Bujinkan question

[DerAuslander]

Real warriors have no creed... because they are too busy trying to reconcile their conscious about what they have done.


Hope and pray that you never have to be put into the position of 'a real warrior'.

You're an idiot.

[lockfield]

Real warriors have no creed... because they are too busy trying to reconcile their conscious about what they have done.


Hope and pray that you never have to be put into the position of 'a real warrior'.

in my experience they have a creed:

"don't do this.

don't do that.

don't even think about it."

because they really know that it's the shits when it happens.

[lockfield]

You're an idiot.

i will ponder on your koan.

anyways, NICE AVATAR! shiro ninja yay!

[openfist]

ah...almost two years old this thread. OK.
I'm no hoplologist, and for that matter, can't advertise myself as a serious martial artist...I can strive to be so, but will never know. Never need to. Ever striving.
blah blah....I actually made this account to comment on this thread. Here goes.
I've been a bookworm with a martial arts fetish since tender years. Reality had a lot of violence to introduce me to, so having order that could wade through the chaos made for very romantic views on the Arts.
Including Ninjaphilia. Something I grew out of pretty quickly. Too many disparate interpretations of what a Ninja is.
My problem, what led me to this forum in the first place, is I have a friend who's studying "Booj"...and has been for six months. I had heard of Tai-jitsu as an unarmed style of ninja, back in the late nineties. So, when she mentioned she was taking it, I was curious what her studies would entail.
And how those would parallel with other less controversial styles...Uechi-ryu being the one I'm most familiar with, as far as what goes on in a class. ( studied under two different teachers, two different schools, two different opinions on traditionalism vs innovation, long story, short street!)
I work out. Nothing fancy, push-ups, chin ups, squats, I try to express my body's potential. And I find physical fitness, mental focus, and understanding the principles of the physical body in motion will put a person on par with most martial artists, and absolutely leave you able to defend yourself in the real. Bear in mind my definition of defending yourself involves retreat.
Back to booj and my friend, I was used to a martial arts class involving stretching, warming up, and then a run down on the levels techniques. Be it the kumite, kata, drills, or sparring. Usually all over a two hour class.
What my friend described? Eh....it really smacked of hokum. Like, capital H, hokum.
First, the classes don't follow any coherent course. One week, it's rolling. And the class jumps about learning to roll. Ok....But then next week, it's Jo. And next? Maybe some lock drills. And next? Sitting around trying to get in touch with "Killer intent" (a term I swear I've heard before...) I'm not knocking variety.
But they never seem to revisit....or at the least, they don't revisit enough that the techniques being learned become intuitive. Natural. Available to the student outside of the class.
After six months, I expect to see some small effect from a serious student of the martial arts. And I will say, my friend, she's not so serious about anything.
But then I find myself checking out the ol Bujinkan vids (courtesy of my friends bf...they're both mad for the Hatsumi) And really, I was scoffing. Sure, fancy, intricate, smooth techniques....Perfect for Tekken. Or Street Fighter, if that's your thing.
Too many times I found myself incredulous at the total lack of resistance. The argument I got was that the motions would be so fast otherwise...they have to slow it down so folks can absorb it.
I don't buy it. And speaking of buying it, The teacher at my friends booj school....He solicited his students to donate extra money so he could purchase a sword. This is outside of the regular fees.
Something about that bothered me. It doesn't seem in the spirit of things...I mean, aren't the fees for study all that's needed? I don't know...soliciting students just seemed...Low. Petty.
Like not something your typical martial arts instructor would stoop too. Oh, sure, Booj isn't your typical martial art...
But having read this thread, I get the impression that it is something that preys on ninjaphiles everywhere. And that's what I don't like. It's taking dreams and spinning them into delusions. Sadly, Larping seems to be exactly what it is.
But....If it makes them happy, fine. It's just, as a reasonable human being, I find this eagerness to believe "Ancient shadow techniques" as authentic, just because it makes you a ninja by association sad.
I understand Booj schools change greatly depending on which and where they are.
I'm only speaking for the one I've had proxy experience in.
And I will say, it does seem perfect for folks who want to play at martial arts.
But it's dangerous thinking the play is the thing. Had to say something. Booj strikes me as hokum, preying on the desire to be a part of something exclusive. Again...sad.

[openfist]

Oh....and forgot to mention. Fights go to the ground in the street a lot. Posture up. In my experience, folks who don't get much time in the street assume folks won't ground work....why? because it's dirty? Fighting is dirty, and often, it ends with one cat atop the other.
Unless someone takes it on the chin. Or any of the other vitals that will take the fight out of them, and give you time to run.

[Styygens]

Must resist... Don't feed the trolls... Don't feed the trolls... Don't feed the trolls...

[Jim_Jude]

Must resist... Don't feed the trolls... Don't feed the trolls... Don't feed the trolls...

C'mon. Let's destroy him.

[Lindz]

who better to set a ninjer straight?

[openfist]

Constructive. Thanks. If you didn't want to "feed the trolls" you wouldn't have posted.
But then...if I wasn't a troll....I wouldn't have posted this...
Paradox. Damn you Kurgan.
Again, booj, or I should clarify, the one particular dojo in my area and how it conducts its curriculum, strike me as hokum.
Then again, so do online forums.

[It is Fake]

Have you read anything in Japanese? No, not a translation, but the actual original language?