Kickstart your fitness journey with a ninjutsu workshop at the Bujinkan Heiki Dojo in Bengaluru

Shikin Haramitsu Dai Komyo!

Every encounter holds the potential for great wisdom and enlightenment! Said as an affirmation before training, we learned that this statement holds true! Focused more on body weight rather than physical strength, ninjutsu is truly a sport that deserves your full attention and after this workshop, we’re committed!

As we entered the dojo for our introductory ninjutsu class, we were immediately intimidated. We weren’t the most athletic — tripping while standing still is a common occurrence for us. With the help of a mental pep talk, we marched into the workshop ready to learn the art of ninjutsu. Our instructor, Kiran Kumar was an expert in the martial art, so we were all ears to whatever knowledge he was willing to lend.

Our first stance involved placing one leg behind us and the other extended in front of us. We had our hips face forward as we bent our knees. With one arm on our waist and the other in front of us, we practiced this position until we got comfortable. But soon, our training took an unexpected turn.

“Line up, so we can punch you.”

With wide eyes, we contemplated our escape plan! However, Kiran’s soft laugh calmed down our racing thoughts. He demonstrated how we can modify the first stance to dodge the punch effectively. As we lined up in front of him to get well, punched, there was an air of anticipation and excitement. Kiran advised us to look at the shoulder of the attacker, that will reveal more than the punch.

Next, we practiced our rolls — not the kind you eat! We watched as Kiran rolled on the mat with such ease. Our attempt to reflect his ease was below average but we kept trying. One of Kiran’s senior students told us this roll was a natural response to him when he fell off his bike, leaving him with only a few scrapes. Our next lesson involved escaping a grab. When our wrist was held, we simply grab our fingers with our free hand, pull and walk away.

The class’s core principle became clear: protecting oneself rather than harming the attacker. This point was illustrated better when the knives were brought out — don’t worry they were fake. When posed with the threat of a knife, one should always protect your upper body. We watched the shoulders, similar to our defending technique when it came to the punch, we moved out of the way but held our arms up. Though this situation was intense, if the knife was real we would be missing our chin so to speak.

Partnered with the senior students, we practiced throwing techniques. With an arm under the attacker’s armpit and some help from our legs, we managed to execute throws successfully. We came out of that class not only stronger but also wiser. We were surprised at how much history we learnt through ninjutsu.

Kiran and his team shared stories from their trips to Japan, including encounters with remarkable individuals like a blind practitioner and a wheelchair user who excelled despite challenges.

INR 750 onwards. Shoonya Center for Art and Somatic Practices, Lal Bagh Main Road. Classes every Wednesday at 7.30 pm and Saturdays at 10 am