Fusen posted I could cope. I would immediately look for an exit strategy and run away to survive, but somehow I don't think thats the result you would be looking for.
Depending on what the focus of the randori was that's fine, its even made mayweather a lot of money this weekend. The question is, as the bjkn is much more then 'just running' why is it you lack confidence in your own ability, especially after 30 years continuous supervised practice.
Let's assume for a moment that BBT does go a long way to answering the questions that we need to be able to survive an encounter. The next question is how good does it do transferring those skills to the people training in it? Training methodology keeps coming up time and again. In all fairness, generally the techniques and the material is fine.
Fusen posted I think that 30 years of training has taught me that its always best to avoid conflict if at all possible after all any magistrate is going to ask you the same question of "Why did you just not run away" Sure there has been times I couldnt because of my role and I handled those ok I guess. Peterc8545 posted Yes its ironic that many people have a teaching licence from Japan but they are not teachers, and have no understanding of teaching methodologies. Personally and i've said this before, teaching this art should follow this plan 1/ Learn the mechanics. This means how to apply a technique/kata etc 2/ Learn the Proxemics. This means learning the angling, distancing, timing etc to make your techniques effective, and to put you in a place where your safe. 3/ Dynamics. This means practicing against an opponent that is resisting and carrying out attacks that your are not prepared for. The problem is that what is often taught is technique and kata only, and then more often when that cannot be taught through lack of knowledge by an teacher they do whats called henka or at least what they call henka. However having said that I think there are few if any that are good enough to get past the mechanics or Kihon of the art to move onto stage 2 and 3 that I posted above and that probably includes me.
Hey Garth, I have some questions which you may have already answered some time in the past or may not want to answer, which is fine. What made you initially leave the buj for genbukan? What made you leave the genbukan for toshindo? And what made you leave toshindo to go back to the buj? Just to be clear, I have no association with any of those orgs, have no dog in the fight, and am not trying to bait anything. I'm just curious as to what you felt was missing in each stage of your journey and what you thought you had (or have) found.
What your describing above fits with one of the japanese concepts of learning TMA, Namely Shu-Ha-Ri ( each one corresponds roughly with levels 1-3 above ). The problem is that a fair number of Dojo don't practice beyond level 1 and therefore continue in a loop, this is obviously made worse if you cannot stand in kamae or excute a kata in its most basic form. There is enough content in schools which comprise the bujinkan to deal with modern encounters if you train well with a good instructor ( I have used this art on two occasions successfully, so thus far I'm happy with how it works others mileage may vary ). Training in Japan obviously will accelerate your training faster but there also good instructors outside Japan who can show you how to make this art work. The hitch with this is most don't put vids of themselves on youtube, but this doesn't mean they aren't out there. Some of those criticising the Bujinkan have a point about variable standard in grading across the bujinkan as a whole. However assessing how effective this art is based on what is placed on youtube is an error ( please see the bad vids thread for countless examples and explanations ). Should these vids be out there? clearly not but that is a matter for those making/uploading them and their instructors. It is up to the 15th dans responsible for them to deal with and if not then they probably should have a long hard think.
I'm glad then. The point about people not progressing past the 1st stage to to a resisting uke or non-scripted attacks may have many causes: - lack of confidence in ability ( applies as much to the instructor as the student ) - fear of sustaining injuries - stuck in Ninja Fantasy - Ego - concerns about losing students You can go on with this but I think you get the point. Whatever the reasons this doesn't justify it either. The usual defence relates to deadly techniques which are too dangerous to practice full speed. Well as you put earlier for these you can use kata geiko for this and practice the more generic techniques in varying situations and increase uke options for being difficult. There is a point about full simulation in that the dojo environment will struggle to simulate the sweaty, man-mountain wall puncher with extreme halitosis attacking out of the streaming rain at 2am after you have left the nightclub ( +\- his chums ). But varying your training will certainly help ( use of henka, unprepared attacks etc. ).
