How important is it being an uke? It is one of many aspects ninjutsu offers in teaching the practitioner, whether student or teacher, the power of the art. We have been focusing on the Tori (defender); it is about time we consider the other side of training - the uke (attacker). The answer to the question is that it is crucial to this of any other art (many do not even look at this side of training). I am blessed that ninjutsu offer both sides of training.

I'd like to tell you a little story of how early on I had to learn the importance of being an uke. Within a month or so with Shidoshi Harding at his basement, as I learned ukemi, I thought to myself, "What's the big deal in doing all this tumbling?" Then he taught the basic postures and techniques. But within 2 or 3 sessions (he was only teaching on Sundays at the time, so I had at least a week to practice before returning) Shidoshi was throwing me around while he told me to use my ukemi. I came to the realization that ukemi was what I used to escape/survive any form of attack or counterattack. The training became more intense as I kept coming back every Sunday. As he threw me up and down, he softly and repeatedly told me to relax. I almost gave up after a month because I didn't like the physical feeling of being thrown, punched, kicked, or the combination of these; I was in pain every time I left his house.

In one of many sessions, he softly mentioned for me to relax. I thought: "How can I relax while I'm being thrown, punched and kicked?" So I asked him, "Shidoshi?!? (puzzled) How important is relaxation with ukemi?" He stated: "If you loosen up, it won't hurt as much." I thought that if I loosen up, I'd be letting my guard down and would be easily hurt. When he mentioned the word relax, I asked him again, "Are you telling me to loosen every muscle in my body instead of tensing them in order to absorb any form of attack?!?!" "Yes," he stated. I have learned that being relaxed absorbs the attack as well as the pain that goes along with it much better than when I was very tense.

I remember one time when I was tense: he punched at me in the stomach with the whole of his body - I stayed curled up on the mat for 5 minutes. It was during those painful minutes I decided to relax throughout my training as well as any activity I did outside training. As I threw punches and kicks, Shidoshi was teaching me techniques along with the pains that I received from them.

It was a struggle to relax, and it still is a part of training. It can't be mastered and then put aside; it's an ongoing process inside and outside the dojo as well as inside and outside myself (mind and body). When I learned to relax, my rolls became smoother, quieter and softer; movements became smoother and with fluidity as time passed. The source of ninpo taijutsu became clearer. As I learned how to relax, factors or aspects of what ninpo taijutsu work presented themselves throughout my training.

As an uke, I have learned that the aspects of uke and tori are interchangeable and quite the same. I am not implying that it is good to be an attacker, but that it is first important to defend, then to attack if chosen. All I can say is keep training, and it is nice to be thrown, punched, kicked and grabbed because it teaches anyone what the art is calmness of the spirit, and it teaches humility. Yamamoto Tsunetomo states to all practitioners of budo to keep training, and that a small understanding is not enough. It is a lifetime process.

In order to reach the higher order of Ninpo, it is necessary for the student to gain an understanding of his/her body far more deeply than the average person. Before one can become a great martial artist, one must first become a good uke. There is no other way. We strive to use our bodies in a way that is far too natural for most people to understand. Always remember what the natural state of a human is when he is not thinking of anything at all. That is what I mean by relaxed: if the mind is relaxed, the body will also be so. Ñ Ken Harding

This article was first published in Shadowgram, Number 35, April 1995 edition. Shadowgram is a newsletter published by Ken Harding and the Missouri Ninja Center.

Llermo V. Rogers has been training in Bujinkan Ninpo Taijutsu since 1988 under Shidoshi Ken Harding. He is a Sandan and an assistant instructor at the Missouri Ninja Center in St. Louis. He may be contacted at: Shadowswrd@aol.com.