Ninjutsu Training Online

Hello Ninja fans!

One skill that attracted me to ninjutsu was the ninja’s ability to move silently through many areas. So, while I was practicing today I thought it would be a good to review a few tips on silent movement for you to incorporate into your practice.

1. Take slow, measured breaths from the nose. In through the nose and out through the mouth, similar to the method utilized when you are practicing meditation.
2. Look at where you will step next and be mindful of what you are stepping on!
3. When you are outside, attempt to walk on bare dirt or live grass. Dead foliage creates a perceptible “crunch” even when lightly stepped on. If you encounter an area where forced to walk through foliage, then pick the clearest path and proceed slowly, possibly bending over and removing obstructions from the location of the next step.
4. Place the heel or toes of your foot down first and roll your foot slowly and gently onto the ground. If moving swiftly, run/leap from location to location. Avoid landing flatfooted. For moving backwards, this is reversed, so that the ball of the foot is placed down first, and then the heel lowered to the ground.
5. Move when there are sounds around you. The wind blowing, a plane overhead or even a car in the distance, utilize what you can to help camouflage the sounds of your movement.
6. Practice stalking animals outside, this tip has helped me get very, very close to wildlife, and if you can do this you will be achieving a high level of movement.
7. If you are getting really close to a target, walk on the outer edge of your feet, rolling your foot from heel to pinky toe. Though very silent, this technique is also uncomfortable and should only be used for short distances. The hips can be rotated slightly to make this technique easier.
8. If you are trying to walk silently on gravel: Bend low at the knees. The first part of your foot to hit the ground should be the heel. “Roll” forward on that foot until you’re on the ball of your foot (the padded part just behind the toes). Just before you’ve rolled all the way onto the ball of your foot, put your other foot down, heel first, directly in front of the first foot, almost touching it. You should be able to smoothly roll from the first foot to the second. Continue by rolling on the second foot, until you’re almost at the ball, and repeat by putting the first foot in front of the second. This should all be done fluidly.

Bufu Ikkan

Airyu – “Living the Ninja Lifestyle”

ps: Battening down the hatches as the next serious snow storm is heading this way. It might be a great opportunity for some winter survival training with 2 feet of snow expected!

South Korean Soldiers Training Old School

All right Ninja practitioners, it is winter here in the Northeast! Cold weather is part of what we live with and are very much accustomed to, but increasing our ability to endure the weather around us can lead us into some hairy situations, and even at moderate temperatures hypothermia is one of them.

Hypothermia is defined as a body temperature (core, or internal body temperature) of less than about 95 F (35 C). Usually, hypothermia occurs when the body’s temperature regulation is overwhelmed by a cold environment.

Mild hypothermia symptoms (core temperature 32 C to 35 C (90 F to 95 F) are:

• Shivering
• Fatigue
• Increased respiratory rate
• Hunger
• Mild confusion
• Some difficulty with speech and coordination

Moderate hypothermia (core temperature 28 C to 32 C (82 F to 90 F) are:

• Increasing difficulty with all the moderate symptoms (for example, inability to do simple tasks, slurred speech)

Severe hypothermia (core temperature below 28 C (82 F) are:

• Shivering stops
• Extreme confusion (for example, removing clothing or extreme risk-taking behavior)
• A decline in consciousness
• A weak and/or irregular pulse
• Slow and shallow breathing
• Coma that can result in death

I have had to treat several individuals that were in a moderate hypothermic state, and with that said, here is how you should be treating the patient.

• Prevention and recognition are the first steps. Dress appropriately for the environment and be aware of what a quick drop in temperature can do.
• Warm slowly by drinking warm liquids, or food
• Warm dry clothing and or blankets
• Hot water bottles placed under arms and between legs.
• If not available climb into a sleeping bag or under blankets to share additional warmth with the patient.

I train, camp and sleep outside in deep winter and so far have prevented my own cold weather emergency situation through proper layering of clothing, heating pads(hand or foot warmers) change of dry clothing, fire making ability, and even a space blanket, as the Boy Scout motto states “ Be Prepared”, so do not go into the cold without understanding or knowledge on how to treat this dangerous situation, it can sneak up on you or those of your party!

Knowledge is not power, application of knowledge is power, so start training with reality in mind!

Bufu Ikkan

Airyu – “Living the Ninja Lifestyle”