Learn to walk before you run !

An article by Hatsumi Sensei.

This is another article from Hatsumi Sensei.All I can say is that I
wish I could do the things included in this article. We tried Shinden
Fudo Ryu Ukemi the other day and I failed miserably. LOL. Never
mind this is for the more acrobatic bugeisha amongst us.

Before discussing further techniques, I would like to

point out that when one decides to study ninjutsu one
must also realise that the true study involves many, many
aspects, including tradition and history. It is not enough
to concentrate on just the physical techniques or the
weapons.
There are so many misconceptions about the ninja;
especially in the West where they are characterised in
sensational movies, television shows and books as little
more than a ruthless assassins and spies for hire. They are
portrayed as black clad magicians with supernatural
powers who can appear and disappear at will; who can
swim like fish or fly like a bird; who can walk on water
or predict the future.
There are, of course, those ninja who can execute their
craft so well that they give an appearance of being able to
perform these super human feats; but appearances, as you
must know, can be deceiving. Ninpo is a science, not
black magic.
As for the ninja have being depicted as mere mercenaries,
this is an unfortunate magnification of isolated cases.
Certainly there were "rogue" ninja, as there were rogue
samurai or sailors or anyone who went awry of the code
of justice they had sworn to. But these were minor
compared to the whole. Those of you who have read my
book, Ninjutsu: History and Tradition, will probably
recall that portion dealing with this aspect. Rather than
seeing themselves as mercenaries or thugs, the ninja
"considered themselves to be merely practitioners of
political, religious and military strategies that were
cultural opposites of the conventional outlooks of the
times. Ninjutsu developed as a highly illegal counter
culture to the ruling samurai elite, and for this reason
alone, the origins of the art were shrouded by centuries of
mystery, concealment and deliberate confusion of
history."
The history of the Ninpo, in fact, is marked by a strong
code of moral and just behaviour that applies not only to

the fighting or military aspects, to the everyday life of the

ninja. And learning to attain sei shin (or right mind) is
essential to becoming a ninja.
Some facets of the moral code are:
Loyalty, bravery and trustworthiness. He must be fair
minded; exposed to the different ways of thinking and the
customs of different types of people
He must also be a man of virtue and commitment, willing
to defend justice without selflessness and without fear of
death.
He must not engage in petty arguments or have double
standards.
Then there is the understanding of the spirit of Budo, the
samurai, the perfect gentleman-kind hearted, understanding
and devoted to his training.
Being called a ninja is a great honour, like being called a
great samurai. One who seeks peace and enlightenment, not
violence.

The flying bird also tumbles

Hicho kaiten is a very special, secret technique with many
variations. In real life birds not only fly, they land and
walk and run in particular ways. So,too, must the ninja
learn not only to jump and elevated himself, but how to
land from various heights in various positions; how to
"blanket" his fallen opponent or to elude the night
stalking swordbearer and his cohorts. This is just one of
the countless reasons why the study of nature is all
important when learning ninjutsu.

Conditioned reflexes
To be able to perform the many twisting, turning leaps and rolls, the student must be certain to
condition himself, to exercise and stretch properly. Flexibility of the hip joint is an absolute
essential to ensure mobility. Good, supple muscle tone and resilience are key factors for
avoiding injury. At times the ninja out must elevate quickly without warning, or dive
headlong that the ground, or sideways out of the swords slashing path; always the the ninja
must have the presence of mind to act with control and understanding of the situation so that
shuriken, blinding powder or a handful of dirt can be brought to into instant play as an added

measure of defence. So you see, there is no "magic" in being a ninja. There is, instead, quite a
lot of hard, intelligent work involved.

1/ Hatsumi Sensei stands composed while

being held by two would be assailants
2/ he then quickly and unexpectedly drops
straight down
3/ and backward, breaking their hold while at
the same time grasping they're wrist.
4/ From this basic position, Hatsumi Sensei
can to either side, striking his opponents at the
neck or head.
5/ or, if Hatsumi Sensei prefers, he can
continue his backward roll
6/ maintaining his wrist holds to force them
into submission