Been a while

[Bujingodai]

I haven't posted in the forums for years.
Have wanted to get back into the dojo for a while. Closed mine up when I got sick and was cancelling more classes than I was holding, or training with others less and less.
But I am feeling better and more mature as age gets you.

Not sure what direction or angle to take things.
I see a lot has changed in a few orgs.

Just wanted to say hi, and hope to chat a lot

 

[Tony Dismukes]

Welcome back! Are you still training in the Bujinkan?

 

[Bujingodai]

No not in sometime. I graded Yondan, travelled to Japan and trained. I was a little dismayed with what I saw there. Maybe saw some writing on the wall and didn't care for all the Shihan backbiting each other so I continued as I did at home without that label. I guess you'd call it indie. I sought what I could learn from others while doing what we did. Certainly, no lineage claims.

That was a combined 28 years, then I got real sick. Back to somewhat normal now. However so few want to practice TMA.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Welcome back

 

[dunc]

Welcome back & glad you’re back to normal now

 

[seasoned]

Welcome back!!

 

[Brian King]

Welcome back. I am glad that you are feeling better.

 

[SahBumNimRush]

Welcome back!

 

[Chris Parker]

Hey Dave, good to see you, mate!

 

[Yamabushii]

No not in sometime. I graded Yondan, travelled to Japan and trained. I was a little dismayed with what I saw there. Maybe saw some writing on the wall and didn't care for all the Shihan backbiting each other so I continued as I did at home without that label. I guess you'd call it indie. I sought what I could learn from others while doing what we did. Certainly, no lineage claims.

That was a combined 28 years, then I got real sick. Back to somewhat normal now. However so few want to practice TMA.

Even though I left the Genbukan over 5 years ago, it's not too different there either. Except in their case it's the soke doing all the smack talk about everyone. Now the only people left out of all the highest ranking shihan are family members.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

No not in sometime. I graded Yondan, travelled to Japan and trained. I was a little dismayed with what I saw there. Maybe saw some writing on the wall and didn't care for all the Shihan backbiting each other so I continued as I did at home without that label. I guess you'd call it indie. I sought what I could learn from others while doing what we did. Certainly, no lineage claims.

That was a combined 28 years, then I got real sick. Back to somewhat normal now. However so few want to practice TMA.

Even though I left the Genbukan over 5 years ago, it's not too different there either. Except in their case it's the soke doing all the smack talk about everyone. Now the only people left out of all the highest ranking shihan are family members.

Political in-fighting and badmouthing of other instructors in the X-kans? Shocked! Shocked, I am!

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

Political in-fighting and badmouthing of other instructors in the X-kans Martial Arts? Shocked! Shocked, I am!

You made a typo, I fixed it.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

You made a typo, I fixed it.

Honestly, politics shows up in pretty much any human activity which involves more than 3 people. But I will say that with all my decades of experience in a wide variety of martial arts, I encountered more politics during my time in the Bujinkan than in any other of the arts I've trained.

I'm sure there are other martial arts organizations that could give the X-kans a run for their money in that department, but I've been lucky enough to steer clear of them.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Honestly, politics shows up in pretty much any human activity which involves more than 3 people. But I will say that with all my decades of experience in a wide variety of martial arts, I encountered more politics during my time in the Bujinkan than in any other of the arts I've trained.

I'm sure there are other martial arts organizations that could give the X-kans a run for their money in that department, but I've been lucky enough to steer clear of them.

You know what art I have seen the least politics in...XIngyiquan.... may not be everyones experience, but it has been mine.... might be because every xingyi class or seminar I have had the luck to attend had the same motto..."Shut up and train"

 

[Yamabushii]

Honestly, politics shows up in pretty much any human activity which involves more than 3 people. But I will say that with all my decades of experience in a wide variety of martial arts, I encountered more politics during my time in the Bujinkan than in any other of the arts I've trained.

I'm sure there are other martial arts organizations that could give the X-kans a run for their money in that department, but I've been lucky enough to steer clear of them.

It's definitely both the Bujinkan and Genbukan. Don't know enough about the Jinenkan to have an opinion on them, which is probably a good thing.

 

[dunc]

I think the experience is highly dependent on the group and perhaps country
I’ve been part of the Bujinkan in the UK for over 30 years and pretty much everyone I’ve dealt with gets along well. Folk train together and drink beer together at seminars and in Japan etc
Of course there are some groups that are run by folk who have issues with other senior people and so on. However, these behaviours tend to correlate with the leader's ego or lack of self esteem, which is always evident in their movement and it seems that the smart majority (at least in the UK) kinda move away from these people over time as they seek out higher quality training. So my experience has been that these kind of politics are a side show and not part of the Bujinkan that I know and experience everyday

 

[Tony Dismukes]

I think the experience is highly dependent on the group and perhaps country
I’ve been part of the Bujinkan in the UK for over 30 years and pretty much everyone I’ve dealt with gets along well. Folk train together and drink beer together at seminars and in Japan etc
Of course there are some groups that are run by folk who have issues with other senior people and so on. However, these behaviours tend to correlate with the leader's ego or lack of self esteem, which is always evident in their movement and it seems that the smart majority (at least in the UK) kinda move away from these people over time as they seek out higher quality training. So my experience has been that these kind of politics are a side show and not part of the Bujinkan that I know and experience everyday

Glad to hear it. For what it’s worth, my experience in the Bujinkan was mostly 30+ years ago. I’m aware of various political shenanigans since then from what’s visible online, but internet drama doesn’t necessarily match the daily experience of a regular practitioner. 30 years ago in the US … it was pretty hard to avoid even for those of us who had no interest in it.

 

[Oily Dragon]

I haven't brought it up before because it's a sensitive subject to some...but since you guys are here I thought I'd ask...

...thoughts on Takumi Tsutsui being named 35th in Togakure Ryu a fews years back?

To some people it's totally acceptable, to others it's practically blasphemy. All I know is I cannot bring this up to people I know in the Booj without fireworks.

I've been an avid reader of Hatsumi for many years, was wondering if this was some sort of ninja trick, or was there some hidden wisdom there only an X-Kan would spot.

Keep in mind I not only love ninjas, but I quote them from movies all the time IRL. Any time I see someone fall on their ***, I do a flawless Sho Kosugi "HE IS NO NINJA!!".

 

[Gyakuto]

No not in sometime. I graded Yondan, travelled to Japan and trained. I was a little dismayed with what I saw there.

What was it that you found dismaying?

 

[Gyakuto]

Keep in mind I not only love ninjas, but I quote them from movies all the time IRL. Any time I see someone fall on their ***, I do a flawless Sho Kosugi "HE IS NO NINJA!!".

Have you seen the Ninja, Kagemaru from ‘Samurai Fiction’?