K I H O N
Newsletter #9
August 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. Submissions are welcome.
**** CONTENTS ****
SPECIAL FEATURE: The Meaning of Koppo,
by Pete Reynolds, shidoshi
1. Taijutsu Tips: Tips to enhance your training.
2. Kata Ideas: Form variations worth trying.
3. Buki Training: Thoughts on armed taijutsu.
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: Contact info.
8. Shoshin Comments: Endnote.
*** SPECIAL FEATURE *****
The Meaning of Koppo
Pete Reynolds, shidoshi
Hatsumi Sensei has said that this is the year of
koppo, so he has been talking a lot about it, but
what is Koppo? Koppo is often associated with
koppojutsu or bone attacking, and that's part of
it, but now when Sensei talks about koppo, he is
talking about something much deeper. That being
said, it's been very difficult to grasp the full
meaning of what koppo is.
Koppo has been translated as "the knack," as in
the knack of fighting. This translation is good,
but it doesn't convey what the knack is,
specifically the knack to which Hatsumi Sensei
refers.
The way Sensei has been explaining it, Koppo is
the dissolving away of techniques and the
elimination of intention. One example that he gave
involved several sword schools whose foundation
was never having the intention of cutting. This
was superior because by not trying to cut, there
was never a weakness exposed. The swordsman would
move into the weak point of the attacking enemy,
placing his sword in the right spot, and due to
the characteristics of the blade and the natural
movement of the human body, the opponent would
actually cut himself.
In like fashion, by dissolving away your
techniques, and the intention of applying them,
you will eliminate your weak points. The essence
is to simply move into your opponent's weak spot
with the proper timing and kamae, (and of course
kamae includes the complete feeling and spirit
that truly is kamae, not just a static physical
pose). That's it, no more, no less.
Hatsumi Sensei said this past Friday night that
this is the first year that he has taught koppo,
and that he is just now ready and able to teach
it, and that we are just now becoming capable of
learning it. This speaks to the complexity and
high level of what koppo is. Like an onion that
has many layers, koppo, I'm sure, has many layers
as well.
*** Taijutsu Tips *****
Taking Responsibility
Glenn Catania, BNYD
The true joy of training is not for your teacher,
but for yourself. Many times students tend to put
a little less than their all into the practice of
a technique, then really turn it on when they
notice their teacher is watching. Why? Ask
yourself. We all need that feeling of a pat on the
back or hearing "good job."
However, it is more important to know for
ourselves that we have done something correctly.
Our teachers are there to guide us, not to hand us
our ability or praise. They take us on a train and
show us the different stops along the way (kata).
It is not the job of your sensei to teach you how
to drive the engine (budo), but to help you learn
it in your own way. You decide what you want to
get out of it, and how much coal to put in the
furnace.
Few things can compare to the bond between teacher
and student. It is a very special relationship. A
good teacher has a very caring attitude for you.
He works towards giving you everything you want
out of training, but the true responsibility is
yours. The greatest compliment you can give your
Sensei is truly to do the best you can every time.
Put the lessons they give you to work in every
turn you take of a waza, both as the defender and
as attacker. Take responsibility for your own
advancement, and you will advance more and more.
*** Kata Ideas *****
Koku - Empty Space
Don Houle, Bujinkan Middlesex Shibu
One of the first kata that I usually teach to
people who are new to training, but have a grasp
of the basics, is Koku from Gyokko Ryu. The name
of this kata translates to "empty space." It's a
relatively simple kata made up of only two
movements performed by the attacker (uke) and
three or four by the defender (tori).
The fundamental concept is to use basic kamae,
distancing, and angles to defeat the opponent. The
concepts of uke nagashi (receiving flow), shuto
(hand edge strike), keri kaeshi (kick deflection)
and the boshiken (spear fist) strike are all
demonstrated in this kata. Once one begins to feel
comfortable with these movements, the student can
begin to "play" with the angles and directions of
the strikes.
The real beauty of this kata is that it employs
some rather advanced strategy as well. Like the
name suggests, the defender does not just avoid
the attacker's strikes and counter with her own,
but leads the attacker to his own destruction by
opening up what seems to be a weak point and
directing the attacker to it. When the opponent
takes the bait and attacks, he finds his strike
has passed through empty space, only to have the
defender counter from an unexpected angle and
finish the fight.
Once one has a grasp of the physical aspects of
this kata, one can begin to look more deeply into
the strategic lessons to be learned. As with all
kata, as students progress through training, they
will hopefully discover "hidden" treasures in each
movement.
*** Buki Training *****
Building Up Your Bokken
Fred F. Feddeck, BNYD
Many people have commented on the weight and
texture of my bokken--it is nice and solid, strong
and heavy. However, it was not always like this.
At one time it was just a generic, mass-produced
$9.95 bokken-- destined to splinter and shatter
unless steps were taken. Through some initial
trial and error I found a way to "treat" a bokken
(or any wooden training tool for that matter) so
that it would not only feel better in your hands,
but would also stand up to training much longer.
