Most important aspects?

[Brad Ellin]

What, to you, are the most important aspects or skills that you train? I don't want to hear what your teacher says, or what you read, but what are the most important to YOU. And the reasons why. Taijutsu? Weapons (which ones)? Stealth? Spiritual? Anything I didn't mention?
I feel it is interesting and educational to learn why people train what they do, and makes you question your own training methods to see if you are getting the maximum benefits from your training.

Most important to me- Taijutsu and spirituality. Why? Taijutsu first. This is the basis, foundation if you will, of everything that comes next. If you cannot control your own body, how do you expect to control your uke's? Once you (begin to) understand how to move your body properly, you learn how to NOT move your body improperly. Good posture, correct walking habits. All this equals improved physical health. Sanshin no kata, when practiced daily, can be used as a "moving" meditation. Helping you to clear your mind before starting your day. Taijutsu helps you hone you balance. Move with moving off balance, without wasting energy. Try walking thru a crowded mall or store, WITHOUT bumping yourself or your bags into somone. Keep a constant speed, don't slow down or speed up, just move.
Eventually, proper taijutsu will teach you freedom. To move without planning, or thinking about how to move, and to just "move" or not. Depends on the situation.

Time to go back to work. I'll explore the spiritual aspects this afternoon.

[Joe karate]

Anything that helps me be a better fighter. There, that's a nice answer that covers evrything:>)

Seriously it dosen't matter, i have no all time favorite(except maybe pressure testing)

[Cougar_v203]

I'm with joe. It really doesn't matter to me because I do it because I want to.

[Brad Ellin]

Okay Joe, Cougar. Fair enough. But, if you look at yourself from the outside, there will be one thing you favor above all others. Joe, you said "pressure testing". Why? What is it about the pressure testing? The surge of adrenaline? Calm quietness with which you approach it? Why do you want to be a better fighter? Why do you want to fight?
Cougar, what about you? Sure, you do whatever you want to do, but is it enough? Do you find yourself taking one particular area and saying "I want to be the best there is, and I need to start somewhere. Why not here?" You talked about stealth and walking quietly in an earlier post, what is it about those skills that gets you heart pumping?

Me, I don't like fighting. Never have, and probably never will. But, that's not why I study the martial arts. One reason I study is to become more in control of "me". There are so many things in the world that we can not control, but "yourself" is not one of them. If you choose. It takes hard work and discipline, but to be able to control yourself, and in doing so influence some kind of control on the world outside yourself, is my ultimate goal. That and freedom. Freedom of movement, thought, feeling. Being able to express myself physically, mentally and emotionally.
You study the physical aspects of your art, but do you study the mental disciplines? Do you meditate or pray? Do you study human nature? English language? Semantics? Read Darren Laur's post on The Power of Semantics in the General Discussion List.

[ichiro katsumor]

the most important to me i havent discovered yet because my first lesson doesnt come till later this summer

[Andy Murray]

Hi Brad, real deep that one, at least it is for me.

I think I train to become something I'm not, or perhaps not yet!

Training our bodies gives us a sense of control over self, which satisfies us when we are unable to control other areas of our lives?

Just a thought.

[Cain]

Most imp aspects gotta be sparring and bodyconditioning, I am young, look at the older pot bellied people and it gives me more of a motive to push myself in this age b'fore I would not be able to anymore ;)

Sparring....it's just 'cause I like it, not like the boring ongoing drills or five minutes of stretching or dips which seem to go on forever and ever ;)

Some deep thoughts there Kuro...

|Cain|

[YODA]

Originally posted by Andy Murray
Hi Brad, real deep that one, at least it is for me.

I think I train to become something I'm not, or perhaps not yet!

Training our bodies gives us a sense of control over self, which satisfies us when we are unable to control other areas of our lives?

Just a thought.


Oustanding answer Andy :D

Martial arts is chiefly about insecure people striving for security - on more levels than mere "fighting"

[Darzeka]

Wu-Wei, throw theories, footwork drills and simple meditation.

Wu-Wei - freedom from effort (i think correct me if I'm wrong) just reacting properly to anything, walk along stumble into a roll. You get a feeling like the eye of a hurricane when it clicks properly, you forget you and just be. The order of Chaos.

Throw theory, making up throws, takedowns based around the physiology of the human body. Also fun to try with someone who is trying to throw you. I just enhaces your skill that much its awesome.

Footwork drills, we use multiple opponents as bags or makiwaras with benches and other obstacles that you leap over onto and around. Again its the letting things happen that feels awesome.

When I started training I couldn't sleep properly, always had a million thoughts running next to each other in my head. With the just simple relaxing clearing of the mind I sleep like a normal person, not passing out or waking up every 5 minutes. I can think clearly and can see that ultimately there is no reason for anger, violence or other negative states of mind.

[Sweeet]

I'd say my overall main focus is just pure fighting skill. In all honesty, I don't care about the spirtuality aspect, nor do I care about the fitness, discipline, sport, ect.

I know that some of you may resent me for saying that - but I just don't see the point of mixing things up. Want spirituality? Go to church. Want fitness? Go to the gym. What sport? Play a sport. Ect.

