Our little dragon curriculum was created as a martial arts system that is designed just for kids ages 3-9. Admittedly, there are some three year old children who are not quite ready to learn in a group environment, so not all three year olds are accepted at our school.

The primary focus of this system is to give preschool and early elementary school children the “Yes, I Can Do It” attitude. The martial arts techniques are specifically designed to provide your child with a systematic progression of skills that will produce results quickly. The children are rewarded immediately with either patches or new belt levels. This is the key factor of the success in our classes.

Instead of teaching a traditional martial arts system to these young children, our Little Dragon program teaches martial arts motor skills. The traditional martial arts systems are too difficult for younger children to learn and enjoy. The moves they are taught in class are very natural and easy to learn system of developing skills with basic hands, elbows, knees, kicking and tumbling techniques that are fun and exciting for children. The kids will go through eight belt levels up to brown. (They cannot achieve a black belt in this curriculum until they advance to the adult level.)

The traditional movements are not eliminated, but will be gradually introduced at a much later, easier, and slower rate.

Our little dragon program has three elements, safety skills, life skills, and martial arts. We teach our kids to be good citizens and to prepare them for life. We teach the importance of minding parents and teachers the first time, and the importance of honesty. We teach units in safety and life skills. These help the kids become well rounded and make our school unique by developing the child’s social, emotional, physical, as well as intellectual growth.

Our little dragons will:
1. Develop self esteem and learn to share 2. Develop a sense of independence while being a part of a team 3. Learn to take turns 4. Develop speech and language skills  5. Develop physical strength and agility 6. Develop coordination and stamina skills 7. Develop a love for learning 8. Build fundamental motor skills 9. Increase awareness about body and space 10. Learn to follow directions 11. Learn social skills 12. Learn basic problem solving 13. Demonstrate responsibility 14. Learn and show self-control 15. Act respectfully

By Joseph Galea & Jennifer G. Galea MS RD

What are your personal barriers to exercise? We all know the many benefits of exercise, including that exercise is vital for good health, optimal weight, and feeling good in general. If you aren’t working out regularly and enjoying it, why not?

The first step to overcoming your own hurdles to a successful exercise program is to understand what keeps you from exercising. One common obstacle is self-doubt. According to Tracey Mernin, a fitness director in Massachusetts, “Once people see themselves as out of shape, they believe they can’t ever get in shape. Such self-doubt is often reinforced by bad memories.”

You need to be convinced that you can make a difference in your appearance and physical fitness. You don’t have to be a world class athlete to be healthy or a good martial artist. Because the martial arts is so individualized, it is the perfect activity to make people of all athletic abilities feel comfortable in class. Don’t expect overnight changes in your appearance and fitness. However, you can expect immediate changes in your attitude and outlook. Martial arts can help you gain the confidence to overcome self-doubt, which will get the ball rolling.

Some people learn to dread exercise because of bad experiences as children. If you were an overweight or non-athletic child, feelings of humiliation or athletic failure can actually de-motivate you, causing you to avoid exercise as an adult. Experts suggest trying to replace these negative images with more positive ones. Picture yourself as someone who is fast and strong. Focus on the future: remember that you are now a capable adult and not the child who endured these negative experiences.

Getting your children involved in the martial arts can help to prevent them from having similar negative experiences. An important result of martial arts training is strengthening specific character attributes such as leadership, confidence, and self-esteem. These qualities help children deal with negative types of peer pressure and be proud of their abilities regardless of how they compare to others.

Another all-too-common excuse for not exercising is lack of time. To overcome this barrier you need to give exercise the same priority as other necessities of life. Schedule your exercise into you week as you would any other important appointment. Time management skills dictate well structured time that is better utilized.

Once you have overcome your obstacles to initiating your exercise regimen, next you need to overcome your obstacles to continuing. In addition to the earlier mentioned obstacles, you need to overcome the potential of becoming bored or discouraged.

