As some of you may or may not know, I am interested in learning Ninjitsu. Now I've just noticed something. Bujinkan is apparently different from other styles, why is this? And not to sound ignorant, but if I wanted to learn it for self defence, would Bujikan (one in Glasgow, Tai Chi centre, anyone train there?) be suitable against one or more people (Come on, it's Glasgow..) and finally, I'm training in Muay Thai at the moment. Would it help or hinder me to cross train..? P.S, I do have self confidence problems in my fighting capabilities (although I'm told differently) and if you need anymore information to help you post a better answer, please don't hesitate. Thanks for taking the time to read that..
I need more information to help answer. 1. What do you mean by the BJK is different from other styles. All styles are by definition different from each other... 2. Fighting more than one person is always extremely low percentage. What are you asking in specific? 3. Why are you leaving MT? MT and the BJK are pretty different - but the help / hinder question depends on goals and what your current level of understanding is. On that point - how long have you been training in MT (what is your fight experience (# of smokers)). What is your goal in training in general? -Daniel
Self defence and fitness are my goals. And I heard that Bujinkan was Ninjutsu, and I just wondered if there was a specific reason or not. Do you mean there's a lot percent chance of fighting more than one person? Because it's not true for most places where I live. It doesn't harm to be able to. And I'm not leaving MT, just wondering if I kept going to training aswell as Ninjitsu, would they compliment each other? As in some strikes may be covered more, or taught in a different variation from Ninjitsu. I haven't really fought before (or rather hit back) before I got into Martial Arts, and I just started Muay Thai at the beginning of the Summer, but I was always quite interested in Ninjitsu.
Crosstraining is always tough call. Presonally I'm of the opinion you should have a solid base in any one style before trying to branch out. Also Bujinkan and Muay Thai have vastly different goals. Bujinkan *if taught correctly* is superb for self defense. Muay Thai is probably one of the best tournament styles around. Both are great for fighting in general, but have very different goals. (Although winning with or without rules is a hotly debated subject.) Bujinkan is also a very rounded system, with a lot of techniques, and so it takes longer to really get an understanding of the style than in a specialized system like Muay Thai. While there are knees, elbows, and front kicks in Bujinkan that you will see mirrored in Muay Thai, the footwork is very different, and that changes a lot of things when it comes to different styles. My suggestion, if you want to compete in Muay Thai, stick with Muay Thai alone. If you are trying to learn Ninjutsu/Bujinkan, study that. When you get a solid understanding of the basics of both you might make a better decsion when it comes to crosstraining between the two, and there's no way to get that save training for a decent length of time. If you do make the choice to crosstrain in both, and are able to merge the different approaches my hats off to you, you'll probably be an excellent fighter with a good grasp of very different methods of fighting, just don't expect it to be easy or quick. Also to clarify, Ninjutsu is a set of skills involving weapons, tactics, stealth, psychology and un armed combat. Bujinkan Tai jutsu is most often taught as the unarmed combat portion of ninjutsu with elements of the other aspects occasionally thrown in. If the instructor of the Bujinkan dojo wears a mask, says *everything* you learn is too deadly to spar with, and that you shouldn't train at another style, or tells you that you will become a ninja studying with him... don't train there. As much as I love Bujinkan, there a lot of "teachers" who probably shouldn't be teaching, and what I listed are charecteristics of those I'd avoid.
The one in Glasgow is run by Martin Docherty, he's a good instructor, he goes to Japan regularly and attends as many seminars as he can realistically get to, give him a try, if you don't like it at least you've tried.
Self Defense is covered decently within the BJK. Fitness isn't. Well - the BJK has schools that are ninjutsu schools in it - so it is our distinguishing feature. That is the easy answer. No. I am saying anyone who tells you they can teach you to fight more than one person at a time is selling snake oil. They don't compliment each other much at all. Sorry. Then you are new enough to not worry about much of anything yet. Stop by and check out a class. If you like it stay. If you don't ... don't. Best of luck. -Daniel
And as a general rule, take the word of someone with personal experience, like kouryuu there, over someone on the other side of the ocean (like me).
