Fitness and conditioning is an aspect of training that too many Bujinkan groups shy away from. Since formulating a much more stringent conditioning programme, and now having our own centre to expand our class times, we have seen a marked improvement in the skill sets of the students who regularly attend the taijutsu classes along with circuits/fitness and conditioning classes, compared to those who just turn up for the taijutsu classes. Due to the success of the fitness training, we are now in the process of formulating a F&C programme that uses functional movement directly linked to Bujinkan taijutsu. Alongside that, the centre is now the home of CrossFit Central Manchester who offer various classes throughout the week. We feel it is imperative that, to be a well rounded martial artist, you need to have well rounded training methods and constantly push your comfort zones. If you are not uncomfortable, you will not adapt!
I dunno if this is a marketing ad to promote your dojo or if you are asking our opinion on the matter... But since I dont live in the UK, i suppose I'll contribute My first taijutsu dojo was located inside of gymnastics studio with FULL equipment of all aspects of gymnastic training. Tumble mat, foam pit, rings, parallel bars, uneven bars, trampolines galore, balance beams, suspended wires for training backflips, weights etc. IMO, if there is any way for anyone in your dojo ("your" meaning anyone who is reading this) to have access to a gymnastic gym for an hour or two a week, DO IT! This was the greatest tool I have ever used for the practice of taijutsu. I can not stress enough how incredible it is to be able to throw someone as hard as you possibly can on a tumble mat without fear of hurting them, how awesome it is to practice extremely dynamic ukemi, and the overall agility-based exercises you can perform in a gymnastic gym!
We have access to some tumbling mats in my Judo class, and I agree with you, it makes a lot of difference to how you feel when working throws - particularly some of the more 'spectacular' ones. I wish I had access to a gymnastics gym - the local one doesn't do adult classes. I have a set of rings in my garage which are great fun to use.
You dont have to go for "adult classes"... Just ask them if your dojo can rent it out for a couple hours every sunday, then split the cost between the members. Im sure they wouldnt care.
Well if we're discussing this, I absolutely agree that fitness is an essential part of any martial art. In a way, this is where arts that have a competitive aspect to them have the advantage, because for those that study them, there is much more incentive to work on conditioning than there is in Bujinkan training. It is also one of the reasons we come in for so much stick off other styles - it's really difficult to take an overweight, slobby looking martial artist seriously! However, I do believe that the effectiveness of a style should not be based only on the fitness level of the participants. It should work reasonably well for the older, less fit folks as well as the young, healthy types, but that should not be a reason for people studying it to neglect their fitness. At the very least, being fitter allows you to train harder and longer and, therefore, should enable you to make progress more rapidly. I'm not sure how much class time should be spent on conditioning though. I would rather learn technique in class and work on fitness separately. This is where having a permanent dojo has a major advantage over running classes at a leisure centre, as it allows you to run fitness sessions as well as technique classes
I agree that fitness and conditioning is a major part of martial arts training that is overlooked by a lot of people in the Bujinkan. I think it's so important. When you go to train in other arts, 99% of the ones i've been to begin class with a warm up including press ups, sit up, jogging round the dojo etc. If anything, starting class this way even for 10 mins will say to students 'look, you need to be doing this in your own time. It's important.' By not doing it at the dojo is the message being given to students that it's not important? They do not do this stuff at Hombu (cost ~ time perhaps) but if they did, would this message be filtered down? Saying that, I take responsibility for my own training so I work out in my own time. Once you have a routine of doing something it's supprising how quickly your body changes. The confidence you get from that is very good for your training. If you want to improve this aspect of your taijutsu/ life, don't rely on your martial arts teacher, get to class early and do this stuff yourself or put your trust in a personal fitness trainer.
