K I H O N
Newsletter #5
April 2000
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An email newsletter focusing on Ninjutsu/Budo
Taijutsu training. Published by www.KIHON.com
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**** MISSION STATEMENT ****
We at KIHON.com wish to provide a short newsletter
bringing you information about Bujinkan dojo and
upcoming training events, as well as some insights
into training that we hope will help to further your
growth as a martial artist.
**** URGENT MESSAGE ****
Currently, the Bujinkan New York Dojo has opened its
dojo doors for anyone interested in training in the
Bujinkan Martial Arts (Ninjutsu, Budo Taijutsu, etc).
**** CONTENTS ****
SPECIAL FEATURE: A Message From Hatsumi Sensei,
Part III - by Mark O'Brien
1. Taijutsu Tips: Tips to enhance your training.
2. Kata Ideas: Form variations worth trying.
3. Ninja Reviews: Books, videos, and items of note.
4. Shidoshi Insights: Shidoshi Q&A or article.
5. Budo Quotes: Budo quote of the month.
6. Keiko Events: Upcoming training events.
7. Dojo Locations: Dojo locations and contact info.
8. Shoshin Comments: endnote.
*** SPECIAL FEATURE *****
A Message From Hatsumi Sensei, Part III
By Mark O'Brien
Hatsumi Sensei has spoken about the concept of
hara. He related the hara to the old days idea
that the samurai arts were arts of the hara. The
hara is the stomach or seat of power in your
lower abdomen. Sensei spoke about how it is with
your stomach that you digest food, the food
enters through your mouth, it goes to your
stomach, and the stomach absorbs the nutrients.
These nutrients are then utilized for the growth
of your body. He explained how this is one form
of nourishment, and how we should use our hara
to nourish ourselves in another way.
Sensei talked about how people relate to the
world by either intellectualizing (thinking about
what they hear) or emotionalizing (using their
hearts), reacting in an emotional state, and that
those two combinations are not necessarily bad.
He said that it's good that people analyze some
things, but for a martial artist we have to go
one step further. The third step (another form
of the sanshin) is to use the hara. How exactly,
he didn't really explain in detail.
What you are supposed to do is take your life
experiences and the things that happen around
you (i.e. the things you hear, etc.) and you
have to take them deeper inside your hara as a
means to judge things, to see beyond their
surface. This all relates back to awareness.
Sensei gave an example like the Internet. You
can see and hear things through the Internet and
just intellectualize or emotionalize them and be
taken in. But for us, the idea is we take all of
our experiences, put them down in our hara, and
take nourishment from them. We take our
experiences and learn from them, in some way
we look at them through our hara.
As I said, Sensei didn't really explain this in
detail, but he did make references to the fact
that animals live instinctively, and that the
hara is the instinctive side of human beings,
and gut feelings are related to the hara. So,
basically you are supposed to take all of your
life experiences, put them in your hara, utilize
them, and grow from them. Get nourishment from
them so they help you to be a more complete
human being.
*** Taijutsu Tips *****
The Role Of The Sempai
Bujinkan New York Dojo
Fred F. Feddeck
Some dojo have some clearly defined senior
students - a few students who have been training
with a teacher the longest in relation to the
other students. Sometimes these students are
called "sempai," meaning senior. However, if
taken a step further, "sempai" means that as a
student you are "senior" to everybody in the
dojo who started training after you. So as a
sempai, what responsibilities do you have -
especially if you are one of the more "senior"
sempai?
Just as the teacher of the dojo sets an example
of the teachings, you have to set an example for
the students below you. Remember that even if
you have only been training a couple of years,
in the eyes of a person who has been training
significantly less, this will appear to be a
long time. Just as your teacher is a role model
and sets the example, you have to be a role model
and live up to the example. With some of the
students looking to you as an example, think
about the message you are sending to them if you
are late for class, skimp on training, are late
with dojo tuition, or worse - give up during
training.
Even if you have never thought yourself as a
"senior" - remember that to somebody in the dojo
you are, so strive to set an example that not
only makes you stronger, but also makes the dojo
stronger.
*** Kata Ideas *****
Speed Kills
By Glenn Catania
Bujinkan New York Dojo
I was talking to my teacher recently about a
technique I was trying to understand. I seemed
to be having a problem with the footwork and
he had a very simple answer for me: "You're
doing it too fast to learn it." Wow, was he
right. I was so worried about looking cool
doing it that I wasn't giving myself a chance
to enjoy and learn it. Sure, I wanted to be
able to do it the way it looked, but I didn't
want to take the time to learn it properly.
Speed kills: that's what the title says. Very
obviously, it takes the life out of your
taijutsu. When you go too fast, your body doesn't
even have time to memorize what the muscles are
doing. We train slower in class for two main
reasons. One reason is that we don't want to hurt
our training friends. The second is that it
takes attention and patience to learn a movement,
and that means practicing it slowly at first for
the body to learn the new idea.
