Saturday, June 23, 2012
Bujinkan Shidoshi, Josh Sager – 10th dan, and Jon Haas – 9th dan, team up once again to bring you a unique and extraordinary presentation of weapons retention and deployment using the knife and pistol! Continue reading
Many trainers and coaches tend to look at the current rage of joint mobility protocols as recent innovations in sports science and training. Everyone is talking about mobility for health, mobility for prehab or injury prevention, mobility for warm-ups, mobility for fending off the ravages of aging. Everyone is talking about the benefits of increased range of motion for sport performance and martial art training enhancement. And, just to be perfectly clear, this is a good thing. They are all correct. Mobility training is the rage for a reason. Continue reading
Saturday, March 24, 2012
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Bujinkan Shidoshi, Josh Sager – 10th dan, and Jon Haas – 9th dan, team up to bring you a unique and extraordinary presentation of small and hidden weapons used by Japan’s legendary Ninja Warriors!
You will learn strategies, tactical movement, and techniques utilizing:
Saturday March 24, 2012
1 PM to 5 PM
$50 payable online (click paypal link below) or at the door.
For more information or to register, please email jon@warriorfitness.org or call (609) 556-8712
On Sunday, April 22, 2012, Two of South Jersey’s Top Ranked Bujinkan Martial Arts Instructors, Jon Haas and Chris Rydbom will teach you:
Date & Time: Sunday April 22, 2012 from 12pm to 3pm
Where: Warrior Fitness Gym Hainesport Business Park 4004 Sylon Blvd. Hainesport, NJ 08036 (609) 556-8712Cost: $45
Register online (click Paypal link below) or pay at the door.
Check out our Fit Bodies Bootcamp for Women HERE!
Learn Exercise Programming and Secret Conditioning Techniques by 2 of South Jersey’s Top Strength and Conditioning Coaches.
On February 25, 2012 Coach Jon Haas and Coach Christopher Lopez will blow your mind.
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You Will Learn How To:
(1.) Use Proper Warm Up Techniques to prepare you for Combat based movements
(2.) Incorporate Soft Tissue Movements to Increase Blood Flow and Muscle Recovery
(3.) Maximize Your Strength and Conditioning results from a Combat Perspective
(4.) Use Specific Exercise Programming That can Increase Speed, Explosiveness, and Cardio Capacity…at the Same Time (
5.) Use Secret Breathing Techniques that could be the difference in winning or losing a fight.
(bring small snacks to eat during the Seminar)
$65/Person (Early Registration)
Click HERE to Register.
$75/person (At the Door)
My name is Ichiro Watanabe. I am a chunin, a middle level ninja of the Togakure clan.
Our small village is secluded deep in the mountains near Mt. Togakushi, otherwise known as Togakure Mountain. I could tell you exactly where, but I’d have to kill you. No joke, it’s a matter of survival for my family and clan.
You see the year is 1601, one year after the famous Battle of Sekigahara which brought Ieyasu Tokugawa to power uniting Japan. There is still much to do, however, and the need for the services of our ninja clan is still very great. Continue reading
Yesterday I decided to do something a little bit different in my workout. As an experiment, I wanted to look at the effect lactic acid build up in the muscles had on my ability to throw rubber shuriken (ninja stars) and hit a target. The theory being that as fatigue in the muscles increased, throwing accuracy would decrease. Seems like a solid hypothosis, right? Well, here’s what happened…
Remember, striking power is not just about hitting harder; it’s about hitting smarter. Here’s a few reasons why this program is something you should incorporate into your martial training:
Want to know more about this unique Warrior Fitness product? Click HERE!
Historically, ninja were the consummate combination of super spy / super soldier. They possessed outstanding levels of fitness due to their intensely physical training and highly demanding mission requirements.
Their levels of fitness and training have been the subject of many stories and the genesis for many myths surrounding them.
How did they do it?
How did they train?
What type of methodology did they employ since creating this kind of warrior certainly required a very diverse fitness profile?
Ninja fitness needs were much more multi-faceted than most physical pursuits. They had to be as they were at once a combination of Olympic decathlete, Navy Seal, and martial arts master rolled into one. Let’s examine this a little more closely though, what kind of qualities did they possess and what did they need to be able to do?
As you can see from the 2 lists above, the ninja had a wide range of skills and abilities that had to be supported by a comprehensive fitness program keeping him at the top of his game.
Remember that for a ninja, fitness wasn’t just a nice to have; it was an absolute necessity to accomplishing his mission and getting him home safely. And the kicker is, they did it all with little to no fitness equipment.
Certainly a 16th century ninja did not possess a Gold’s Gym membership. Nor did he own an Olympic weight set or have a stair master at his disposal. And, while kettlebells and dumbbells would have been great, he most likely had never laid eyes on either one.
