Product Description
Gain insite in the mystical art of Ninpo as Renshi Allie Alberigo shares some of his knowledge earned through 33 years as a Martial Artist. An essential item for any serious martial artist with information beneficial to any student's training. Not limited to just the art of Ninjutsu, this book helps you form and understand the basics of martial arts as well as life, with such subjects as goal setting, preventing burn out and how to properly cope with injuries. Use this book to take your first step into Martial Arts Excellence! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

The Beginners Guide to Ninpo
I have been studying the art of Ninjutsu for many years now.Mostly within the Bujinkan system.It seems that no new books have been written on the topic recently. It is refreshing to have read a new book on the subject.I enjoyed it. Plus, it is great to read the interviews with Tanemura Soke. It had a new slant and was a motivational book as well. I liked it.I am utilizing many of the goal setting aspects from the book in my normal everyday life.

Vance Delington
Tuscon, AZ.

beginners guide to Ninpo
I read the book.It was not what I thought it would be.I read many books on the art before written by Stephen K. Hayes as well as Hatsumi Masaki. They were all about the technique, the physical side.I really was looking for a book that taught me more of that.

After reading this books I realized that the author wrote this for the student that is already in a school.It was geared toward someone who was interested in all the things mentally and spiritually that goes along with the art.Although it has a great interview with Grandmaster Shoto Tanemura and has different chapters on the history and protocol.I was delighted to find things on goal setting, dealing with injuries as well as coping with burnout.I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to be motivated. Most of all I recommend it to the serious Ninpo enthusiast and beginner alike.

Thanks.
W. Remington

Interesting, but what are you looking for?
Well, I bought this book looking for research on whether I wanted to learn Ninpo or not, but the book is mostly motivation.Don't get me wrong--the book is enjoyable, but it lacks in Ninpo content.I WARN YOU: If you cannot stand typos, do not get this book.It has typos left and right, just like my review.);)

A Must Have For Any Serious Martial Artist
This is a great book for all martial artists, not just Ninpo practitioners. Renshi Alberigo talks about Martial Arts traditions, proper protocall, how to avoid burn out, and the warrior attitude. There are many valuable lessons in this book. Whatever style of Martial Arts you practice you can use the concepts and philosophies in this book to enhance your training and become the best Martial Artist you can be!

Not just for Martial Arts but for life
I started to read this book thinking it would be like all the other "beginners" books you find with kata charts and discriptions of technique. What I found was a lot more valuable. Renshi Allie Alberigo shows a refreshing humility and shares advise on many subjects that I found adaptable to life in general including his chapter on goal setting, quiting/burn out and his over all philosophy on life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Stepping out into the world
Soke begins this book with gratitude and a sense of sublime respect towards his own teacher, Takamatsu-sensei, and he ends it with the same. In between, we catch a glimpse of Hatsumi-sensei exploring the secrets of his martial art through the printed word and in his own words "...to bare and show budo to the world and in becoming bare finding the resolve to face death."

A book of this nature is very much open to criticisms from those who look for packaged and easily discernible logic. Is this part and parcel of Soke's decision to 'become bare'? Like Soke's recent works, many of the photographs are out of order or come from differing photography sessions. The number of techniques in this book are legion but it is the sense behind each photograph that reveals the nature of what is being presented. Forget about the more common 'one-two-three' approach and absorb the confusion that is part and parcel of Soke's art. After all, it is in this confusion that the value of the written material can be found.

If you are able to read the original Japanese, more power to you. Unfortunately, the English tanslation that accompanies the copy that I have is rather poor but there is more than enough for the discerning reader to grasp, if they have the wherewithal to do so.

The stories and anecdotes that dot this book are quite literally martial treasures but for those weaned on 1970s pop-kung fu mysticsm, the value of these lessons in printed form may not be recognised for what they are and subsequently go unnoticed. This would be a shame really as they contain the correct attitude with which to understand the techniques and movements presented.

Soke began this book with respect towards his teacher and ended it with the same. It would be a good thing indeed if people reading this book could absorb some of this sense and to recognise it's value in understanding the Bujinkan arts. ... Read more