If you're looking to get the most out of your ninja training, and you want your ninjutsu techniques to be as powerful, effective, and efficient as possible, then you cannot rely on only one type of training.
Mastery in ninjutsu, as in any other endeavor, should be more about skill proficiency, then merely collecting a lot of techniques.
The focus of this article is to explore several "types" of training that, together, serve to produce the kind of power and effectiveness that you want in your ninjutsu techniques - whether we're talking about unarmed self-defense skills, or with any of your ninja weapons.
In fact, I'll be outlining four areas of training that will each provide certain benefits that the others just do not.
When training in ninjutsu, especially if your focus is centered on real self-protection and actually producing real results in the world - as opposed to just learning some cool Ninja moves and earning a Black Belt for that learning - then your training must reflect that intention.
In other words, "how" you train, is determined by "what" you want from your Ninja training in the first place! When training for Mastery with your ninjutsu techniques, you can adjust your training so that the focus is on moment-to-moment awareness, decision-making under pressure, technique accuracy, etc.
In addition, certain elements and movements can be separated and isolated so that just these things can be worked on for a higher degree of expertise.
For our purposes here, I will be confining my discussion to just an overview of 4 specific training areas that can give you greater and greater skill levels and a much higher ability to effectively handle and control a dangerous situation with each of your ninjutsu techniques.
Ninja training is unlike any other martial art or conventional self-defense program because of the sheer number of skills, ninjutsu techniques, and ninja weapons, tactics, and strategies contained within this powerful system.
So, it is much more productive to look at training areas, rather than simply focus on given techniques or kata ('prearranged examples for successfully resolving a fight or attack situation').
Here is a basic outline of the four training areas, or types of training, that I give to my own personal students - in order to give them the greatest chance for reaching the level of proficiency possible with their ninjutsu techniques.
Please note that the following list is not in order of importance.
Each area should be seen much like a pillar holding up the roof of a fortress or castle.
Each is equally important and, as such, they should all receive equal attention during your ninja training classes and/or practice sessions between classes.
1) Solo Training - Sometimes referred to as "shadow boxing," this is where you move through your techniques and skills without the aid of a partner.
The primary benefit of this type of training is to understand the "essence" or kotsu, as it is known in the Japanese language, of any given technique.
Here, you can work to recognize problems in your own balance, alignment of your own body parts, and general movement quality as you move from point to point.
2) Target Hitting - This type of training often either overlooked, or limited to hitting simple, commercially produced and available, foam targets.
The point of this training is the development of powerful, slamming strikes and kicks that are capable of breaking up, or driving your opponents body back or down in a real clash.
So, targets should be chosen that will give greater and greater resistance in order to allow your body to continue to adapt and strengthen.
This way, you will be developing strikes that feel to your attacker as if you were putting a ton of effort in, but to you will be experienced as though you are doing little to nothing! 3) Practical Application / Partner Training - In the world of ninja training and Bujinkan budo-taijutsu training today, this makes up the bulk of class training for most students.
In fact, for many, this is often the "only" training they engage in.
The benefit of this training is the development of proper timing, angling, distancing, and flow in response to the movement of another person's body.
Here, you get to learn to "read" another, and learn how different bodies, builds, personality types, and fight-styles move and adjust to set up and deliver the punches, kicks, grabs, and other attacks that your ninjutsu techniques are supposed to be dealing with.
Be careful though, as only focusing your efforts here will handicap you in the other areas.
You will not develop the kind of striking power that you want, and may never isolate the kind of problem and movement-quality issues that the previous methods area much better at giving you! 4) Visualization Training - This is a very important type of meditation practice for the serious practitioner.
And, there is more than adequate study and scientific proof in the areas of modern sport science that shows the benefits of this practice method.
Here, you don't need a training partner, equipment, or even a training area, because you will be closing your eyes and visualizing ("seeing") yourself executing your ninjutsu techniques, and defending yourself perfectly.
This type of training, not only affects your physical ninja training, but it also works to produce a sense of deep-seated confidence and sense of "knowing" how to do things, that you may not have going into the training.
Other types of meditation training which focus on helping to develop your ability to concentrate and hold your mind on one thing - as well as that which trains that part of your mind used to observe, assess, and process - helps to ensure that "all" of you is present, operating, and on-task in the heat of a dangerous encounter.
That way, you will have the greatest advantage - the greatest opportunity - for succeeding.
You will be operating, body, mind, and spirit - fully present and engaged in a way that will allow you to produce the greatest results, with the least amount of effort and wear-and-tear on yourself in the process.