All Strength is Not the Same for the Warrior!
As martial artists most of us tend to cringe and shy away from words like “strength” and “power” in favor of seemingly more budo-friendly fitness words like “agility”, “coordination”, or “balance”. Yet, often we do not understand the actual definitions of the words and simply avoid them because of some misplaced fear that they will…
Your Sanshin No Kata Under a Microscope
Sanshin no Kata (form of the three hearts) forms the basis for movement in the Bujinkan. These five foundational exercises cannot be overlooked, especially with regard to solo training. When I first began training in the Bujinkan over 20 years ago there were very few training resources. There was no Internet! In a way it…
Ninja Walking
The following article is an excerpt from Warrior Fitness: Conditioning for Martial Arts… Enjoy! Proper walking is footwork training for budo. How we walk in day-to-day life is how we will walk (move) in combat. Efficiency in more complex movement begins with efficiency in simple movements. How can we expect to move with ease in…
Unlocking Flow in Your Taijutsu Practice
Here’s another one for all my Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu friends out there. The following set of exercises is specifically designed to increase flow (nagare) in your taijutsu. However, before we get into the exercises themselves we should address the question, what is flow? Flow is efficiency and continuity in movement. Flow is smoothness of movement that is…
Ukemi Flow Conditioning Workout
This one is for all the martial artists out there – I created the following ukemi conditioning workout for myself a few years ago to specifically target the transitions between my rolls and begin to unlock flow. Additionally, it has the effect of really getting your heart pumping and makes a great workout! Start out slowly…
How to Train for the Endurance of a Ninja
As promised, here is an example strength endurance workout to start you on the way to building ninja-like endurance. We will work the upper body, core, and lower body for a complete, whole body workout. The goal of this type of training is to improve the body’s general endurance capacity so as to increase our overall resistance…
So Ya Wanna Be a Ninja?
Masaaki Hatsumi, Grandmaster of the Bujinkan Dojo, once stated, “endurance is of primary importance for the ninja.” One definition of endurance is the ability to resist fatigue. Looking at the kanji (Chinese character) for Nin, there is the ideogram for “sword” over the ideogram for “heart” giving Nin a meaning of, “even though you hold a sword…
Fitness Requirements for Bujinkan Martial Arts Training
As a 25 year veteran of Bujinkan martial arts training, as well as being the creator of Warrior Fitness Training Systems, one of the things I pride myself on is my ability to access the fitness needs of my fellow martial artists, particularly those who train in the Bujinkan. A common misconception that you’ll hear bandied…
Jack Hoban on Fitness
The interviews conducted here at Warrior Fitness will highlight people who have significantly influenced my thinking and training on fitness, who are leaders in their particular fields of expertise, and whom I admire. Jack Hoban happens to fit all three. Through his unwavering commitment to martial arts and fitness, Jack has inspired me to keep…
Lost Empire Herbs
