Tell me about Shinto Ryu
What do you know about Shinto Ryu?
Most of today’s popular martial arts sprang up and developed, over several centuries, originating from the thoughts and practices of visionaries who were influenced by the pervading thought and cultures of their day. These influences molded and shaped their philosophies and techniques. Nowadays, newly created disciplines and styles are continually being developed throughout the world.
Shinto Ryu is one of these modern disciplines. It is practiced under the umbrella organization of the European Marital Arts Academy. Shinto means “natures way” or “shrine” and ryu like the Japanese word – do means “the way”. In understanding its name we gain insight into the foundation of the system – developing self defense skills in a “natural way.” The basic tenet of this discipline is to never seek harm. Instead, Shinto Ryu endeavors to equip students with skills that give them the ability to avoid, diffuse and or walk away from dangerous and difficult situations. Of paramount importance is teaching practitioners defusing techniques and the confidence to use and apply these skills effectively.
Acquiring the knowledge and physical skills to be able to act effectively in times of threat and great danger helps develop the confidence necessary to handle sticky situations. An important aspect of this is body language. Our body language tells a lot about us – in fact, research has shown that many victims of crimes actually had the body language and posture of a victim prior the to crime occurring. Thus, it is quite possible to minimize the risk of becoming a victim by having a confident posture and conveying this through body language. This is evident by examining different postures used by various styles of martial arts. For instance, a relaxed upright posture with the shoulders pulled back and head and eyes aware, gives off a strong sense of awareness, confidence and strength. As one of Japan’s heroes Musashi Miyamoto once said “Perception is strong and sight is weak!”
Part of Shinto Ryu is learning once more to trust our intuition, an attribute that we have been complacent about in today’s technological and materialistic society. How many times have you felt uncomfortable about a person you have been introduced to, and sometime later this person does something to harm you in some way? Recalling your initial feelings you say to yourself “I knew I could not trust that person,” and you still allowed that situation to develop due to your failure to listen to your intuition. This art focusing on honing and becoming comfortable following our intuition.
Shinto Ryu is a modern discipline. Practical techniques are taught based on a star movement, which allows you to defend yourself from any conceivable angle, whether standing or sitting down. Reality is the key to this system of self defense. Practitioners are taught how to respond to different real world situations, such as being threatened while traveling via public transportation, in their cars, at work, on the street and many other common scenarios.
As part of its self defense strategy, Shinto Ryu teaches you how to improvise with items you are likely to have at hand- for instance using a chair or small table as a barrier, and umbrella or broom handle as a weapon. Shinto Ryu practicioners train in a uniform that looks like the standard karate uniform commonly worn today. Weapons training is narrowed down to the use of a shinai (bamboo stick). The shinai has been incorporated for practicality’s sake, not in the same way as in the art of kendo. It is used to replicate a potential weapon, such as a piece of wood, iron bar or pole that potentially may be at hand in normal everyday environments, so that the practitioner can learn to strike and defend effectively with a weapon that may be easily found.
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Tags: Arts Academy, Body Language, Difficult Situations, Disciplines, Endeavors, Gain Insight, Japanese Word, Marital Arts, Natures Way, Paramount Importance, Philosophies, Posture, Postures, Self Defense Skills, Shinto Ryu, Sticky Situations, Styles Of Martial Arts, Tenet, Umbrella Organization, Visionaries
