My Teachers

Hatsumi Sensei said that many Bujinkan Instructors act like gods, while forgetting that the gods made them! I've seen more than a few Bujinkan Sensei completely "forget" their original  teachers once they got their Godan (fifth degree black belt), and then claim on their websites that they are "personal students of the Grandmaster".  If you train a few days a year in Japan, then this is technically true. It's when they claim that a piece of paper guarantees them as a person of high moral character and proves they are great teachers is subjective.  It wouldn't hurt to recognize the teacher that brought you before the Grandmaster's sword for the Godan test. Hatsumi Sensei has said many times that we are all Sensei!

I say this over and over again - FIND OUT FOR YOURSELF! If I had listened to what others told me, I would not have been friends with so many great Bujinkan brothers and sisters.

In 2006, I am celebrating 22 years in the Bujinkan. I was awarded Yondan and Shidoshi-Ho a few years ago, and prefer to present my worthy students to my teachers for ranking from the Grandmaster. In the South, we have a saying "Dance with the one that brought you". I have friends in Japan that train with Hatsumi Sensei, and they 've told me that the Grandmaster enjoys my site because it has a lot of sword information. 

My first Sensei in the Bujinkan was Dr. Kelly Hill, M.D. He is one of the most capable men I have ever had the honor to meet. My favorite kind of instructor has the virtues of warmth, a sense of humor and great ability. Kelly Sensei has all this in abundance. When I knew him, he was a neural surgeon. The last time I contacted him, he specialized in hyperberic medicine and has been S.C.U.B.A. diving in some of the deepest caves known on planet. 1984

My first exposure to a Japanese Shihan (Master Instructor) was Taro Yoshikawa Sensei in 1984. I was totally amazed at his skill. Taro Sensei could gently manipulate my joints to bring me to state of incredible agony. I was very impressed. 1984

Here's a pic I took of the Sempai and Sensei in 1985. From left to right, back row, it's Dr. Sones, John Lindsey, Robert N., Bobby H., and Mark Harper. Front row is Dr. Kelly Hill, M.D. and Steve Hayes. 1985

This is my fencing Master and close friend Patrick O'Flynn (right) and Steve Hayes Sensei (left).

Patrick Sensei is the most capable artist with weapons from our mutual ethnic background I have ever had the luck to learn from.

Patrick Sensei taught me more about the use of the broadsword, Claidheamohr (Scottish claymore, greatsword) Viking Broadsword, Baskethilt Braodsword, Dirk, Targe, Falchion, Kukhri, smallsword, rapier and dagger than I would have learned by myself reading classical fencing manuals.

Patrick san has recently been adopted by the Cherokee tribe in his home state of Arizona. I took this picture in 1993.

From time to time, I hear about how I should stick only with the Nihonto, yet Hatsumi Sensei has said many times we should understand all swords. (He does!)

I attended two seminars by Charles Daniel Sensei. His seminars are worth every penny! He has long been someone not into self-promotion, so he's not so easy to locate. His student, Roger Williams, was great to be thrown around by! I paid my respects to Charles at the 2002 Tai Kai. We both really enjoyed "Spiderman", and he got me to read some Joesph Campbell when we stated talking about the terrible Star Wars movie, "The Phantom Menace". Here, Jeff Sherwin gets the "pretzel" treatment.

Master Richard Van Donk  is a true "Jinzai" (capable person). My introduction to Master Richard began in 1995. I was a 9th Kyu belt since 1984!
I had been from teacher to teacher, and was told things like "The Bujinkan does not allow me to give rank", I'd ask why his students were wearing green belts, and black belts if they were indeed their students. "No, I can't give you rank".  Others told me I had to train for a minimum of 20 years "under them" to obtain Shodan. When I asked how long they had been training in the Bujinkan, they would say "5 years".  Lastly, I was told by one that "The Bujinkan does not allow me to tell you the requirements for testing". Kinda stupid if you ask me to take a test you can't study for...
My friend Chris Crane found Master Richard on the Internet , something back then I had never seen before. Master Richard was completely different from the lower ranking ego - maniacs. He told me that Hatsumi Sensei wants you to earn a black belt in 3 1/2 years if you train hard. I bought his training guide, which had all the requirements written down! I knew several waza, but very few proper Japanese terms for them. I scraped up my money and went to one of Master Richard's seminars. WOW! His students were the nicest people around! One offered to let me stay with his family, as I could not afford a hotel. (Thanks, Mark san!)  The seminar was fantastic. I had to take a bus to Santa Cruz, which took three days. I never went to sleep, I had to deal some crazy racist bastards making trouble for the minorities with me on the bus.  The biggest jerk said "I've got a real big knife, buddy!" I told them it was going to be a good story  in the E.R. about how it got wedged up their rear end. Later, I had to kick a drunken jerk off the bus who was screaming about how he was going to kill everybody, starting with me. While I was in the terminal in Oakland, CA. , I had someone threaten to rob me of my luggage. I told him that he was welcome to it because I had bloody diarrhea the entire trip, and it was full of soiled clothes (it wasn't!). He declined.  Sometimes, honesty is NOT the best policy! 

I arrived in Santa Cruz, and the next day we went to the Redwood forests for the seminar. Master Richard is magical with the naginata. At night, the snoring in my cabin drove me to the woods for much needed sleep.  Once I lay down, I heard an animal moving around in the darkness,  it was breathing loudly. I wondered if there were any bears in this region of the United States. I didn't sleep that night either. At the time of my test for Shodan, I had been without sleep for about 100 hours. I passed out during the most physical part, then woke up and continued. I PASSED!

If you can't find a good teacher to train with, order some training videos from Master Richard. If you run into a wall of resistance like I did, seek him out.

Dr. Edward "Doc" Sones Sensei. Nearly everyone I've ever met in the Bujinkan has a story about Doc (both good and not-so-good) .

 His bugo (warrior name) is very difficult to translate into nihongo.  He is the "Ethereal Dragon", and he lives up to his name very well. Very hard to define.

I earned my Nidan, Sandan and Yondan from Doc Sensei.

Doc Sensei doesn't grow roots. He is very difficult to keep up with, as he is a man very much on the move. I get a big volume of e-mail asking me how to contact him, to relay messages, etc. While many are very polite about it, most are rude and try to order me around like a Samurai would.

I have such a large volume of e-mail that relates to my own dojo that I can no longer keep up with relaying messages back and forth. I apologize to those seeking out Doc Sensei, but you will have to find him yourself from now on. If you can find him, and you have a problem, he can help you! (sounds like the intro to the "A-Team", yes?)

Ed Martin, Shihan (15th. Dan Master Instructor)  "Pappa san" (far right)is one of the top ranked Instructors in the Bujinkan, yet has a remarkably rare attitude of  the personal touch with every one he comes into contact with.