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[Muawijhe]

I was just reading through the website. Lots of interesting things there to read, though I am still missing the connection to ninja outside of the media and slight historical context.

However, I did see that Jonin Mark Steven Grove "graced the cover of the second issue of "Shinobi No Mono" magazine", of which there is a picture. Just to the left of the picture is what appears to be pictures of other articles, one featuring Anshu Christa Jacobsen and the other being of Kyoshi Allie Alberigo of 21st Century Ninjutsu fame (and the topic of a heated thread not too long ago at Martial Arts Planet).

 

[WQI Yama Kuma]

Some quick notes-

1. The Japanese nick names. So when someone reached brown belt in Grove's system he gives them a "warrior name" which he says is a Japanese tradition. Having trained in two other Japanese styles, I've heard mixed things if this is a true tradition or not.

In Grove's school, once you get this name that is all anyone refers to you by. I was one of the assistant teachers at his school for a while and when I see old students/class mates they still refer to me by that name instead of my real name. I figured it's a control measure, since it helps with the illusion that Grove is the head of some super-secret ninja group.

One of the big problems with this is that Grove, or I'm pretty sure any of his students, actually speak Japanese. So they use an English to Japanese dictionary to get the names.

2. The sanitized website. Grove's website has undergone many, many transformations. When I first started at the school it was called the "Bugeikuden" and Don Roley ripped into Grove over on e-budo. At the time I was still a close "follower" of Grove so joined up trying to defend Grove and his teachings. It was actually that discussion that started me thinking that maybe Grove wasn't telling the truth.

3. The kunoichi thing. When I started, the school had two divisions-Samurai and Ninja. The Samurai focused on sword work and wore white, the Ninja focused on unarmed and wore black. Writing this now I have to say I'm embarrassed it took me ten years to leave.

Anyway, I walked in one day and there was a new division-Kunoichi. They got to wear bright blue gis. And they were trained in twin short swords. I would like to add that this division was created right around the same time that the Tengu video game came out, which featured a female ninja who used twin short swords.

Overall, there is some solid techniques in Grove's system. When I moved to an X-Kan based system, I was able to move up some of the ranks faster than people I started with. Now that I am training in Krav Maga I find myself still using some of the basics I learned at Grove's school. But, and this is the big problem with his system, he doesn't understand some of the finer points of techniques. While I learned Oni Kudaki under him, it wasn't until I trained at legitimate ninpo school that things like body dynamics and footwork were emphasized and the move became effective.

I feel like any ex-convert. When I was with the school I defended it, even against my best judgment. Now that I am no longer with them I try to dissuade anybody from ever training with him. While he is mostly harmless, I would rather see people train with legitimate groups that don't have the fantasy element to them.

 

[girlbug2]

Actually, that concept has some historical merit.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kunoichi

I was told that female ninja also had several methods for 'accidentally' making their kimono fall open so that a male opponent was momentarily distracted which allowed them to stab them or do other things.

Ah yes, the old kimono trick. I keep forgetting how easily I could win sparring matches...