KUDEN! Martial Arts, Self-Defense & Survival

One of the greatest fallacies circulating in Ninjutsu is that you can’t learn this art without going to a dojo. This, in spite of the fact that I and a HUGE percentage of the older teachers in this art have always been…solo, distance training students…INCLUDING SOKE HATSUMI HIMSELF! During this episode I’m going to show […]

Grandmaster Hatsumi often spoke of the trap of confusing how many techniques one knows with their ability to actually survive a real-world attack. This was due in part to the number of variables outside of kata that are a part of the problem we’ll face inside the bubble. During this episode of KUDEN! We’ll be […]

One of the greatest allures of the Ninja’s self-protection and personal development system is the promise of increasing your personal power in not just a self-defense and survival situation, but in every area of your life. So, the focus of this episode will focus on 5 core practices designed to ramp up our ability to […]

One of the biggest problems that most people face, especially students of Ninjutsu and it’s promise of self-protection and personal development Mastery is… Most of us were never taught HOW to learn. We were taught “what” to learn, and rewarded for passing tests designed to gauge how well we could remember facts, but most of […]

During this episode we’ll be looking at the connection between goal attainment and frustration- two things that seem to be at odds with each other, right? After all, if you achieve your goals, how can there be frustration? Connected to this is also the difference between how the super successful and the wanna-be relate to […]

When you think of martial arts of self-defense, one of the first things (if not ‘the first’) that comes to mind is…fighting. But the world of conflict resolution, warriorship, and combat…especially within the Ninja’s realm…involves MUCH more than just meeting an opponent head-on physically – as if the winner of this match somehow decided many […]

Over my years on the Path, I have been exposed to many lessons within the Kuden and Shinden realms of training. Many of these lessons came from the Dragon’s Realm, rather than the Tiger’s Realm of raw, violent battlefield survival tactics for winning. During today’s episode, we’ll be diving deep into some of these lessons […]

One of the most common concepts and lessons that I heard in the earliest days of this art, both from my personal teacher AND the Grandmaster, was about “returning to zero”, being a ‘no-limits person’, and becoming a Tatsujin – ‘a fully actualized human being’. Unfortunately, this, among many lessons, is not discussed very much […]

The world of Ninjutsu training has been all but reduced to a small aspect of the original self-protection and personal development I was introduced to in the late 70’s and early 80’s. Having been a part of the early introduction and teachings that went WAY beyond “budo-taijutsu”, I was driven to succeed by descriptions and […]

No matter what you do, say, or achieve; you will always encounter haters and those people who will attack you and try to undermine your efforts. During this episode we’ll be looking at examples from not only my own life, but also moments in the lives of Hatsumi-Sensei and his teacher, Soke Toshitsugu Takamatsu, where […]

There used to be a debate as to whether what Bujinkan students are doing is BUDO or NINPO taijutsu. I don’t hear that much anymore, but…I should! During this special episode of KUDEN! we’ll be taking a look at how these two terms (& practices) are connected, and how they’re different. I’ll also be answering […]

Are you having trouble overcoming an enormous challenge in your training, or in another area of your life? If so, I get it. And I want to help you cut through the confusion and get the results and success you want. During this episode we’ll take a look at a simple process that can be […]

During this episode we’ll be taking a look at the subject of goal setting and attainment – one of the topics covered during our recent Spring Ninja Training Camp. Specifically, we’re going to look at 3 ways goal setting is approached (if it’s done at all), and why those who use them see mediocre results […]

This episode is based on a question I received from a student about something he saw online and wanted my take and help in understanding it. At the root of this is something that, if we don’t get right, let’s just say that the “rabbit hole” we’ll be going down won’t lead us to the […]

During this week’s episode I’ll be explaining why I chose the teachers that I did – the criteria I used, and why I think it’s important for a student to choose their teacher(s) with more care than they usually do. I’ll also be giving some suggestions for avoiding common mistakes, as well as how to […]

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. […]