Most of the public thinks of ninjas as assassins clad in black, with black hoods, and shoes with funny looking split-toe 'thingies.'
Most practical martial artists like to watch movies with ninjas, but they think that actual ninja training is just this side of pure fantasy.
The 'movie image' of a ninja may be close to the ninjas from Japan's past, but such an image would be impractical for this day and age.
And if you thought that you were about to get some ninja training, many of you would click away instantly -- although a few of you would love that you finally found something that agrees with your action-hero tendencies.
No, don't click away.
You are about to make some of this ninja training a bit more practical, by tweaking some old techniques.
And that really is the crux of this article. Ninja training probably does have a lot to offer, if we discard the fantasy, archaic elements of the art. And no, I haven't lost my marbles.
Here's what I mean:
Let's start with the costume. You be considered a little loony parading a ninja costume on the street, unless you were on your way to a costume party.
But the purpose of their garb was to blend in. They wore comouflage in the rough terrain, white outfits in the snow, and black in the night.
So, one of your tactics could be to blend in. Dress the way people on the street dress. Walk the way they walk.
If you want to blend in while frequenting a business district, dress appropriately. Don't dress or act like a martial artist.
Darts or stars dipped in poison? I mean really. Not likely.
And there is no chance of getting on a plane with such paraphernalia,
nowadays. Such person would be branded terrorist instantly. And well he
(or she) should be. Get real.
But having something in your pocket to throw, isn't such a bad idea.
Spare change, or a handful of marbles? Get creative.
Do you see what I am doing?
I am taking archaic habits, and I am giving them a modern dose of
reality. I try to preserve the intent of the tactic.
With clothing, the goal is to blend in. With the shuriken, they wanted a
throwable weapon, usually to distract.
I just want a throwable weapon.
Are their other ninja techniques, that you could modify?
Picking your exits ahead of time?
Learning to traverse slick surfaces without slipping?
Learning to hide?
Pick an exercise. Eliminate the comic-book, fantasy aspect, and
have at it.
You might find some valuable principles.
Some schools do train in the way of the ninja, and they have modernized
the art to fit their times. And some schools have not.
There are some obvious clues as to which school one might be dealing
with. Can you guess those clues?
If not, reread this article.
Note: I still take self defense into consideration. I wear shoes that I can kick
with, and I am not usually found in restrictive clothing.
Throwing Stars (shuriken)
Your Turn
End Note:
What if I could absolutely guarantee that your punches will be devastatingly powerful and super fast?
And what if I could guarantee that all of your punches will be more effective? This means getting in on your enemy when you need to.
Suspend your disbelief for just a minute or two --
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