Ju-Kyu 10th kyu

(Attendance requirement 24 classes 2 month minimum)

1. Rei Ho 2. Zenpo Kaiten 3. Sokuho Kaiten 4. Koho kaiten 5. Daijodan Shomen Giri Sabaki 6. Hasso Kesa Giri Sabaki 7. Hasso Gyaku Kesa Giri Sabaki 8. Fudoken Tsuki Shizen no Kamae 9. Sokuyakuken Zenpo Geri Shizen no Kamae 10. Shizen no Kamae 11. Ichimonji no Kamae 12. Asagasumi 13. Shinchu

Rei Ho (manners and etiquette)

Proper manners and respect are central to the Japanese Dojo. Budo begins and ends with respect! It is first important to realize that all members must be treated with care and respect. At no time should you be careless and injure your partner. The Dojo operates on a Senpai/Kohai protocol. Meaning the seniors (senpai) are to look after the juniors (kohai) and the juniors are to be respectful of the seniors. Respect is a two way street and it is the seniors responsibility to be an example to the junior. The Dojo must be respected at all times; it is the responsibility of all students to keep the Dojo clean and safe. This shows gratitude and proper heart and mind. The first of the formal manners is called 1. Dojo Rei. When entering the Dojo please announce yourself with either of the following: 1. Ohaiyo Gozaimasu (good morning) 2. Konnichi wa (good afternoon) 3. Konban wa (good evening) Place your shoes in the genkan shoe area and proceed quickly to the changing area. Once changed place bags and coats in closet. If there is a class in progress please keep very quiet and wait in waiting area. Once mat is clear you may enter mat area.

Before stepping on the mat bow, then step left foot first. Once on the mat, face kamidana and bow. If you have to leave the mat, reverse this procedure. Once on the mat please go through your warmup practice quietly. After call is over, all students straighten up the Dojo and then change their cloths. If you need to see Sensei please let him know at the end of class and he will make time to talk to you, otherwise please exit the Dojo quickly so as not to hold up sensei or any students. Before you leave please announce in a loud clear voice, Sayonara which is a proper way to say goodbye. Never leave trash or belongings in the Dojo and never damage the Dojo in any way. 2. Shinzen rei The senior student will call out seiretsu! This is a command to kneel in a line before the kami dana according to rank. The highest rank on the right and moving down from that. Once everyone is in line, the senior will command, mokuso! On hearing this place your right hand on top of left palms up thumbs touching. Close your eyes and allow your breath to wash away thoughts and tensions. Sensei will say mokuso yame! You then open your eyes and place your hands on your thighs. Sensei will place hands in gassho and students follow suit. Sensei says chihaya furu kami no oshie wa, took shie ni tadashiki kokoro miomamoruran. Shikin haramitsu daikomyo! Students follow with Shikin haramitsu daikomyo! Everyone claps twice then one full bow, another single clap and a final bow. Sensei turns to face students. Senior students says Shisei o tada shite, sensei ni rei! Everyone bows saying onegaishimasu. When sensei announces Keiko hajime! Training will begin. At the end of class this bow in is the same except when bowing to each other all will say arigato gozaimashita! And then the senior student will say sogo ni rei! (to each other bow) and the students will bow alone again saying arigato gozaimashita! 3. Shi rei

When sensei gives you a teaching, you say hai sensei domo arigato gozaimashita. When sensei gives a command you say hai sensei! It is the same for a senior student except say senpai instead of sensei. 4. Ritsu rei This is the standing bow. Stand six feet in front of partner hands at sides bow from hips. Before training say onegaishimasu. After say Arigato gozaimasu. 5. Seiza rei From kneeling bow and say the same as in the standing bow.

6. Jinchu rei Bend on your right knee place bosshiken onto ground and say o te yawara kani! Assume kamae.

Kaiten Gata
Kaiten gata means roll over or rolling patterns. In the art of Bujinkan Ninpo/Budo Taijutsu rolling is very important. It is part of a larger over all student called Sabaki Gata Taihen Jutsu which means moving and body changing forms. This is the core of what we do! You MUST be able to move your body freely and in all directions at will. The movement should resemble a monkey. In the beginning rolling is used in order to have techniques done on you in training without becoming injured. You learn to translate the energy of the technique being done to you into a roll thus dissipating it. From this humble beginning rolling then is used to escape and counter and even attack. As with all things please practice slowly and make sure to understand and integrate all of the fine details. Only by many slow and correct repetitions can a technique become second nature, and only by becoming second nature can you ever hope to have a technique at your disposal if you ever need it. 1. Zenpo Kaiten- Zenpo kaiten means forward rollover. It is used any time you need to get away from something behind you or to accommodate any energy pushing you forward from behind. It is the most basic roll and the foundation which all other rolls are built upon.

