Often when teaching my ninja students, I find it necessary to discuss advanced levels of ninjutsu training, progress, and skill within the black belt grades. Since ninjutsu is a results-oriented system, as opposed to a “style-based” system, students often have difficulty recognizing the value of continuing their own training after reaching Shodan, 1st degree black belt.

If you really want to master the art of the ninja, you need to understand how progressing through mastery levels is different within ninjutsu than it is in more conventional and “popular” sporting martial arts. In fact, this is critical to his eventual development to not just wear a black belt, but to be able to think, live, and act like a true ninja.

Here is a brief overview of the first four grades at the ninjutsu black belt levels:

Shodan – 1st grade (“beginner level”): have knowledge and proficiency in the kihon or “fundamental” techniques of the art.

nidan – 2nd grade (“level 2”): The ability to respond appropriately against anything a real attacker throws at you.

sandan – Grade 3 (“Level 3”): This level requires the student to be able to strategically manipulate the attacker’s options to make him attack you the way you want him to. It also includes the ability to escape and block, hold, or throw.

Yondan – 4th grade (“level 4”) – Here, the student seems to break the laws of physics when he slips into the perfect position that causes the attacker’s attack to miss him. Here, the student ninja finds his eye on the proverbial hurricane that allows him to access his attacker’s targets, while at the same time making it nearly impossible for the opponent to return fire.

As you can see, ninjutsu training moves from mechanical, step-by-step physical training, where most martial artists tend to stop, and into the realm of the strategic. There are still several realms through which the aspiring master must pass, but this should give you an idea of ​​how ninjutsu takes a very different approach to that used by most martial arts systems you will find in the world today.