Wayne Westcott, PhD, a fitness research director, found that beginners can tolerate exercise if the time is broken down into intervals. “Don’t start out at too high a level,” Westcott warns. “You can build up time and intensity later.” Going too hard, too fast, is a common pitfall. If you start by working out many hours, many days per week, you will burn yourself out and the exercise will seem like torture. Start out at a more gradual level, such as one hour per day, three times per week. The ultimate goal would be to include at least one half hour of exercise on most days, along with the hour workout at least three times per week. From there, you can always increase the amount of time and frequency. Our martial arts classes are designed with this concept in mind. As you progress, you can expand training and practice sessions.

Most importantly, you need to choose an activity that fits you. You need to be able to do it day after day for a lifetime, and continue to enjoy it. One of the reasons martial arts has gained so much popularity in recent years is its ability to be a lifestyle activity. Martial arts maintains its appeal as you continue to learn and grow, thus enabling you to reach your physical fitness goals.

We all know that proper exercise is an important component of living a healthy life. Look into the future and envision yourself 10 years older. Would you like what you see? Would you consider yourself healthy? Let martial arts help you overcome the barriers to a healthier you.

Dear students and parents:

To make sure all of our students are Fighting Fight, we are participating with martial arts schools worldwide in The Ninjutsu Fit Kid Program. This program will work in conjunction with the Presidents’ Challenge and provide your child with rewards for attending classes.

We are participating in this program as part of a worldwide group of martial arts schools to create happy, healthy, martial arts fit kids.

Here’s how it works:

1. Go to http://www.presidentschallenge.org  to read about the Presidents’ Challenge.
2. Click the age group for your child.
3. Click Sign Me Up.
4. Fill in the information. Our group is the Black Dragon Academy and that is Group ID 67696.
5. Each time your child attends class, return to this site to record the class and earn points.
6. We will have a variety of recognition and champion awards here at the school for points earned starting at 20,000. You may also order patches for your child from the site for reaching specific goals. Be sure to check with your instructor to find out what patches may be displayed on the uniform.

Fairhop, AL — Local martial arts school Balck Dragon Academy has responded to a startling new series of studies that indicate an overweight child rates his or her life as low as that of a young cancer patient. The school’s new Ninjutsu Fit Kid program helps kids get healthier with a combination of martial arts, fitness and personal development training. “I read that study and it hit me that we are in a great position to help these kids,” said [your name], the school’s owner. “For one, we’ll help them lose weight, which is the most important aspect for their physical and mental health. But, let’s face it, learning martial arts greatly reduces the threat of bullies.”

According to three separate studies, overweight children are far more prone to be bullied and stressed. The results in a study of 5,749 Canadian youngsters echo data from British research and follow a U.S. study published last year in which obese children rated their quality of life as low as young cancer patients’ because of teasing and weight-related health problems.

Mr. Mansmann says, “Heavy kids tend to isolate themselves because of the fear of being picked on. Then their world becomes food and TV. That makes the problem worse. We have a safe, protected environment at this school. They will not be picked on and they will gain confidence, as they get fit. That’s why we call it the [style] Fit Kid Program.”

Balck dragon Academy is located at 22819 Highridge Rd. Fairhope Al 36532 For information call the school at 251 423 4911 or visit their website at www.blackdragonacademy.com

Some of the differences between Koto Ryu and Gyokko ryu are as follows:

The Koto Ryu is based on koppojutsu (bone attacking blocks) techniques, where Gyokko Ryu is based on koshijutsu (muscle/organ attacks). Directionally speaking the Koto Ryu is straighter in and the Gyokko Ryu revolves more on a circular basis (either in yourself or in your opponent when taking their balance).
The Koto Ryu techniques use short distancing between the two opponents, the Gyokko Ryu uses greater distance. The Koto Ryu techniques are shorter, quick, and straight to the point; the Gyokko Ryu has longer more complicated techniques, and the techniques have more movement. The Koto Ryu concentrates more on striking, and the Gyokko Ryu more on locks and throws. If both schools are studied completely, the student will know all forms of fighting, including distance, striking, throws, and locks. Both schools compliment each other and to study only one is to know only half of one of the two schools.

The name of the school, ‘Tiger Knocking Down’, refers to knocking down the tiger with the tips of the fingers (the Chuden Kata techniques sometimes start this way).
Attacks to the face, in addition to metsubushi, are common in the techniques of the school.