As for my overall focus in training - I'd say movement, and adaptibility. Movement needs to be incorporated into everything, and you need to be fluid at it. Adaptibility just means that I'm comfortable in any situation and I understand the principles behind techniques as opposed to just remembering the particular technique so that I can improvise, and use the principles to invent my own techniques or just use the general principle in any situation.

Conditioning would take a second place to all of that - it's important.

Just another note about the 'don't care about spirituality - thing' - I respect people who go to the martial arts for that, but I think it's just beside the point, personally. To some it would be an added benefit, personally - I prefer getting things from the source - and therefore it's just fluff to me. Same with fitness, discipline, health, all of that - for example I do all kinds of other fitness stuff, so it's just a side-benefit.

Oh! How could I forget.... stress relief! :D

[YODA]

I know that some of you may resent me for saying that - but I just don't see the point of mixing things up. Want spirituality? Go to church. Want fitness? Go to the gym. What sport? Play a sport. Ect.

Actually I find your honesty quite refreshing :D

[Sweeet]

Originally posted by YODA
Actually I find your honesty quite refreshing :D

Why, thank you!

[Brad Ellin]

"I know that some of you may resent me for saying that - but I just don't see the point of mixing things up. Want spirituality? Go to church. Want fitness? Go to the gym. What sport? Play a sport. Ect."
"Actually I find your honesty quite refreshing"

So do I. After all I asked what, TO YOU, where the most important aspects. I wanted your answers, not your instructors or buddy or mom's. Yours. I wanted honesty, with us and to yourself. Your and my reasons may be different, and we may get different impressions or feelings or answers out of our training, even if we train the same thing. But, isn't that what makes the world a unique and wonderful place to be in?

[sshh]

This is a good question that we all should ask ourselves once in a while.

For me (5 years in and still a beginner), I focus on the basics: good posture, practicing slowly to work on accuracy, and moving a little quicker other times to work on flow.

That's the in-dojo kata focus. Out of dojo, I read books and watch videos of other styles to broaden my horizens, and study whatever articles and literature about bujinkan and ninpo I can get my hands on to better understand the art from a scholastic viewpoint.

Lately, I've also been focusing more on sword-work, and using meditation.

[Tudoggz]

awesom quetion :D ehhe makeing my brain tick over

to me the most inportant aspects would be first tai jutsu. simply because i enojoy all techniques, the feel of it, flow, everything!! and i like knowing that if the occasion arose i could maby use my skill to do sumthing good. or save a loved one from harm or myself. not that i think im at a level where im that good yet! but i know ill get there :D

second deffinatley meditaion and spititual. for me this is very important, it has helped me become calmer, control my anger, and to think more about anything!

of course though i luv everything about our art ;) but these stand out the most for me this point in time :D

peace mick

[Rus]

For me, as others have said, I also find the taijutsu the most important aspect. I am a quiet, nervous person and being able to be physically assertive and commited during training is helping with that immensely. I also like the feeling of flow that has transcended out of the dojo and in to my normal life and daily routine.

[Sonshu]

Not in any order

1) Removes stress
2) I can protect myself and my loved ones
3) I can see danger before it arrives
4) It is a good point of discussion
5) Fills a place in my life
6) I meet nice people
7) Fitness
8) It motivates my mind which makes me think I can do other things in life
9) I get to play with weapons

10) THE ONE THING
Knowing what I do can help others - I get more satisfaction out of seeing a student get something right and thinking it took me ages to get the hang of that and he has done it on his 3rd attempt. Now this makes me smile

[Kalifallen]

Why? Hm....
Well, I like the mental and spiritual parts because that is me. Those aspects are part of my personality. Plus, it will give me more insist on things I haven't even thought of.
Physical parts, to me, are a little harder than the mental/spiritual parts. As I hope, the mental part will help me get over my fears so the physical parts won't be that hard.
Balance, agility, flexibility, speed, stamina, power, knowledge, pressure points, acrobatics, weapons (bo, sword, knife, sai, kasuri-gama, kasuri-fundo), stealth, camouflage, learning to control everything around you, climbing, running/movements, elements, kiai, water training, and so much more.
I choose ninjutsu/ninjitsu because it screams inside my soul. I feel like I am a part of it. Everything that I like, enjoy, is apart of my personality...well, ninjutsu/ninjitsu has it all. Of course, not all of this you can get from a dojo, so you go to training camps also that have everything I want.
I want to learn it ALL!
Of course, the dojo/training camps that I like are from Tew Ryu style and Bujinkan. Not sure about Genbukan, don't know much about it.

[bujinkanplym]

Hmmm the most important aspects in training , id have to agree with kurohana taijutsu is one of the most important aspects as it has techniques that can be applied for any situation , it also mentally conditions you and helps you to keep focus in a fight. But not only this taijutsu uses the bodies natural weapons very effectively .
i read somehwere that taijutsu -is the art of using the body and weapon as one , and the second most important aspect of bujinkan is the confidence and character building that it creates as i have never met some one from a ninjutsu school yet who is an A-hole, also after practicing ninjutsu your body seems to be healthier than before and you feel fresher than you would if you did nothing.