| One thing that becomes painfully evident to | | | | vain to use that as their default, regardless |
| anyone who has been studying the Ninja's | | | | of the situation they're working on. |
| warrior arts for any length of time is...the | | | | Difficult, if not impossible to describe |
| shear impossibility of being able to practice | | | | addequately using the written word, here are |
| all that you've learned. After even a short | | | | a few examples to convey this very powerful |
| time in training, the number of skills, | | | | concept:1) A knife-wielding attacker will |
| technique models known as "kata," and weapons | | | | have a difficult time getting at me if I stay |
| hits a point where, even if you wanted to, | | | | farther away and out of his reach, |
| you could not consistantly practice | | | | however...2) An assailant armed with a |
| everything in the same way that, say, a | | | | handgun will find it easier to shoot me at |
| practitioner of other arts might be able to | | | | the same distance. Instead, he will have |
| do so.However, in the martial art of | | | | increasing difficulty the closer I am to him |
| Ninjutsu, you don't have to. For the Ninja's | | | | and his weapon.3) If a guy is trying to shoot |
| perspective does not limit itself to the | | | | at me with a high-powered rifle from a |
| building blocks of the art in the same way | | | | rooftop, I want to be visiting my friends in |
| that is seen in other conventional forms or | | | | another town, but...4) If the same lunatic |
| styles. Instead, the Ninja aspirant focuses | | | | has the trigger device for a nuclear weapon, |
| not on technique but on principles and | | | | unless he has a death wish, I want to be |
| concepts. And, by concentrating on winning | | | | standing right next to him!Now, I know that |
| in combat from a higher level or viewpoint - | | | | those last two sound a bit far-fetched, but |
| like a blimp overseeing a football stadium - | | | | they illustrate the point. And that is |
| he or she is free to exchange techniques, | | | | that......distance is dictated, in large |
| skills, and weapons freely without ever | | | | part, by your opponent or opponents, his or |
| changing the focus of the lesson | | | | their tactics, and any weapons |
| itself.Focusing On Concepts & Principles | | | | involved.Knowing and understanding the |
| Instead of Step-By-Step TechniqueOne such | | | | concepts of ma-ai, or proper distance, allows |
| concept or principle that forms part of the | | | | the Enlightened Warrior to step out of the |
| core of the Ninja student's training from the | | | | narrow, limiting "box" that knows only preset |
| very beginning is that of distance. Also | | | | techniques. It allows him or her to adapt |
| known in Japanese as ma-ai, distance is a | | | | freely to the situation - change as change is |
| crucial aspect within any given encounter and | | | | needed - and to always be in the right place |
| varies according to such fight variables | | | | with the right defense to overcome the |
| as:size or height of each combatant, | | | | adversary and......win.Jeffrey M. Miller is |
| especially where there is any significant | | | | the founder and master instructor of Warrior |
| difference | | | | Concepts International. A senior teacher in |
| | | | the Japanese warrior art of Ninjutsu, he |
| type and length or reach of any weapons | | | | specializes in teaching the ancient ways of |
| involvednumber of combatants, including | | | | self-protection and personal development |
| multiple-attacker to single defender | | | | lessons in a way that is easily understood |
| scenarios, and...environmental considerations | | | | and put to use by modern Western students and |
| or limitationsIn my seminars and classes, we | | | | corporate clients. Through their martial arts |
| have a saying..."He or she who controls the | | | | training, his students and clients learn |
| distance, controls the fight."And, while this | | | | proven, time-tested lessons designed to help |
| may sound obvious, it is often far from it. | | | | them create the life they've always dreamed |
| What I and my instructors under me see time | | | | of living, and the skills necessary for |
| and again, is the student's tendancy to learn | | | | protecting that life from anything that might |
| one particular distance and then attempt in | | | | threaten it. |