Q. What is it?
A. Budo Taijutsu is a style of Japanese martial arts containing various Samauri and Ninjutsu ryu. The Bujinkan is Soke Maasaki Hatsumi's organization. The art itself is more similar to Aikido, Jiujutsu, and some Chinese forms, and not at all like Tae Kwan Do, boxing, or mixed martial arts. The focus of training is to survive intensely violent situations by avoiding them entirely, disengaging, neutralizing the attacker, or destroying the attacker when necessary.
Q. Why taijutsu?
A. 1) Most arts train you to fight competetively against another fighter in controlled situations. Budo Taijutsu trains you to deal with ambush attacks such as sucker punches and muggings. These situations are over in seconds rather than turning into extended sparring matches. 2) Human beings tend to fight with weapons. If you are attacked, it is likely to be by someone who is armed and is ambushing you. Budo Taijutsu integrates weapons into all areas of training. You will learn to be effective with and against a variety of actual and impromptu weapons.
Q. Advice on choosing a dojo?
It's a good idea to check out several schools and try to find one that fits you and your goals. If you don't enjoy the training, the instructors, and your fellow students, you are not likely to stick with the dojo long enough to get what you want out your effort. It may seem obvious, but it's easy to overlook.
Q. Combat Art?
A. Six of the nine schools in the Bujinkan were Samurai arts and the remaining three were Ninjutsu. All were developed for war use in ancient Japan and have not been turned into sports. This means that the focus remains upon ending a conflict immediately rather than upon extended sparring. This remains relevant to defending against an assault or robbery.
Q. I'm out of shape and kind of worried about fitting in.
A. For the first part, you do what you can. You don't have to be under 30 to be able to learn Budo Taijutsu. To get the most out of the art, being fit enough to squat down and roll slowly is a minimum starting point. If you have physical limitations such as a current or previous injury, let the instructor and your training partners know. If necessary, please discuss with your physician whether such workouts are appropriate for you. Realize that this is a martial art and you can be injured despite all efforts to keep training safe. By training in any martial art you are openly accepting risk of injury. If you need to stop and rest, do so. If a training partner is working too fast or too rough with you, tell them to slow down or lighten up. It's generally not an issue, but if it is, say something.
As far as fitting in, Bujinkan groups tend to be fairly mellow, though if you don't fit in anywhere else on the planet, you're likely to have the same issues here.
Q. So, what should I expect?
A. Classes usually start with a very brief bowing in ceremony, then various rolls to loosen up the body. After that, instruction starts. The sensei will show techniques a few times and the students will pair off and work on the techniques. These techniques may be strikes, kicks, joint locks, staff or sword work, or just about anything else encompassed in the martial arts. About the time you are feeling overwhelmed, it's time for a quick bowing out ceremony, and you've made it through another class. Pretty soon, the techniques and principles do start to make sense.
The local dojos are fairly non-commercial, which is to say that no one in Vegas is making their living off of teaching Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu. The dojos that train outdoors save on overhead and tend to be less expensive. Those that rent space in commercial facilities have to charge more to meet their increased cost, but are competively priced for martial arts training in Las Vegas.
Q. What about women?
A. Women have some advantages in Taijutsu because of a lower center of gravity. Also, upper body strength is not a large factor in performing Taijutsu techniques, so you don't have to be taking huge doses of testosterone just to be able to survive the classes. The training is fairly informal and most taijutsu practice is done with a partner, so you are always working against armed and unarmed opponents with different body sizes, shapes, and kinds of movement.
Q. How much?
A. Please e-mail the individual instructor and stop by to watch some of the classes. Generally, the different dojos range between $25 and $80 a month, depending largely on the facilities used. For Scott Armstrong's classes, contact the Academy of Gymnastics and Dance office. Prices are extremely competetive for martial arts classes in Las Vegas. Other costs include uniforms, equipment, membership in the Bujinkan organization, and rank fees. Seminars are available from time to time, as are opportunities to travel to Japan to study.
Q. Are the instructors qualified and certified?
A. Please see the instructor bio pages.
Q. I'll be in Las Vegas for a convention and would like to train.
A. If you are a Bujinkan member, you are welcome to drop in for classes at most of the dojos. Just e-mail the instructor for fee info (it's usually not much, if anything at all) and to make sure the time and location are valid for that evening's class.
Q. I need a uniform.