I remember one time walking along and picking up
a stick. It felt so comfortable in my hands that
I twirled it like a hanbo. That is because I have
done it so many times it came naturally. Has a
friend ever grabbed you and you noticed your body
start to move into a technique so naturally that
you almost had to catch yourself? We all train
for that familiar feeling of just letting the
body react to a situation in a proper way. The
difficult thing is to actually let the body
learn the movement so it feels natural.
I was watching two good friends train in class
the other night. Besides almost killing each
other and destroying the dojo, they had no idea
what they were doing. There is no slight meant;
it is always easier to see this when you're an
observer to training. After they slowed down
and had fun, they really got the hang of it.
Take your time to learn the movement, and then
it is possible to move faster as you progress.
Remember those first days of punching? Awkward,
uncomfortable... Now as it feels more natural
it's much easier to stop anywhere in the movement,
so even if you are going fast, you have control.
Give yourself the chance to really learn
the movement. Remember what we've always
been taught: speed kills.
*** Ninja Reviews *****
Ninjutsu: History And Tradition
By Dr. Masaaki Hatsumi
Reviewed by Don Houle
Bujinkan Middlesex Shibu
Ninjutsu: History and Tradition was the second
ninjutsu book I ever bought, after reading a
short article written by Stephen K. Hayes in
Inside Kung Fu in 1984. It's the book that first
got me seriously interested in training.
Filled with pictures, History and Tradition is a
fascinating look at traditional ninjutsu. Just
about every one of its 239 pages contains a line
drawing or black and white photograph
illustrating the technique or weapon described
in the text.
The book begins with a description of the origins
of the arts collectively known as ninjutsu. After
describing the eighteen levels of training, Dr.
Hatsumi goes on to give a detailed explanation of
taijutsu (unarmed combat). Many of the
photographs that appear in this section of
History and Tradition are taken from Hatsumi's
Togakure Ryu Ninpo Taijutsu, so if you can't find
that book, this is probably the next best thing.
The text explains in great detail the methods
used by ninja to subdue enemies including
taihenjutsu (rolling, leaping), kamae (postures),
and many striking methods.
Next, many traditional ninja weapons are examined
including shinobigatana (ninja sword), kusarigama
(sickle and chain weapon), yumi (bow and arrows),
yari (spear) and shuriken (throwing blades).
Again, one of the best things about this book is
the number of photos. They will keep you turning
the pages to see what is coming next.
The final third of the book focuses on special
training (escape and evasion techniques), secret
ninja tools, and kunoichi (female ninja). The
last portion of History and Tradition is the one
that I really hold dear, and the ragged pages of
my old copy show that I referred to it a lot! Dr.
Hatsumi goes on to describe kiai (energy
attuning) and kuji, which are best described as
spiritual methods of attaining one's goals in
the physical world.
I highly recommend this book for those who are
involved in Dr. Hatsumi's Bujinkan training, and
for anyone who would like to learn more about
ninjutsu's past.
*** Shidoshi Insights *****
Shin-Gi-Tai
By Joe Maurantonio, shidoshi
Bujinkan New York Dojo
The Japanese principle of unification of shin
[mind], gi [skill], and tai [body] is an
important concept in modern Budo. It is herein
that a person can develop him or herself to the
point of selflessness and achieve the ultimate
level of the martial arts.
Let us take a brief look at the component parts
of this concept. The Japanese kanji for shin
presents the meaning of mind at its most basic
level. To view the character with deeper insight
we come to the meanings of heart and moral
integrity. And from this we come to the
understanding of doing a task for the love of it
and not for gain. It is here that we must gather
our emotions and focus them on the task at hand.
Secondly, the character for gi, also called waza,
presents us with the translation of technique or
technical skills. Herein we can see the necessity
for learning and developing skills that will
benefit ourselves and thus benefit our society.
Training, though arduous at times, is for the
improvement of the form and progression of
ability.
The final character is tai, which translates as
body and confers the notion that our physical
forms must be cultivated to the pinnacle of human
ability. This tells us that man is limited only
by his own personal limitations and that these
self-imposed limits need not exist.
Shin-Gi-Tai is the joining of mind, skill, and
body to produce a complete person. These three
human qualities parallel the essence of the
heavens (represented by a person's mind), earth
(an individual's skills) and man (the body).
Eric Clapton playing solo "unplugged" has
Shin-Gi-Tai. He sits and puts all of himself into
each note, striking not only the guitar's strings
but the "cords" in the audience's heart and
bringing tears to their eyes.
An important point is that a martial artist, as
well as any other individual that seeks this
level of ability, must understand that this path
is fraught with certain pitfalls. Not the least
of these is that to actually be conscious, to
take deliberate action in any of shin, gi, or tai
is to unbalance the unification and lose this
ability.
