KUDEN! Martial Arts, Self-Defense & Survival

During this week’s episode we’re going to take a look at yet another over-used and misunderstood word, especially within the context of Ninjutsu…”Traditional.” This will probably ‘trigger’ (if that’s even possible for real warriors to become) some hate mail and irritation among many but, if we’re going to get this thing that we say we’re […]

The word “natural”, much like “warrior” and “enlightenment”, is thrown around quite a bit in both the world at large and within in the world of Ninjutsu. But you can often be hard pressed to find it in all of its aspects when you watch people actually train. During this episode we’ll be diving into […]

One of the most common things heard around the world of Ninjutsu, especially within the Bujinkan, is the statement: “That’s not how it’s done in Japan.” This, and the implied slight of someone being “old-school” is supposed to differentiate between someone doing it right from those who are doing it “wrong”. I’ll be discussing this […]

Have you ever felt “stuck”? You’ve tried doing everything you can think of to solve a problem with your training, a relationship, job, or life in general…but you can’t seem to find the solution to getting unstuck and moving forward? At the core of the Ninja’s arts is the concept of becoming a problem solver […]

In the Ninja’s life mastery reachings there exists the concept of karma-the law of cause and effect-and a teaching which not only demonstrates this Universal Law, but also shows how to use it to both break free from the bonds of ignorance passed onto us from others… …but also how to use it to quite […]

Join us for our centennial episode of KUDEN Radio – the podcast for you – the serious martial artist, self-defense and personal development-minded practioner! During this episode I’ll be sharing some hard-won, but extremely unpopular, lessons regarding how my teachers; both Hatsumi-Soke and other Japanese Master-teachers; treated different types of students based on the way […]

Like many students, I started my training in the martial arts by enrolling in a program that was close and convenient. But, based on my needs and focus, this turned into a journey that would take me through many different styles and systems. During this episode, I'll be sharing my journey, and how I came… […]

From the very beginning of my training and over the course of several years, I had to come to grips with the fact that, very often, I was getting in my own way when it came to my own training and ability to get this art and its life-changing benefits. During this episode we'll be… […]

The sheer number of lessons and skill sets passed by my teacher, Soke Hatsumi, but overlooked by the majority of students these days are staggering to say the least. During this episode I'll be discussing the Ninja's “sanmitsu” (triple secrets of success) that I was introduced to, why EVERYONE is successful, and how you can… […]

With everything this art has to offer, it has never ceased to amaze me how willing most people are to focus on so little of it. During this episode of KUDEN! I'll be sharing not only the training focus, but also the 3 aspects of the testing requirements I was held to as I worked… […]

During this episode we'll be looking at a serious problem; whether in a person's training, with their job, relationships, or whatever; that we cannot allow to derail us from our intended purpose. I know it's a significant holiday, and you may not be able to make it live, but if you love, value, and respect… […]

During this episode we'll be looking at the idea of what it means to be a “warrior”, historically, as well as some of the insights I've gained over the years from my teachers – including the grandmaster – about the concepts of “class” and being a budoka and Ninja. Careful…this one just may ruffle some… […]

During this episode, I'll be sharing some core secrets of the ancient masters that I learned from my teachers- lessons that have been validated through discoveries in modern brain science. These critical pieces explain why some people are successful and have the life they want, and how you can tap into them to have the… […]

During this episode we'll be looking at a part of the Ninja no Hachimon (8 Gates of Authentic Traditional Ninja Training), that points to breaking free from the limited, martial arts-only mentality that most students and instructors are trapped in. THIS is the part of the powerful, life-changing system that everyone needs, but virtually NO… […]

During this episode we'll be exploring the concepts of the Warrior as a person of action, and what that means in how we think, speak, move through, and engage with the world. I'll also be sharing a framework of 4 Levels of Action and why most people either fall or fall WAY short of the… […]

One of the most important things I've learned from my teacher, the grandmaster, is how to look any “thing” from different angles. This lesson held for not just personal combat skill but also those things in life that we think we know for sure. But…being a warrior involves more than just knowing some “cool moves”. […]

