Rathe

I teach my students a lot of wrist locks that make the opponent very open. So I think Joint locks are great in one on one. A proper lock will deter a single combatant from continuing if you apply the right amount of pressure as well. And hopefully you will avoid any further need for action. If your taking on multiple opponents, quick joint locks that set up strikes will work but aren't highly recommended in my book. This would require you to have excellent technique and quick reflexes. If you are slow your just going to get bum rushed.

I guess the most important thing is to truly keep their interest so they stay long enough to learn. Even sparring with their bit of knowledge will help them grow. Thanks for the advice, I have a syllabus of information and techniques I must train. But its certainly lacking aspects of larger class training and doesn't go into children much at all. So I'm trying to adjust it to make it interesting for the little ones.

I've been teaching adults for going on 5 years now in small classes. I have recently taken on some younger students. I am wondering though, what is a good age to start letting younger people spar. I wasn't honestly going to let them for awhile but I wanted to get some other opinions on this (figure we got this forum for questions just like this). I don't feel young children would gain anything from it unless they truly understood what they were learning. By young I mean 6 - 8. And before anyone ask, I was trained one on one most of my life with occassionally 1 or 2 other people in the classes. So I can't fall back my experience for this one. Thanks in advance.

I kind of believe that secluded training is a romanticized ideal. Sitting there meditating and training by yourself for a year would get really lonely. Only advantage would be you might perfect forms and kata but you will miss out on the kinship that makes training so great. Unless of course you've mastered all things physical and wanted to build your mental balance and contemplate the meaning of a blade of grass. In my opinion for what its worth. Leave seclusion to the ancient masters while you go punch a friend. We are a social society.

I never said Ninjitsu isn't so hot. I was just making a joke about people bashing the art form of Ninjitsu on the forum. I've personally studied it my entire life. I think its an art form that is deadly & effective if taught by the proper master and would be perfect for your character. Along with teaching basic fighting techniques there are aspects of Ninjitsu that delve into espionage, assassination, and spying. Great for a special ops sort.

Had a 32 lbs turkey that barely fit in the stove and 23 people at my family's home. Although it was still alot of fun if you could hear anything over having 23 people packed into a 15' by 10' space.

This is referring to earlier post in this thread... Everyone bashes Ninjitsu and then its the first art that everyone thinks he should use. (referring to a Ninjitsu post on the Getting Started section) Hey Writer, any questions about Ninjitsu PM me or email me at sensei@swordtraining.com. Or heck ask here so I can educate the misinformed masses.

If by non-expensive you mean $200 then you can go to a place called Mantisswords.com. I bought one of their $1000 swords and its the most amazing sword I've ever owned. Had it customized and everything just the way I wanted. Most of their swords are made by Paul Chen. But they have some practical katanas that are nice but like WW said. Cheap and real... not truly possible.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone... I'm thankful for the poor turkey that lost his life. But soooo tasty.

Thanks for your advice, I think I am definately going to follow the advice. I was leaning there anyway. Its not the easiest decision though although it may seem so. being without a job is hard and the job market for Programmers and IT People aren't the greatest. *dreams of the days when his school shall open full time* Thanks guys. And thanks for wishing me luck on the baby, I'm gonna need it. <---- me as a father.

As a guy who has sustained 6 breaks in my legs including one injury where doctors still can't figure out where portions of my knee are at, I say go for it. I have also studied Ninjitsu for years. Take it easy on your knees and you will do just fine, if they hurt, do a quick stretch and get back to it. Make sure to concentrate on your leg stretches, good flexibility is key to not re-injuring it. Also drink your milk, it does your body good. By slow you mean... The progression is slow or the movements are slow? If I show students an attack or a hold I will first have them move slowly to get proper form down and then move quicker but I don't believe that's unusual. Please clarify. As for usefulness I will say yes. Many will argue this point. Ninjitsu is not all eye gouging and smoke blasting, its a very fast, effective art. Hit them quick, and drop'em fast. Properly taught you should learn quick efficient ways to kill. (To put it bluntly) I would confidently enter a test of my skill in a real life situation. Any of that help, I could get into more detail but I'll get off my soap box now.

I've studied Ninjitsu for 17 years. Master Julian, my teacher, studied it for 60 years before his death. I am currently teaching it in Philadelphia and have about 5 students so far. I haven't read this entire thread but I'm sure there are plenty of misconceptions of the art within. It is a very well rounded art if you truly understand it that can be used even in todays society and in a real life engagements. As WW stated, it has advanced with the times but everyone thinks we are people running around in pajamas. If anyone has any serious questions about the art I'd be more than happy to assist. and pirates don't pwn Ninjas.

Alrighty, I have a very large moral dillemia (besides not being sure if I'm spelling that correctly). All my life I've studied martial arts and I was raised with a sense of honor and doing the right thing. I am currently a network administrator/programmer for a company who is performing massively illegal activities on a daily basis. Such as doctoring tax forms, lying to financing companies, submitting false information for tax purposes. And they don't seem to be getting caught. They keep trying to drag me into it by creating programs that will help them perform these activities. I keep telling them I won't do it and I'm being threatened with my job. Now personally I think this is pretty stupid of them beings I know what they do, have proof of what they do and could easily turn them in. The biggest problem is I have a baby on the way in 5 weeks and can't afford to be without a job. I just wanted some advice from people with no biased opinions with my situation. Any thoughts of how to handle this?

As someone who has experienced 7 leg breaks in my training time and one extremely bad one I can tell you your doing the right thing. Keep ice and heat on it alternating if it swells. Should only take a couple weeks to fully recover as long as you don't irritate it again. Just keep the circulation going and it'll be fine very soon. I know I know, 7 leg breaks, I should have taken up something less impact. I guess I'm not that smart.

Amen. Unfortanately, testosterone, youth, and egos will always make those arguments exist. Its just human nature as deconstructive as it is.

Most of my childhood my master wouldn't allow me to fight. Being a skinnier guy I was constantly picked on as a kid. If I would fight, I would pay for it dearly with running that felt like 200 miles. Unfortanately the many times I've been faced with a true fight now I've been able to control my temper and not beat on people. Unfortanately for the few souls that met me just after my master died and I was in a terrible mental state I took advantage and I feel really bad about it now. Guy in high school saw my eyes blood shot from being really upset for weeks and I broke both his legs and faced charges. My recommendation as a teacher myself now, the masters are right, walk away and only fight unless its TOTALLY necessary. Just my two cents. Sorry if its useless.

And if you are going to take the time to try and rip people off, at least take the time to design a nice website. Ugh.

Its https://www.swordtraining.com. Like I mentioned its based around sword training beings that is something I've dedicated my life to. I'm also trying to teach Ninjitsu classes at my school once I get it started. Currently I train 5 students outside year round. It gets awful cold in Philly at times.

Hi all, I just found this forum so I thought I would make my presense known here. My name is Cliff, I've trained in Ninjitsu for 17 years and Wing Chun only a few years while in the service. I've been teaching Ninjitsu for 4 years now and am attempting to open up my own school in Philadelphia based around sword training which has been my passion for many years. I would post my site up I have made for the training but I don't know if this forum is against shameless plugs. If its not I'll be more than happy to let people know the site. Just introducing myself. So hello all. Cliff