Max smith posted... I originally started in the Bujinkan in the EBNS when Brian McCarthy and Bo Munthe were running it, but as my Instructor Peter Brown moved to the Genbukan I went with him. This really is the subject for a PM on this account. Good question. Personally I have nothing against To-Shin Do its just that I felt after experiencing it for a few years it wasn't what I wanted. I started in Ninjutsu and felt that it wasnt really that. We seemed to be spending a lot of time on techniques that were not ninjutsu but we concentrated on them because they were the sylabus. Personally I don't think the way the sylabus is written works too well for the UK. Great when you have 45 minute lessons with classes just full of yellow belts followed by a class of blue belts followed by a class of red belts but harder to make it work in a two hour mixed class. We then spent a few years on our own but I visited my teacher (Norman Smithers) a few times previous to us joining him. I also met him on a seminar given by Doug Wilson. Norman was extremely helpful even though we had had a few cross words on line here on MAP. There was no "You must join me" or anything like that. A couple of years went by and I felt we were going nowhere. I had experienced what Norman could do, his level of skill etc so one night I said to one of my guys "How do you feel about going to Normans?" We visited, had a chat over a few beers, and joined the Bujinkan as a group. For the record Norman told us that it would be a long hard trip. We have visited Norman on a few occasions, taken a few seminars and I think Norman has probably been down to our group to teach about 15 to 20 times now. I also have the help of a nearby 15th dan who lived in Japan for a number of years who visits our group to teach also. I've had guys training with me for nearly 18 years and even nearly three years latter as members of the Bujinkan they are not graded in Bujinkan. Again we all started again from scratch and we all have a long way to go yet. Best thing I ever did though although after last Tuesday my elbow and knee might disagree.
While I agree with most of what is written here the matter is terribly complicated by the fact that hatsumi sensei is in no small way responsible for how things have turned out. how do you reconcile believing Soke is awesome while at the same time dismissing those whom Soke has said are awesome?
By recognizing that Hatsumi has said that being able to tell real from fake is pretty much step one for like fifty years now. At least that's the way it seems to me. It's not like it'd be the only obfuscation in the Bujinkan.
This is very convenient for everyone. The Bujinkan truly is the 'have-your-cake-and-eat-it-too' martial art.
Easily, I understand that not everything is as it seems, and that Soke does give people what they want. He has said as much many times. I have no problem saying Soke is Amazing and Awesome! But does it bother me that he says certain things to certain people? My problem is with the person who accepts it, not Hatsumi Soke. What bothers me more is this attitude in the Bujinkan that most are aware of, which goes something like this- 'Soke tells people what they want to hear, or Soke give people what they want'. But many in the Bujinkan are in massive denial about this when they are told something by or given something by Soke. Most are aware of what I am trying to convey, but most think it doesnt apply to them. That they are in someone way unique or special, and what is stated to them must be gospel and could never be untrue or misleading. It has been mentioned in this thread and many others that the ranks in the bujinkan are dishonest or that it is dishonest or morally bankrupt of Soke to hand them out , they are not and he is not. Most say they do not care about grades, then they get graded soon after. Think about it honestly for a moment, in the Honbu Dojo has anyone ever seen curriculum based testing? Does Soke know most people? (not recognize, but actually know them?) Are people graded for free? In my experience and understanding the answer is no. To get bumped up, you need to Pay money and a lot of it. Soke does not hold a gun to your head to make you pay. He offers something and you buy it from him. Its a simple business transaction. You can say no to it by not buying it from him. Does it annoy me that people are claiming and equating their rank with a certain level of skill? yes it does, but that is not Soke' problem. It is mine and the person who has the rank. It is their problem for being an arrogant scum bag with no integrity claiming something they know they truly dont have, but they will hide from this fact by claiming ignorance by saying Soke told me I am awesome, so it must be true. And it is my problem because I let it bother me personally, its just an ego thing. I do not wish for new students who come to my Dojo, other martial arts, or Bujinkan practitioners to equate my skill level based off their reading of my website, to what they have seen on the internet or in the dojo of other practitioners and judge me off their performance. I see it as my personal responsibility in my area to set the record straight, but showing and proving the difference in Skill, teaching ability, knowledge and heart. It is what my teachers do, and although I am about 100 years off from achieving one tenth the level that they have, I try my best to live up to the core values they instill in me. I am not sure if I have answered your question?... It is a hard point to convey across the internet In closing, I have no problem with Soke doing as he pleases, it is his art and he can do as he wishes. But If there is anything I can do on my behalf to show people that there is a better way, then I shall do it. And if that means calling people out in person on their nonsense, then I will. By having a dojo my reputation is at stake, it is being judged and compared to not only other Bujinkan dojo, but by the Martial Arts Community as a whole and by just being associated with the Bujinkan, other people will judge me off the organisations reputation and the other local dojos reputations. It is in my best interests to make sure that not only am I accountable for my own level of skill and the rank I have and my students have, but that I hold others to it as well. It is time to come together and support and build a stronger Bujinkan. I am such an old man for 31, so long winded.... I apologise
I appreciate you taking the time to respond and will say that I have felt or feel the same way you do in regards to many of these things. What my questioning was trying to lead to, and I should have been more direct I admit, is the false sense of authority that people who want to see changes seem to have. Skill in this art requires two things; 1)a good teacher, and 2)time and effort in the practice. What I'm seeing more and more it seems is someone who has recently discovered number 1 talking as if they've also got number 2. Without number 2 you are relying on your link to number 1 for authority to make definitive statements, but I don't see the actual number 1 people (the good teachers) making any statements of any kind. If they do it's to a handful of close people and not to a broad audience. If you've got number 1 and through number 2 end up as a highly skilled practitioner of these arts, then statements can be made with your own authority. Until then, you're still doing what all the people you call out are doing; (Soke/my teacher/the shihan) says this so this is the right way.
