Noob Corner

Discussion in 'Ninjutsu Resources' started by xen, Aug 24, 2006.

  1. xen

    xen insanity by design

    As the title suggests, this is the kinder side of the Ninjutsu forum.

    If you're new to the art and have anything to ask that you think might have been asked before, here's the place to do it.

    (and a note to the regulars... if you haven't any help offer to offer, silence is golden :Angel: )
     
    Last edited: Aug 24, 2006
  2. Master Zero

    Master Zero New Member

    A few questions…

    Hello everyone!

    I have always wanted to learn Martial Arts ever since I can remember. Unfortunately, I never took any serious steps towards learning one. After watching Fight Science, I was left amazed by some of those numbers. I learned a lot about each Martial Art that was represented on Fight Science after researching them a bit. I have chosen the path of Ninjutsu because it provides a complete, well balance and quick (sometimes lethal) way of defending oneself. Whether it be armed, unarmed, or a ground scuffle, which is what most street fights usually turn into, you will always be ready. I have been researching Ninjutsu for a while now, and it has only left me with more questions than answers. I hope you guys can help clear these “translucent” understandings of mines. I do apologize if some of these questions have been asked before.

    1. I am having some trouble understanding what most of the nine Ryus are all about. Can someone please let me know if I describe one incorrectly?

    Togakure Ryu Ninjutsu - Hidden Door School
    Weapons school

    Gyokko Ryu Koshijutsu - Jeweled Tiger School
    “attacks to muscles and soft organs, also using fingers and thumbs for ripping and tearing.”

    Kukishin Ryu Happo Hikenjutsu - Nine Demons School
    Weapons school

    Shinden Fudo Ryu Dakentaijutsu - Immovable Heart School
    Striking and hard grappling techniques

    Koto Ryu Koppojutsu - Tiger Knocking Down School
    “bone-breaking techniques”

    Takagi Yoshin Ryu Jutaijutsu - High Tree, Raised Heart School“grappling and throwing techniques, but this style makes it difficult for the opponent to make ukemi (to fall or roll safely)”

    Gikan Ryu Koppo Taijutsu - Truth Loyalty and Justice School
    “bone-breaking techniques”

    Kumogakure Ryu Ninjutsu - Hiding in the Clouds School
    “double blocks and strikes”

    2. How many methods/styles does each of the nine Ryus have? What I mean is how would I know when I have mastered a Ryu?

    3. I thought pressure points were part of Ninjutsu, am I wrong? If I am correct, then which Ryu would this fall under?

    4. The Dojo that I will begin training in has a website. On their website, they have a list of “The 18 Skills of Budo Taijutsu & Ninpo Taijutsu.”

    1. Seishin teki kyoyo (spiritual refinement)
    2. Taijutsu (unarmed combat)
    3. Ninja ken (ninja sword)
    4. Bojutsu (stick and staff fighting)
    5. Shurikenjutsu (throwing blades)
    6. Yarijutsu (spear fighting)
    7. Naginatajutsu (halberd fighting)
    8. Kusarigama (chain and sickle weapon)
    9. Kayakujutsu (fire and explosives)
    10. Hensojutsu (disguise and impersonation)
    11. Shinobi iri (stealth and entering methods)
    12. Bajutsu (horsemanship)
    13. Sui ren (water training)
    14. Bo-ryaku (strategy)
    15. Cho ho (espionage)
    16. Intonjutsu (escape and concealment)
    17. Ten-mon (meteorology)
    18. Chi-mon (geography)

    Can someone tell me what this is about? Is this like a syllabus telling me what I will be learning?

    5. What are the different levels (belt system)?

    I do apologize if I sounded a little noobish; I do realize that there is a greater level of understand in and of the Martial Arts that I do not yet possess; understanding oneself, one’s limit, and nature (surrounding area) to survive. Of course with training and time, I will become wiser.

    Thank you in advance!
     
  3. Senban

    Senban Banned Banned

    Ah ha! Our first candidate for Noob Corner. No disrespect intended to you whatsoever Master Zero. Noob Corner was set up just this morning so that people with questions such as yourself could get sensible answers. Perhaps one of the Mods would be so kind as to move the thread over there?

    I'll do my best to give you a quick set of answers but please understand that it's late here in the UK.

