For me, i don't focus on the unreliable belt grading system. I focus on what i can do, and that is to study and train. Everything else is far less important. Forget the politics and just train.
That's the only way to do it. Definitely stay out of the politics and measure progress against yourself. The belt system in the Bujinkan is meaningless. Guys getting 10th dans while only training 10 years makes no sense in the real world of martial arts traditions. Mr. Van Donk seems like a very honorable man and teacher. He has put the politics aside and focused on his growth, but even he would have to admit getting his 5th dan after only 5 or 6 years of training is pretty absurd. It's partly why the Bujinkan is so heavily criticized in Martial arts circles today.
I think Ninjutsu is so complex with vsrious techniques to study that a belt ranking system does not hold the same weight like in karate or taekwondo. Measure your own skill set and what you can do. Be the best version of yourslef in the arts!
There is a guy here in Tucson Az that claims to be the highest ranked Ninja in the Bujinkan. His name is Prather. How are we supposed to verify if this is true or not?
that tiger on the wall behind you. i drew that exact drawing in high school. i found a photo of it and did it as a art project. just saying hello. hope all is well.
@@ninjutsucom as a irezumi tattoo, in the Yakuza a tiger climbing means a enemy(ies) want to kill you. a tiger climbing down means you took care of it. just some lore for you all. domo arigatou gozaimasu!!!.
i can say that i was 4th kyu and doing smooth smooth no handed rolls with a live blade. razor sharp. and drawing in mid roll coming up cutting and then in kamae and chiburi and noto. and i seen shodans who couldnt do that roll with a bokken. and they had amazing unarmed skills. but yet when they got their drawing sword that was dull. no danger.....they still could not even do noto properly. i was blown away. i was in that class for 2 years. didnt move up in rank once. and i see a girl crying in a rank test for 5th kyu and she passed and did horrible. and then i seen shodans who didnt possess near the sword skills that i had. let alone ride horses and do archery in real armor in the mountains. sure i got a shodan in other japanese schools. but according to the bujinkan i am only 4th kyu and i have trained 6 years in class and a decade in the mountains. horseback. armor. archery. in mountains very similar to the mountains of iga.
Yeah tell that to the thousands of practitioners of the world. A ninja is just a master and practitioner of ninjitsu. Simple. Like saying there is no such thing as a yogi. Lol
For me, i don't focus on the unreliable belt grading system. I focus on what i can do, and that is to study and train.
Everything else is far less important. Forget the politics and just train.
That's the only way to do it. Definitely stay out of the politics and measure progress against yourself. The belt system in the Bujinkan is meaningless. Guys getting 10th dans while only training 10 years makes no sense in the real world of martial arts traditions. Mr. Van Donk seems like a very honorable man and teacher. He has put the politics aside and focused on his growth, but even he would have to admit getting his 5th dan after only 5 or 6 years of training is pretty absurd. It's partly why the Bujinkan is so heavily criticized in Martial arts circles today.
Thank you for the clarification.
This has been my relationship with Ninjutsu all my life and this is the best method for me in these fast times. Thank you Richard!
I want to focus on the spiritual and unarmed weapon combat side of Ninjutsu
Yes Sir......And Yes indeed......Osu & Blessings!!!
I think Ninjutsu is so complex with vsrious techniques to study that a belt ranking system does not hold the same weight like in karate or taekwondo. Measure your own skill set and what you can do. Be the best version of yourslef in the arts!
There is a guy here in Tucson Az that claims to be the highest ranked Ninja in the Bujinkan. His name is Prather. How are we supposed to verify if this is true or not?
that tiger on the wall behind you. i drew that exact drawing in high school. i found a photo of it and did it as a art project. just saying hello. hope all is well.
ALL IS AWESOME - THANKS FOR CONNECTING~
@@ninjutsucom as a irezumi tattoo, in the Yakuza a tiger climbing means a enemy(ies) want to kill you. a tiger climbing down means you took care of it. just some lore for you all. domo arigatou gozaimasu!!!.
I thought the Bujinkan was closed?
I’m 63 years old. Is it too late to learn Ninjutsu?
87 danm thats a year after i was born lol
I stopped grading in the late 90s... I just train
i can say that i was 4th kyu and doing smooth smooth no handed rolls with a live blade. razor sharp. and drawing in mid roll coming up cutting and then in kamae and chiburi and noto. and i seen shodans who couldnt do that roll with a bokken. and they had amazing unarmed skills. but yet when they got their drawing sword that was dull. no danger.....they still could not even do noto properly. i was blown away. i was in that class for 2 years. didnt move up in rank once. and i see a girl crying in a rank test for 5th kyu and she passed and did horrible. and then i seen shodans who didnt possess near the sword skills that i had. let alone ride horses and do archery in real armor in the mountains. sure i got a shodan in other japanese schools. but according to the bujinkan i am only 4th kyu and i have trained 6 years in class and a decade in the mountains. horseback. armor. archery. in mountains very similar to the mountains of iga.
MOUNTAINOUS lol, so training on a mountain is better than not? 😂, dummy
WOW
These guys who believe in ninjas are all the same!
@@veiledallegory for a guy who don’t “believe” in Mija’s you sure post a lot of comments on “ninjas” videos. Lol
Hi my name is Bilbo Baggins.... I'm a Scooby doo Dan in the monkeyhole..... I'm a fushi dipshit...with a scuba shoova has
I heard something about a 15th Dan lol
You know there’s actually no such thing as ninjas? Right???
Yeah tell that to the thousands of practitioners of the world. A ninja is just a master and practitioner of ninjitsu. Simple. Like saying there is no such thing as a yogi. Lol