I got into the Martial Arts quite by accident. Like most young kids my brother and I always thought it would be cool to be martial artists. Through the years we never really acted on it and after some time I totally forgot about it. One day my brother came into my room and told me that he had found what appeared to be a legitimate Ninjutsu dojo in the area with a reputable teacher. He asked me if I wanted to join him in “checking it out” and the rest is history.

I would like to say that at first we were not impressed with the supposedly “deadly art” (Bujinkan system Ninjutsu looks very unorthodox and very non-traditional) and we almost left. Well, my brother decided to take a chance and I joined him. It has been an interesting and important part of my life and I look back on the last decade and wish I had started sooner...

I can only comment on what I know and what I've been exposed to, so I won't make any claims about one art or the other. I study what I study because I found that I like Ninjutsu and I feel that it is just as effective as any other type of Martial Art. I have a keen interest in all types of styles and disciplines and as I spend more time with martial artists I develop more of an appreciation for the broad spectrum of the fighting arts.

Today, I still train in Ninjutsu but I am also studying LimaLama and Shaolin Kung Fu or Gung Fu and I've seen it referred to. I have had the fortune of finding gifted teachers and every day is a new opportunity for enlightenment. For those of you out there who have always had an interest I can honestly say that if you find a teacher and art that you can be passionate about it will change your life.

For those of you who are curious about the details of the history here's some more information...

My first Sensei was Kevin Millis. He is now a Judan (10th degree Black Belt) in the Bujinkan Ninjutsu system. He has moved on to take a more global role within the organization and continues to train and provide training to dojos around the world. He is a truly gifted martial artist and a well rounded individual. He taught me a lot and I owe him a debt of gratitude for his willingness to live his life by his principles in an uncompromising fashion. You can find out more information about him at his personal site.

My current Sensei is George Lugo. When Kevin left our original dojo I was left with the decision of picking a new teacher to continue my training. I chose Sensei Lugo because I felt that he had the most experience in the Martial Arts as well as a thorough knowledge of Ninjutsu. I continue to learn from him on many levels. I also have the unique privilege of studying under someone who was brought up "old school".

For those of you who want to more information on Ninjutsu you can click here and find as much information as you can handle. It does take a while to sift through it but there is a long history to the art and it is taught all over the world. I only know of the Bujinkan system since that's what I've spent my life studying but from what I understand there are other schools. The most notable of which is the Gembukan.

For those that are curious about LimaLama I cannot sum it up any better than the information located here. This site should be able to answer most questions and provide some really good information. I'm not sure about the current state of TILOA but if you have some questions about finding a training center I may be able to help point you in the right direction.