Learn Ninja Techniques

The true techniques of the ninja are taught in secrecy. Whenever a ninja thought of new techniques, they would write it down into makimono or scrolls for the next generation's ninja. There are some ways of the ninja that are better known to the western world.

Steps

Dressing the Part

1. Understand the style. The contemporary ninja varies from the classic perception portrayed by movies. The formal gown worn by the ninja is a navy blue gown with a covered face. In action, a ninja acts more like a chameleon than a warrior.
   • There are many articles that tell you ninja clothes (shinobi shozoku) should be tight-fitting to avoid making noise. The clothes should instead fit your body in a loose style.
2. Dress for stealth. You will need clothes that fit the environment around you. The idea of camouflage is to distort your shape so you won’t be easily identified. Matching the people around you has become important for the modern ninja. This sometimes means studying the people around you and being able to easily adapt.
   • Being unnoticed is important for a ninja.
   • Your nightclothes should be dark blue and comfortable. Consider wearing a keikogi, a martial arts training top, and a hakama, or loose fitting formal pants. The bottom parts of your hakama should be tucked into your tabi (ninja boots) and tied with a string for each foot.
3. Use everyday clothes. You don't need to spend a lot of money at a specialty store for the authentic look. A traditional wardrobe doesn't create a ninja. Soccer sweat pants can be a great substitute for pants. Pair that with a dark blue t-shirt or turtleneck, a dark ski mask and you’re a modern ninja.

Understanding Stealth Techniques

1. Practice Nuki Ashi. This is one of the techniques of Shinobi Aruki. It is very useful for moving across creaky floor boards and the like. Start in a low crouching position with your arms extended for balance. Put most of your weight on the front leg. Move the back leg from the rear and swing it close to your other leg so it barely touches at the ankles.
   • Extend the moving leg forward and use it to feel for any creaky floor boards. Then starting from the outer edge of your foot, ease your weight onto that leg.
2. Use Yoko Aruki or sidewalk. This is a walking technique used to travel along walls and through tight spaces. Yoko aruki starts with one's back against the wall. Move the rear leg in the direction of travel. Bend the knees deeply when doing this. Once in this position, move the other leg sideways in front of the other leg and in the direction of travel. This movement should be smooth.
3. Practice Ko Ashi or tiger feet. This is a good technique for walking through high brush or water. First, lift your front leg straight out of the brush. Slide your foot over the spot in which you intend to step. Point your foot straight down and step into the brush. After the foot has reached the ground return it to a normal position.
4. Try crouching. Perhaps the best way to move about, crouching allows less of you to be seen while moving.
5. Practice crawling. Excellent for visual concealment, the crawl is good for crossing soft grass and clean surfaces. The crawl is not good for crossing anything noisy such as hard grass, leaves, and rocky terrain.
6. Use other stealth tips. When you're about to turn around a corner, listen for footsteps or talking around or behind a wall. If you're skilled enough, you can tell which direction they are facing by listening to them. Be sure to press your weight against the wall, and crouch as low as you can to peer around the corner.
   • The lower you are, the less chance they'll see you.
   • When ascending stairs, if they are creaky, walk on the side of them, closest to the wall.

Learning to Fight

1. Learn Jujutsu. Jujutsu is a great foundation to martial arts practice because the fighting style relies on balance. Much of the Jujutsu takes your opponent's strength and uses it against them. If you belong to a Jujutsu school, you'll begin with the elementary throws and grapples. One of the first skills you learn is to relax during training. This enables you to train longer without becoming exhausted and also is good preparation to becoming a ninja.
   • The core of Jujutsu is fighting without weapons.
2. Discover ninjutsu organizations. Some larger cities have ninjutsu schools that are open for willing patrons. This is the best way to learn the true techniques a of ninja’s fighting style. The core idea of ninjutsu is stealth.
   • A modern fictitious ninja who incorporates this fighting style is Batman.
3. Learn from a trainer. Although knowing a traditional Japanese style of fighting is preferred, receiving any type of martial art training will help. You can always adapt the ways of your martial arts style into a stealth based style.
   • You can also seek out further training after receiving a basic martial arts training.

Using Ninja Accessories

1. Use throwing spears. Hold the Bo-Shuriken in your hand with the point facing the same direction as your fingers. Hold it in place by your middle and index finger. Tuck your thumb over it to keep the bottom half secure. Point your arm that is not holding it towards the target. Then position your foot on the side of that hand in front of the target. Raise the hand that's holding the bo-shuriken next to your head.
   • Bring the BS holding hand straight down, accelerating as you bring it down. Make sure it's powerful enough so that it slips out of your hand.
   • Try not to be too powerful or you won't have much accuracy.
2. Throw ninja stars. Hold the shuriken in your hand by gripping the outside of a point. Reach around your body to where you back pocket would be, and then pull your arm around and let your wrist snap forward. This will take practice at first. Only worry about the accuracy and not the power, distance, or looking cool.
3. Wield a sword. There are five basic postures of wielding a sword in a ninja style.
   • Jodan no Kamae. This entails holding the sword overhead at a 45 degree angle.
   • Seigan no Kamae. This technique places the sword handle at hip level with the tip aiming at your adversary's eyes.
   • Chudan no Kamae. For this, the sword is held at your center, above waist level with the tip pointing to your adversary's stomach.
   • Hasso no kamae. Have the sword at your side in a manner similar to a baseball bat.
   • Gedan no kamae. The sword handle will be at your hip’s height so the tip aims towards the opponent's feet.
4. Use Smoke Bombs. Smoke bombs are a classic get away technique. You can either make your own smoke bombs or buy them at a store. Ask a local marital artist if they could help you find this type of smoke bomb.

Tips

• To learn Taijutsu, join a Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu dojo; however a Genbukan, Jinenkan, or Toshin-do dojo is probably fine as well, as they are also based on Takamatsu-den Ryu-ha. If none are available, look for any dojo that teaches Koryu Bujutsu (While these styles may not teach Taijutsu, it's probably the closest you'll be able to get excluding those listed above).
• Many practitioners of Taijutsu have black belts in other arts such as Tae Kwon Do, Karate, Wushu, Jiujitsu, etc. Having previous martial arts experience can be useful, but it is certainly not necessary.

Warnings

• The things shown here are only 10% of real ninjutsu. The rest is hidden.
• Don't go in public places wearing a Ninja outfit. You'll be classified as a major dork, and you may have to go to a police station to be interrogated.

Related Articles

• Train to Be a Ninja Easily
• Use a Katana Properly
• Be Calm Like a Ninja
• Jump Like a Ninja

Sources and Citations

See also

• Be a Ninja
• Train to Be a Ninja Easily
• Be a Samurai
• Be Stealthy Like a Ninja
• Ninja Fight
• Disappear Like a Ninja
• Be a Modern Ninja
• Make a Ninja Star
• Move Like a Ninja
• Be a Ninja Spy

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