To begin, squat down all the way to the floor. Place the palms of your hands on the floor; next choose which side you wish to roll over. If you choose to roll over your right shoulder then turn your right hand fingers to point towards your left whilst keeping your left hand fingers pointing forward. Place your right elbow on the floor and look over your left shoulder. Roll over your right shoulder making sure to land on your upper back and not your shoulder itself. Roll diagonally from right shoulder to left hip and roll as to land on both feet in the same squat you started with. Make sure to keep knees in chest and exhale when you roll over. As you improve please try to keep looking back towards the direction you rolled away from. 2. Koho Kaiten- Koho kaiten means backwards rollover and it is the opposite of the front rollover. It is used to escape from danger in front of you or to accommodate an attack aimed to the front of your body. To begin, squat down to the floor, sit on the floor. Choose which side you wish to roll over and turn your head to look over the chosen shoulder. Pull both knees over the shoulder you are looking over and use your hands to help you return to the starting squatting position. Remember to try to keep looking to the direction you are rolling away from. 3. Sokuho Kaiten- Sokuho kaiten means sideways roll over and is used to evade and attack and roll to the side or to accommodate an attack or push that is coming at you from the side. To begin squat all the way to the ground. Place both hands on the ground fingers facing forward. Choose which side you wish to roll over and place that elbow to the ground. Roll over horizontally across your shoulder blades, using both hands regain your squatting position. Make sure to keep eyes looking forward at all times. These three rolls form the foundation of every other roll that comes after them. Study these three hard and understand the why how and when of each roll. All of Taijutsu is based on the lessons learned in these rolls.

Zantotsu Sabaki
Zantotsu sabaki is moving against the thrusts and cuts of a sword. These are taught in the beginning to further reinforce Bujinkan martial arts unique strategy for dealing with danger and aggression. Central to our philosophy is

that we never fight force with force and never vie for force vectors. Instead we allow what is strong to be strong and what is aggressive to be aggressive and we change our perspective and relationship to it. Instead of trying to change that which doesnt want to be changed, we allow it to be and we change, we are always free to change and in this way we can always contour the outcome to our choosing. If you stand in front of some force, you might be amazed at the strength power and pressure it can create. But if you simply step aside you might be amazed at the vulnerability of that same force. This lesson is clearly seen in a situation where a friend has a problem that is causing them great grief, for you there might be an easy solution and you cannot see what all of the anxiety is about. The reason you can see so clearly the easy answer is perspective. YOU are not in front of the problem, your friend is and all your friend can feel is pressure and stress, standing in front of it fighting it off is futile and only brings your friend every type of grief. If only he can step aside and see it from your viewpoint As all things in Ninpo the lessons start in very physical ways and then we begin to see they apply in exactly the same way on the mental, emotional and spiritual levels. When you face a sword, one thing you learn very quickly is that you cannot stand in front of it and try to block it or stop it, it is very clear that you will lose! Your only hope is to move out of harms way and from this new perspective you can clearly see the path to victory Once you can freely move your body against full speed attacks with a sword (dont worry we use a safety training sword) punches and kicks seem very slow 1. Daijodan Shomen Giri Sabaki- This is an evasive movement against a cut to the front of your head. Once learned this movement will also work against and straight centerline attack which is the real lesson being taught. From holding the sword overhead in the daijodan position, your partner (uke) will step forward and cut to the front of your head. You begin by standing in a natural position (shizen no kamae) and as the attack begins, step to the forward corner with either foot while swinging the trailing leg back behind you in a semi circular motion. You want to arrive in a position 45 degrees in relation to the cut with 70% of your weight on the lead leg and 30 % on the rear. Lead leg bent

rear leg straight. You lead hand should be lightly placed on your partners (uke) closest hand and your read hand held at your rear hip. Your partner (uke) will then step back and raise the sword to the original position and you will stand guard in ichimonji no kamae. This is called zanshin and means to remain on guard and aware. At this point the technique has been finished.

2. Hasso Kesa Giri Sabaki- In this technique your partner (uke) stands holding the sword in a stance similar to holding a baseball bat and in fact this as well as all of the zan totsu sabaki lessons work just as well against attacks with baseball bats, pipes clubs etc From this position, your partner (uke) will cut in a downward cut from shoulder to hip. You begin in a natural position (shizen no kamae) and receive the cut by dropping down on the knee that is on the same side the cut is coming from. It is very important to drop as low as you can and try to place the elbows on the ground as you look at your partner (uke). From this position, your partner (uke) cuts straight downward you receive this cut by doing zenpo kaiten 45 degrees to the rear corner on the same side of the knee you dropped on. Your partner (uke) will step back into Daijodan no kamae and you will guard the distance with Ichimonji no Kamae. This is called zanshin and means to remain on guard and aware. At this point the technique has been finished. 3. Hasso Gyaku Kesa Giri Sabaki- In this technique your partner (uke) stands in the same position as in technique #2, but this time reverses the above cut and cuts you from hip to shoulder. You while standing in a natural position (shizen no kamae) step 45 degrees to the back corner opposite from the side of the cut with the foot closest to the direction you are going. Lean deeply in ichimonji no kamae with your lead hand dropped down to totally avoid the cut. At this point your partner (uke) steps in with a horizontal cut to your body and you escape with a sideward roll (sokuho kaiten). Your partner will step back to hasso no kamae and you stand guard in ichimonji no kamae. This is called zanshin and means to remain on guard and aware. At this point the technique has been finished.

