I always like to think of Bujinkan as a cross between Japanese ju-jitsu, aikido, aikido sword techniques, karate, judo, Krav maga, kenpo and other weapons techniques. I realize it is none of those things, really, but there are elements of all of it in there. When I took it, I was impressed by how many cops and other law enforcement and military guys were there training. What I like the most was the "whatever works" philosophy. What I did not like was being thrown on to a hard surface. No mats, only a thinly carpeted floor! That and the fact that I always came home with bruises in strange places. I am a little old for that kind of damage these days.
If you go to a bujinkan dojo, you won't see the stuff you see in the movies. But even if the actual style is not historically accurate, and only a modern style (as some people say) what you will find is a highly useful set of skills. I learned a lot, though I was not very good at it.
Some simple things they teach: If you are working an armlock or wristlock, and the attacker is very slippery and able to wriggle out of it, the bujinkan people will just grab a piece of your flesh and pinch hard. The pain is enough to get them to comply, and you can then set the lock or pin. I realize it is nothing new under the sun. The JJJ from the 70's and 80's taught similar techniques.
But the people who bash it, because it is associated with bad hollywood movies are missing some key concepts. It's not a sport. It is self-defense. The people training there were always looking for new ways to improvise. The belt system is simple: White, green and black. You get to wear shoes (Tabi) so you don't have to worry about athlete's foot or planter warts.
I would recommend it to anyone interested in a japanese martial art that is not so rigid and devoted to form, like Karate is.
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