Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Here is a list of frequently asked questions regarding the beginner's courses we hold at the Rathgar Dojo.
There is a more general FAQ on the Bujinkan martial arts in the 'About' section of this site, accessed through the menu at the top of this page . . .
Q: Is training in the Bujinkan Dojo open to everyone?
A: Training in the Bujinkan Dojo is open to the vast majority of people. There are however, some limitations imposed by the headquarters in Japan on membership. Briefly summerised, membership is not open to people who have a criminal record, who abuse illegal drugs, who are mentally unwell or who demonstrate that they can't exercise self-control.
This is for the good of society as well as for the good of the Bujinkan organisation. The complete list of rules and regulations for membership is contained in a document entitled 'Guidelines for Participation' which can be viewed at www.bujinkan.com
Q: Am I too old to start training? Do I have to be fit to take part?
A:Training does involve physical contact and fitness is definitely an asset, but you don't need to be super fit or in your teens or early twenties to start. The Bujinkan martial arts are unusual in that they can adapt to the practitioner (rather than requiring the practitioner to adapt to them). Training will make you more flexible and fitter, but it's not meant to be extreme.
Dojo members range in age from 18 to 46 and it's expected that practitioners train with an intensity that suits their own physical condition. At the early stages of training, a fair amount of time is spent on ukemi, or how to fall safely, and that can be demanding on the body but some of the best practitioners of this art are men in their late sixties and our headmaster, Hatsumi Masaaki Sensei, is in remarkable physical condition for his age.
Q: Can I use this art to defend myself if I am attacked?
A: The short answer is yes, but it's important to know that learning dependable self defence skills can take years, and simply isn't achievable in days or weeks. The goal of the eight week beginner's course is to give people an introduction to the methods and principles taught in this art - it's not a self defence course.
In general, good martial arts should be adaptable to self defence but they are not necessarily the same thing. If you're particularly interested in self defence, we recommend Marc McYoung's website - www.nononsenseselfdefense.com
Q: What happens after the eight week course is over?
A: If you sign up and succesfully complete the eight week introductory course, you'll be free to start attending the other classes offered at the Rathgar Dojo. There are two classes a week specifically aimed at new to intermediate students and they're a great place to start out with if you're interested, although we encourage students to train as much or as little as they want.
Q: How many people are there in the average beginner's class? What's the average student to teacher ratio?
A: Our dojo, or training facility, is quite small so with this in mind, we limit our beginner's classes to around eight people at a time. There is always at least two teachers to a class and frequently there are more.
Q: How does rank work? How long does it take to get a black belt.
A: Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu places far less emphasis on formal ranking than most other Japanese martial arts, but they are used. For many people, gaining a black belt is seen as a sign of mastery but in reality, in the martial arts world a 1st degree black belt is not that lofty a rank. It signifies that the holder is really ready to start training, and things really start to get interesting from that point on!
That said, there are nine kyu grades (beginning with 9th and advancing through first), signified by a green belt worn by the practitioner. These are followed by ten dan grades, signified by a black belt, with the final rank, 10th Dan, further subdivided into five classifications.
The kyu ranks, essentially, are ‘preparation to become a student’ of Bujinkan budo and each rank takes an average of three to six months to achieve. The student is considered to be ready to really begin learning at first dan or first-degree black belt. This usually takes a dedicated student between three to four years of regular study to gain. Students may be licensed to open their own dojo from 5th degree blackbelt.