Bring in the New Year with me as we explore an important concept, both in Japanese culture and in the realm of personal development and success…the concepts of new beginnings! Let's do this Warrior-style! Bring in the New Year with me as we explore an important concept, both in Japanese culture and in the realm […]

During this episode I'll be sharing some tips and suggestions for breaking out of what I call “THE RACE TO BE AVERAGE” and why you can't do what everyone else (including 95% of the people training in this art) is doing and see the kind of results you know you want for yourself! During this […]

During this episode I'll be talking about my experience training with a few of my own teachers along the way, from Hatsumi-Sensei and a few of the Japanese master teachers, to my original teachers and mentors in this art. And the “experiences” won't be what you might think! During this episode I'll be talking about […]

During this episode I'll be giving you my take on a few topic suggestions/questions that came in regarding how to train through injuries, as well as some supplemental ideas and/or suggestions for fostering the “warrior spirit”. During this episode I'll be giving you my take on a few topic suggestions/questions that came in regarding how […]

The topic of this episode is based on a question that came in from a listener regarding what I see as some of the differences between Ninjutsu training as it was when it was first introduced to the Western world in the late 70's and very early 80's, and the way it's being practiced today…. […]

What do you do when you have limited time, live hundreds or even thousands of miles from a qualified Ninjutsu teacher, and have a lifetime of programming keeping you from seeing a solution to getting the training you’ve been wanting for a really long time? That’s the topic of this episode of KUDEN! podcast. What […]

Of the 18 levels of training (Ninja Juhakkei) within the Togakure School of Ninjutsu, the first area or ‘level’ is the focus on your personal clarity and development. In this episode of KUDEN! we’ll be taking a look at this critical study, why it was there for our Ninja ancestors, and its importance to your… […]

This episode focuses on more wisdom from several of my teachers, mentors, and role-models along the way – people who helped me break out of the self-imprisoning programming, thinking and belief systems that were holding me back from the results and success I wanted for both myself, and for those I could help in the… […]

During this episode we’ll be exploring why being comfortable stops most practioners from realizing their true potential, any why it keeps so many from doing what they could be doing to either get the training they say they want or see the level of success they could be getting from this powerful life mastery system! […]

Too many students go looking for a martial art of self-defense system because someone told them it was the best, or they were looking to be the baddest MOFO on the block. During this episode I’m sharing how I found Ninjutsu and what I told all my teachers, including the Grandmaster, as to how long… […]

So many teachers, Facebook groups, and students claim to be training in Ninjutsu, but are they… really? During this episode we’ll be exploring this claim and, using both historical references and lessons from the grandmaster, exposing why anyone’s claim may not be true! So many teachers, Facebook groups, and students claim to be training in […]

During today’s episode I’ll be sharing with you what I think is one of the biggest reasons students fail to attain their goals, not just in Ninjutsu, but in virtually everything they do. During today’s episode I’ll be sharing with you what I think is one of the biggest reasons students fail to attain their […]

During today’s show I will focus on a surprising lesson I learned as a police officer. I’ll also share some related lessons and pieces of wisdom from some of my teachers, including the Grandmaster Hatsumi himself, that not only changed how I trained, but actually MADE me look at topics and study areas that most […]

During today’s show we’ll be looking at some of the things that martial artists and self-defense practioners do to get in their own way – sometimes actually helping their attacker win! During today’s show we’ll be looking at some of the things that martial artists and self-defense practioners do to get in their own way […]

During today’s show I’ll be talking about some of the problems I encountered along my Path after making that decision to get martial arts training (including the BIGGEST help I could ever get), and the one thing that makes a lot of adult students quit before they get where they say they want to be. […]

During today’s show we’ll be exploring some myths about what you need to succeed in your Ninjutsu training, and the one BIG thing that’s critical to handling anything that would prevent you from staying with it and realizing your vision of Mastery! During today’s show we’ll be exploring some myths about what you need to […]

In today’s episode, I discuss my origin story – the answer to the above questions and how I went from being a beaten, broken, terrified child to where I am today. In today’s episode, I discuss my origin story – the answer to the above questions and how I went from being a beaten, broken, […]