| In the world of martial arts and self defense | | | | range. This aspect is related to the space |
| training, it's common to hear practitioners | | | | between your weapons and the target to be |
| discussing the fact that "their style" has 8 strikes, | | | | accessed. |
| 5 chokes, or (fill-in-the-blank) number of | | | | 3) Delivery Method - This includes lead, cross, and |
| techniques. But, in ninjutsu - the ninja's self | | | | lunging strikes. Again, not to be confused with |
| protection arts, such lists are seen as | | | | more or less standard boxing terminology, this is |
| impediments and limitations on your training and | | | | not related to the "jab," hooking punch that |
| ability to produce results. | | | | swings "across" the puncher's body, or some kind |
| This article focuses on the ninja's reliance on | | | | of "leaning" punch. These strikes are related to |
| principles and concepts over set techniques. To | | | | the relationship between the hand that is moving, |
| illustrate this idea, I will be taking a look at the | | | | and the footwork used as a base for the punch. |
| workings of a so-called "basic punch." | | | | So, a "lead" is a punch with the lead hand with the |
| In the grand scheme of things, we could say that | | | | lead leg shuffling forward. |
| a punch is just a punch. However, once we were | | | | A "cross" is a punch with the rear hand, with the |
| to look at both the workings of the human body, | | | | lead leg shuffling as above. And... |
| and the types of situations and targets we might | | | | A "lunge" is the rear hand and rear leg moving |
| be required to use that punch in and on, we can | | | | forward at the same time to deliver the punch. |
| see that this may not be exactly true. | | | | 4) Angle - The angle of the punch can be seen as |
| In my own school, my students are introduced to | | | | straight, or piercing; hooking; and swatting, or |
| a set of 12 elements that, when combined, will | | | | clubbing. The straight punch moves directly out |
| create more than a few different types of | | | | from the joint and in a straight line with the |
| punches with just a simple fudo-ken, or | | | | intended target. The hook is one that comes |
| "immovable (clenched) fist." | | | | from outside the shoulder and in on the target. |
| These 12 elements, or variables, are organized in | | | | And, the clubbing or swatting strike comes from |
| 4 sets of 3 variables each. Each set conveys a | | | | inside, near the chest, and swings out into the |
| different dynamic of any given punch. | | | | target. |
| These dynamics, and their respective elements | | | | If we do the math, we can see that taking one |
| are: | | | | variable from each dynamic, and multiplying that |
| 1) Level - This includes the aspects of high, middle, | | | | so that we cover all possible variations, that we |
| and low. While this might seem to imply face, | | | | get... |
| chest, and stomach as targets, what this really | | | | 81 DIFFERENT STRIKES! |
| relates to is the level that the limb is extending | | | | And this is just for a clenched fist. Remember, |
| the fist out relative to the source joint (in this | | | | the Ninja has his Hiden Juroppo-ken, "16 Secret |
| case - the shoulder). So, a high punch is a fist that | | | | Fists." So, what is our total if we were to multiply |
| is extending out and away - higher than the | | | | this by the other 15 weapons! |
| shoulder. | | | | It's not how the Ninja thinks, but that would really |
| 2) Range - Is the target at close, mid, or long | | | | impress the technique-counters, wouldn't it?! |