Why do you study Ninjutsu?

Discussion in 'Ninjutsu' started by Sandstorm:RS, Jun 24, 2011.

  1. Kobudo

    Kobudo Valued Member

    I'm interested, but haven't had the opportunity to train AT yet
     
  2. Sandstorm:RS

    Sandstorm:RS Valued Member

    Fair enough. The reson I asked is that, I went to the London College of Shiatsu for three years and obtaind my diploma in both Masanaga and Namakoshi styles. I then purly by coincidence bumped into an old training partner who had benn studying Amatsu Tatara for two years and we compared notes. What came from our little conversation is that the two arts a very similar in that I believe they both contain TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine), Amatsu (traditional acu-pressure taken from the oldest recorded system known as AMNA pronounced Umna and Seitai (spinal correction). If you have the time, I think you will find that Tanemura Sensei teaces Amatsu Tatara in it's complete version.

    Best of luck

    R
     
  3. Kobudo

    Kobudo Valued Member

    Thanks,

    It is something I'm sure I'll come onto in time, right now I'm trying to master the Asayama Ichiden Ryu Chuden Gata
     
  4. Sandstorm:RS

    Sandstorm:RS Valued Member

    Is that the kata where you hold your hands as if holding an egg in each hand??

    regards

    R
     
  5. Kobudo

    Kobudo Valued Member

    Sorry, I'll have to decline to answer that, as it's touching too much on ryu specifics?
     
  6. Sandstorm:RS

    Sandstorm:RS Valued Member

    Respected and appreciated. You are a credit to your organisation Kobudo.

    Kind regards

    R
     
  7. Kobudo

    Kobudo Valued Member

    Thank you

    You seem fairly informed regarding the Genbukan, and mentioned missing a taikai, but then you've said 'your' organisation. Can I ask, are you currently a member of Genbukan? or have you been at some point?
     
  8. Sandstorm:RS

    Sandstorm:RS Valued Member

    Of course you may.

    Over the years i have studied many systems and arts but only hold (What most would call a high rank) Godan and above in ninjutsu and in my case I held a Hatchi-Dan BJK.
    Some of my old students who are scatterered around the world were members of Genbukan and held reasonable grades. They came to me specifically to learn the nasty side of self protection but brought with them a wealth of experience and knowledge from the Genbukan. However, before they were willing to share any of the Kuden with me they consulted Tanemura Sensei and he spoke with me directly. Incidentally, there was no need for an interpritor and I don't speak Japanese fluently enough to warrant an indepth conversation with a Master of that caliber.

    Hope this helps answer your question Kobudo.

    Kind regards

    R
     
  9. Kobudo

    Kobudo Valued Member

    Thanks for that, was Tanemura sensei happy for them to share Kuden after your conversation?
     
  10. Sandstorm:RS

    Sandstorm:RS Valued Member

    To a degree, but to be honest I have so much respect for Tanemura Sensei that I did'nt pursue too many questions having spoken to him.

    If I may, would you be willing to accept a private message or have you already recieved one from me??

    kind regards

    R
     
  11. Kobudo

    Kobudo Valued Member

    I haven't, but happy for you to send a PM
     
  12. George Kohler

    George Kohler Valued Member

    Since the source for this information has been open to the public since 1994 by Tanemura Sensei (videos from Panther Productions - Now owned by Century Martial Arts), the ryuha would be Yagyū Shingan-ryū (the sendai line).
     
  13. Sandstorm:RS

    Sandstorm:RS Valued Member

    Thanks for the information George it is much appreciated. However, I was not aware of the video/DVD series so thanks for letting me know about that as well.

    Kind regards

    R
     
  14. gapjumper

    gapjumper Intentionally left blank

    Shaolin Way shop behind Leicester Sq carries some of Tanemura's Panther stuff I believe. £10 each IIRC. Not sure if they have the full range.
     
  15. Sandstorm:RS

    Sandstorm:RS Valued Member

    Thanks for the info Gapjumper, I know the Shaolin way shop and will check it out the next time I am in London.

    Kind regards

    R
     
  16. Da Lurker

    Da Lurker Valued Member

    no offense, mr. kohler, but the sendai line would be the one utilized in the chirumiru-shingan ryu set of videos, right? iirc the other one would be the edo line.
     
  17. Chris Parker

    Chris Parker Valued Member

    If I recall correctly, the Sendai line is present in the Chikuosha Yagyu Shingan Ryu, headed by Shimazu Kenji, and refer to their art as Yagyu Shingan Ryu Heijutsu. The Edo line, also known as Goto-ha, refer to their art as Yagyu Shingan Ryu Taijutsu. The uniforms are a little different, with the Edo line wearing hachimaki and white, and there are a number of technical differences between the ways they are presented: The Sendai line tend to end with the Uke performing a back-flip to receive the final movement, whereas the Goto-ha lift the Uke into position, then return them to their feet (there's others, but this is the easiest one to see). The line in the Genbukan/KJJR comes from Sato Kinbei Sensei, who learnt the art from the Hoshi line (Sendai line), which includes the "Restorer" of Yagyu Shingan Ryu, Hoshi Shinkichi. Hoshi Kunio was a teacher of Shimazu Kenji, which shows the similarity in the two lines of the art (Genbukan/Sato Kinbei and Chikuosha/Shimazu Kenji). Both are Sendai lines.
     
