origins of the martial art 'NinPo'

History of the martial art known as Ninpo

The union of knowledge and influence that forms the system of Ninpo is tied most notably to certain mountain regions of Japan. Although Ninpo has been influenced by the samurai classes, it was the ronin(master less samurai) and retired officers of long dead affiliations and a broad array of peoples who were at odds with the feudalistic central government. Other major influences of the art are from the infamous Yamabushi (warrior priests), the ninja clans, foreigners - and those hiding from the mainstream of Japanese civilization. The Yamabushi in particular can be considered a major influence upon the art of Ninpo. The Yamabushi are mentioned many times in Japanese history: “The fugitive emperor Godaigo, who had once placed two of his sons in the temple on Mount Hiei, was assisted by the yamabushi, who fought the Kamakura warriors from hill to hill, mountain to mountain, and temple to temple, with a savage display of valor which equaled – where it did not surpass – that of the professional warriors.”It is also interesting to note the influence the Yamabushi had on Japanese warriors. The yamabushi combined their ability to objectively sense the manifestations of the mind and control them; which the most highly trained warriors realized this as an invaluable tool to remain lucid and adaptive in life and death conflicts. The yamabushi are also thought to be the earliest to adapt a Chinese pole arm to the ever-popular halbard, known as the ‘naginata’.“…These monks and priests still continued to participate actively in developing bujutsu(methods of the warrior), being considered experts in its theory, particularly in regard to those inner factors based upon mental control and coordinated power.” This coordinated power is the efficiency of using proper bone alignment, muscle firing and adaptive flow. It is an art for the weak as well as the strong, the trained as well as the untrained.“The bushi(warriors) themselves acknowledged this theoretical dependency upon their religious masters by flocking in large numbers to the temples or abodes of abbots or humble monks who had become famous as teachers of techniques and disciplines…”As one learns Ninpo the concepts and strategies of power and grace are uncovered and revealed in each person as a process of stripping down the hesitation of the will and to force the mind to let go of its expectation. This is also one of the main benefits of meditation, so you can see why the Yamabushi nourished the world of physical conflict with insights into its strategies. The beginning student will begin learning how to bypass the armor of tension and rely on sensitivity that allows the freedom of adaptation and the ability to concentrate objectively on the subjective conflict.The subtle principles of bone alignment over muscle flexing are applicable equally for the combat artist as well as those who are looking for a method of grace and efficiency. You will hear it repeated by many of the great fighters of various ages. It is the insight that if one is loose, then this person can adapt and control the conflict(as well as save valuable energy). It is also known that those who remain relaxed during impact will spread the impact out; whereas tension absorbs impact as a whole and the damage is greater.Ninpo as passed through the ages, untouched by the formalization of the other Japanese arts, so what we have is a tradition that remains combat effective for situations that don't require a ring or rules. It is a modern notion that realistic combat is two big well trained men rolling around on the ground or swinging wild punches until one is knocked out. I beg to differ... real combat is a violent situation that needs immediate resolution, if you cannot escape then what we must use to defeat the enemy is a weapon or a technique that is often considered illegal. Isn't a real conflict usually when your opponent is bigger than you. Modern fighting with weight classes and spectators are nothing but entertainment and violence for the sake of violence. Is this what we should train for? Just leave the self-protection arts to the biggest and most violent? How is big bubba one versus big bubba two realistic combat, isn't it just brawling? It seems the martial art world is bowing down to this notion. If I wanted to practice this sort of "realistic combat", I would have taken up picking fights at my local bar or high school. Give me a break! So, here is the contrast. Modern notions of realism versus the functional realism of the past, when violence was life and death, instead of cash purse and deflated ego. Types of classes: One may choose private sessions, train with a friend and/or join the group class. The private lessons allow one to tailor make the training to reach certain goals or follow a private interest. Here is a list of private session areas of interest.

Some of these subjects are taught in the group classes.

Building sensitivity

Timing

Rape prevention

Ground fighting

Wrist, elbow and shoulder locks

Resistance training for combat power

Muscle firing for efficient striking Six-foot staff Traditional techniques

Combat or sport kicking

Pressure points and nervous response

Kinesiology of striking types in differing martial systems

Trapping and striking

Basic and advanced flexibility

Absorption of impact

Throwing techniques

Distance and three-dimensional space

Rolling and falling

Bone alignment for stability and power leverages