MARTIAL ARTS : NINJA 5

Ninja : AMBUSH FROM ABOVE

Fig. 1-Begin by gaining a position above the enemy using the Kuji Ashi, or hide in a superior position and wait for the enemy to come into range. Bear in mind that when being attacked from above, people seldom look up, and they tend to shoot under the target when firing up.
Fix your gaze on the back of the enemy skull.

Fig. 2-Drop on the enemy, striking him with your full weight. Employ the knees to strike his shoulders and drive him straight down, breaking your own fall with his body. Try not to land directly on his head; though this frequently snaps the neck, the body does not fall . properly. Should the enemy hear or sense your attack as you launch it and turn about, the attack will still succeed.

Fig. 3-Ride the enemy body to the ground, crushing his spine beneath you. Apply the coup de grace by striking the base of the skull with the right Shuto, breaking the neck.





Ninja : AMBUSH FROM BELOW

When cover is scarce or low, consider attacking from below. Select a point of concealment above which the enemy will pass and from which you may launch your assault unseen.
Fig. 1-As the enemy passes, cup his rear foot in the palm of’ your hand (the right in this case), simultaneously poising the dagger in your left.

Fig. 2-Scoop the enemy foot forward as he shifts his weight forward onto his lead foot, lifting it clear of the ground and breaking his balance to the rear. Cock the dagger beside your left ear in an ice-pick grip.

Fig. 3 -As the enemy falls beside you, landing on his shoulders, pivot over your right knee and drive the dagger downward into his heart. It is essential that you sweep the enemy as he takes his weight off his rear foot. This prevents him from saving himself by taking a quick step forward.

Ninja : DROP TOE HOLD

The following is an escape to be employed when the Ninja is detained in the military frisk position.


Fig. 1-Note that the enemy hooks your leg with his left leg to sweep your feet from under you should you resist. His left hand presses against your back, locking the vertebrae and forcing him to raise the pistol over his arm.

Fig. 2 -As pressure is applied to your back, tuck your arms and fall straight forward, twisting to your left rear. Break this fall by seizing the enemy’s right wrist, pulling him forward and turning the weapon to the outside. Land on your left hip, driving your left knee behind his left knee. Catch his left ankle with the crotch of your right knee. Drive your right palm upward into his hip, striking his left hip socket. Watch the pistol. He may resist, trying to keep his balance, or spasmodically get off a shot.

Fig. 3-Pull down and push up with your hands. Swing the body to the right, using your weight to slam the enemy into the wall. Slip your leg between the enemy legs and scissor his left leg with your own. This trips him forward and prevents him from saving himself. This movement must be executed with blinding speed.

Ninja : HANDCUFF SWITCH

The enemy has captured you and ordered your hands atop your head. He moves into position behind you and reaches up to take your right arm into a Hammer Lock. This is preparatory to tying your hands or handcuffing them behind your back. The enemy presses his weapon into your back to discourage resistance. In an arrest, one officer generally covers the other.


Fig. 1-The enemy pulls your arm behind your back. This is the best moment to attack since he must either reach for his cuffs or holster his weapon. His attention will be distracted.

Fig. 2-Step to the right with your left foot, pivoting on the ball of the right foot, and reversing the enemy’s wristlock by lifting it over your head and seizing his arm. Slap the enemy weapon to the outside with the left hand by crossing the body. This is known as a cross-push block. If he has bolstered his weapon, strike him in the rib cage as you turn.

Fig. 3-Slide-step with the right foot to a position even with the enemy. Step to his rear with your left foot, maintaining your grip on his wrist. Pull downward in a semicircular arc with your right hand, twisting the enemy’s right arm into a hammer lock. Seize the enemy’s left wrist from behind to prevent his executing a similar reverse.

This is a common escape from a Hammer Lock found in most martial arts as a self defense trick. It involves using the Entering Pivot from the Kuji Ashi. From this it can be seen that the Ninja applied a few techniques to a variety of purposes. Making their system simple and easy to learn as well as effective. This is the same step used to enter a doorway without letting light escape as the door is opened shown earlier.


Ninja : TEARING OFF THE FINGER

Fig. 1-This method is employed should the enemy be so foolish as to place his weapon against your chest to intimidate you.

Fig. 2-Slap down with the right hand, clamping it over the pistol. Two things are essential : the web of the hand must fall between the hammer and the firing pin to prevent discharging a round; and the weapon must be deflected down and to. the left outside line, just in case. In the case of revolvers, it is further possible to grip tile cylinder and keep it from turning. This prevents the weapon from firing.

