NOTES ON TRAINING

The notes on this page in relation to the shuriken throwing art are more theoretical and intellectual, and are not necessarily so important for learning the technique of throwing a blade, however if one wishes to study the art more deeply there could be something of interest here to think about.

Distance with various weapons

Some martial arts teach weapons after one has mastered empty-handed forms, others teach empty-handed forms after one has mastered weapons forms. In Iwama Aikido, the development of hand techniques is seen as a progression from sword techniques. Morihiro Saito Sensei, the current head of Iwama dojo, teaches sword, staff and empty-hand techniques as being 3 essential components of Aikido training. Less well known is that he is also a master of Negishi Ryu, and was once quite famous among the local gangs as being a person not to cross. It is also reported that Sokaku Takeda, the teacher of Aikido's founder, O-Sensei, was also a master of the shuriken, although it is not known which style. I found it interesting that shuriken is part of the technical repertoire of these masters of empty-handed and sword techniques.

Various weapons have various effective ranges, and when one looks at how the ancient warrior was required to master a range of weapons to deal with a range of situations on the battlefield, one can see there is a well organised and logical plan behind the choice of weapons that a warrior learns. With mastery of techniques comes the control of distance. If one has mastered hand techniques, then one is able to control an opponent who is in close enough range to hit you with their bare hands. If one has mastered the bow and arrow, one can control attackers at a great distance. But outside, or within the ranges of those weapons, if one has not had the proper training, one will not be able to control the distance beyond or within the range one has trained in. Therefore, by learning various weapons, one also learns to control various distances. In real terms, the closer the opponent the more of a threat, the further the opponent the less a threat.

In Aikido we have techniques trained in 2 forms, kihon, and ki-no-nagare. Kihon involves training in a strong, static form where one is already gripped. Ki-no-nagare training is a flexible, moving form which involves the opponent taking one step towards you to attack. These forms of training gives one the control over the closest combat distances, the ones with the most immediate danger. Training in empty-handed techniques usually begins with the left foot forward, as the weaker left hand is used for defensive maneuvers leaving the stronger right arm free for counter-attacking and controlling maneuvers. Training in sword is usually done one step back with the right foot forward, and adds another step's distance to the effective range of control, as the blade can hit an opponent who is further than 1 step away. Training in jo, or staff, is usually done with the left foot forward, and this is an extra step in distance away from the opponent, making the effective range of the staff a step greater than the sword.

Perhaps it is by no coincidence that the next step beyond the staff's effective range is covered by the minimum effective range of the shuriken, with the throw of Jikishin. The maximum practical effective range of a shuriken is 15-18 paces, which is half the minimum range of a bow. Weapons such as the bow, the spear and the halberd were battlefield weapons, thus were not used indoors. This leaves the shuriken to control the distance indoors.

By supplementing your Aikido, and other martial art training with shuriken, one effectively adds the potential for control of greater distance.

***

Finding a "Live Blade"

Mr. Shirakami makes mention of the practice of finding live blades in his book on Shuriken-do. Just as a batsmen may feel more comfortable, even perform better using certain bats, or billiard players preferring certain cue sticks, so one will find that some blades feel, fly and stick better than other blades. Shinto mythology of Japan holds that all things are imbued with elements of the spiritual, and tools and weapons do not escape this idea. There are swords in museums and collections in Japan that are so historically valuable they have become designated as national treasures, and aficionados report that such blades emit a presence and power that can be felt when handled. Whether or not events in the past have given these blades any particular power perhaps can never be determined, but such ideas have a great influence on the mind of an individual, and these psychological influences can seriously enhance or decrease a persons physical performance.

So when making, or finding and throwing blades, be mindful of which blades tend to feel more comfortable, or tend to fly and stick better in the target. While there may be no physical markings or signs to differentiate between the blades, there may be differences in their performance, so one must judge and choose by feel. If a blade feels more comfortable to handle, and seems to strike properly more often, and with greater and unusual ease, then this blade is said to be a "live blade", and should be kept as one's own special blade that no-one else handles. One builds up a collection of live blades by discarding the "dead blades".