Now let's return to the mass-produced $9.95 bokken
that you just bought. After unwrapping it from the
plastic wrap, look at the glossy varnish all over
the wood. This is the first thing that you need to
remove. Underneath is some very dried out wood
that needs to be refinished and treated. The
varnish hides this and allows a cheap bokken like
this to look good on the surface. Get some
sandpaper and sand off all the varnish from your
bokken. While you are doing that, sand down the
point a little also to make it a bit safer.
Once you have done this, get some lemon oil (you
can buy lemon oil in the cleaning section of you
supermarket, as it is used to replenish and
nourish the natural oils in wood) and rub it into
the entire bokken. Do this every morning for a
couple of weeks until the wood can not absorb any
more. Lightly sand the bokken one more time and
wipe it down with lemon oil once more and you are
ready. By now your bokken should be darker in
color and feel much more strong and solid. From
here the only thing that is needed is an
occasional sanding to remove any wood dents from
training and a good wiping of lemon oil once or
twice a month to keep the bokken in top shape.
*** Shidoshi Insights *****
Enzan No Metsuke -
"Viewing The Distant Mountain"
Joe Maurantonio, shidoshi (BNYD)
"Enzan no metsuke" is a technical skill imparted
to the students of budo regarding where to look
when facing an opponent. Rather than focusing on
the opponent's eyes, view their face, shoulders,
and torso while permitting your peripheral vision
to take in all that is beyond them and about you.
Centering your vision on an opponent's eyes will
cause a "tunnel vision" to occur, thus limiting
one's ability to deal with additional attackers.
Furthermore, should you focus on your opponent's
gaze you may be distracted by him looking in
another direction.
Deeper within this concept of viewing beyond our
opponent is the viewing of our present situation
in the context of its possible future outcomes.
Simply put, this is being aware of one's present
actions and how they may effect the moments, days,
and weeks ahead.
*** Budo Quotes *****
Modern budo students often forget to practice by
themselves. I used to practice by myself. When there
was no teacher, I found the secret teachings by my
own desire... In this way, I trained myself for my
own benefit.
By Masaaki Hatsumi
[Ninpo: Wisdom for Life, Page 15]
http://www.kihon.com/ninpo/
*** Keiko Events *****
* Tai Kai Atlanta 2000
Koto Ryu Koppojutsu, Teppan & Ninja-to
Hatsumi Masaaki, Soke
Atlanta, Georgia
August 18 - 21, 2000
* Mark O'Brien USA Seminars
http://www.kihon.com/mob.html
* Bujinkan New York Dojo Seminars
http://www.kihon.com/dojo/events.html
*** Dojo Locations *****
Bujinden Hombu Dojo
Atago, Noda-shi
Chiba-ken, 278, Japan
Bujinkan New York Dojo
27 Milburn Street
Bronxville, NY 10708
Bujinkan Bellaire Dojo
Houston Gymnastics Academy
5756 So. Rice Blvd.
Houston, TX
Bujinkan Middlesex Shibu
300A Carlton Ave
Piscataway, NJ 08854
*** Shoshin Comments *****
Don't Wait To Be Spoon Fed
Lauren Brandstein, editor
For a long time I have been meaning to update my
notes. Any day, I thought, I would sit down and go
over a lot of the terms for basic techniques we
don't necessarily use every day. I would make sure
I knew all the ken (fists) and kamae (postures),
the kihon happo, and all the other basics I
*ought* to be fluent in by now. Of course the day
never came, until recently.
A few weeks ago in class, sensei announced that he
would be giving a "test." Everyone was assigned a
technique or two, by the Japanese name, to
demonstrate to the class. We were being "tested"
on our ability to recognize the technique to which
each term referred, and our ability to perform the
technique correctly at its most fundamental level.
At the end of that class, after sweating and
stuttering, succeeding or failing to remember and
perform the correct technique, we were told that
in two weeks the material covered that day would
be reviewed. We had two weeks to learn the names
and forms we had gotten wrong. As I'm sure many
other students did, I immediately went home and
reviewed the dojo manual, as well as some of my
own notes and files, and the occasional book.
I realized the purpose of such a "test" was not
entirely what most people think of when they hear
that word. The purpose was not to "catch" me being
a poor student, but to remind me of what I should
have been doing all along. I should have been well
prepared for such a test, not because I "studied
for it," but because I had already been studying
regularly in order to learn and improve. The two
week "deadline" merely reinforced the immediacy
and importance of study as a part of training. No
one is going to tell us exactly what to do and
when we need to do it, it's up to us to seek out
knowledge and training whenever and wherever we
can. A great teacher and friend, Glenn Catania,
summed it up best: "Take responsibility for your
own training, don't wait to be spoon fed."
_______________ 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 **
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KIHON Newsletter and all contents
Copyright (c) 2000 by Joe Maurantonio
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