Within the modern Ninja martial art training of Ninpo-taijutsu, there is a core set of techniques that serve as blueprints for an effective response to a self-defense situation. This set of models is collectively known as the kihon-happo.
This article focuses on the secret that lies at the core of these models, and the reason why the 33rd Grand Master Toshitsugu Takamatsu declared that, in order to become a master of the ninja combat system…
… “all you need is the Kihon Happo.”
But, as with all things that stand the test of time, time and human nature have ensured that this secret remains hidden from most students and teachers practicing the art today.
Does this mean that the teachers are not teaching the kata correctly?
No. Not necessarily.
Does it mean that most of the students are not doing the techniques in the right way?
Again. Not necessarily.
At least… Not on a physical level, step by step, anyway.
However, what if the individual techniques, the “forms” of kata, that make up the Kihon Happo, are not meant to simply be techniques to be learned? What if the techniques that everyone holds up as sacred and “official” proof that they are doing the “real” thing…
…are they really models to learn “from” rather than just “learn”?
What if each technique was really a reflection of all the others and a delivery mechanism that allowed you to take the core lessons you were teaching and not just apply them to all of your other techniques, but…
…to allow you to create an unlimited number of variations of your own.
In fact, what if you understood a simple little secret, buried within these 8 little techniques, that would allow you to discover virtually every technique, on every scroll, of the 9 bloodlines that make up the current training?
Would that make a difference in your training?
What would that do to your ability to get results?
Well, I’m letting the “cat out of the bag,” so to speak, I’m spilling the beans.
Won’t the Ninja clans send their assassins to catch me for revealing this secret? No. In fact, I’m so sure that most people who have ever read this…
I WILL NOT UNDERSTAND…
Which doesn’t bother me at all!
Would I like them to “get it”? Absolutely!
But, between the laziness that makes most people sit around surfing the internet or reading art books, and the focus on belts and the importance of others…
…I’ll be happy if you’re the only one who understands this!
And the secret is this…
Kihon Happo are NOT “8 Basic Techniques!” Yes, there are “8 Ways”, but these are eight “examples” of an infinity of techniques.
The “secret” of kihon happo: The reason Takamatsu-Sensei said it’s all you need is that you’re supposed to take each technique and do 8 variations of it.
Then you take each of these 8 and make eight more. And then 8 more of each of these.
And it goes on and on and on.
Y…
You repeat the formula for all the original examples. And you don’t stop until the original 8 have become simple variations within variations.
Why do this?
Three reasons really:
1) To free your mind from the typical “style” of martial arts and kata mentality.
2) Recognize that there are too many variables in a real fight, and the limited nature of any form, and…
3) It was simply impossible for past masters to write down every possible technical variation or combination that was possible. So, they wrote the minimum necessary for you to get the “idea”.
And then I left the rest in your hands!