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cambridge.ma
5th May 2008, 16:59
Hello,

I have trained in traditional Budo Taijutsu for a number of years and would like to find someone in the area with past experience in Budo Taijutsu to practice 2 times a week with for a total of 4 hours. I am a 3rd Dan but am not interested in teaching but just finding a training partner(s).

I am in town for 6 months and have checked out the Boston Dojo. However, this is a commercial dojo that has ``adapted the art to street attacks.'' They are connected to Toshindo under the direction of Hayes. To each his own, but at my stage I am interested in practicing the traditional Kata and techniques as taught to me in Japan and by my teachers In the NW and the UK.

Is anyone in a similar situation or is there another traditional group in the area? Keep in mind that I have nothing against any other martial art group, but at my point in my own training I am interested in further developing my abilities in Budo Taijutsu.

I also plan to attend a seminar by Jack Hoban on the 10th of May
http://www.winjutsu.com/seminars/hoban-nj.htm (I have heard of Mr. Hoban and am excited to finally see him in action!)

Evan London
5th May 2008, 18:04
Hello,

There is a Jinenkan shibu dojo under my supervision located in Boston. Please contact me if you are interested in joining them for training

Ev

nitflegal
11th May 2008, 22:38
Actually, Mark Davis runs a pretty darned traditional school, fluff to the contrary. He certainly has a friendship with Steven Hayes as he studied under him back in the 80's and 90's however, he's definitely Booj all the way. If you don't mind a bit of a drive, Ken Savage has a school up in Winchendon that is fairly new but he's running an excellent school with Black Belt classes on Wed evenings. I've been studying in the Bujinkan since 93 (at least when I lived within a two hour drive radius of a dojo!) and feel both are excellent teachers. Ken in particular knows the scrolls backwards and forwards if you're a traditionalist.

FWIW,
Matt

cambridge.ma
19th June 2008, 16:03
This is my professional point of view and is not a personal attack. However, because I respect the X-kan arts, I believe something should be said, which I will now do.

I have had the pleasure of training with groups all over the world. Well there is variance from teacher to teacher and from group to group, Mark Davis et al. is the first group that I absolutely refuse to train with. If you like what he is doing that's fine by me, learn it, have fun, but it is really not Budo Taijutsu. I am all for considering `modernized attacks' just learn the basics as they are taught from someone who knows them before trying to change the art. Their basics are horrible!

In addition, what I would call the essence of a fighting art is totally lacking from his dojo --- despite the fact that he continues to talk about `the feeling' and the 3rd time I showed up to train was `fire day'. I can say with certainty that most of his black belt instructors could not pass the 5th kyu test at an average dojo lead by any good US Shihan (other nations as well for that matter). If you don't believe me, show up at a training event and ask to test.

People with less experience might stick around for a while but at some point any one who wants to get good will need to find an alternative source. When this happens, and depending on how long you have trained, you will have to spend a few years undoing the basics you were taught at Mark's dojo before you will improve.

The wonderful thing about training is that people can make up their own minds about what is good for them. Mark is a talented martial artist, what he is teaching though, it's just simply not for me. All the best to those that enjoy training at his dojo!

cambridge.ma
19th June 2008, 17:47
I should mention one more thing. Since, in particular, people who train with Mark might not catch my sarcastic tone when I mention what Mark refers to as the "feeling" and "fire day" at Marks dojo.

Neil Yamamoto
19th June 2008, 18:50
Hey Cambridge.ma,

Please go into your user control panel and fill out your signature. One of the rules here on e-budo is to have your full name in each post. While it might seem picky, it is a rule of the house and a rule you agreed to when you signed up for the forums.

Thanks,

nitflegal
21st June 2008, 21:07
I'm certainly sorry that your time in Boston wasn't more useful. Having bounced around the US to different Bujinkan schools as well as two in Europe there's no denying that different instructors in the Booj often have very different styles and some instructors just don't gel with a particular student's learning style and expectations. I do feel obligated to mention that my foundation years of Bujinkan training within Mark's circle of instructors served me well when training at various Tai Kai's, dojos, and seminars with Jack Hoban, Glen Morris, Stephen Hayes, Bud Malstrom, Charles Daniels, and a few Japanese shihan over the years. The only thing that ever hindered my training that is attributable to Mark Davis was a nasty Plantars wart I got from training over the summer with sweaty feet. A/C would have been nice! :D

Matt

nitflegal
22nd June 2008, 21:37
Ooops, sorry about the lack of name in the e-mail.

Matt Flegal