| Are you interested in mastering the art of ninjutsu? I | | | | It would be easy and logical to make the assumption |
| may be a bit biased since it's the art that I have | | | | that the ninja's martial art is a blend of at least these |
| been training in since 1980, but I can certainly | | | | three martial arts. So, it would only stand to reason |
| understand why. Ninjutsu - the art of Japan's ancient | | | | that, if you learn each one, then you would be doing |
| shadow warriors - is a composite system of many | | | | the same thing - even without an authentic Ninja |
| arts and disciplines that come together to create one | | | | teacher to guide you. |
| of the most complete systems of self protection and | | | | And, unfortunately...you'd be wrong. |
| personal enlightenment ever developed. | | | | Again, "we can only see what we know." And, if you |
| But, there is a huge misconception within the martial | | | | don't know that the martial arts of Japan looked |
| arts world as to exactly what makes up the Ninja's | | | | very different prior to the Meiji Restoration in the |
| self defense system. This misunderstanding is created | | | | mid 1800's, then you would have no way of knowing |
| as a result of the truth that "we can only see what | | | | that the arts I listed above were born of their |
| we know." | | | | founder's response to the laws enacted during that |
| Does that make sense? | | | | time, and not the original forms as they had been |
| What I mean is this: if you only know baseball and | | | | developed and passed down to that point. |
| golf, then the game of cricket is going to look like a | | | | I can assure you that the Ninja's taijutsu ("body art"), |
| screwed up game that was made up by combining | | | | or unarmed self defense method, just like everything |
| baseball and golf - not cricket. The same goes for | | | | in the art, is unlike anything being practiced today. |
| the martial arts. | | | | That includes not only the way techniques are |
| If you see "judo" when you see a ninja applying a | | | | applied, but even the very way that a Ninja sees and |
| throwing technique... | | | | thinks about combat and the techniques he uses to |
| Aikido when you see him applying a joint lock, and... | | | | defend himself and others. |
| Karate when you see him punching and kicking... | | | | |