Finding a dojo or shibu

Areas of study at Tiger's Den Dojo include:

Junan Taiso: Flexibility and Strength Conditioning
Taihenjutsu: Rolls, Breakfalls, Running, Jumping, and Tumbling Skills
Taijutsu: Hand to Hand Combat, Striking, Joint Manipulation, Entering, Exiting, Positioning, Unarmed Weapons Defense
Jujutsu: Ground fighting and grappling including both Japanese Jujutsu and Gracie Jiu-Jitsu
Bukijutsu: Weapons skills both Traditional, Modern, and Improvised
Psychology: The Mental aspect of Combat and Survival, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving
Wilderness Survival: Learning both short and long term survival techniques such as: Building Fire, Making Shelter, Gathering Water and Food, Identifying Plants, First Aid, Etc.

Check if they're a qualified instructor.


EDIT:

"Web Link Karate For Christ International

Karate for Christ International was founded in 1955. It started with the idea of using Karate as a vehicle to evangelize children. As a result hundreds of children have come to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior."

Mega cringe.

 

Forgive my ignorance, but how do I find out if they are a qualified instructor?

 

Are you a Christian?

 

"At the Tiger's Den Dojo, our curriculum consists of Bujinkan Ninjutsu, Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, and Arnis Knifefighting. We mesh Bujinkan stand-up fighting skills, Bujinkan and Arnis weapons skills, and Gracie BJJ grappling skills into a single interwoven style recognized as Butaijutsu"


Lolololol 10/10 would not train.

 

The simplest way is to ask to see the credentials. While these CAN be faked, the internet makes this a LOT harder

The main Instructor claims to have been "Team Gracie" rep in Japan, so the Gracie Academy may be able to help with that.

 

yes indeed I am a Christian, in fact I am in my final courses in my Master's of Divinity program with Liberty University. Although the Karate for Christ thing I really have no knowledge of and am not interested in right now. I am seeking the taijutsu training, and the BJJ training, the other things Ryuha? and such seem interesting as well, but FWIW in my professional (Correctional Officer) hopefully Chaplain soon, the training will undoubtedly come in handy. Just don't want to waste time and money, and looking for legitimate instruction.

 

That was my first thought, but given the dogs dinner mix of arts I teach it seemed wrong to criticize!

That mix itself was my first pink flag
The phrase "Arnis knifefighting" was another

 

The Karate for Christ will not be an issue then, so strike that from my list of objections

My personal opinion is that your needs as described will be FAR better suited at a BJJ, Judo or wrestling gym. Failing that a solid MMA gym will also fit the bill

Bujinkan has VERY patchy quality control, and the warning flags I have seen on this one suggest a lot of other problems too

On face value alone I would avoid

 

Their claim to "lineage" (not mentioning a rank at all) of GJJ is that one of their guys body guarded for Helio and Rorion in the early 90's. Whilst I'm sure that's amazing, and what not it means nothing in regards to skill level. Surely someone is ranked in the style?

There is one guy wearing a Ninjutsu gi with a GJJ patch on it.

 

don't really know the significance, if any, of these photos but the link is
http://www.tigersdendojo.com/news-events/21-news-announcements/112-helio-gracie-100-celebration

 

Much better! Shows him wearing a Brown belt n BJJ/GJJ. Still wouldn't bother with the place though.

 

Don't know if this matters, but I found this vid through Google searching Alex Mordine Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Representative for Japan. In the comments they (or someone) lists this move as being taught by Alex. We practiced this last night also, very difficult to get the rope to do it, but here is the link:
https://www.facebook.com/GracieAcademy/videos/10152494288799076/

 

Thank you

I just want to say thank you to Hannibal and Chadderz for the replies. I have been searching the internetz for some time looking for good training and it is a monumental task with all the self-styled "grandmasters" and prodigies. My son and I have been to two classes now, last night being the second, at Tigers den dojo (Konooburu dojo). He (at 15) is excited by the "ninja" stuff, but I, as stated, am interested in the other training. The instructors seem competent, but I am by no means a judge of this, so I was wanting your opinions and got it. Thank you so much for your advice, and if you can think any other advice on this dojo I would really appreciate it, thank you.:hail:

 

That is a video game move

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0c-ziUnfkh4"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0c-ziUnfkh4[/ame]

 

Most welcome

It is always hard giving objective advice without seeing it up close. Personally I wouldn't go there, but that does not mean it has nothing to offer someone else

What other clubs have you looked at near you?

 

Well, that is just the thing. This area is saturated with Shaolin do, jim bob's karate, and an hour away is more of the same. There is one other Bujinkan dojo over an hour north of me in Lexington, but I am not sure if they are still in operation or not. Also there are tons of self-styled MMA gyms such as Goochtown TNA extreme MMA. I try to avoid these as I don't generally go out seeking to wrestle tobacco-spitting polar bears. Initially I was looking for a traditional Chinese Martial art such as Hung Sing Choy Li Fut or Shuia Jiao (sp) but again no dice. There is an Aikido club that is about two hours away, can't make that one for logistics, and many tae kwon do schools which I have never been too impressed after fighting a TKD black belt (both inside the gym during tournament [lost], and later outside the gym with no rules [owned hiim]). So options are very, very limited.

 

yeah the video game move at first seemed ridiculous, but then a friend of mine was involved in an assault at work where an inmate used a lock tied onto the end of a piece of bed sheet. The friend caught the lock and sheet, luckily we all showed up in time to get it from the inmate, but maybe this move could have helped. It can always get worse, especially in a tense situation. IDK

 

Are you anywhere near Richmond?

 

yeah about 45 minutes out

 

This woudl be a much better choice in my opinion

http://www.afsacademy.com/