Genbukan Ninpo Bugei
Ninpo Taijutsu
A student of Ninpo will initially begin training in ‘Ninpo Taijutsu’ (the unarmed aspect), which is the backbone of Ninpo Bugei. Here a person will learn the basic and advanced ways of naturally moving the body (taihenjutsu) and study the many important principles associated with combat and self-protection. It is a complete system of Martial Arts, so therefore has many different useful tools for every situation of personal threat.
The physical skills include:
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learning how to fall safely - rolling and breakfalling (ukemi)
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body evasion movements (tai sabaki)
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striking, kicking & blocking (dakentaijutsu, koppojutsu, etc)
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throwing & grappling (nage & jutaijutsu)
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locks & controls (gyakute waza)
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chokes (shimewaza)
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escapes from holds & locks/throws (hajutsu)
Ninpo is based on natural ways of moving your body, and does not rely on strength, fitness or aggression to make it work. Whether you are young or old, male or female, it will work for you, it just takes training.
The main weapon skills we focus on are:
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Bikenjutsu (Sword)
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Rokushaku Bojutsu & Hanbojutsu (6ft & 3ft Staff)
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Along with Taijutsu, these make up the 3 main pillars of Ninpo Bugei.
Developing the Mind and Spirit
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Ninpo is not a competitive sport. It is a personal preparation for resolving and managing conflict and violence in the real world, that may vary from physical assaults, to intimidating psychological attacks, to verbal confrontations, to emotional manipulations. Therefore it cannot be restricted by rules and competition, and instead focuses on survival and not personal ego.
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Ninpo relies on strategies, and tactics as well as techniques to ensure your or another person’s safety. Awareness, Avoidance and Escape are always the true Martial Artist’s preferred choice of response to a potential threat.
Ninpo develops the correct awareness, spirit and mental resolve to handle the psychological associations of personal confrontations, such as fear, the Adrenal Response and so on. Of course in any real situation, no technique will flow without the correct awareness or mental strength.
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Life Enhancing Benefits
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The beauty of practicing Ninpo is that it cultivates not just the mind, body and spirit for combat, but also for… life!
The values and underlying moral structure are also important to complement and balance the physical side of training. In fact the most important aspect of Ninpo is refining the Spirit and developing a pure heart. This balance is vital and helps us to become more compassionate yet strong as human beings.
“…spirit of bamboo; heart of a flower…”
(Grandmaster Soke Shoto Tanemura)
The value of a positive attitude is nurtured, for the first step to solving problems in life.
Some of the benefits you can enjoy:
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Awareness
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Good health & fitness
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Achieving goals and mental focus
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Self confidence
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Spirit of adventure
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Skills of self-motivation & discipline
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Sense of peace & security
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Practical Self Defence skills
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Meet new & interesting friends
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Respect for life & people
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Increased energy
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And of course… Patience.
Traditional Martial Arts in a modern world?
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Many of the schools contained within the Genbukan and Kokusai syllabus are hundreds of years old. They are part of a long, historical and authentic lineage, passed from one Grandmaster to another, keeping the arts pure and undiluted. This is very important as these Ko Ryu (old schools) have been thoroughly tried and pressure-tested over a long period of time, in a very feudal Japan. They have withstood those tests on the battlefields and beyond, to leave us with what principles and techniques do truly work. These schools are not just one person or generation’s idea or experience, but many collected experiences over many generations of Masters. If something didn’t work, it was discarded, or more probably died with the person attempting it! And it continues to develop today and so is as alive and useful now as it was then. We are indeed very lucky to have contact with these wonderful true Martial Arts, thanks to the dedication and commitment of Sensei Shoto Tanemura and all previous Masters to preserve them.
“By exploring the old, one becomes able to understand the new”
(Confucius)
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