Bujinkan Training Videos

my video exploring the Bujinkan Kuden of 闘てない Tōtenai. This means not fighting. Which seems like a counter intuitive martial arts philosophy. But Hatsumi Sensei always reminds us that he is not fighting. In the full video I cover: Holding Position   Letting go of position   Dissolve into mist   Not being a target (more...)

We warmed up with 腰折 koshi ore with the hanbo. The main theme for the class was 闘てない tōtenai, which means not fighting. Hatsumi Sensei always tells us not to fight while doing our taijutsu. With that in mind, we used the hanbo to adapt against a resisting opponent. It is very natural to change (more...)

my Bujinkan video exploring the Bujinkan idea of 触る コントロール Sawaru kontorōru, touch control. We began with an attacker kicking. We do a gedan uke, then “discover” a point of control. In this case it became an omote gyaku. We don’t get attached or decide ahead of time what the point of contact will be. (more...)

What is the deal with Bujinkan Membership cards? This year is different because Hatsumi Sensei changed the rules. You can’t buy one from me, but you can earn it! But first, I explain what Bujinkan membership is and the rules of the Bujinkan. Next, I cover what the Japanese text on the back of the (more...)

my Bujinkan video exploring the Bujinkan kata 雪耀 setsuyaku. I asked one of my students who had recently visited the Bujinkan Hombu dojo in Japan to demonstrate a technique. After his demo, I added some henka to amplify his Japan training. After the attacker punches you capture the wrist in a gyaku. This gyaku should (more...)

a quick Bujinkan grappling tip. First I share the self study as I prepare for training with the hanbo. Then I discuss an important Ninja grappling mindset that I learned from Hatsumi Sensei.

my Bujinkan video exploring 技かけない waza kakenai. We warmed up with jodan and gedan uke drills. These evolved into using the uke itself for 虚実 kyojitsu. Next, I showed how to open up the space with your blocks. You want the opponent to attack emptiness. Then the attacker leads himself to his own destruction. We (more...)

my Bujinkan video exploring Bujinkan kicking. We warmed up with 八方蹴り happō geri. I began class with a type of 廻し蹴り mawashi geri. You might normally think of this as a crescent kick or circling. But it can also refer to a kick that changes during its delivery. In fact, we did three kicks in (more...)

We warmed up with 半棒術 hanbōjutsu using 挟み捕り hasami dori. I showed how to roll into the shime on the wrist or forearm. We did henka trapping both hands or splitting up the middle to take either hand. This class was a bit different. Some of you may have seen a quote that I posted (more...)

my Bujinkan kuden after training where I reveal what Hatsumi sensei told us about 武道の神髄 budo no shinzui, or the essence of budo. He told us you have to go on a 武者修行 musha shugyō or a warrior quest to understand his budo. In the video, I described my motivations for training and how they (more...)

my Bujinkan video exploring the Bujinkan kata 玉砕 tama kudaki. We warmed up with the jūtaijutsu shuffle training drill combined with 半棒術 hanbōjutsu kihon. We did 附入 tsuke iri, 腰折 kosshi ori, 鬼砕 oni kudaki, and 巌石落 ganseki otoshi. Mixing weapons into your grappling practice is always a challenge, and this was definitely an advanced (more...)

my Bujinkan video exploring the Bujinkan kata 腕締 ude jime. We warmed up with ukemi and taihenjutsu. Then we did 初心五型 shoshin gokei. And we finished the warmup with 五行の型 gogyō no kata. I began class with 腕締 ude jime. The name suggests controlling the arm by bracing or tightening it up. But the form (more...)