Yeah I agree with you, but I think that we should have incentive to get these things handled aswell. Thinking about how much we talk about things like patience, discipline and perseverence - and how much we talk about self protection. Doing something to keep yourself fit and healthy really is a question about self protection - life and death. People talk about fudoshin under a sharp blade - but can't find the willpower to do half an hour of cardio to save their life. It's also a question of doing something to get alot better at an activity that we already spend so much time and energy on. Fitness is so important for martial arts training. As Hatsumi Sensei says: I think that many people don't realise how much hard work the best in this art put into their training. "Classic" Bujinkan conditioning is hard core! As an example: I have been away from training for about 6 months - but during this time I have been training hard almost every day - training both cardio and strenght. Still this tuesday when we started training again it was like nothing I have experienced these past six months. I forgot how hard it can be. At the end of the session our legs were, like my instructor put it, "shaking like the needle on a sewing machine". And all we did was classic, oldschool, Bujinkan conditioning drills. An amateur thai fighter that I have talked to a few times crosstrains with Bujinkan Taijutsu, and he says that he gets to train parts of his body at his bujinkan dojo that he never gets to engage otherwise. All this is good to put things into perspective. Slow and soft training is very good - but making sure we are in shape is a big part of our training. Not that it's a requirement - just that it's something we should do for our own sake.
It doesn't take a lot of class time to do some serious conditioning exercises. A high percentage of street fights don't make it past 20 secs but, if they do, they usually end up on the ground for a couple of minutes. With just 10 minutes at the start or end of every class students can be put through a variety of drills that make them aware of how important a base level of fitness is in martial arts and it quickly shows where an individual's weakness is. This kind of system will make them more likely to train in their own time for fear of the 10 minute warm up/cool down!
That's pretty much what we do in my Judo class. So yes, a decent warm up and finishing the lesson with a set of tabatas or another HIIT drill would definitely give a lot of people food for thought!
Too slowly! I've had to miss a lot recently with work commitments. I'm hoping things will ease up in the next month or so. I really enjoy the BJJ (but I do miss my Taijutsu) and I'm hoping to start competing once I get back into regular training. The only problem with the BJJ is the lack of small female partners, so I find it really difficult to see any improvement and it can get a bit demoralising on occasions. However, I usually find that when I spar the small lady I usually partner in Judo, my Ne Waza is a lot better than hers, so that helps my confidence. How's your training going?
Sorry fot the late response! Been hectic and forgot to answer. I've not trained BJJ since January, when I managed to get one class in . Work and running our own centre is taking all my free time but, come May, I should be able to get back over to SBG. Been hammering my fitness though so, hopefully, I won't be too much of a shock when I go back but I am very aware that rolling has it's very own fitness requirements so I'm sure it will hurt!
I agree with Manchester Dojo, and i know what he is talking about, i DREAD the warm up with him every saturday morning, and this is only because of my fittness and size is bad , and i am fully aware of it. Im trying to improve, by trying to sort my diet out, and also getting out on my bike alot, but due to college work (lots of assignments close to deadline) and home life its hard to fit it in, but im trying.
I agree too, but that's obvious! I don't dread the warm-ups though. I've grown to love them in a weird way! Seeing my fitness level improve in about 6 months has made the intensity of the saturday fitness and tuesday circuits class worth the effort. Well, the weight dropping off me helps too! And I agree that my taijutsu has improved because of this. Also keeping a training log of what I've done gives me an opportunity to see the progress I'm making.
Good fitness doesn't increase your taijutsu skill, it changes your taijutsu. Taijutsu is good natural movement, even people with poor fitness can have good taijutsu. Good fitness does however increase your skill in bujutsu, which is connected to taijutsu but not the same thing.
Is increase not change? The benefits of being fitter are more likely to have a positive affect on your taijutsu than negative. Maintaining a good level of fitness will allow you to participate in Taijutsu, and life, more fully and for a lot longer. This becomes really apparent and important the older you get. 'Good' is a very subjective term. Especially when used in conjunction with Taijutsu. People with poor fitness may develop a decent understanding of theory and mechanics but will always be limited in their expression of Taijutsu, especially with non-compliant training partners. Not the same thing? Taijutsu IS the Bujutsu of the Bujinkan. There is no Bujinkan martial art without Taijutsu.
I disagree. You can do Hatsumi-ha Budo without throwing a single punch or doing a single throw. Taijutsu is a small part of Bujutsu. There are many other disciplines which don't even involve physical training.
Humm? Am I understanding you correctly? I was pretty sure the unarmed fighting methods we train in have very close connections to the armed fighting methods. The more I practise the more I see connections at least... As for fitness, dont come dragging that old chestnut again. Making sure you are reasonably fit (flexibility, endurance, strength) will have greater effect on the outcome of an altercation than the rest of the taijutsu training, im sure. Good fitness first, taijutsu after. Dont you agree? Regards / Skuggvarg