Fig. 3-Having secured the grip, twist the barrel back upon the enemy. This traps his finger inside the trigger guard. Seize his wrist with your left hand to reinforce the finger lock. The enemy will most likely seize your right elbow to resist this attack. In this event, step quickly back with the right foot, jerking down on the weapon. The index finger will dislocate at the knuckle and can be torn off using tile metal edges of the trigger guard.


Ninja : ESCAPE BY TURNING


Fig. 1-Should the enemy apprehend you and place his weapon at your back, consider the point at which he actually touches you. This will determine the type of block you will employ when turning. In most instances, a Mirror Block will be most effective since, as you turn, your shoulder will drop. In this, as in the previous technique, be assured that it is possible to act before the enemy can fire. In both cases, your first concern is moving out of the line of fire, either by deflecting the weapon or by shifting your position.

Fig. 2-Pivot on the balls of both feet simultaneously. Execute a right Mirror Block to deflect the weapon to the outside line. Execute a left hooking arc with the left Palm-Heel, striking the enemy on the mastoid process. This consists of the small bony ridge just under tile ear.

Bear in mind that the carotid sheath is near the surface at this point also. The impact should be sufficient to dislocate the jaw. By these means, the enemy can be disarmed and the Ninja can escape from custody.

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MARTIAL ARTS : NINJA 4

Ninja : WALL CLIMBING DEVICES

The Ninja used a multitude of hooks, rakes, and collapsible ladders to scale enemy walls when necessary. The grappling hook is by far the best auxiliary tool/weapon for the individual.

It is small, easily concealable, lightweight and, in the proper hands, noiseless. Further, the vicious hook can be used to flail the enemy, to entangle his weapon, or simply to beat him; the sageo (cord) can be employed as a whip, as a net, or to bind and strangle the enemy. The primary use, however, is in extending the reach of the user.

Hooks may be single, double, or multi-pointed. In an emergency the sayo (scabbard) can be tied at the end of the cord and wedged in a manner which will anchor the line. The cord of the grapple is derived from sageo which the Ninja wore on his scabbard. The hook is a derivative of the tsubo.
It is advisable to attach a short length of chain between the hook and the cord to prevent fraying. This adds but little weight and actually increases the accuracy of the cast.

Fig. 1-Illustrated is the basic four-prong snatch-hook apparatus. The grapple consists Of four steel hooks welded at right angles, ending in two rings; covered with approximately two ounces of lead (for weight). These may be purchased at any fishing supply house at reasonable cost, and of a size and nature to suit the user. The grapple is attached to the cord by means of a short length of chain, which is linked to the double rings in the ends of the grapple and to a loop in the end of the line by master links. The cord itself is nylon line, one-half inch in diameter.


All of the above apparatus is capable of supporting at least 200 pounds. All scaling apparatus must be checked before use to insure safety. The grapple and chain are normally held in the right hand, while the left holds the line loosely coiled.

Naturally, for the grappling hook to be effective, the implement itself must sail over the obstacle, and carry the cord with it. Then the hook may be set and the wall ascended. However, two things make this difficult: the method of casting the hook; and the play-out of the line. One can throw the grapple precisely into place, but if the line tangles or hangs up, the toss is useless. Therefore, learn to coil the line.

Fig. 2 - Hold approximately six inches of the cord between the ball of the thumb and the first joint of the index finger of the left hand. Take a similar grip about two feet down the cord with the right hand, and pull the line taut.

Fig. 3 - Bring the right hand to the left, twisting the rope between the fingers of the right hand to impart a slight curl to the line. Slip this coil between the fingers of the left hand, forming a loop about eight inches in diameter in the left hand.

Fig. 4 - Holding the loop in the left hand, slide the right hand down the rope the same distance as before, and coil another loop into the left hand, remembering to twist the line, until the entire twenty or so feet have been collected lariat style in the left hand.


Ninja : SPIN METHOD OF THROWING THE GRAPPLE


Fig. 1-Hold the grapple by the end of the chain and whirl it clockwise to build up momentum; the faster the spin, the higher the hook will sail. Centripetal force will cause the hook to fly off tangentially to the circular path which you are creating. Hold the rope loosely coiled in the left hand. Be careful to hold the hook away from the body, lest you accidentally hook your leg.

Fig. 2- Release the chain and grapple in an underhand toss in such a manner that the hook sails over the wall. Note that the line plays out of the left hand smoothly as the fingers are slightly opened.

This method is employed when it is necessary to scale an unusually high wall, or where there is little room to throw effectively.


Ninja : HOOK METHOD OF THROWING THE GRAPPLE

Fig. 1 -Hold the chain and grapple in the right hand by the loop. Let the grapple almost touch the ground near the right foot. Shift the weight slightly to the rear. Hold the rope loosely coiled in the left hand. Look at the spot where you want the grapple to strike.

