Within the realm of the Ninja’s martial artwork coaching, regardless of the large variety of strategies, methods, and ways – there are only some essential ideas and rules that make every little thing else work. And, whereas many college students make the error of fixating on the step-by-step, mechanics of the strategies they’re studying, in case you’re aim is no-less-than mastery, then it’s best to keep away from making the identical mistake!Probably the most necessary ideas within the artwork of ninjutsu is that of footwork. Nonetheless, simply as with most issues within the Ninja’s artwork, the footwork that we’re speaking about will not be the identical that’s taught within the extra typical, sport-oriented martial arts.What I imply by that is that you shouldn’t confuse foot placement or motion – with footwork!I do know which may sound complicated, however, if we’re gong to make any important progress in our ninja martial arts coaching, past the essential degree of “form,” then we have to perceive this basic distinction. We have to keep away from bringing the concept of the stationary bouncing, shuffling, and “fancy footwork” we’re used to seeing on this planet of boxing, sport karate, and combined martial arts, out of the realm of ninjutsu.
Probably the most necessary ideas in ninpo-taijutsu (“neen-poe tie-joo-tsoo”), the Ninja’s unarmed “body-art,” is the concept of shifting on continuously bending knees. Please learn that once more and spot that I did not say shifting on “bent” knees.That is the key to the Ninja’s means to do such wonderful issues as:
Strike and kick with bone-jarring energy, however with out the identical power utilized by different fighters
Rapidly and simply reply and adapt to the opponent’s actions and assaults
Effortlessly go from punching to grappling, solely to shift once more to ship a kicking assault, and…
Execute leaps, rolls, and breakfalls as defensive AND offensive ways… from any level inside a self protection state of affairs!
And but, one of the crucial widespread errors made by the brand new pupil is to attempt to transfer on what I name “positionally-bent” knees. That is the tendency to position the knees in a bent or flexed place, after which transfer round as if this may work higher than shifting on straight legs.What this technique ignores is the essential reality of human motion that claims that we can’t transfer rapidly or effectively except each toes are on the bottom. Even after we’re doing one thing so simple as strolling, we discover it troublesome to stear or change path whereas one in every of our toes is up and off the ground. Think about how way more troublesome it’s to do something greater than easy ahead and again, or aspect to aspect shifting…
…with BOTH toes of the bottom!After we speak in regards to the idea of footwork within the Ninja’s martial artwork, we’re not talking of this primitive, two-dimensional, bent-knee hopping about. We’re pointing to using your knees in such a approach as to effectively and successfully shift the load from leg to leg, whereas sustaining steadiness management and permitting for every foot to “work” in the best way that greatest serves our wants in the mean time.