Daken Gata
Daken gata means how to hit with the various ken. Ken in Japanese in this case means sword, weapon or fist. Fist in the case can be a foot or knee or elbow or even a head butt! There are 16 of these special fists or ken taught in the basic black belt program. In Japanese these are called Hiken Juroppo or, 16 secret fists This study of specialized body weapons is very important and along with kyusho (vital point) training or marksmanship it forms the core of your striking training 1. Fudo-ken- Fudoken means solid or immoveable weapon. To form this weapon fold all of your fingers into a standard fist held tight with your thumb. The striking surface is the two large knuckles of the hand and the bottom of the fist or hammer fist, when used as a hammer fists it is called tsuiken literally hammer fist. When held with fist vertical it is called tate-ken (vertical fist) when held with fist horizontal palm down it is called un-ken and when held upward it is called ah-ken. Tsuki KataThe first method of delivery is called tsuki kata or thrusting pattern, this is to actually stab or thrust the weapon into the target this is done in two main ways in the beginning. The first way is stepping forward 1. Zenpo Ashi Tsuki- means forward stepping thrust. Standing in a natural stance (shizen no kamae), step forward thrusting the weapon into the target, make sure than the weapon lands before your stepping foot. There should be a straight line down your arm through your spine into your rear foot and into the ground. Your back hand should form a fist on your rear hip. Weight is 70 % on front leg. Step back into the original position. 2. Koho Ashi Tsuki- This is exactly the same as the above technique except you slide your rear foot backward to arrive in the same finished position.

1. Sokuyaku-ken- This mean foot dancing weapon and refers to the action of the foot on impact. Your foot dances once it hits, its like stepping on a gas pedal. This weapon can be deployed in many ways, but the most basic is with the front kick. Keri Kata1. Zenpo Geri- This is a forward kick. Stand in a natural position (shizen no kamae). Raise the kicking leg knee high and thrust the foot into the target, once contact is made press the foot as though pressing on a gas pedal When using this kick to deploy sokuyaku-ken, it is very important to raise the kicking knee flat into the chest and point the bottom of the foot directly at the target. While you do this the supporting leg must bend deeply at the knee for balance and power. Retract the kick without losing balance and place the foot on the ground to resume the starting position.

Kamae Kata
Kamae means posture. But more than just a posture it is like a battle formation if you think of your body and limbs as soldiers, you line them up in specific was for exactly the same reason thy do it on battlefields. In the beginning you will just need to memorize how to stand in these various ways as you learn how to move defend and strike. In time you will learn the intention and complex strategy and variations that are the deeper study of this topic. Your training starts with the two most important kamae there are 1. Shizen no kamae- This is a natural standing posture, stand with legs shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent, spine in its natural position and place your hands at your sides, your gaze is forward and you should be relaxed without any specific intention. There are 6 basic variations as listed below: Feet side by side facing forward. Right foot forward. Left foot forward. Right foot back. Left foot back. Feet side by side facing to the rear.

2. Ichimonji no kamae- This is a defensive guarding posture with your lead arm outstretched and your rear hand guarding around your shoulder. Your legs are spread wide with your heels on the same line and your body held sideways to the aggressor. Your weight is 70% on your rear leg, eyes straight ahead. Ichimonji no kamae means #1 posture and refers to the outstretched arm which resembles the way the #1 is written in Japanese. The feeling of this posture is defense and escape, the outstretched guarding arm is meant to hinder the aggressors attempts at a clear unobstructed attack at a vital area. The rear hand is a secondary defense in case your first line of defense fails. This posture should be done in high middle and low variations. You should practice in the following ways: Left leg forward. Right leg forward. Pivot from facing forward to facing rear.

Kyusho
The word kyusho can be translated to mean vital areas these are weak points in the human body and include but are not limited to pressure points There are mental and spiritual kyusho as well.. Developing great accuracy in locating and attacking these kyusho is a very important aspect of your training in this art and should be studied relentlessly 1. Asagasumi- This name translates into morning mist, the kuden (secret oral transmission) as to why it is called this will not be taught at this time, but it will be once you reach a higher grade, this holds true for all kyusho. And being true kuden they are always taught in person and never written down in a book. Asagasumi is a point located under the chin. Striking this point strongly ensures the person will become unconscious 2. Shinchu- center of the spirit. This point is located in the middle of the breastplate. Attacking here is very powerful and can even kill. Great care must be taken when striking this target! Years ago I had an overzealous student strike another student at this point with what didnt really seem to be that hard of a strike but it resulted with my students breastplate being cracked! Always remember this story and take great care in training with your partners