Thread: Started ninpo last week

Today's session was much more intense than the previous ones.
We spent all time on the basic kamae, either going forward for a single punch, or going backward with a single block. left-right-left-....

The ninpo kamae is unlike any other kamae I've ever learned, so it is really starting from scratch. My legs are going to burn tomorrow ah well. It was a good workout.

The heat made me thirsty, and combined with the warming up it really made me feel sick. Training explosive motions is really tiring if you are not used to it. But just before I started feeling sorry for myself, I snapped out of it and said to myself 'come on, this is nothing compared to what you went through in jiu-jitsu. Suck it up. You are going to continue, and you'll only stop if you get sick or faint.'

As I went on my body started adapting and I started to ignore my discomfort. At the end of the class I was feeling better again, and relaxed. I'll probably take some time this week to repeat the basic kamae, going forward and backward. Basic training is called that because it is vital. all the other stuff that gets heaped on top is useless unless the basics are right. On top of that, it will be good for building up my stamina again.

Next week, the head sensei of our dojo will teach class. Better make sure I am well hydrated
Btw, I found out that the highest level European genbukan ninpo sensei (Kyoshi 7th dan) is a Belgian. Go Belgium

On the 24th of Jan, this was the status

As of today, I weigh 75 kg (165 lbs), I can do 30 controlled pushups, and I can kick the crap out of tigger (stuffed animal) at 4,75 feet height.

The kicking height has already improved significantly, and I am slowly getting more flexible in the inner thigh area. I remember from earlier days that the key to good leg flexibility is doing short daily execercises to train the muscles that you normally don't use.

2 months later, I still weigh 75 kg. I've lost a certain amount of fat, but as muscle mass builds up, the loss and gain cancel each other out.
I can do 51 controlled pushups, and my kicking height has increased to 5.2 feet height. I started working on leg strength as well, and this has significantly improved my technique. It occurred to me that just being flexible isn't of much use if you don't have the strength to lift your leg high enough.

Last week we leared the first forward shoulder roll. I had to correct the end position of my toes, but otherwise my (JJ) roll was fine, so I could help out the rest. I had to show how to do it repeatedly.
At the end I asked sensei if apart from my toes, everything was OK and he said show me again.
So I rolled several times on each shoulder, from a kneeling position and a standing position. He then asked me to roll without using my arms. I did that too several times. That was OK too.
Only with all the rolling from standing position, I got vertigo. Combined with having eaten too late (circumstances) I wasn't feeling too well. But luckily that was the end of class.

I train basic kihon and tai sabaki twice per week so I am getting some routine in that as well. All in all, it's going rather well. So far so good