| In the ninja's martial arts, just as with everything | | | | your body tells on you. The instructors can see |
| else in life, experience brings many benefits. The | | | | who practices at home and who does not. We |
| more a person does something, the greater the | | | | can tell by the questions asked (or not asked) and |
| level of confidence, understanding, and proficiency | | | | by the corrections that have to be made. |
| they will have with that 'thing.' This is a truth but | | | | We know, because we have been where our |
| as with any medicine, is often hard to swallow. | | | | students are now. We have had... |
| If we are to become truly skilled at our martial | | | | The same time constraints |
| art - able to use our skills in an actual | | | | The same familial obligations |
| confrontation should one ever arise - we must be | | | | The same concerns with job, travel, and money |
| able to do our techniques as easily as we tie our | | | | The same practice area limitations; and... |
| shoes or lift a fork to our mouths to eat. And, | | | | The same excuses... |
| unfortunately, two classes a week will NOT bring | | | | ... given in the hopes that our teachers will |
| about this mastery and skill. | | | | somehow see our plight as more forgiving than |
| True mastery comes from practice - the | | | | others and 'lighten-up' on us so we won't have to |
| homework done when we're away from class to | | | | work so hard. |
| perfect our skill. Just as with any other schooling, | | | | Your teachers know that what they're giving you |
| homework is necessary to really get good at | | | | in class is only the tip of the iceberg. They know |
| what it is that we're trying to learn. This is | | | | that you cannot possibly learn all there is to know |
| something we cannot get in the classroom where | | | | in just a few short classes a week. They know |
| the learning takes place. Practice is the constant | | | | how hard mastery is and, most important of all, |
| experience derived from having done the | | | | they know what you will be up against if you |
| techniques repeatedly. It is the magnifying glass | | | | should ever need your training to save yourself or |
| which spots the errors that must be fixed for the | | | | someone you care about. |
| technique to work quickly, efficiently and correctly. | | | | We do live in a relatively peaceful society, and |
| The basics - the bare essentials - that every | | | | chances are most of us will never need to use |
| technique or kata form is based on must be drilled | | | | our skills in defense of ourselves or others. But, |
| over and over until we can do them without | | | | who knows if he or she will ever be the target of |
| thinking. The basic skills - the Kamae, strikes, | | | | a brutal attacker? And, most importantly... |
| rolling and breakfalling skills, and the basic | | | | ...who wants to have a black belt and not be able |
| footwork patterns - must be practiced over and | | | | to survive if an attack does happen, and... |
| over and over and over and . . . Remember that, | | | | ..."Tag - you're it! |