| Most people know that the ninja's unarmed | | | | - Methods for impacting the opponent's body with |
| combat method is known in Japanese as, | | | | different parts of your own |
| Ninpo-Taijutsu. Ninpo-taijutsu simply translates to | | | | - Strikes to the body's muscles, pressure points |
| mean, "the ninja's body-art." But, instead of seeing | | | | and sensitive areas |
| his unarmed self-defense art as a singular "thing," | | | | 2) Jutaijutsu ("soft-body arts," often described as |
| as is done in most styles of martial arts - the | | | | "grappling methods"). This sub-art includes: |
| Ninja sees beyond the surface-level appearance | | | | - Techniques for unbalancing, throwing, and |
| that traps most. | | | | dropping an attacker |
| In reality, just as ninjutsu is a composite martial | | | | - Methods for restraining, locking joints, choking, |
| art on a grander scale, Ninpo-taijutsu is, itself, a | | | | and immobilizing the attacker |
| composite self defense system made up of skills | | | | 3) Taihenjutsu ("body-changing art") which includes |
| which come from, what we might call, 3 | | | | what appears to be the non-combat skills of: |
| "sub-arts." Each of these so-called sub-arts allows | | | | - Body movement - like walking, running, climbing, |
| the ninja practitioner to focus on, not just | | | | rolling, leaping and breakfalls |
| individual skills, but also: | | | | - Principles, concepts, and methods of moving the |
| - 1) Skill sets | | | | body to escape from locks, holds, and throws |
| - 2) The principles and concepts which manifest | | | | - Strategic ways of countering and redirecting an |
| as different skills, and... | | | | assailant's attacks While the majority of those |
| - 3) The way that these arts compliment each | | | | who are attracted to the shadow warrior's art of |
| other as the ninja responds to, and crushes his | | | | ninjutsu are focusing on the ancient trappings of |
| opponent's attacks. The 3 sub-arts that make up | | | | the art - the costume, weapons, and |
| the ninja's unarmed combat method are: | | | | Hollywood-inspired theatrics - the serious ninja |
| 1) Dakentaijutsu ("striking arts") which itself | | | | student is free to concentrate on the elements of |
| includes: | | | | his powerful martial art that are, like his own |
| - Bone striking, and methods for attacking the | | | | intentions and actions - invisible to all but those |
| skeletal system | | | | who know what to look for. |