Unlocking the Secrets of Ninpo-Taijutsu

2 Important Skills on the Path to Mastery

by Jeffrey M. Miller SPS, DTI
Director & Master Instructor
Warrior Concepts Int’l / Bujinkan Mori no Tora Dojo

Are you genuinely committed to mastering the Ninpo-Taijutsu part of your Ninjutsu, the powerful art of Japan's ancient Ninja warriors? Well, you're not alone.  Be careful, though, because many practitioners, even advanced ones, often overlook fundamental aspects of body movement that are critical for true mastery and "street-readiness."

In this article, we're going to look at 2 critical pieces of your mastery in Ninjutsu that effect every single skill you learn along the way.  These 2 pieces of the proverbial puzzle are rarely discussed and even outright ignored, and yet both are highly essential principles that form the bedrock of your mastery of Ninpo-Taijutsu. These principles will not be found in common kata lists that many practitioners hold sacred. You'll soon realize that real combat doesn't allow for prearranged moves but, instead, requires the ability to move quickly and freely as you adapt to your assailant's attacks.

Like the individual bricks in a Lego set or, even better, that large rectangular base included in every set that forms the foundation - the "ground" - these kihon no kihon 'basic-basics' are the foundation that everything else will be built on.  And like a house, Lego or real, if the foundation is weak, everything else will be weak too.  And you probably won't find out until it's too late!

In fact, these two foundational skills seem "too simple" to most (**cue the eye-rolling**), and therefore go overlooked, ignored, or dismissed as unimportant because, well, "everyone knows that..."  But, I promise you... they don't!

Ready for them?  Are you sure?

These 2 key skills are:

1) Posture – Critical to controlling your balance and moving effortlessly, and not limited to the official kamae within our art, you must learn to "stack" your body parts correctly on top of each other (ears over shoulder, shoulders over hips, hips over feet, etc.) in order to neutralize the effects of gravity.

2) Walking Technique – Contrary to popular belief, most of us weren't really taught how to walk by those who thought they were "teaching" us.  More often than not, most of us learned to walk by controlling the act of falling forward or backwards - by learning how to "not fall down" as mom, dad, or grandparents literally aimed us at the other and let go to watch us stagger like drunken sailors on shore leave, again and again, until our leg muscles strengthened and we stopped toppling over for them to catch and start again.

In fact, Hatsumi Sensei has always said that most people don't walk, so much as move themselves around in a state of "controlled falling."  This is evidenced when they trip or slip and can't catch themselves properly.

True mastery in this realm involves learning to "carry" your torso effortlessly with your legs - on top of the legs/hips - rather than merely pitching or falling forward and catching oneself with each step.  This, along with posture, were the skills that my teachers had me working on for not just a class or two... but for weeks and months at a time!

Mastering these skills can transform your Ninpo-Taijutsu practice. Without them, you will constantly struggle against stronger and more determined opponents.  Remember that, in a life-or-death struggle, your skills need to be more than just things you trained until you got them "right," but important tools trained to the point where you "can't get them WRONG!"

If not and you screw this up, as another teacher was fond of saying: "Your family better look good in black!" (Get the funeral reference?!)

How can you achieve this level of mastery?

Here are 5 Areas of Training That Will Help You Master These Skills:

1) Mindful Observation – Begin by observing your posture throughout the day. Are you slumping or leaning? Make a conscious effort to align your body parts and practice standing tall.  Remember: Ears over shoulders... shoulders over hips... hips over feet.

2) Walking Practice – Pay attention to how you walk. Aim to carry your torso smoothly with your legs rather than leaning and falling forward. Practice walking with this new awareness.  Notice the 'world' in front and to the sides of you.  Is it bouncing or swaying?  It's not, you are and your brain is compensating for the way you're using (or not using) your legs.

3) Balance Drills – Engage in exercises that challenge and improve your balance. Standing on one leg, practicing slow and controlled movements, or even yoga can be highly beneficial.  You could even try opening and closing doors, turning light switches on and off, and moving the chair to sit or replace it beneath the table with your legs instead of hands.  This was just one of the suggestions given by my teacher to improve balance and control of my legs.

4) Seek Feedback – Work with a knowledgeable instructor or use video recordings of yourself and/or others, and then compare your movement in a mirror to get feedback on your posture and walking technique. This outside perspective can be invaluable.  Remember, a teacher who senior in the art will spot things that you simply can't or don't know to look for or know why it matters.  Avoid getting this kind of help no matter how much you think you can "figure it out on your own."

5) Consistent Practice – Like any skill, mastery comes with time and repeated practice. Dedicate time regularly to focus on these core principles until they become the new habit.  If you have to think about doing it - if you have to remind yourself about the right way - then it'll be your current "normal" that comes out, under pressure, when you're being attacked!

By integrating these foundational skills into your training, you can unlock new levels of proficiency in Ninpo-Taijutsu.