| If you're going to train on your own, for whatever | | | | students, you will start to see more and more |
| reason, it's important that you have access to the | | | | programs becoming available in this area. These |
| information that you'll need to be successful. | | | | courses can range from short subject mini-courses |
| Remember that information is power. | | | | delivered via email, all the way up to full online ninja |
| But, not all information is correct or powerful in and | | | | training programs where you get live weekly call-in |
| of itself. | | | | classes, webinar presentations, training videos and |
| As I tell the students in my online ninja training | | | | other materials. |
| programs, no one is self taught. Everyone, especially | | | | These courses are just like the new trend of online |
| those of us looking to learn something as deep and | | | | college courses and degree programs and are a great |
| unconventional as the art and philosophy of Ninjutsu | | | | substitute for those who want the guidance of a |
| needs to learn from others who have the information | | | | teacher but are limited by distance, finances, etc. |
| they need. | | | | 6. Seminars & Workshops - I have several students |
| So, in a way, even the authors of books and videos | | | | who live quite a distance away from me. These |
| are essentially your teachers - even if you never | | | | students make the several hour journey to attend |
| meet them. Of course, they can't give you any kind | | | | my regular seminars and workshops as the means by |
| of feedback about your progress or ability to | | | | which they get the information that will form the |
| demonstrate the techniques that they share, but | | | | basis for their solo training activities in between |
| they are teaching you important lessons nonetheless. | | | | sessions. This is not unlike how I, many of my peers, |
| Here is a list of some of the resources and avenues | | | | and even the grandmaster himself got our training |
| through which you can learn about this art, as-well-as | | | | from our own teachers once upon a time. |
| to gain some of the insights, techniques, tactics, and | | | | 7. Ninja Training Camps - These events are like |
| strategies that you'll be responsible for practicing on | | | | seminars but tend to be more intense and all-inclusive |
| your own. | | | | training opportunities. There is typically a theme which |
| Of course, you will need to decide which will work | | | | governs the outline and topics of a camp, and very |
| best for you, given your current situation and | | | | often the price of the event covers everything from |
| resources. The point of this article is not to tell you | | | | training to meals and lodging as well. This makes Ninja |
| which of these is best. However, you may find that | | | | Camps an intense, multi-day training experience, |
| you will need a mix of these avenues, rather than | | | | uninterrupted by the distractions of the world. |
| limiting yourself to just one or two - especially if your | | | | 8. Training in Japan - While you can certainly seek out |
| goal is mastery and not merely learning a few "cool | | | | the information to do it on your own, many teachers |
| moves." | | | | offer guided training trips to Japan each year for |
| 1. Books - These are good sources of information | | | | serious students. Rather than getting yourself bogged |
| and usually cover a wide range of topics. Books are a | | | | down in the details of getting around, figuring out |
| good medium between the text-only format of | | | | schedules, and navigating a foreign country, myself |
| articles, and the demonstration and presentation | | | | and others have taken all the guesswork out of a |
| quality of video. | | | | trip. |
| 2. Articles - With the exception of the longer versions | | | | This way, you are free to focus on training, |
| found in national magazines that can often include | | | | site-seeing, and learning about the history, spiritual |
| photo series depicting static technique examples, | | | | roots, and other sources that gave Ninjutsu it's |
| articles are generally single-topic pieces that are quick | | | | power. |
| reads and allow you to pick up a simple, isolated idea | | | | 9. Private Training - Of course, if you can afford the |
| or strategy. | | | | money but are short on time, or your schedule does |
| Of course, the problem with both articles and books | | | | not allow for you to attend regularly scheduled |
| is that you have to like to read. Unfortunately, as | | | | classes, courses, or events - you can always arrange |
| most people who are attracted to the martial arts | | | | for private, one-on-one training with your teacher. |
| tend to be physically, rather than mentally oriented | | | | While these sessions are admittedly more expensive |
| learners, these two mediums may not appeal to | | | | than any of the other sources of information listed |
| some. | | | | here, they also give you the most flexibility in that |
| 3. Videos - I've always said that if the ancient | | | | you can usually dictate what you want to learn during |
| masters had the technology that we have today, the | | | | your time with your teacher. |
| scrolls would have been video tapes and DVDs | | | | Of course there are other methods for obtaining the |
| instead! Especially in the art of Ninjutsu, you cannot | | | | information - several of them actually combine a few |
| beat the ability to watch a technique actually being | | | | of those listed individually here. One worthy of |
| demonstrated. | | | | mention is something that I did many times to get |
| And, unlike regular classes or seminar training, where | | | | the training that I needed. And that was to host or |
| you have to rely on your own interpretation of a | | | | sponsor a seminar with my teacher. |
| technique, as-well-as your memory after training - | | | | This method actually killed two birds with one stone - |
| videos allow you to "take the teacher home with | | | | if I can borrow an old saying. By doing this, I was |
| you," and to play back a technique again and again | | | | able to provide a training event for others who were |
| until you get it. | | | | far away from the teacher like myself, but they lived |
| 4. Home Study Courses - These can include both | | | | close enough to me to make the trip easier to |
| written materials and video. Home study courses | | | | handle. Sponsoring a seminar also allowed my to be |
| however, are unlike the above individual resources in | | | | slightly self-serving in that I usually got to pick the |
| that they have a set agenda and an established | | | | topics and, since the other participants were paying |
| curriculum and work-flow. | | | | to attend, my training was usually a lot less than it |
| Where books and videos provide information on | | | | would be if I were going to someone else's event. |
| given topics, a full home study course provides | | | | And, since my teacher was usually in town a bit |
| something these other learning resources do not - | | | | longer than the event, I was able to arrange for |
| logical flow for progress and skill development. | | | | some one-on-one private training outside of the |
| 5. Internet-based Training Programs | | | | seminar itself! |
| As with my own programs for my long distance | | | | |