Dave Giddings
Fundamental techniques...fundamental weapons?
When we talk about training there is always an emphasis on the kihon happo and san shin no kata - the fundamental kata that are the...
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Dave Giddings
- Mar 27
- 3 min
Testing for the first step - Shodan
Here goes, opening a can of worms (which quite frankly are less dramatic in real life) the test for Shodan - the first black belt grade....
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Dave Giddings
- Mar 9
- 3 min
Symbolic changes...
The more observant visitors to the website will have noticed a slight change to its appearance in the last few days. There is now a...
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Dave Giddings
- Dec 19, 2022
- 3 min
Relevance in a modern world
How do traditional martial arts - especially ninjutsu - translate to modern times? In a time where there seems to be more unrest and...
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Dave Giddings
- Nov 19, 2022
- 5 min
Newbury Ninja - the story so far...
With the dojo shrinking (unlike my waistline) I have been thinking a lot recently about why and when I started the dojo here in the wilds...
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Dave Giddings
- Nov 11, 2022
- 2 min
Weapons? Can you handle it?
There are often debates about when weapons should be added to training, at what grade, time, or student development. I have to say I have...
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Dave Giddings
- Jun 13, 2022
- 5 min
Chain Reaction...
Don’t get me wrong, I like those Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles as much as anyone. I do. But if anything bugs me about them it’s the...
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Dave Giddings
- May 30, 2022
- 2 min
Makin' it work...
That is bullshit, would never work for real, why does anyone train in that? The common cry of those who don't see the value in other...
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Dave Giddings
- Nov 18, 2021
- 4 min
Access all areas...
One of the skills of the ninja was the ability to get into fortified structures, guarded areas, and places that were generally regarded...
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Dave Giddings
- Jan 3, 2021
- 2 min
Do not teach...
Part of developing your own skills is found in teaching, but you shouldn't teach... While that seems a contradiction in terms, let me...
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Dave Giddings
- May 19, 2020
- 2 min
Sole of the Ninja...
“Why do you wear those funny slippers / shoes?” A common question for people starting or watching ninjutsu classes. On the surface it...
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Dave Giddings
- Apr 27, 2020
- 2 min
Masked intent
This iconic piece of ‘ninja’ apparel has been done in so many ways. If we want to understand the form and function of this simple...
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Dave Giddings
- Apr 22, 2020
- 2 min
Near or far, hooked on you...
The kyoketsu shoge is a weapon that is said to pre-date the kusarigama and was used by ninja of the Japanese region called Iga. The...
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Dave Giddings
- Oct 25, 2017
- 3 min
Stick to the shadows
There are many forms of stick fighting, from English quarterstaff, to Shaolin staff, to Bo staff in many Japanese styles, to Filipino...
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Dave Giddings
- Sep 30, 2017
- 2 min
Solitary pursuits
At times the question of training alone and what should, or can, be done without a training partner comes up. Its difficult to know what...
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Dave Giddings
- Jul 23, 2017
- 2 min
In sickness and in health...
There is a general rule that if you have an injury or sickness you stop training until you've recovered. However Soke Hatsumi has said...
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Dave Giddings
- May 29, 2017
- 5 min
Thrown intent....with edges
If any weapon can be said to be iconic for the ninja it could be argued that the shuriken is the one. So many films, books and cartoons...
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Dave Giddings
- May 18, 2017
- 4 min
Something in your eye....
Disappearing in a puff of smoke, the legendary skills of the ninja! Fuelled by superstition and propaganda this way of dealing with...
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Dave Giddings
- Apr 30, 2017
- 2 min
Where to train?
Sometimes we want to train in a bespoke dojo, a place that invokes a connection to the art (whatever we perceive that may be). But this...
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Dave Giddings
- Apr 11, 2017
- 2 min
Train for your own arena...
In the world of martial arts, self defence, combat, fighting and survival there is always the discussion about what constitutes 'real' or...
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