The Koto Ryu is broken down into five levels wich are as follows:

1. KURAI DORI (Five Kamae)
2. SHODEN NO KATA (Eighteen Techniques)
3. CHUDEN NO KATA (Twelve Techniques)
4. OKUDEN NO KATA (Twelve Techniques)

Okuden, and Hekito are the highest levels of training with the school, and contain the secret teachings. The Hekito is unarmed combat against sword, but a skilled member of the school can also do the Hekito with sword against sword.

The Bujinkan Dojo video Koto Ryu Koppojutsu by Soke Hatsumi shows three makimono (scrolls). Two of them have the name of the scroll partially clear and listed as such.:

1. Koto Ryu Koppojutsu……
2. Koppojutsu ……

The rest is unclear.

Typical movement within the Koto Ryu is:

Yoko Aruki (cross stepping), and Toki (stamping on toes).
Short distancing, and striking hard.
A saying in the Koto Ryu is, “The eyes are everything”.
Always making the eyes appear blank, so that no telepathic movement can be detected by the opponent
Looking at the eyebrows of the opponent rather than their eyes.
The Koto Ryu has a unique form of Kenjutsu (Swordsmanship).

The Koto Ryu also contains kuji prayer forms and they are called Sanpo Gassho (3 treasures). These same kuji also appear in the Gyokko Ryu. They are listed as the Gassho Kuji Kiri (nine symbol slashes prayers).

“Sanpo Gassho”

1. Kongo - Cloud prayer
2. Suirin - Water ring prayer
3. Kaku Gassho - Fire and winds prayer

The Kihon Happo is made from the first two levels of the Gyokko Ryu, Ki Gata, and Torite Kihon Gata, which are also the basic techniques of the school. Typical for the Gyokko Ryu are the powerful blocks and balance taking. The school specializes in techniques that involve Kosshijutsu (attack against muscles) and Shitojutsu (use of thumbs and fingers). Kosshijutsu means “to knock down the enemy with one finger”. Koshi could also mean ‘backbone’, as Kosshijutsu is the backbone of martial arts. Togakure Ryu Ninpo Taijutsu is a distant branch of the Gyokko Ryu Kosshijutsu.

The Gyokko Ryu uses “Ten Ryaku Uchu Gassho” (heaven and universe prayer), Chi Ryaku Futen Goshin Gassho (circle of wind prayer), Jin Ryaku Chi Sui Ka Fu Henka Ryaku (circle of earth, water, fire, wind prayer).
Gassho Kuji Kiri is “Kongo’ (cloud), Suirin (water ring), Kaku Gassho (fire and winds). These are also called the ‘Sanpo Gassho’ (three treasures) and they also appear in the Koto Ryu.

The Gyokko Ryu is broken down into five levels:
1) Ki Gata 5 techniques
2) Torite Kihon Gata
3) Jo Ryaku no Maki
4) Chu Ryaku no Maki
5) Ge Ryaku no Maki 5 techniques
10 techniques
12 techniques
8 techniques
8 techinques

The katas of the Koppo San Ryaku Hiden are also known as Jo Ryaku no Maki (higher level), Chu Ryaku no Maki (intermediate level), and Ge Ryaku no Maki (lower level). Each is written as a separate scroll.
Also in the Gyokko Ryu is Kurai Dori (sizing up the situation), Shin Shingan (God’s heart, God’s eyes), Tenmon Chimon (heaven, earth tactics).

The Gyokko Ryu has one fundamental rule: destroy the enemy’s power, but leave his life. The Gyokko Ryu states that when a fight is about to start, do not let the opponent win, but take him down with a technique that is only as strong as is needed to match the situation. They also have another saying in the Gyokko Ryu, “Bushigokoro wo motte totoshi no nasu” (The warrior’s heart is precious and essential).

The Sanshin no kata is one of the hiden (secret transmissions). Takamatsu taught this only to Hatsumi Sensei.