Hatsumi Sensei has said that this unification of
Shin-Gi-Tai is the ultimate quest for the martial
artist. This is the purpose of his or her
training. And though we may not be able to have
this intensity in every moment of our lives, it
is the journey, the training on the way, which
we endeavor to constantly perfect.
*** Budo Quotes *****
During my own training, I would sometimes get
sick and tired of my own stupidity [of being
unable to do a technique]. There is a time
when people get into a slump, like when their
waza are not done properly and their opponent
keeps beating them. I believe this period is
like a snake shedding its skin and I regard it
as a time to grow better. The accumulation of
each shed skin is the proof of our growth and
promotion in dan [level]. When you are having
a difficult time, other people's techniques
always seem very good. It is like a child
thinking another child's toy is better than
his own. If your bad period lasts ten years,
you should consider stopping budo.
By Masaaki Hatsumi
[Ninpo: Wisdom for Life, Page 18]
http://www.kihon.com/ninpo/
( Special APRIL Sale - check the website )
*** Keiko Events *****
* Thursday Budo Taijutsu Class
Bujinkan New York Dojo
Bronxville, New York
Thursdays 6:30-7:30pm
First class: free
Thereafter: $40/month
* Kukishin & Koto Ryu Workshop
Bujinkan New York Dojo
Bronxville, New York
Saturday, April 15, 2000
7 pm - 9 pm ($10)
* Fundamentals of Correct Movement
Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu
Elmsford, New York
Bud Malmstrom, shidoshi
April 29 - 30, 2000
* Kukishin Sword & Koto Ryu Taijutsu
Bujinkan New York Dojo
Bronxville, New York
Joe Maurantonio, Shidoshi
May 13, 2000 (7-9 pm)
* Martial Arts FREE Instruction
Tai Chi, Karate, Ninjutsu, Wing Chung
Bronxville, New York
Various Instructors
May 13, 2000 (10 am to 1pm)
Saturday (free)
For More Info email:
* Holland Millennium TaiKai 2000
Koto Ryu Koppojutsu, Teppan & Ninja-to
Hatsumi Masaaki, Soke
June 1, 2 & 3, 2000
(Sold Out Attendance)
* Tai Kai Atlanta 2000
Koto Ryu Koppojutsu, Teppan & Ninja-to
Hatsumi Masaaki, Soke
Atlanta, Georgia
August 18 - 21, 2000
*** Dojo Locations *****
Bujinden Hombu Dojo
Atago, Noda-shi
Chiba-ken, 278, Japan
Bujinkan New York Dojo
27 Milburn Street
Bronxville, NY 10708
(914) 337-3339
Bujinkan Bellaire Dojo
Houston Gymnastics Academy
5756 So. Rice Blvd.
Houston, TX
Bujinkan Middlesex Shibu
300A Carlton Ave
Piscataway, NJ 08854
*** Shoshin Comments *****
Hiding The Blade
By Lauren Brandstein, editor
Once again, thank you to all the contributors to
the Kihon Newsletter, and to Mark O'Brien for
"A Message From Hatsumi Sensei."
Recently we've done a lot of sword training at
the dojo and something occurred to me to share
here. Seigan, the most fundamental sword kamae,
is not as simple as it seems. In seigan, the tip
of the sword should be pointed directly at the
opponent's eyes to hide the length of the blade,
and to intimidate the opponent. However, many
people hold the sword at about a forty-five
degree angle from the hip. Unless the opponent
is way too close to you, or incredibly tall, the
tip of the sword is probably pointed far above
his head in this position. If the opponent is a
reasonable distance away and within a few feet
of your height, the sword should be much closer
to the horizontal than the vertical.
A useful way to practice this is to buy a cheap,
small flashlight and tape it to the end of
a bokken. Make sure the flashlist is aiming
true to the direction of the sword's tip by
pointing it at a friend's forehead and asking
them if the sword is straight and pointed
just above their eyes. Then, practice at home
by marking your own eye level on a wall and
then pointing the bokken at it from various
distances. Use the flashlight at first to
get used to the relationship between
angling of the sword and distance from the
opponent. Later, the flashlight can be used
periodically to test your aim. Try marking
several different eye heights on the wall to
practice for varying opponents. You may also
wish to mark the throat, heart, hara, groin,
knees, and feet to practice various kamae.
_____________ KIHON Newsletter __________
** STATEMENT OF PURPOSE **
We at KIHON.com wish to provide a short
newsletter bringing you information about
Bujinkan dojo and upcoming training events,
as well as some insights into training that
we hope will help to further your growth as
a martial artist.
** DISCLAIMER **
It is recommended that you seek out medical
advice before following any of these suggestions.
It is also suggested that you find a qualified
instructor to guide you in your martial arts
training.
** IMPORTANT **
Please go to our website and check out what's
happening at www.KIHON.com It's worth a look!
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KIHON Newsletter and all contents
Copyright (c) 2000 by Joe Maurantonio
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