February 21, 2024

Knife Toss

The skills was not only to catch it, but be able to catch it in a way that one could immediately use.

It was after class and the group of us sat seiza in a large circle, about eight feet or so in diameter.

We had just finished up randori practice and while we were waiting one used the next few minute to catch breath and relax, let the tension go and sharpen the focus. There was a reason why this exercise was always after class.

The senior student was first handed the knife, and after a few manipulations to check the balance, they tossed it to the person across from them. Toss as in send it across to another person so they can catch it in hand and easily bring it into play.

There were two parts to this training exercise, the student tossing the knife, and the student receiving it. The student tossing it has to manipulate it around so the handle was facing out, and toss it with the correct distance and timing so the other student could catch it. The student receiving it had to catch it in such a way that they could receive it and quickly manipulate it around so the handle of the knife was in hand. There was a certain kind of awareness to all this, which included being able to catch things without directly looking at them.

There was also an awareness regarding the knife, taking in account the size, weight, and balance, and if one was receiving it and the throw was off, knowing in that moment not to go for it, not to get cut by it and let it pass- which would be the fault of the student throwing it, not receiving it.

There were many taijutsu skills that have no name, they are a part of the tradition, a part of the movement, a part of stuff one should be able to do, and this training drill was one of them. The ability to manipulate and toss training tools so somebody else could grab them and bring them to play.

This post does not advocate or present training with metal or live training tools, always use safe and padded martial arts training tools with the appropriate protective gear. Any practice with martial arts training tools should be done under the direct supervision of a qualified martial arts instructor, of which this training post does not provide or imply.

The aim of the Bujinkan Shinmyoken dojo (war god hall school of the life giving sword) is to understand nature and the movement of being zero through taijutsu- martial ways of using the body. The school exists to create and transmit this feeling and method through the experience of isshi soden- one to one transmission.

Located in Westchester New York, the Bujinkan Shinmyoken dojo is a martial arts training group founded in 2005 with the aim of coming together as martial arts friends to study the Japanese martial arts of Masaaki Hatsumi through the movement lessons of the Bujinkan dojo and the expression of budo taijutsu.

Classes are held on Saturday Mornings from 9-11 AM at a local park in Yonkers New York easily accessible by car, train, and bus. Additional training times are held for workshops and seminars each quarter.

Training is supervised by Fred Feddeck (shidoshi) who has been studying Bujinkan budo taijutsu since 1993.

The transformative effects of the Bujinkan come from the purity of its warrior movement, the movement-philosophy found in taijutsu (body art). This art offers the tools of movement to assimilate the skills needed to meet the challenges of life and prevail against those changes, a movement guide to take control of one’s destiny.

Questions, feedback, and inquiries may be directed to the group here: bujinkanshinmyoken@gmail.com.

The Bujinkan Shinmyoken Dojo practices the Japanese martial art of budo taijutsu as passed to us through Masaaki Hatsumi sensei. It is through the movement-philosophy of taijutsu, as passed down through eight hundred years of warrior movement that we explore these lessons for the here and now of today.

But what is taijutsu?

The easiest and most natural explanation would be to come and participate in a class so one can experience the transmission directly (isshi soden).

With that framework what can be understood intellectually is expressed through s system of movement, used as a vehicle to understand self through martial movement.

Training begins with junan taiso, martial arts stretching, and the re-alignment of the body to a natural state. Methods of undoing the defects of time that one has “learned” and accumulated incorrectly along the way through life. Increasing body capacity and taking stock of where one is currently in order to build and improve on the body’s natural movement capabilities.

The next level of movement development transmits how to generate and use correct body alignment and mechanics in a martial way- it teaches one how to move the body correctly using our unique movement of taijutsu. Methods to illustrate this include ukemi taihenjutsu, kyu kamae, kihon happo, and san shin no kata, illustrating the path of heaven (sky).

Once one has a firm grasp of how to use the movement-philosophy of taijutsu correctly the study of the path of earth begin, how to prevent correct movement through the use of distance, timing, rhythm, and balance. Methods use to show this anti-movement include the gyaku gi, nage waza, hajutsu, and shime-waza.

Those two path lead to the path of man (human), the blending and interplay of the dragon (ten) and the tiger (chi), the interaction between people in a martial arts situation. This jin ryaku no maki section of training offers us glimpses with what is possible, making the impossible possible, as expressed through koku, renyo, seion, gekkan, musan, etc.

The integration of these three aspects of training (tenchijin ryaku no maki) leads to the complete human begin (tatsujin) and the ability to navigate situations in a natural manner.

Yet again, these are just words trying to capture the movement-philosophy of taijutsu, the best way to feel and experience this expression is to take up the training and commit to the warrior path.    






 email contact: bujinkanshinmyoken@gmail.com