The following are nine rules of the Gyokko Ryu:

1) The character ‘nin’ means to guard the nation with one’s life
2) Forget the self, be patient, and do not fear dying
3) When in danger say or show nothing
4) As a strong enemy comes, keep an indomitable spirit
5) Serve and protect the master as you must your own parents
6) Vices dissipate your proficiency
7) Being drunk affects your judgment
8. Destroy your enemy’s power but not his life
9) Don’t teach to others without the master’s permission

These techniques, used to hunt and fight, eventually developed and became the strategic base of the ninjutsu martial arts. The ninja clans used their art to ensure their survival in a time of violent political turmoil. It also included methods of gathering information, non-detection, avoidance, and misdirection techniques. Ninjutsu can also involve training in disguise, escape, concealment, archery, medicine, explosives, and poisons.

Practitioners of ninjutsu (known as ninja) have been seen as assassins for hire, and have been associated in the public imagination with other activities which are considered criminal by modern standards. Though it was influenced by Chinese ex-patriots and the strategic principles of Sun Tzu, ninjutsu is believed by its adherents to be of Japanese origin. One version is that the basis of ninjutsu was taught to a Japanese household who fled to the mountains after losing a battle. There they mixed with a varied lot of people including the descendants of refugees who had fled China. Later, the skills were developed over 300 years to create ninjutsu.

Although the popular view is that ninjutsu is the art of secrecy or stealth, actual practitioners consider it to mean the art of enduring - enduring all of life’s hardships. The word nin carries both these meanings. To avoid misunderstandings, “ninjutsu” should just refer to a specific branch of Japanese martial arts, unless it is being used in a historical sense.

18 Ninjutsu Skills (Ninja Juhakkei)

According to Bujinkan^[1] members, the eighteen disciplines were first stated in the scrolls of Togakure Ryu, and according to the Bujinkan, they became definitive for all Ninjutsu schools, providing a complete training of the warrior in various fighting arts and complementary disciplines.

However, according to the Bujinkan, Ninja Juhakkei was often studied along with Bugei Juhappan (the 18 Samurai fighting art skills). Though some of them are the same, the techniques of each discipline were used with different approaches by both samurai and ninja.

The 18 disciplines are:

1. Seishin-teki kyōyō (spiritual refinement)
2. Taijutsu (unarmed combat, using one’s body as the only weapon)
3. Kenjutsu (sword fighting)
4. Bōjutsu (stick and staff fighting)
5. Shurikenjutsu (throwing blades)
6. Sōjutsu (spear fighting)
7. Naginatajutsu (naginata fighting)
8. Kusarigamajutsu (chain and sickle weapon)
9. Kayakujutsu (pyrotechnics and explosives)
10. Hensōjutsu (disguise & impersonation)
11. Shinobi-iri (stealth and entering methods)
12. Bajutsu (horsemanship)
13. Sui-ren (water training)
14. Bōryaku (military strategy)
15. Chōhō (espionage)
16. Intonjutsu (escaping and concealment)
17. Tenmon (meteorology)
18. Chi-mon (geography)

The Bujinkan Dōjō headed by Masaaki Hatsumi is one of three organizations frequently accepted as teaching ninjutsu by the Bujinkan’s members (under the name Budo Taijutsu). However Hatsumi has stated that he has modified the art of traditional ninjutsu to better suit modern ways. Hatsumi’s Bujinkan Dōjō consists of nine separate schools of allegedly traditional Japanese martial arts, only three of which contain ninjutsu teachings. Hatsumi learned a variety of martial arts skills from Toshitsugu Takamatsu.

There are two other organizations which are frequently held to be teaching ninjutsu. These are the Genbukan headed by Shoto Tanemura, who left the Bujinkan in 1984, and the Jinenkan headed by Fumio Manaka, who left the Bujinkan in 1996. Both had achieved Menkyo Kaiden before leaving.^{[citation needed]}

Other extant traditional martial arts such as the Tenshin Shoden Katori Shintō-ryū contain some aspects of ninjutsu in their curriculum, but are not ninjutsu schools per se.

The espionage techniques of ninjutsu are rarely focused on in recent times, since they serve little purpose to the bulk of modern populations, and tend to attract negative publicity and students with unrealistic expectations.