So here we have one of the most highly trained and fit agents the world has ever seen created without the use of modern training equipment or modern training methods.
What might some of this training looked like?
I’m glad you asked. One of my favorite scenes in Hatsumi Sensei’s early Bujinkan training videos (DVDs now for you younger folks!) comes from Shinden Fudo Ryu. Here’s a short clip I found on Youtube. This stuff is seriously old school!
“One trains using the things of nature to make the body strong” – Hatsumi Sensei
Modern methods allow us to take advantage of periodization, or programing and organizing training, to create a comprehensive fitness plan which will apply logical sequences to get the most out of each session. Protocols like HIIT, high intensity interval training, will be utilized to maximize both aerobic and anaerobic endurance in the same short, high intensity session.
Advances in recovery work from such sessions will allow us to recover faster thus making gains greater, and increasing our overall general physical preparation (GPP) will allow us to push higher into more sophisticated training. Effectiveness and efficiency will be combined in order to allow for shorter training sessions which maximize the use of one’s time.
As the ancient ninja did, we will create a strong, supple, highly conditioned warrior and accomplish this with little to no fitness equipment. We will, as Hatsumi Sensei says in the video clip above, use the things of nature to make the body strong.
If I were able to point to just one resource for the warrior that combines old school training with modern sports science, I’d look here… Ninja Missions <<==
Throughout history a few exceptional martial artists have stood out from the rest of the budo landscape.
Millions of people from every country and culture on the planet have trained in innumerable styles and arts across the centuries, yet we only know a small number of them by name.
These men distinguished themselves and rose to the very uppermost levels of physical, mental, and spiritual skill in their respective arts and in some cases even took their talent to such heights as to create an entirely new martial art.
Looking back at them today, we are awed and inspired by the levels they achieved through their single minded determination in reaching a goal, dogged pursuit of excellence in their craft, and amazing amount of self-sacrifice.
What made these men different?
What pushed them to greatness?
What did they do differently or more productively that propelled them to prominence?
Why were their names and storied passed down through the years, sometimes centuries?
What one factor do all great martial artists have in common regardless of style, country, or culture?
And, more importantly, how can we learn from them and apply it to our own training? Remember, we stand on the shoulders of giants, not to imitate them, but to be able to look farther.
Instead of listening to my opinion today, why don’t we go directly to the sources themselves? Here are some cool quotes I’ve complied by some of the greats talking about their own training.
Morihei Ueshiba – Aikido 
“The instructor can only impart a small portion of the teaching; only through ceaseless training can you obtain the necessary experience allowing you to bring these mysteries alive. Hence, do not chase after many techniques; one by one, make each technique your own.”
“Always imagine yourself on the battlefield under the fiercest attack; never forget this crucial element of training.”
“This old man must still train and train” – said shortly before his death.
Gozo Shioda – Aikido 
“Kokyu power is produced when we push ourselves to the limit, making the most efficient use of the capabilities that lie within our own bodies.”
“Even though the body has its limits, until your death, the strength of your spirit is limitless. This is precisely why, in the martial arts, there is no such thing as deteriorating as you age.”
Yukiyoshi Sagawa – Daito Ryu 
“Intermittent training, no matter how intensive, is utterly useless. You must practice every day for your entire life. That, and only that, is true training, or shugyo.”
“People who think they can ignore training their bodies and only work on techniques are amateurs. They don’t know anything. Actually, if you can’t prepare your body properly, you have no hope of ever perfecting your technique.”
“No matter what level of mastery you attain, you will never achieve perfection. You should therefore never, ever assume that what you have achieved is good enough.”
“If people knew what my training regimen was like, they would be astonished.”
Masaaki Hatsumi – Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu 
“Modern budo students often forget to practice by themselves. I used to practice by myself. When there was no teacher, I found the secret teachings by my own desire.”
“Studying for oneself and making one’s own discoveries is much more important than group learning, and this applies equally well to martial arts. As I often say, ‘Life is all about solitary training.’ This is because I want serious practitioners to discover the tricks of the trade for themselves.”
Miyamoto Musashi – Niten Ichi Ryu 
“From the time I was young I have set my mind on the Way of Martial Arts, practiced the one subject of swordsmanship with my entire being, and experienced various and different understandings.”
“See to it that you temper yourself with one thousand days of practice, and refine yourself with ten thousand days of training.”
“Never depart from the way of martial arts.”
Yamaoka Tesshu – Muto Ryu 
“Study hard and all things can be accomplished; give up and you will amount to nothing.”
“If you want to obtain the secrets of such wonderful techniques, drill yourself, harden yourself, undergo severe training, abandon body and mind; follow this course for years and you will naturally reach the profoundest levels.”
