Bujinkan Bojutsu Training Drill

There are various martial arts training drills that we practice in our taijutsu movement art. The aim of a training drill is to isolate a specific skill set that is needed, by putting boundaries around that skill set so one can both practice it and refine the skill set. Training drills are not real in that they are not shinken gata, but rather a powerful tool to help one level up skills in terms of movement and understanding.

Recently we have been practicing rokushaku bojutsu (six foot stick skills), and after building on the basics, this is the next training drill we explore.

One training partner has a (padded) bo, while the other training partner moves around, changing direction and timing as needed. The skill to isolate is the distance and timing of the stick as the training partner with the bo has to strike/connect with the training partner walking around. Naturally certain kyusho are not involved for safety and the speed is slowed down.

One of the first level-ups is realizing just how hard it is to hit a moving target, and in the case of this training drill, one that is moving in different direction and is using taihenjutsu to change those directions.

A second layer to this drill is adding a second training partner who is moving around and now the partner with the bo has to move around using mawashi-te yo strike back and forth both training partners.

The aim of isolating one’s bojutsu learnings and developing them to a usable skill outside of the dojo training environment.