***

The Philosophy of Making your own shuriken

I noticed on the Internet there are a number of commercial sites offering beautifully made yet expensive blades. In a number of ways, I feel this is not the true spirit of shuriken. If one looks at how the blades were made historically, one can discover a new dimension to the shuriken art that I think many people overlook, particularly these commercial sites. Shuriken are just pieces of metal, fashioned into a throwing implement, and they were adapted from items that were freely and cheaply available in Japan at the time. For example, the senban shuriken, which are the lozenge shaped blades, are shaped the way they are because they were fashioned from the simple metal washer that fitted under the head of a construction nail. Because they had a shape which was already close to a comfortable and practical design for throwing, they were simply sharpened and used. Similarly, the square and triangular bodied bo shuriken are so because they were adapted from nails and other materials. It was this attitude of looking around at what was available, finding something suitable for the required task, then doing the minimum amount of work to get it functional that was also a part of the martial spirit, rather than the expensive and aesthetic extravagance of perfectly fashioned and beautifully looking blades. This commercialism goes against the Japanese idea of simplicity, adaptablility, surviving by using one's wits, and doing only what is necessary, without excess, to achieve the best results.

Secondly, I think one gains much greater satisfaction by constructing the blades oneself. I am sure the ancient ninja, ronin and bushi made their own such weapons, rather than purchase them at a shuriken smithy or similar. Part of the development of one's technical skill is in researching different materials, different shapes, finding out which is better, and modifying and refining one's own design to suit oneself. Constructing the blades by yourself also causes you to develop a deeper appreciation for the weapon and the art. Looking at the incredible variety of blades that were used, we can see that there is no real "perfect design", rather, anything that was easily obtained, easily fashioned into a sharp and practical, concealable, and an effective implement that flew well with a bit of practice, was the idea at the time.

***

Achieving Higher Accuracy

It is natural for us to want to have good accuracy, as that is the impressive thing about throwing a blade. Yet to throw with the desire of achieving an accurate hit is detrimental to actually achieving an accurate hit. What we should be striving for is to achieve accuracy without trying to be accurate. Accuracy comes as a result of employing the principles of the throw correctly, rather than of trying throw an accurate blade. To achieve this, there are 2 things to consider. First, is experience, which is on the physical level, and second is our attitude when throwing, which is on the mental level..

1.The Physical Level

When you have just completed an excellent throw, where not only did the blade strike the target beautifully, but your throwing action was effortless and natural, the feeling one experiences is indescribable. To develop accuracy, all one need do is count averages. As a beginner, you may experience 1 perfect throw out of 100 unsuccessful throws, however over time, this ratio gradually increases.. Rather than judge your accuracy by your best throw, one must judge accuracy by the average of all your throws. The idea is to raise your average of perfect throws per throw, so that you reach 100%. This of course is theoretically possible, but practically impossible, due to all sorts of factors Nevertheless, our aim should be to increase that average.

We must remember that perfection in the dojo does not equal perfection in the real world. The dojo is a controlled training environment, and therefore our performance is somewhat contained by this environment. The real world does not have this controlled atmosphere, thus rendering all situations unique, variable and potentially dangerous. Our performance in the real world is only going to be a fraction of our performance in the dojo. For this reason, we cannot judge the level of our ability by how well we may have once performed a technique. Because of the pressure of situations in real life, we may not be able to recall that singular moment when we performed the technique perfectly in the dojo, and thus when the time comes, it is likely that we will perform poorly.

If we measure our ability by a percentage of perfect techniques per techniques performed, then we have a much more reasonable estimate of our ability in the real world. And by concentrating more on raising the percentage of accurate and perfect throws in the dojo rather than improving the accuracy of an individual throw, then we can effectively increase the potential effective performance of technique in the real world. This obviously requires a long time of repetitive training. So in effect, training to develop accuracy, on the physical level, should be geared towards repetitive practice, and our focus should simply be to increase the percentages..

2. The Mental Level

One of the intriguing aspects of shuriken is that the reason for throwing a blade is to make it stick, yet the best way to make the blade stick is to have no desire to achieve a good hit, so in effect, the reason for throwing a blade is in fact not to make it stick, however the best indication that you are employing the principles correctly is that you can actually make it strike well, and often. This paradox reflects the Zen outlook on life, to act without desires, do something without doing it.

