Human Weapon : Ninjutsu Episode featuring Budo Taijutsu!

[Dale Seago]

I'll make it a point to incorporate the new with the old.

Some hopefully-helpful hints to get you on your way:

And of course we're beginning to work with the "Escaping Rat" forms as well; actually, we only finally got into the first one last week as I didn't feel folks were ready yet and I wanted to do other things with characteristic Togakure tactics and movement for a while first. (Even though it's been many years since Togakure ryu was a "theme" for the Bujinkan, I have an advantage in that this is my 3rd training cycle in it and I have the perspective to add from all the "annual theme" concepts since it was last stressed in '91.)

This past Sunday I had my usual 3rd-Sunday-of-the-month "monthly mini-seminar" from 10-14:00 and spent almost all of it on the "Tonkatsugata" (hee!!)

We spent the first two hours just on the first "escaping rat" form: The timing (which isn't shown in the Quest video), the mechanics, how to do it without getting killed. Then we worked on "why someone might grab your wrist and yank it" and what that could lead to. Then we began adding accessing & using weapons (carried in different ways on different parts of your body), then doing it unarmed vs. multiple attackers, then using it vs. multiple attackers while accessing and using weapons.

We didn't restrict ourselves to 16th-century scenarios. Specific weapons we brought into play included tanto or wakizashi worn in the traditional position; shuriken held concealed in the hand or hidden in the gi jacket; modern pistol holstered at the right hip; folding knife clipped into a pants pocket; and modern tactical carbine or shotgun held at the shoulder ("bad guy" grabs the barrel to yank it offline so he can deal with you and get your weapon -- remember, we have security/law enforcement/military types training in our dojo). All of these require adapting your use of space within the parameters of the original form in such a way that an opponent can't get at your weapon but YOU can.
(http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=60258)

Another point: Traditional disarming & retention methods used for knives, swords, and polearms work just fine today with handguns, rifles/carbines, & shotguns. The only difference is that instead of thinking about edges & points you have to think about things like muzzle blast, alignment of the bore, and collateral damage to "background" targets. These things will create some natural modifications of what you do, but not fundamental change.

And another: The Daikomyosai video from 3 or 4 years back focused heavily on armored combat. Find that one, study it, extrapolate the principles. . .Then put on the kevlar, helmet, boots, and load carrying equipment (and modern weapons) and play. You'll find that the more things change, the more they remain the same.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Some hopefully-helpful hints to get you on your way:



Another point: Traditional disarming & retention methods used for knives, swords, and polearms work just fine today with handguns, rifles/carbines, & shotguns. The only difference is that instead of thinking about edges & points you have to think about things like muzzle blast, alignment of the bore, and collateral damage to "background" targets. These things will create some natural modifications of what you do, but not fundamental change.

And another: The Daikomyosai video from 3 or 4 years back focused heavily on armored combat. Find that one, study it, extrapolate the principles. . .Then put on the kevlar, helmet, boots, and load carrying equipment (and modern weapons) and play. You'll find that the more things change, the more they remain the same.

Yes it is funny in that how even though things change, the more they reamain the same.

 

[Obi Wan Shinobi]

I was going to mention that I did see Hatsumi Sensei drawing a training pistol into a hip shooting position on Kobudo No Kihon during the Jumonji no Kamae.