On Learning from Videos
It is almost impossible to learn any martial art by watching videos, but Bujinkan Bujdo Taijutsu videos are probably the worst case in that there is a tendency to leave out or obscure portions of a technique. Videos are good supplements to training for someone already studying under a qualified instructor, but not as good if you've never studied this art.
To get the most out of videos, it often helps to slow the video down and focus upon subtle movements in specific areas of the body. You can watch small sections of the TV screen to isolate movement in the legs, hips, and shoulders separately in order to get a better idea of subtle shifts in weight and other hidden movement.
When trying something new off a video, keep it slow and light. It's very easy to unintentionally hurt a training partner when you don't know what you're doing. Stupid injuries result in less time training.
Finally, DVD's get expensive quickly and there are a lot of them that are not very useful. It's a good idea to do a little homework instead of more or less buying them at random.