It is when we develop and refine a physical activity so highly and precisely that we begin to experience the effect the mind has on our body and physical function. When performing simple activities that require little motor skill, our body tends to act somewhat predictably and reliably. But when we impose strenuous conditions on the body, such as developing fine and complex motor skills to a high degree of accuracy and reliability under situations of stress, the body often tends to act less reliably and capably. One of the reasons for this is that our body has not had sufficient physical training in the required activity, and this can be covered by technical development in training on a physical level.

Another factor that influences this hindrance to our physical ability is our "mental state". It is all very well to theorise about the connection of the mind and body, but there appears to be little in the way of instruction on this in everyday life. And when the teachings of a martial art begin to discuss this area, too often it gets passed off as religious dogma, and therefore largely ignored. If we can make the leap of faith in agreeing that the body and mind are indeed connected, and can and do influence each other, then we can begin to learn what these teachings may have to offer, and perhaps gain some of the benefits they purport to bestow upon the student.

When we require of our body the performance of actions that utilise fine and complex motor skills, as well as a resistance to stress, distractions and external conditions, our ability to perform is greatly affected by our mental state. Just as our body chemistry is regulated by hormones produced by various mental states, so too are our actions regulated by our mental state. There appear to be a number of mental triggers that enable our body to perform to great levels of ability, and although the methods by which these operate may not be fully understood, they nevertheless seem to work in the individuals who apply these principles in their training.

Almost of all these philosophical teachings I believe are designed to improve the utilisation of the hip in the body's movement. As most martial artists will already know, the centre of our power and movement is in the hip, as the hip both controls the stability of the legs, which in turn provide support for the hip itself, and the upper body. as well as controls movement in the upper body. The hip is also the centre of the body's weight and mass, thus is called the centre of gravity. The closer the centre of gravity is to the ground, the more stable and solid a person, and with stability comes speed and power. From a physical point of view, having a lower centre of gravity is a great advantage. The philosophical teachings of martial arts appear to be methods of drawing the attention away from the upper body and bringing it down to the hip. Meditation and abdominal breathing bring the minds focus on the body's centre of gravity. By focussing on the "hara", or "tanden" the breath becomes abdominal, thus lower, rather than in the chest, or higher. Many teachings also require the stilling of thoughts and desires, which tend to raise the heart rate, thus bringing the feeling of focus up into the chest. Once the hip is physically identified as the major factor in improving body movement, one has to learn how to control this new-found ability, and the secret appears to be the ability of the body to relax. Stiffness and rigidity are looked upon as being detrimental to natural physical movement, as stiffness usually means a contraction of the muscles, which severely limits flexibility and ability to move quickly. By being relaxed, the body is able to quickly change direction and to fluidly react to changes in its environment, but it is also the physical state in which one can better perceive the condition of one's own body. If you are relaxed, it is easier to listen to what's happening with the body, hence you are in a better position to make the necessary changes, which are now easier to do since the body is relaxed.

So by instituting rules which govern the activity of the mind, we are able to subtly control the activity of the body. Over the long term, as we utiltise these mental tactics to trick our body into what we believe is better performance, the body begins to react to this new method of control, and physical performance can increase. Once we see this increase in physical performance, we begin to realise the benefits of such mental states as being relaxed, stilling the mind of thoughts and desires, of breathing abdominally and focussing the mind on the centre, and accept them as a valuable mental state to cultivate. Long term exposure to this type of mental state begins to influence us on a deeper and more psychological level. Since the body and the mind are very adaptable organisms, this influence can effect an adjustment in the psychological makeup of a person, and cause great changes in the personality. In the long term, training in traditional martial arts can have a great beneficial effect on the student.

Shuriken training is the perfect vehicle for such mental processes to be experimented with. Because the basic movement of the throw is such a simple and gross utilisation of the body, and the ability to achieve a high level of accuracy depends upon a great deal of refinement of this physical process, the influence of the mental state over the body is easily observed in this movement. If your mind is unsettled, distracted or unfocussed, the effects of this can immediately be seen in the results of your physical movement, in this case, the shuriken's strike of the target. To be able to consistently throw accurate and controlled blades, not only must one have mastered the technical aspects of the physical movement, one must also be able to relax, settle the breathing from the chest down to the abdomen, empty their mind of thoughts and desires, focus their attention on the centre, and develop a feeling of oneness and unity between their mind and the surroundings.