    1. I'll just list the ones that need major changes. There is a lot more to this subject as I'm sure you'll understand.

    Togakure Ryu includes both unarmed methods and some weapons training, primarily sword, shuko and shuriken.

    Kukishin Ryu does include a lot of weapons training but also unarmed training too.

    Koto Ryu Koppojutsu. Koppojutsu doesn't directly mean "bone breaking" in the sense of snapping bones. Rather, think of it as denying the enemy the efficient use of his own skeletal structure whilst maximising the efficient use of your own. Doesn't do the concept justice but it'll do for now perhaps.

    Kumogakure Ryu includes unarmed methods but it also includes some weapons training such as spear combat.

    2. You'll know when you've fully mastered a ryu when the current soke of that ryu issues you with a licence called menkyo kaiden. That's a *very* long way off and many years of training away so don't worry about this for now.

    3. Pressure points (kyusho) do indeed get taught within the Bujinkan root traditions. Koto Ryu and Takagi Yoshin Ryu in particular spring to mind but they all include them to a greater or lesser degree.

    4. The eighteen skills you list are known as the Bugei Juhappan. This is a kind of list of skill areas that feudal Japanese warriors were expected to be proficient in. In truth it's more of an ideal than a reality. The Bugei Juhappan altered depending upon the time period but the one shown is considered pretty standard.

    5. Within the Bujinkan Dojo, the grades are split into two main sections - Kyu and Dan. There are nine Kyu grades running from 9th Kyu down to 1st Kyu. There are then ten Dan grades running from 1st Dan to 10th Dan. There are actually another five levels past this but they have such complex names for us westerners to pronounce that we usually just abbreviate them to 11th Dan, 12th Dan etc (however this isn't necessarily accurate but it does seem to have become the norm for better or worse).

    I hope the above helps you out. Good luck!
     
    Last edited: Aug 25, 2006
  4. Master Zero

    Master Zero New Member

    Yes, you answered wonderfully; everything is starting to make more sense now. I have a follow up question for number two.

    2a. It is possible that I can get a list of all the attack/defend positions for each Ryu? Any recommended books, articles, links, or any other type(s) of publicly accessible documents, which will point me in the right direction?

    I know that I have a long and hard road ahead of me, but I am not running away. I will train everyday, on my own and in the Dojo. That is the reason why I need some sort of guideline, to which of course I am referring to question number two (books, links, and so on).

    I have one more question.

    *What makes someone grandmaster? Is a grandmaster the creator of said Martial Art? Can a new grandmaster rise up through the ranks after the pervious grandmaster “steps down,” or can there only be one grandmaster for any given Martial Arts?

    * No disrespect intended on the final question. I just wanted to know what makes someone a grandmaster.

    Thank you once more!
     
  5. Keikai

    Keikai Banned Banned

    The only direction you need is to go to your local dojo, you will not learn from books and you will not understand what is written, no one will supply you this info. You could look for general books by Hatsumi, Hayes, Daniels etc

    look here - http://www.martialartsplanet.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=98

    and here - http://www.martialartsplanet.com/forums/showthread.php?t=57017

    Good lad, but dont ovecook it, there is nothing worse than burnout, make sure you have a teacher.

    See Xen, when its in the right place i can be helpful. :D
    more so the art is handed down to a new grandmasterr when one passes away or decides to hand the school over, you cant really become a grandmaster, you are more chosen than anythiny, unless your in America where you can buy them!! :D
     
  6. Senban

    Senban Banned Banned

    Keikai said:-
    Master Zero, this is your best bit of advice. When people start training they are often filled with a burning passion for it. They buy every book going, train at every session and basically burn themselves out before they get past the first few grades. Think of it this way. Imagine cooking a joint of beef. If you have the heat up on maximum, the outside gets all black, the inside is all red and bleeding and the food is ruined. But if you turn down the flame and cook the beef slowly, then the whole thing gets cooked to perfection (this is making me hungry!). Find an instructor, take things slowly.

    Master Zero said:-
    At this early stage you don't really need them. There is a lot of other stuff to learn first, stuff which an instructor can help you with. Later on you can worry about exploring the root traditions in all their amazing detail. Lay the foundations first though. Slow but sure, remember? However, you'll probably find that as you start to read various books you'll start to pick up little pieces of the puzzle.

