Flips and ninjutsu?

Question

why do i see ninjutsu viedos on youtube that have ppl doing flips and wall flips etc
in ninjutsu class do you really learn those kind of stuff to like show off in a tourny or something?

and what kind of ppl take ninjutsu? (mostly)
chiense, viet , etc
i no its not mainly jap ppl

Answer 1

Hi there

As someone has said the Bujinkan focuses on the practical and realistic. What you see on the Internet about ninjutsu is a load of garbage. Having said that there some forms of the togakure ryu school kata that have forward flips in them. Mostly used for escaping or evading multiple attackers. There is also kata from koto ryu that involves you jumping onto your attacker from different angles to take them down. These forms only make up about 2% of what is practiced so the chances are you may never get to see them or find someone that knows how to perform them correctly. But they are in there. The chap above me who made reference to these types of techniques being used on the battlefield to avoid long range weapons is bang on the mark. Shinobi did indeed fight on the battlefield and they also wore yori.

Best wishes

idai

Answer 2

What you see on the Internet about ninjutsu is a load of garbage.
there is training from the Koto Ryu in ninjutsu thatyou jump onto ppl from different ways and such

Answer 3

Some of the acrobatic type movements that you see were used for dodging and evading an opponent-especially one with a weapon. Even Mas Oyama felt there was a need to be able to do a dive roll or a back handspring to respond to an opponents attack and gain time and a more favorable position with which to defend yourself in some situations and includes them in his book.

In traditional Japanese karate you have what they call wall katas that have nothing but ninety degree angles and turns with almost all horse-ridding stances. These were for practicing and developing your skills for blocking, punching, striking, and kicking in narrow passage ways or corridors. I have to believe that some techniques like the ones that you mention above as well as some other types of acrobatic type moves probably came in very handy during feudal times in Japan when people fought with spears, swords and chain mace type weapons.

Answer 4

What you see on youtube is probably just "tricking".

Ninjutsu is the art learned by the ninja, which has been extinct for hundreds of years.

The bujinkan teach ninjutsu techniques, and "showing off" is not part of their curriculum, as ninjas were taught to be stealthy

Answer 5

there are varying degrees of acrobatics that are taught in ninjitsu/ninpo. my sensei says the most important thing to train in is spiritual development "seishin tekiyo yo" and taijutsu. AND YES many cultures and types of people train in ninjutsu/ninpo. The Genbukan has members from all over the world. I'm caucasian!