Thanks for the information guys. I get fitness in the Gym and in Muay Thai, and I love a challenge. It makes me feel that I've accomplished something. Anyway, I forgot to ask this, but would having bad eyesight affect me? I don't know how the instructor would show techniques and I have glasses because I'm quite short sighted. And I can only get 10 contact lenses a month. Sorry to waste your time, but I want to squeeze as much juice from the orange as I can (Analogies are ftw). Anyway I want to go into it with as much information regarding training and opinions about things.
By affect me, I mean will I have to wear my glasses to see the techniques, because in MT we can kind of move about if we need to see and the room isn't that big.
We tend to line up at one side of the room to see Martin or one of the other's demonstrate a "technique" than split up to practice, so you can decide then whether to put your specs on the window ledge to work through the technique or keep them on, you would probably only have to take them off for, rolling, randori/sparring and breakfall practice, we have a couple of guys wear glasses including the other Instructor who helps Martin, Phil (he doesn't have time to run a club as he is also a surgeon). Turn up it's free for your 1st lesson, see if you like it. And BTW it's the Chi centre not the Tai Chi centre, it's a Yoga studio.
If you want to be a good fighter you would be far better off to forget about the Bujinkan, sticking with the Muay Thai and cross training Brazillian JuJutsu. Or for that matter, take up traditional boxing. If you want to see the effectiveness of Ninjutsu type training, get your hands on a copy of UFC 02. There is a Ninjutsu guy who gets absolutely trashed by a kickboxer in a few seconds. The early UFC is nothing like what is popular now, it is literally no rules, no gloves, bare knuckle fighting. As far as fighting multiple opponents, that is for the movies.
The "Ninjutsu" guy that everyone likes to refrence in that UFC was trained in one of Robert Bussey's schools. Robert Bussey is even less affiliated with the Bujinkan than Stephen Hayes. Heck when I was 18 before I joined the Air Force and did some kick boxing in upper Micihgan we knew that Robert Bussey was a joke (the three RBWI students I encountered seemed to try and fight like they were in Bloodsport). Bussey hadn't been been part of the Bujinkan for 5 years when UFC 2 took place, and the way Scott Morris fought really isn't even close to how the Bujinkan is or was taught.
*whew* - good point. Glad you chipped in here mate. I almost forgot about that. If you want to see the effectiveness of BJJ / GJJ - please watch the Sakuraba highlight fights - you will find that Professional Wrestling completely dominates BJJ (**LITERALLY** spanks them). Oh - and to see the effectiveness of Muay Thai, please watch Serkan Yilmaz (Tae Kwon Do completely dominates Muay Thai as well...). So - it appears the most deadly combination is a Professional Wrestling / TKD mix. Get to it. -Daniel
Wow, by looking at your sig maybe i can also be a super effective fighter like you who does whatever martial art is "in" at the moment To be truly effective at ninjutsu you need nin or perseverance; in other words don't quit as soon as a new fad hits the market. And too my knowledge no one from the x-kans has participated in the UFC.
Every martial art depends on the fighter. And thanks for the advice, and I'll try to get to a free lesson soon. School's just back in though so it's like grrrr..Standard Grade exams in 2010! The horror! The horror!
Yes, wrestling will always pose problems for BJJ however, in a real fight (not in the ring) I would argue that BJJ would be more dangerous. Muay Thai I mentioned because the original poster is already learning it. Personally I wouldn't go for Muay Thai however it will give the OP the ability to learn power in a full contact environment. Re. Serkan Yilmaz - Great kicks. K-1 record not too great though. 8 fights - 2 wns - 5 losses. OK, so we have grappling and kicks. What about punches and elbows?
Well maybe if you had over 20 years martial arts experience then maybe you would train in different martial arts to become a more well rounded fighter, instead of having blinkers on about one. What? You mean ninjutsu is not a fad martial art? And I was just about to go and buy a set of black pyjamas so I can run around in the woods pretending I am a feudal assassin. :ninja1::happy: To be truly effective at ninjutsu I think you have to be easily lead and believe in fairies.
Only 20 years. Never having run around the woods in black pajamas or pretended to be a feudal anythingI If you visit our club don't expect any of that, don't know what you are talking about other than prejudced nonsense. But I did spend plenty of time running around the German woods in DPM combats many years ago, it's good healthy fun.
No, over 20 years; closer to 30. I've seen clubs that have and no, i'm not prejudiced. It is good fun isn't it?
