Ft Lauderdale Bujinkan

Thinking out loud here. There are a few basic concepts that exist in all martial arts that we focus on our regular training. Balance, posture, distance, angle, inertia, timing, intent, tension, etc. There are many. There are also correlations between them. Then we have Kyusho points. The general idea is that these are "sensitive areas" of human body that once pressed something happens. Not true in my opinion as this is a very misleading description. Some are not points, they are areas, some can be pressed, other pulled, other need rotation, etc. Either way many hope to learn these and hope they can use them against an attacker. But these points are completely useless if the first category is not undestood. If an attacker comes with intent, power, speed, most likely benefiting by the surprise element, too, you don't have time to hit any of those points. This is why Hatsumi Sensei recommended to study Gyokko Ryu (which has lots of basic elements described above and a bit less emphasis on pressure points) and then Koto Ryu (which probably has the most emphasis on these pressure points). So that the art of using the pressure points is a natural extension of the normal martial art, not a magic power on its own. At least I am not aware of a good way to use it otherwise. So lately we are trying to embed pressure points awareness in our natural flow. Seems odd, but it has to be a natural movement added slightly to a real, beneficial martial arts movement, not a separate movement by itself. I can't just kick a guy in the groin, first I need to be close enough to be able to execute that, but wait - he can punch me at that distance, he may have a guard, one leg in front, and he's moving. What then? This is where the martial arts training begins, not by knowing some points...

For those that missed our last classes, we are continuously evolving and currently working on a free flow attack. And we apply our core concepts to evade attacks (punch-kick combinations, knife and even pistol), take control and counter attack without using a fixed technique or strategy but a free body flow adaptable to the attack to a reflex level. It is a strange feeling, but applying the Bujinkan concepts, as taught by Hatsumi Sensei and the current Japanese Sokes, does allow us to feel a step ahead in the game. It is not magic and cannot fully replace body mass advantage or athleticism, but it still is a very relevant regardless of martial art practiced. Keep in mind Bujinkan is not a style, it is a methodology and can apply to any style.

Next goal: stretching. 3 months / 90 days program. 15 minutes per day. I am personally curious to see if I can do, again, a full split if I am going through this. Anyone else welcomed. Free and online (in WhatsApp group to do a sound off daily). Will start next week.

This year I think we will incorporate more kicks into our training. I think this may lure someone to believe this is not Bujinkan training, however it is. This is Ninjutsu, it is misleading. You can present an old car, but under the hood to have a tuned up monster beast. Similarly our techniques, taken separately may exist or coexist in other martial arts but our mindset, strategy and feelings align perfectly with the Bujinkan mindset taught by Hatsumi Sensei. But kicking requires excellent flexibility, which is something we know Hatsumi Sensei was very good at. In this video is well in his sixties and showing an amazing flexibility. And he was always very adamant about this part as this is what frees the body movements. In the month of July I will try a 60 day challenge to do a full split. Anyone can join for free. I will try to see if I can find any resources for the exercises I know online, worst case I will film myself doing them. There are really only 4 and maybe about 10-15 minutes per day. Keep in touch

Hatsumi Masaaki - Ryûtai Undo Hatsumi sensei showing various parts of the flexibility practice in Ryûtai Undo.

Class today. Focus on timing today and attacking. I know, in Bujinkan in general defensive scenarios are preferred, yet, almost every class we study attacking, too. Why? Very simple, sometimes situation requires or, very simple scenario, you get attacked, survive the attack and then the fight continues from neutral. What do you do? There is probably no longer an element of surprise, no over committed attacks. And what if you are weaker, smaller, less armed. How would a small woman or girl approach this to have a chance to survive? Defense is not always the answer. Attack may be dangerous, but how Nagato Sensei says, can you move in without openings? How to manage the risks... It is an interesting topic. Always something to learn, explore, evolve and have fun.

Class for today? What should we focus on? Please comment your recommendations 🙏

Its been a long time since our last post, I apologize, but things are still moving, we still practice regularly. Sometimes a bit of a break in communication helps out as we are in a relatively new phase of development. Yes, our organization is made out of 9 schools with a relative fixed set of techniques and katas, bla bla bla, yes, we follow all these, yet there is a core element, which is really Hatsumi Sensei, that interconnects and transcends these 9 schools and, in my honest opinion, all conflicts whether external (martial arts, conflict resolutions, harassment) but also internal (lack of confidence, depression, anxiety), all are addressed by our practice. So accepting and leaving behind the part where our school is following our traditional roots, and names, and all the lingo and the ideas specific to our teachings, we as human beings always find ways to improve ourselves, and this school is continuously evolving but not in katas and techniques but in methodologies to practice and teach. Thanks to an amazing group of people that train with us, as a token of gratitude but also because of the mutual thirst to push on to new boundaries, we came up with new exciting approaches to train. Our practice becomes relevant for a lot of different scenarios and we keep improving. So the fact that you see no posts does not mean we stopped but that we are just... temporarily taking notes :)

Another year has passed and we are moving forward in our understanding of this great martial art and Hatsumi Sensei's legacy. We've made more changes in our approach, based on our evolution and feed back, we are radically changing our approach by changing our "basic training". We've determined, through trial and error, that the current "basic training" in our organization is actually a very advanced training, and there is a trap there because new students will apply it wrong from the beginning, thus creating bad habits that are much much harder to fix. So to prevent that we created an intermediate step between "nothing" and "basic training". In our experiments this proved to be a "night and day" difference. Even "simple" technics like Gokyo No Kata/Sanshin No Kata are performed so much better. So we will start 2024 full of energy and excitement with the new path. See you in class ;)

Happy New Year!

First class of 2023 starts tomorrow!
This year we continue with Koto Ryu Koppojutsu, we will start on Togakure Ryu, too, include some self defense applications, continue study of sword and Kuji In and Kuji Kiri... lots to do :)

Also another thing to add, last class of the month we will have grade exams! No matter who shows up they will be examined for their next level. How about that as a challenge? :D

Stop finding excuses, see you in class