So I was rummaging round You Tube over a coffee and I came across this video. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6k90i21TRms&NR=1"]YouTube - Ninja Fitness[/ame] It seems Jake Sharpstone is making an attempt to improve the fitness of Bujinkan practitioners. The topic therefore is what do people think of this as a general idea, especially given that Bujinkan practitioners are often attacked for being out of shape and what do people think of the methodology being used by Jake (at least as seen from the video)?
As for actual fitness benefits, seems a little gentle to be touted as a health and fitness improver, unless you are 40 plus and overweight.
It doesn't really seem like he's trying to improve the fitness of Bujinkan practitioners, seems more like he's dressed up the kihon of the kihon as some kind of tai chi. I can only assume it's an attempt to get more "after work fitness women" into class. Decent marketing idea actually. From the video's description... I don't think people, especially those ladies in the vid, are going to be getting what they're looking for in practicing kamae, shifting, and cheater pushups. To be honest, the video looks a lot like a Bujinkan beginner's class, minus of course the parts of class that actually make you sweat/fatigued. Personally I think BJK exercises are great for BJK specific movement and power generation, but as for trimming those pesky glutes or slimming down the waistline? You're much better off in an MMA gym. Edit: I think if he just had them come in and practice ukemi for their workout, they'd get an awful lot more out of it all around.
True that. I find i can get a pretty good workout just by doing push ups, sit ups, mountain climbers, burpees and ukemi. Though running is my passion. I like to just get out at night when its quiet and hit the streets for a nice long run. I get to do all my thinking then, about training, work, homelife...by the time I've thought about all my current issues at hand, I've knocked over a good 6-10km and I'm home. Lately I've started running with my 11 year old son, and we have reached he 5km mark. Its a great experience.
My hat is off to him and his efforts to bringing a fitness routine to his students. I see his routine as very practical and soft. This isn't a bad thing at all. Honestly I have always wondered why - what should be the most fitness oriented martial art - actually lacks enormously in that area. In the Jinenkan, your level of fitness, stamina and agility is a must or you'll break yourself even "if" you're able to execute form. I have been working on another professionally made video series for my own students detailing fitness routines that are specific to our budo, including muscle memory recording, junan taiso. taihenjutsu, diet, breathing, etc. The problem with doing this type of project is the most critical elements of movement can easily be over looked. Without getting on a soap box, it's easy to tell the general skill level of a practitioner based on how they walk, look at how their knees track. Are they compensating their balance by bending their spine in a manner that creates inefficient movement. Over developing of certain muscle groups without balance of opposing groups. To anyone untrained, there would be no clue, but the harsh reality is that if you spend any "real" period of time training such areas of our study as Takagi yoshin ryu and your legs are not conditioned, you weight is excessive and your knees don't track. You're body will break and it should. Sorry, just my opinion. No budoka who neglects their fitness level and allows their naive students to model them should have the privilege of preserving such gems as our kobudo. There are 3 very critical reasons as to why a seemingly elongated, unconventional tsuki is the first movement most of us learn in our training. Punching someone in the face has little to do with any of them. When I began this project three years ago, I consulted one of Yoga magazine's top ranked gurus, a TCM Doctor, a former recovery Trainer/Doctor for the 49ers and a Chief Medical Surgeon - having them comb through every movement to make certain I was not compressing my spine wrong, extending certain areas beyond range, loading joint incorrectly, and so forth. I've of course spent a good deal of time speaking with Manaka Sensei this as well and getting his guidance. I also interviewed highly successful athletes including swimmers, runners a solo round the world sailor and a world famous sports nutrition expert, (I share these interviews in my project, really f'n cool stuff too) It would be HIGHLY irresponsible for any instructor to put out a fitness video without as much professional counsel as they could prior to release. But an extremely commendable effort as far as I'm concerned if they do! To qualify my point a bit, much of the sanshin no kata that I've seen on youtube is nothing more than showing people proper methods of how to destroy your knees in short order combined with improper muscle training. The very few that I have seen that make sense to me, do not follow up the lesson with preventative training stressing the importance of balancing your training so as not to over strengthen one area and neglect others. This will mess you up bad and any physicians reading this will understand what I mean. It's funny to watch but often saddening to know that people are trusting these teachers who are only hurting students as a result of their own ignorance or willingness to train properly. The way I learned Go Gyo no Kata from my Sensei was EXTREMELY exhausting, most athletes won't make it through five solid minutes of doing it properly! Please don't take that as bragging, it's just the way it's meant to be, nothing I did was special. Getting off topic here, my hat's off to Mr Sharpstone and any budoka who takes care of their body and helps their students to do the same in their path. Responsibly. Best of Holidays and Keiko to you all, Adam Mitchell
I once had the Bujinkan described to me by a then 4th kyu (now a blackbelt) as "the lazy mans martial art". This was as I was just starting BBT. Even as a beginner that statement really annoyed me. Laziness and budo are really not compatible.
When I stopped doing Karate I had a bad knee and my doctor told my I would always walk with a limp.However after doing the movements of the Bujinkan for a couple of years the knee got better. So I believe the movements have a benefit which stand on their own as body conditioning rather than the popular idea of general fitness.
Ditch your doctor and get to a clued up physio. Doesn't take becoming a ninja to sort out an injured knee. :hat:
If you have something against "ninjas" all well and good .But I don't think my post suggested that I had benefited from anything other than the natural movement that I had changed to.
These classes were running at the LA Fitness gym, Cambridge Leisure Park (on corner of Hills Rd and Cherry Hinton Rd) but to my knowledge are no longer running. I think the video was shot at King Slocombe School of Dance but it's a long time since I did ballet there. None of the women in the Ninja Fitness video train in the regular class. Jake is my teacher. I started after the Dojo Promo video was shot but recognise most of those in it.
First post! The training on the video looks like an approach that I'd follow and/or recommend based on my own understanding of the ryutai undo. Of course, many approaches are needed for a complete practice, in my opinion. I practice a classical bujutsu as well as Bujinkan budo and through it I've experienced stresses on my knees and hips that demanded special care in conditioning. I'm studying a lot of different sources constantly for this information and slow/deep movements are a commonality along with Chinese arts. Not being fat would help too. Adam, It's great to read your response. I would be very interested in seeing your approach to ryutai undo, kokyu ho, and gogyo no kata.
I just have to pick points with the video at the following times. 1:37 1:44 2:19 2:58 3:36 3:59 4:57 Peachy
There is some very good training in this clip. I'm wagering most people in the bujinkan could not do this workout. so you need to watch carefully to understand all the techniques. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COGUt94VrLI&feature=fvw"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COGUt94VrLI&feature=fvw[/ame]
she has impressive abs i did 45 minutes of interval training - 3 sets of 10 exercises, then 3 sets of 60 kettlebell swings (both arms 30, right 15, left 15) 12kg, some barbell presses, lat pulldowns 50kg and low rows 60kg sets before cycling a couple of miles home in the snow today, but maybe i should have practicing my kihon
