What can Bujinkan offer me at my stage of life.

Ah - the psychic power test: Pinnacle of Ninjutsu absurdity.

 

Thanks for sharing and I hope you make a full recovery too.

It sounds like you believe you are getting some value from your training and please just be careful to be honest with yourself. It's very easy to lie to yourself in the martial arts.

 

Thank you for your wish!
I will take into account your advice.

 

Is that right?

 

If they don't show how can we ever know?

 

Mate I don't think it'll be your thing. Are you willing to give it a go because it's local, and are trying to learn a suplimentry martial art?

The clincher here is that no, the Bujinkan's philosophy is at odds with cross training(even though some do it). Essentially Budo or Ninpo Taijustsu is basically JJJ. The techniques could work if trained right, but that's another thing going against it, is that they're not pressure tested. As far as self defense, you say you do boxing for fitness and identify with it being a combat sport, but it's a pressure tested form of self defence as well. If we're talking about 2015 there's a lot of traditional martial arts that haven't evolved to defend against western boxing, and this is one of them.

 

By all means prove me wrong

 

I've never been aware of any "do not cross train" philosophy in the Bujinkan.

Interesting to know where that idea comed from.

 

You know I used to train in the Bujinkan right?

 

It's well known the Bujinkan frowns on crosstraining. Yes even though Takamatsu cross trained, and Hatsumi has Karate and Judo dans, the Bujinkan claims to be a complete system in itself. Even with other JMA's, I dabbled in the Booj and witnessed someone getting lectured for wanting to additionally train in Akido....

And I'll use that in my second example. What boxer is going to let someone grab their wrist? That's a good way to end up snoring. It's the same with Karate dans like myself who went on to Muay Thai and MMA. Try blocking kicks with your arms and you get them broke....and like my dabbling in the Booj, stand there in bobi no kamae and I'll knock you on your ass with a Thai kick for being a condescending sempai us supposed "newbies."...arts that stay static from past days where that didn't happen aren't effective in 2015. Go to a Bujinkan class, then a BJJ one, and tell me which "Jiu" Jitsu has evolved.

 

So did I. I have obviously seen you fight but that's heavy cross training, and not from taijutsu.

 

From what little you have said about the Bujinkan dojo you attended, it speaks more about the confidence of the instructors that ran it. I think the message about cross training gets regularly misunderstood ( either by intention or mistake ). I have heard on a couple of occasions, 2 of the japanese shihan mention not cross training BUT the implied context ( on both occasions ) was if you are struggling to pick up the basics of one art then trying to add another at that point may be detrimental - In this scenario concentrate on doing one thing well/competently rather than multiple things badly. Equally as Dunc pointed out many people in the bujinkan do cross train and it is very useful, plus Hatsumi trained in other arts prior to the Bujinkan.

I agree with you trying to 'grab' a boxer's wrist would be futile just as defending a muay thai style kick from bobi no kamae would likely result in broken leg. This seems to me more poor application of bujinkan teachings/waza rather than a problem with the techniques of themself. I also agree with Dunc's comment about the Gracies

 

The organization does not frown on cross training; however there are individual instructors who may.

If they do most likely they are insecure about their own abilities.

 

I'm no long-time buj guy, but I've trained with Bujinkan 15th dans in NY and Los Angeles.

If you read some of my earlier posts, you'll see I've had a bit of a rocky road with one of them, anyway..but I digress. The BIGGEST issue with Bujinkan in my opinion, is there seems to be no quality control of any kind, on the instructors. The MARTIAL ART of Bujinkan is fine. It's fine. It's as effective as any other MA when well-taught, and well-EXECUTED by the practitioner. The problem is the instructors are a huge mixed bag. More so than other arts. One of My instructors in L.A. was excellent. another was a complete jerk. same with one of the guys in NY. The other problem is this persistent myth that anyone who train Bujinkan wants to be "A ninja". the ninja background is cool..but we're not all Ashida Kim out here, ya know? Another issue is mocking the art because of some of the associated spirituality..well, other arts do the same. I'm currently in a kung-fu class that incorporates chi-gung, and routinely speaks of using chi, of visualizing the use of chi in every technique they teach. This is at a well-respected place with a well-respected Sifu/Sijo. How is that any different? it's not.

What happened with Ninjutsu is it got a bad name from all the bad ninja films of the '80's, plus all the "wanna-be ninja" jerkoffs on the internet selling fake ninjutsu. none of that has anything to do with Bujinkan, Hatsumi-sensei, or any of the other x-kans.

Your MA history is long, OP, so, your BS detector should be working quite well. train it for a month and decide for yourself. Also..if your instructor doesn't go to japan to train, himself, I'd say at least once a year..move on and find one who does.

 

You were BBD, little different.

 

The Walsall club is a small one but luckily is overseen by Mr Norman Smithers (Koryuu here on MAP).

Paul Cope is running it now, he's a nice bloke.

You also have some guys over Brum way or Andrew Young over in Telford. Mr Young spent considerable time in Japan.

Other than Bujinkan you have a smattering of western jujutsu in the area and some solid Gung Fu.

I highly recommend you check out Mr Neil Simkin in Walsall town centre he delivers BJJ amongst other things and is top notch.

 

Ah seems I'm late to the party.

 

I'd recommend checking out the filipino martial arts, Arnis, Kali, Eskrima in my experience are a happy medium between effective pressure tested techniques and the more speculative "deadly" techniques. Cross training is usually embraced as is an "adopt what works" attitude.