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[sarguy]

http://www.hojutsu.com/

http://www.martialartofthegun.com/whatis.html

Just wondering if anyone's run across this.

[Hock]

I taught CQC Shooting and "Gun Arm Grappling" segments at the recent International Police Firearms Conference last May, attended by police officers from all over the world. The Soke of Hojutsu, Jeff Hall attended my sessions and was a real like-able, open-minded guy and enjoyed the exercises and drills. He barely told us (Rawhide Laun was with me) what he did and instead we had some good conversations on subjects, not each other. He never mentioned Hojutsu or his programs.

He is also a lifetime martial artist and has expertise in the Katana of which once, I was a mere fledgling practitioner. He is blending his two favorite subjects martial arts and guns.

Other then him being a good guy and a smart guy, that is all I know.

Hock

[VicMackey]

Hojutsu or hojitsu was included in the ninjas' training program. But I don't think they are as refined as the one we do today, which is modern day hojitsu or gun fu.

[sarguy]

Hojutsu or hojitsu was included in the ninjas' training program. But I don't think they are as refined as the one we do today, which is modern day hojitsu or gun fu.

Yeah, Soke Hall mentioned that on the website. In asking around, a couple of firearms intructors I used to work with have trained with him. Said he's a good teacher. They had no idea he was incorporating the martial arts aspect into his curriculum.

[grlaun]

He ain't no ninja...

[sarguy]

He ain't no ninja...

That's actually comforting to hear. What I meant to say was that Soke Hall's site has a bit of history of the Japanese "Fire techniques" aka hojutsu as they pertained to armed forces of the day. No specific allusions to Ninjas, Samurai, or Chuck Norris.

[Hock]

Anyway...

The..."He ain't no ninja..." line, is kind of a private joke between about 8 SFC guys that came from a seminar a few years back...long story.

Ol' Rawhide was not saying that in regards to Hall. He is claiming that the other 7 are not Ninjas and that he, Rawhide is the only true, living ninja!

Hock

[Dawg]

The only Official EVIL ninja!

I'm so freakin' jealous!

Seriously, I checked out the website...looked like good stuff. I liked the guy's writing style to boot. I'll put him on my "When I meet this fella, I need to listen" list.

Short list, BTW.

[whitewolf]

very interesting info-
also- Vic- I really like that statement "everyone has a plan till they are punched in the mouth "by MT
WW

[Benjamin Liu]

IMO this is a bit strange.

Not that I don't consider firearms training to be a martial art, firearms use is obviously a martial art.  There are even different styles like Cowboy Action Shooting, Modern Technique, point shooting, etc.

The strange part is trying to make it into a traditional Japanese system.  Gis, belts, kyu/dan ranking, bowing, etc. make sense if you are teaching a traditional Japanese or Okinawan system, but if not, why bother with it?

It is also strange to name the system "Hojutsu Ryu."  Hojutsu would be the type of system, like jujutsu, kenjutsu, bojutsu, etc. rather than the name of a specific ryu.  A school might be called "___________ Ryu Jujutsu" but not "Jujutsu Ryu."  

I guess if someone wanted to do this, the Modern Technique could be called "Cooper Ryu Hojutsu."

I haven't seen the system, so it might be effective, but just have a strange way of organizing their system.

[Benjamin Liu]

Traditional hojutsu involved using matchlocks, cannon, black powder explosives, and even wooden fougasse-like weapons.

Sometimes it might have been part of another system, but it could be highly developed.  I've read accounts of even groups of priests/monks from militant temples who were highly skilled at matchlocks.

[sarguy]

Ahhh...I should have guessed that the Official Evil Ninja was making a reference to said Ninjaness. In all seriousness, that's gotta be one of the coolest professional titles out there. Screw your PhDs, MDs, and all that! I wanna be an O.E.N.!

Mr. Liu, now that you point the name thing out, you're right, "________" Ryu Hojutsu does seem to be more in keeping, but my guess is that the art as it related to guns has been largely defunct for so long, no one saw a need to differentiate, or even considered having to differentiate between Cooper and whoever else.

I would bet that since Soke Hall has Dan rankings in a few different arts, the juxtaposition of the Japanese customs and sensibilities found in those arts onto shooting was useful both in fleshing out the desire to "legitimize" shooting as a belt-able martial art as well as a way of conveying a recognized level of accomplishment. Everyone knows what having a "black belt" means.
The Pistol Kata: http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=9564963

And, he's (somewhat) local to me. Might have to check a class out at some point.

[whitewolf]

Sarguy-if you attend a class please let us know-reolizing that this kata is different than being unarmed it still makes sense to me- as said its the concept that is important-
kata with a knife-kata with boxing movements-and in other styles- i think (imho) that it helps-shadowboxing is sort of a kata-as is in traditional judo.
anyhow let us know- thanks WW

[grlaun]

No offense intended...

[sarguy]

No offense intended...

No worries. Like I said, I missed the inside joke about ninjas earlier.