how about we just make this years Meet and Greet in Melbourne, guys?

Oh, and the floods didn't quite make it to me down here, but I don't want to get rid of the sharks, they're rather pretty things.... spent the day with my sister, nephews, niece and brother-in-law at the aquarium recently, saw the baby hammerheads, great time! Are you sure you want us to get rid of the cute little things?

Oh, and just as an addendum, Daniel, RVD is the IBDA, rather than a part of it. It is his organization. And yes,'the material is legitimate, it's the teaching method that's looked down upon. Within Japanese arts there is the concept of Isshi Soden, which is direct teaching from teacher to student, and is often refered to as transmitting from one heart to another. That form of osmosis teaching is nor possible via video or online courses, so to teach that way defeats the method of transmitting the art itself.

 

[DuskB4Dawn]

Uh, Rayban, the way of holding your hands there is Hannin no Kamae from Gyokko Ryu, and is part of the Kuji aspect of that particular Ryu-ha. It's one of the higher Kuden teachings of the Ryu itself.

this is part of the gyokko ryu technique? I didn't knot this.
what level traditionaly will you learn the higher kudan teachings?
I have alsv been very interested in gyokko ryu intuition training.

 

[Supra Vijai]

What do I need that guy for? I just signed my own Super Soke Uber Ninjer diploma. I completely deserve it after finishing Tekken 6 on ultra high difficulty with Yoshimitsu the ninjutsu stylist.

Cirdan, do you mean Raven possibly? He trains NinjItsu. At least in the movie and the later games that is. Yoshimitsu becomes a Samurai warrior who lives by the sword. I'm not a nerd....

*facepalm*

I wonder if he likes heavy metal given the dopey way he has his hands.

The finger thing is called a mudra. While the whole thing may have been a posture from Gyokko Ryu Kuden teachings, the actual just fingers themselves are ancient. In the Western world it's the sign of the goat and normally associated with heavy metal and what not, in Eastern cultures (I can only really talk about Indian here), it's got certain properties as to why you would hold that position. In certain forms of Yoga for example it's believed that you are activating tiny pressure points on the tips of you middle and ring fingers with your thumb which helps with circling energy during meditation. Other benefits too but that's one of the main ones without getting too esoteric.

this is part of the gyokko ryu technique? I didn't knot this.
what level traditionaly will you learn the higher kudan teachings?
I have alsv been very interested in gyokko ryu intuition training.

Loll how long have you been training? You've been through Gyokko once (as have I and most other students) at least with the focus we just covered it in. Obviously there's gonna be a lot that you or I don't know. Stay with it though and I'm sure you'll get the to Kuden in time. For now, focus on Shoden and then get to Chuden and then once you're awesome in both, try Okuden. Did you do the sensory perception training (where you stand in Mushin with you eyes close and someone attacks you from behind slowly and with intent and you need to sense their intent and move away)? Surely you did it at least once, we trained it for a month! There's your Gyokko intuition... well intuition in general.