  18. George Kohler

    George Kohler Valued Member

    I'm not up on the chirumiru videos, but all the Sendai lines (that I know of) utilize suburi (the practice of swinging the arms as in solo practice).
     
  19. snake_plisskin

    snake_plisskin Valued Member

    Those Panther production videos were unusual, in that they apparently have Tenemura-sensei narrating, but for some reason (probably due to expense or for ease of watching) have someone doing voiceover instead of the ubiquitous subtitles. Pretty interesting stuff in there, as I recall. Okay, if I wanted to "recall" better, I could just whip out the old VCR and watch the thing....

    Anyway, why do I study ninjutsu/Bujinkan? Because my first instructor encouraged me to go out there and study anything I wanted, and still encourages me to learn all I can from every art I can expose myself to.

    Now, why do I really train? Because my training allows me to dig deep into my insecurities as a kid who long ago was picked on (I was always the nerdy kid in rose colored glasses), and to fill that huge yawing chasm of fear I dug when a child with the consternation, pain, and humiliation of swaggering bullies, tough budo talkers, and general all-round d-bags who use martial arts as a way to justify or disguise their abusive actions ("I swear I wasn't trying to hit him that hard, sensei, but he just moved the wrong way, you know, the way new guys sometimes do. Tsk tsk. How was I to know?").

    When I train, I am always, and I mean ALWAYS, polite, courteous, respectful, and seemingly filled with a boatload of giddy, nerdy, dorky cheerfulness. I'm quietly goofy, slightly hesitant, frenetic, and move in a remarkably uncoordinated fashion. I'm off-balance, don't have even the slightest bit of grace in my taijutsu, and appear almost...timid. Just like a certain child, who, thirty-seven years ago, dug a pit of nothing but fear, because he was too scared to defend himself on his way home from elementary school. Bullied terribly by another boy who threatened him, shoved him around, and scared him with curse words, that kid felt alone, isolated, and fearful every day. And just like that scared kid I used to be, I act...weak.

    In short, I'm every martial arts bully's wet dream.

    Whether they're trying to amp up a technique to "11", hit me ten times harder than is necessary, choke me out for real, lock me up and bust out my wrists or dislocate my elbows, shoulders, or ankles, kick me when we're doing punch drills, or just flat-out trying to knock my block off when nobody's looking, these "dojo tough guys" (and girls) always find I'm a partner who is most unwilling to allow them to abuse me.

    And then, I drop my facade of being so cheerful and naive and goofy and wimpy and nerdy and dorky and funny and happy, and then it's go time.
    That is the kind of person to whom I am sometimes exposed, and that is the kind of person for whom I save my...particular talents.

    And in each case, no matter who it was, the perpetrator did so thinking I was weak, wimpy, smaller, unskilled or naive. That is, they thought I was a good victim, someone to satisfy their urge to hurt the weak. And in each case, when they turned it on, I turned it on.

    And, in doing so, I was challenged, as these people, because they've wanted to actually hurt me, haven't just stopped; they've turned it on full-throttle and we've gone at it, and there I've gotten to not only give some "push back" against them, I've been able to actually see what works and what doesn't against partners who were as "resistant" as a human could possibly be. Meaning, since it's their ego (and mine) on the line, they have literally gone ape shoot--These people tend to go nuts when they figure out I'm not exactly the victim I presented myself as, and when we're "on", well, we are on.

    Welcome to my ambush party. Glad you could make it. This is gonna hurt.

    When I fight back, and I stop them from hurting me, that pit of fearfulness I dug as a child gets a bridge laid across it, and I end up feeling better, like I've somehow reached thirty-seven years into the past and fought the demons who still haunt me and torment me and trouble me, and protected that scared little kid walking home from school. I may physically be so exhausted I have to vomit, I may have a split lip, abrasions and cuts, bruises around my neck, a sliced open tongue, sprained joints or a throbbing headache, but I feel, deep inside, like I've somehow connected with my past and taken this training--this Gift--and used it to protect that kid I once was, still am, and always will be, by shutting down, fighting back, and defending myself against that "bully" I was tormented by, 37 years ago.

    Do I have "issues"? Of course I do.

    But I don't purposefully do techs on people without their express permission, I don't crank on locks, bars, chokes or anything harder, faster, or with more intent/force/thrust/muscle/speed than my partners request/allow for, I don't go "off script" when we're going over techniques, drills, etc., and I DON'T try to "pull [stuff]" on people just to show them "Oh, look how cool I am," without prior warning.

    --Snakehadelic mushroom trip
     
  20. Sandstorm:RS

    Sandstorm:RS Valued Member

    :happy::happy::happy::happy: Well said and many thanks for not only having the Bravery to share what you have written on an open Forum but to also speak from the heart regarding the reason why you chose to study Ninjutsu/BJK/BBT.

    I have had the oportunity of having various conversations with polite, knowledgeable Budoka on this forum who have not only been willing to share their views in a professional and mature manner, but have taught me something that I didn't know despite whatever grade they may or may not hold.

    The height of respect to you and thank you for being so honest.

    Kind regards

    R
     

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