    As for the "grandmaster" question. The founder of an art is not usually known as grandmaster. Normally what happened in the past is that some people would be involved in battles and they would be successful. They would pass on their tricks and experiences to their juniors who, if they were also successful would pass on the training in time to their own juniors. Normally it would be a few generations before this proto-tradition would start to become an actual tradition. Once it began to be recognised as an actual tradition, it was often the case that the title of founder would be backdated to the first generation. Inheritors of the tradition are generally known as "soke", pronounced "soh kay". I hope you appreciate that this is very very general and is just intended to give you a rough idea. There is a lot more to it than this when you look at Japanese history and culture e.g. the Iemoto system but it might get you started.
     
  7. kouryuu

    kouryuu Kouryuu

    Can we kill him now as he has all the answers :eek: :Angel:
     
  8. Master Zero

    Master Zero New Member

    Thank you guys, I now understand.
     
  9. saru1968

    saru1968 New Member


    when you think you understand......


    :)
     
  10. Master Zero

    Master Zero New Member

    I am not sure what you meant by your reply, so I will be a little bit clearer. What I meant by I now understand was that, I now understand that I cannot do this on my own, not without mastering the basics first. It will take time and patience before I can attain that level. And when I have mastered the basics, I can start exploring and training more on my own without any guaranties of success or failure.
     
  11. xen

    xen insanity by design

    as you get into training, you go through stages where you think you understand stuff, but then you train a bit more and you realise what you thought you understood isn't quite how things are.

    this seems to go on indefinately, so the 'tongue-in-cheek' rule of thumb is that if you think you understand something fully, you probably dont.

    maddening, i know.

    :)

    and you are correct, training on your own isn't going to get you very far.

    also, re; the basics, you never stop working on the basics, they are the nuts and bolts of the whole process (and much like the comments above, when you think have them down, its generally time to go back and work them again)
     
  12. Neil-o-Mac

    Neil-o-Mac The Rev

    Nice one. I'm pretty sure a great man once said that true understanding comes from knowing that you know nothing. ;) :D
     
  13. saru1968

    saru1968 New Member


    and if knowing nothing is a measure of greatness then i'm really good..lol

    :D
     
  14. Master Ranis

    Master Ranis New Member

    I'am new to Ninjutsu and I'am wondering how to train my body for the style any tips anyone
     
  15. 2E0WHN

    2E0WHN Valued Member

    Expect pain and generally be fit enough to do what you are planning on doing.
     
  16. Senban

    Senban Banned Banned

    That Immolation. He's a monkey, eh?

    Seriously, good question. I think the best exercises for developing natural body strength is walking (over different types of terrain), running, swimming and climbing. Whilst doing this type of exercise, make sure you stretch, warm up and cool down as appropriate. Try to develop an all-over healthy body and take good care of it with a rounded diet.
     
  17. 2E0WHN

    2E0WHN Valued Member

    Damn, we have to do all of that? Better start losing my beer gut and kebab diet.
     
  18. veedub

    veedub New Member

    Is Raven An Accurate Reflection Of Ninjitsu?

    So I recently copped Tekken 5 and there is this "Blade" like character who I frequently play with....

    After doing a bit of research i found out that his MA style if Ninjitsu...

    Well what i want to know is whether he an accurate reflection of Ninjitsu.......?

    After all Namco are usually on point when it comes to having there characters refect true MA styles

    e.g.

    Bruce Irvin - Muay Thai
    Hwoarang - Tae Kwon Do
    Druganov - Sambo

    ect
     
  19. Senban

    Senban Banned Banned

    That would actually be pretty cool if it could be done properly. :cool:

    To be honest though, I went off fighting games shortly after MK2 so I really couldn't say. Perhaps there is someone on here who practices (Bujinkan/Genbukan/Jinenkan/Toshindo etc) who is familiar with Tekken 5? If so, are the body postures (kamae), attacking styles etc in any way similar to the basic tools of our Taijutsu?

    (Note to veterans! I know it would be easy to write off this post but this IS Noob Corner which is exactly where questions like this can be asked without fear of being flamed).
     
  20. Lord Spooky

    Lord Spooky Banned Banned


    That's why I moved it here ;)

    :)
     

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