In this way, proper shuriken training can offer great benefits in not only physical, but also mental and spiritual development.

***

The Way of Shuriken

In their summary of Negishi Ryu in "Sword and Spirit", Meik and Diane Skoss mention an abstract teaching called shichi, or "Four Knowledges", those being the exponents ability to correctly understand a) the situation, b) other people's intentions, c) principles of the art, and d) the "Way" itself. Unfortunately I haven't had exposure to those teachings, but I have had instruction in something which sounds very similar, so I will write about it here. It wasn't explained to me as being 4 types of knowledge as such, rather it was on how to make the transition from basic and varied principles from within the dojo to a realistic application and understanding in the real world, something like moving from "practice" to "doing".

1. Training

When training is still at the stage of learning technique, it is said to be "shuriken-jutsu", or the method of shuriken. When training is at the stage of doing technique it becomes "shuriken-do", or the way of shuriken. "Jutsu" is practiced in the dojo, "do" is done in the real world. This means that in the dojo, we are learning and practicing techniques and principles etc, that we intend to apply later, at some given stage, rather like having a skill developed and fine tuned. Our consciousness is molded, governed and protected by the rules and atmosphere of the dojo itself, as it is a centre of learning. When we leave the dojo and go about our regular business, we are faced with the real world, or have come back to reality, and are faced with the rules of that reality. In the real world we need all our skills for survival, and thus all that we have learnt, in the context of education, now comes to use. When we apply our skill and knowledge to the outside world, then methods have become ways. Likewise for shuriken, when we use shuriken in our daily life, it becomes "shuriken-do".

From the perspective of Budo, or the Martial Way, reality contains two parts, Wartime, and Peacetime. This is all the person of Budo is concerned about. Wartime is not necessarily an official declaration, but rather the point at which the peaceful fabric of our personal world becomes threatened so much so that it requires the use of Martial Skill in order to protect it.

During Peacetime, one continues practice of their Martial Art, and one reaps the benefits of such physical, mental, and spiritual training. For example, after one has studied in the dojo one also continues practicing at home, on a daily basis. The practice becomes a part of the daily routine, and the benefits such practice has to offer begin to shape our experience of the world outside the dojo. In effect, one is "doing" shuriken, or one is living the "Way" of Shuriken. During Wartime, one uses the shuriken for self defence, and again, one is "doing" shuriken, or living the "Way".

To live the way during Peacetime, daily practice of shuriken is a method of controlling both the consciousness as well as the physique. The mental focus and concentration, as well as the physical and mental relaxation required for proper flight of the blade (as mentioned above in "Philosophical Considerations") affects the consciousness that in turn affects one's experience of reality in the real world. Thus training in shuriken is having an effect on one's life in this way. For it to have such an influence, the practice must be regular, and held with equal importance as other daily activities.

During Wartime, the shuriken is used as a form of protection of Peacetime, the techniques one has learned are used in order to achieve a return to the state of peace. In order to achieve this return to peace, the rules of War come into effect and take over the decision making processes, until the state of peace has been achieved, then the rules of Peace take over. Chapter 57 of the "Dao De Jing" says: "Use the orthodox to govern the state, use the unorthodox to wage war". Peacetime has its own rules, as does Wartime. In the dojo we learn the rules of War, and that is how to engage the opponent. Understanding these differences between Wartime and Peacetime, and how to apply our shuriken Art to them, is the Way of Shuriken.

2. Engaging the Opponent

In the dojo, one has learnt specific techniques and principles that govern the use of the shuriken. At some stage, one must learn how to apply this knowledge in Wartime. While an individual's ability to defend themselves when faced with an opponent is greatly enhanced by the study of a Martial Art, the final outcome of the engagement rests solely on the actions of the individual. Practicing technique can only take one to a certain stage. Elsewhere in an individual's consciousness, decisions have to be made, and realisations achieved in order to prepare the individual for engaging an opponent.

