Bujinkan Cotswold Dojo Ninjutsu

Kihon Happo (基本八法型), is the name for the 8 fundamental in the Bujinkan school for Ninjutsu. 

The Kihon happo are important because they contain all the basic components of the martial art that the student needs to master:

Body movement

BODY MOVEMENT: Relaxed movement in kamae, creating a target, creating false distance, timing, getting off the line of the attack, using Uke’s movement against him.

PUNCHES: Long and short range, straight and round, different hand weapons.

KICKS: Stamp kick, toe kick.

BLOCKS: High and low, soft guiding blocks and hard “destroying” blocks.

GRABS: Responses to grabs of the sleeve and collar.

LOCKS: Inward and outward twisting wrist locks.

THROWS: Forwards and backwards using shoulder locks.

TARGETING: The most commonly used nerve points and other body targets.

When practicing these kata it is important to understand and perfect each of these components to the point where your body assimilates them into your muscle memory. Training needs to be carried out with restraint so as not to injure your training partner.

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