Gun Thursday

Everyone had some or the other injury from the wrestling Tuesday night. My neck was a little stiff and the burses on my knee and elbow were only half as bad as they were the night before. It’s amazing how quickly the body heals from such injuries if you eat healthy and train regularly. Needless to say we were all looking forward to a less physical class.

The Senseis complied with our pleas for mercy and reduced the body conditioning to only our arms. One of our black belt candidates were given the opportunity to call out the drills against the bag. We did a couple of his drills before we swopped over to gun work.

It was good for the seniors to revise and interesting for the juniors to learn. We went through the basics of avoidance and retention as well as experimented a bit with different techniques. Gun work in Ninjutsu is based on the premise that the assailant holds the gun against your body. If this is not the case the techniques we learn will be ineffective, you have to be within reach of the weapon to retain it. The basics are to create void, get control of the weapon and secure the weapon before further engagement takes place.

We haven’t received our certificates but I have it on good authority that congratulations are in order and for those of you who haven’t added a stripe to their belts... I know a couple of Senseis who would love to use you instead of me as an uki in their demonstrations...

Embrace the shadows.