Ninjitsu Dojos?

[Karate-ka19]

I am looking for a Ninjitsu Dojo or just someone to teach me in Oklahoma. I have searched the web for the last 4 days and couldn't come up with anything. If anyone could provide me with a little info, I would be grateful. I am currently studying kyokushin-kai karate and am just looking for another style to work on while I attend college at Oklahoma State University.

[ShadowHander]

As far as I know there are no Oklahoma based dojo, you may want to consider a more common style, like Tae Kwon Do, or Pai Lum Kung Fu, they're much more common then a Ninjutsu dojo. Perhaps you should evaluate your reasoning for wanting to study Ninja arts?

[Marku]

or try abit of everything thats available to you!

[Karate-ka19]

Forgive me

Okay I'm sorry. That last part came out a little wrong. I'm not just looking for another style to study, because I will continue my study of karate, but I would like to broaden my view of the martial arts by taking dissimilar styles. Forgive me for sounding so pompous, I am very series about my martial art studies and just wish to further them in the most beneficial way.

[Thai Bri]

Then learn a real art instead of one so ancient and shrouded in mystery that 99.9% of its so called "masters" are charlatans and bullshitters of the highest order.

[bugei]

Oklahoma Ninjas. That's not something you hear everyday.

[Hikage]

Oklahoma Ninjas. That's not something you hear everyday.

Someone has to terrorize the cows.

-Hikage

[Hikage]

Someone has to terrorize the cows.

-Hikage

In all seriousness, many colleges have martial arts clubs. More than likely you are already a member and that from where you can taking your current art. HOWEVER, if you haven't gone down this road yet, check it out. They may have a ninjitsu school.

Ignore those who tell you ninjitsu is crap. Chai Tea Bri is correct in that many of the masters are idiots, biggots, and in it for the money (although I feel 99% is unreasonably high). I've heard a million times that ninjitsu is a "rich man's" art. There are ways that one can buy there way up through the ranks. I've heard stories and I'll recount them in another thread if you so desire. However, you must be a somewhat intelligent person to have been accepted into OK univ. Therefore, you are probably able to tell who knows what they are talking about and who is crap when you do find someone.

They are there. Just because there is no LARGE dojo, doesn't mean they aren't there. Ask around. Most don't advertise and they are usually the best ones.

-Hikage

[bugei]

Chai Tea Bri


HAHAHA

[jubaji]

Chai Tea Bri is correct in that many of the masters are idiots, biggots, and in it for the money

-cHingei

Bigots?!

[shadowkiller]

Not really sure about places in oklahoma, but the people I talked to in my area seem rather arrogant and pompous. They know their shit, as they all have proof of training under Hatsumi soke.

I have been trying hard lately to get into a seminar and am pretty sure I am going to one at the end of june. That will be fun. Then I can possibly make a more educated guess as to whether I want to continue.

[Hikage]

Bigots?!

I don't know if your raggin' on my spelling or the fact that there are bigots in ninjitsu. At either rate, it's true. I can't spell and there are bigots. Along with my stories about people buying rank, I can also give you stories of prejudice, if you so desire. It's a shame. I suppose, I should say that "American" ninjitsu is a rich "white" man's art.

-Hikage

[jubaji]

Along with my stories about people buying rank, I can also give you stories of prejudice, if you so desire. -Hikage

Give with the stories man

[Hikage]

Stories

Give with the stories man

You must forgive the time it has taken me to respond to you. End of the school year stuff has me bogged down as well as my first child on the way. Not really a whole lot of time to talk shop.

I'll give you one story that kind of covers both bigotry and buying the way to the top, here goes....

When my instructor first started in the martial arts, he went for TKD and earned some rank in it. After a time he decided it wasn't for him and started with ninjitsu. After attending some seminars in New York, he started a group in his home town, York PA, called the York ninjitsu study group where he imparted that which he learned on to some others who were interested. In this group was 1 white man, and 2 african-americans, including my instructor.

It wasn't long until the three were making regular commutes to Allentown, PA where a ninjitsu dojo was located. After six months of regular attendance, it came time to test for their next level. It would be safe to say that all were about the same in ability by this time. After the test, our two african-ninjas were awarded the rank of 9th kyu green and our white man came out with 1st kyu green.

Now at this time a discussion on the common ninjitsu ranking system would surely be appropriate. Many ninjitsu schools have adopted the 2 belt policy. When you first come into the system, you wear nothing; no white, nothing. You're first belt will be green and green is broken down into 9 kyu's, 9th kyu being the first rank you achieve. After 1st kyu comes your black belt and then you enter the common dan system that we all recognize. It is entirely possible to jump kyu's in ninjitsu. I myself went from nothing to 8th, to 6th and from there to black, bearing in mind that I was at 6th for what seemed like forever. However, jumping entirely from nothing to 1st is entirely unheard of. But the story does not end...

6 months later, this same student shelled out his money and was <cough> tested for his 1st degree after 1 year of ninjitsu study. As a point of referrence, Steven Hayes's students must study for no less than 8 years before being recognized as shodan. BUT WAIT! We're not done yet!

1 year later, this very same student, who mind you had no martial arts experience before any of this and is not by any means some sort of martial genius, went to tai kai (ninjitsu seminar where Hatsumi shows himself to the Americans so that they shell out their millions and worship him by waving palm branches and laying them on the ground so that his donkey can --> oops wait wrong guy) and he paid 5,000 for his 5th dan test and passed. Now, two notes: First of all, this was some 15 years ago and 5,000 didn't hold the same value as today. Furthermore, the 5th dan test, for Americans, is little more than the student kneeling on the ground and Hatsumi comes at them with a sword --err shinai, usually on the straight down cut. The object? Role safely aside with nary a scratch. You miss? Take it again and shell out 5000 more bucks, THAT DAY! Hatsumi doesn't care. You'll either sink or swim and people will be able to recognize those who can fight and those who aren't worth a three dollar mule.

I've heard it said that ninjitsu is a rich man's art. I'm going to alter that and say that american ninjitsu is a rich white man's art.

-Hikage

[IPON]

Hikage………..That example does not seem to be based on bigotry or discrimination (at least not from an ethnic perspective maybe financial). If only one were allowed access based on ethnicity that would be different. This seems an issue of simple capitalistic greed. Don't get me wrong I am not suggesting it does not exist; just saying it does not appear to be obvious in your example.