Fig. 2-Sling the grapple over the wall in the same way you would shoot a hook shot in basketball. This is by far the most accurate method for scaling walls of moderate height. Note that the weight is shifted forward on the cast, and that the fine feeds smoothly out of the coils in the left hand.



Ninja : TOSS METHOD OF THROWING THE GRAPPLE

Fig. 1-Hold the grapple, chain and all, in the right hand. Hold the rope loosely coiled in the left hand. Toss the grapple upward over the wall, allowing the chain to play out en masse. This technique is used to place the grapple on the summit of a low wall. The Grapple is a variation of the Ninja Retrievable Stone technique.

The agent would practice hurling and whipping a weighted ball on the end of a rope as a weapon. In combat, this flail or mace could be devastating.

Likewise, when the rope was tipped with a knife or blade, the Rope Dart techniques of throwing and retrieving the knife came into play. This practice enabled the Ninja to use his Grapple to great advantage.







Ninja : ROPE CLIMBING ABILITY

Once the grapple has cleared the wall, the line is gradually pulled until the hook is set. This means that the hook digs into wood or stone sufficiently to hold your weight, or that the grapple becomes wedged between two obstructions tightly enough to hold you. Test the set by jerking sharply on
the line to see if the hook is only snagged. If it is, this action will either dig the hook in, or pop the hook free. Having set the hook, look about to see if your actions were observed. Then ascend.

Fig. 1 -The quickest method for this is hand-over-hand with the feet braced against the wall. Gravity will hold your feet to the surface as you climb by alternately advancing the opposite arm and leg.

Fig.2 -In those cases where such wall walking is impractical, one may simply climb the rope. Some Ninja used a method of climbing which employed the toes to grip the rope. Since they wore the tabi (split-toed socks), this was a matter of toe strength in most cases. This can be accomplished, however, by tying knots at regular intervals, and stepping on them with the toes. Alternately, one can cross the legs and grip the rope between them to gain a bit more purchase for climbing.

MARTIAL ARTS : NINJA 3

Ninja : HIDING PLACES

Once the perimeter has been penetrated, one becomes concerned with invisibility inside the camp. There are six basic positions which may be used to conceal your presence.

A position above the enemy is the first of these. As has been mentioned, most people look at the horizon or scan their surroundings at eye level. The Ninja uses this propensity to his advantage. Approaching the point of penetration across the rooftops is fairly safe so long as one keeps low to avoid silhouetting. Further, one can flatten out on the roof and observe the enemy camp.

There is an ancient legend of a Ninja who entered an enemy camp and penetrated the attic of the enemy general. The Ninja drilled a tiny hole in the ceiling of the general's bedroom, lowered a thread through the opening, and dripped poison into the general's mouth as he slept. Attics are also excellent places to eavesdrop. Care must be taken to support one's weight only on the rafters, since many ceilings cannot support a person's weight.

One can also hide below the enemy when wishing to gather intelligence by eavesdropping. Examine dwellings for crawl spaces, air conditioning ducts, or cellars. Enter where you will not be seen and move using the She Pu (Serpent Step) beneath the floor to a spot where the enemy can be overheard. Remember to cover the penetration by replacing any trap doors or grates which may have barred your path. Beware of being trapped above or below the enemy. When fleeing, never run to a position which will enable the enemy to “tree” you (trap you by surrounding the base of the tree) by surrounding your higher position.

Hiding below the enemy is the second method of concealment. When beneath the enemy, remember the tale of the Ninja who was speared through the floor by an alert guard when he noted an excessive amount of mosquito activity over the imprudent Ninja's hidden position.

Hiding beside cover is a third method which may be used. Regardless of the object which you will employ, keep as low as possible. Look around cover to see the enemy. In this way you will be concealed partially by the object's shadow. When high visibility by the enemy makes it necessary to actually be beside an object, select the side on which the deepest shadow lies and conceal yourself within it, assuming the same shape.

Hiding behind cover is the fourth technique. In selecting this approach, bear in mind that you must assume the shape of the object. That is, you must not allow any part of your body to show and reveal your position. Shrubs, hedges, crates, stacked material, and so on, may be used for this purpose. Keep the obstructionbetween yourself and the enemy.

Hiding inside or between objects is another technique of concealment. The trick is to choose places a person is not expected to fit. The Ninja must possess great flexibility and the ability to remain utterly still. This is known as “hiding like a quail.”

Hiding in front of cover is the boldest and most difficult of these concealment methods. To accomplish this, one must select the object of concealment, position himself directly before it, and assume its same shape. Lower the torso and slightly tense the Hara. Look directly ahead without fixing the eyes on any one point. Relax the body.