Shuriken has largely been taught as part of a "koryu" or a traditional system that involves a number of arts, such as sword, staff, empty-hand and other weapons. Satoshi Saito Sensei also will only take students who have been studying another martial art. It appears that the reason for this is that shuriken is a supplemental art that "piggybacks" on the basic principles and techniques of a major Martial Art system, typically kenjutsu, and that one can take the principles regarding engaging the opponent from that Art, and apply them to a certain extent, at some level in the shuriken Art. Therefore, the instruction on this topic I received was very general, and did not touch upon the specific use of techniques. It was suggested that I take the principles of engagement from the Art I was studying and by following a given set of guidelines, apply them to the use of the shuriken in developing my own method of dealing with an opponent. In my case, the main art is Aikido, which involves empty-hand, sword and staff techniques, and I have developed my understanding of the application of shuriken based upon my understanding of the martial principles of Aikido.

The basic guidelines are simply

1. Assessing the level of threat.

In assessing the level of threat, 5 things about the opponent must be observed immediately.

These 5 things are determined through an understanding of the main art.

"Distance" is determined by number of steps away the opponent is. As the opponent takes steps closer, they are closing the distance, but also shortening the reaction time, and increasingly limiting defensive options, thus increasing the level of threat.

"Angle" is determined by the relationship between the opponents centre and that of of one's own, by drawing an imaginary line between the two. Certain angles, such as rear attacks are harder to defend than, say a side attack. Various techniques of the various main arts will have varying levels of threat assigned to the various angles of attack.

"Momentum" is the speed of the opponent's oncoming attack, but it is also the weight or power behind the physical movement that is counted as well. If an opponent is attacking quickly, but their structure is not well grounded, the level of threat is less than a similar attack from a stronger structure, which would have greater application of power than an attack from a weaker structure.

"Nature of the attack" is the weapon, and the target. The weapon is the type of weapon being used to attack, and thus has a variety of threat associated with each weapon. One's own body has areas which are more and less defensible than others, and are more or less vulnerable to certain types of attack than others. An understanding of the vital areas of one's own body is just as important as an understanding of the potential damage various weapons can cause.

"Intention of the opponent when attacking". Even though the opponent may be at a close distance, at a dangerous angle, with considerable momentum towards a particularly vital area, the level of threat may not necessarily be so great if the opponent does not intend to attack. Likewise, if a relatively distant opponent is showing non-aggressive signs by turning the body, focussing away from your centre and not moving, the level of threat can be dangerously high if the opponent intends to harm you. One must be able to look into the opponents soul and determine if they intend to attack or not, if so, with how much intensity, and with how much capability. This is a very intangible ability that is entirely up to the individual and their application of their training, it is not something which can be taught systematically.

2. Deciding Upon the Outcome. Understanding of how things work - worldly knowledge

All actions have consequences, both short term and far-reaching. Much of human suffering is derived from the consequences of negative actions, so to allay suffering, one must choose actions that do not lead to such negative consequences. One must observe the world and develop an understanding of how consequences derive from actions, then one will be in a better position to know the consequences of their own actions. At this point, the individual must take a stance, or make decisions based upon a form of morality or philosophy, where they choose what they are prepared to do, and are not prepared to do. Is one prepared to kill or to injure in order to protect oneself, or is one resolved to preserve life at all costs, no matter what the situation is? It is here that the individual's integrity, honour and responsibility are tested, yet it is here that the individual is judged as a human being.

However, the individual is also part of a society, or culture, and there are both written and unwritten rules that prompt and inhibit action, behaviour and recourse to the law. Within this culture, there are certain expectations one is expected to abide by, and these can be limiting factors in making decisions. Very often the social situation or the cultural setting will call for particular types of action, and here there may be conflicts with one's own morality, but there also may be opportunities for action. One may be able to act while protected by the requirements of the situation, or one may be forced to act against their principles. How one follows, breaks or stretches the interpretation of the rules of society will determine the social standing of the individual within society

So in determining how one wishes the threatening situation to turn out, one must consider these two factors.

3. Deciding Which Actions Best Facilitate that Outcome

This is a logical decision based upon the assessment of the level of threat, what kind of outcome you desire, and the technical understanding of one's art. All one is required to do, once the choice of actions have been made, is to commit to them fully, to act to the best of one's ability, and to be prepared to accept the consequences.

***

Attaining Mastery

The final goal of shuriken-do, indeed with any art, is to attain mastery. Not having much experience with being a master, I can only speculate on what mastery really is, so I offer my thoughts on the matter here, taken from a structural - linguistics viewpoint.
"Attaining Mastery: Using Linguistic Principles to Define a Path of Learning within an Art."

NEXT