Great post Benkyoka. I wholeheartedly agree with what you have said. I can see how I can come across very arrogantly. I will first and foremost state that I am by no means an expert or authority, and I am sorry if I come across like this. But people have to start speaking up IMO. I do not see a problem with calling bull on others peoples nonsense. I am certainly not trying to speak on behalf of anyone, or build a name for myself as a expert via the internet. Everything I have said, is for my local area. I was asked to open a school by my teacher and build a strong training group. By not speaking up in my local area I am doing a disservice in my opinion to myself and my students. I am not talking about bullying people into some sort conversion to the way I practice, but by openly discussing and practicing with these people, to show them what they do not have but are claiming to have. I merely just hope to share my experiences in a way that makes them start questioning their own training, If you are honest and straight forward and practice correctly the difference between yourself and the others is glaringly clear, but I do not for one second think I am special or talented, I know my place well, and its on the bottom rung. I hope that makes sense, it is awfully difficult write thoughtful posts on the internet because people read different things, different ways. And I am by no means a good writer, so I probably make a lot of mistakes trying to get my point across. As to why IMO the good teachers do not broadcast their message in some sort of way? They dont need to, they are happy with what they have and are doing in their Dojo and hometowns in Japan. So is it arrogant of me to feel the way I do? maybe so, but in my hometown, there is no one else to speak up.... If anything I say or do in person or on the internet makes anyone reflect back on their own training and take a much deeper look inside and they go to Japan train with a original student and MK holder and experience the difference themselves then I believe that is a good thing, that is after all if they are interested in actually practicing and learning the Authentic Transmission IMHO, if they dont and all they are interested in is making money from their students and getting high grades then they should be called on it. But I apologize if I come across arrogantly, it was not my intention. I was merely trying to explain that instead of sitting around complaining about the problems we all see and feel disappointment about, that I think we should get back to business of training hard and correctly, and by calling things for how we see them and what they actually are, instead of letting things go on as they are. I hope that makes sense, I am by no means an authority or expert, just an opinionated aussie who has eyes and a mouth like everyone else, who isnt afraid to speak his mind when I see all of the rubbish that is out there. I should probably stop writing as I am probably digging my own grave.
It's win-win. Those with the cash get the grade they always wanted, but didn't want to put the effort in to achieve. They get to pretend like they're a super-badass ninja and have fanciful notions about their chances of survival should they be magically transported to feudal Japan. Those who don't buy them get to look down their nose at the ones who did and pretend like they are the ones who are really becoming super-badass ninjas who could totally kick samurai ****, given the chance and a time machine. Everyone gets to feel superior. Hatsumi makes a tidy profit. Like benkyoka said, it's having your cake and eating it, for everyone! Genius. More seriously though, garth said that only one or two people on MAP feel their is (at least) a two-tier system. As well as it being more than one or two on here, there have been a number of links to others saying the same on blogs or wotnot... but really anyone who's seen a few Buj videos will notice a very definite difference in the way people move when comparing the people these "elitists" say "have it" and the "have-nots". At first, I was like many people and felt it was a devaluation of rank and a kick in the nads for those who put the effort in. Now I'm not so sure... grade is only relevant to the individual because of the journey and effort it took to get it. If narcissists want to devalue that for themselves, why shouldn't Hatsumi take their money? I mean, it's not something that I would ever do, but it's his show and he's done amazingly well at building a huge international martial art/business/celebrity status thing. These days I just kinda think "props to the old geezer".
I think he should do it if he can get away with it. I'm just pointing out that if he wasnt an old Japanese guy with imaginary scrolls connecting him to real ninjas, we would be calling him Ashida.
