Become An

IBDA Instructor

( International Bujinkan

Dojo Association ) 

"There is great joy in helping others have a better life."

• We are dedicated to helping you grow as a person, a better martial artist and to becoming a teacher of what you love in a way that it supports your life.

Everyday we have people contact us at from all levels of their Ninjutsu expertise and inquire about becoming an Instructor with us at IBDA.

Most are looking for a solid home where they are free to study what they want when they want with whomever they want while they have a standardized set of proven teachings to teach their students. They are looking for a place that rank is equal to knowledge, where they can get authentic Japan certification for themselves and their students, have access to unlimited knowledge on the art, get Dojo building materials so they can earn a decent living sharing what they love (or at least pay for a training trip each year), help with their questions, attend an occasional seminar event where they make lasting friendships. Well this is what we are are all about.

Shihan Van Donk began his Ninjutsu studies with Soke Hatsumi in the very early 1980's and he visits Soke Hatsumi at least twice a year. You are most welcome to join him if you want. We take a solid stance on having a strategic standard that benefits everyone while offering additional flexibility so everyone can grow and learn how they desire.

At IBDA you will find the following:

• All IBDA instructors (and students) will know all the same information from 9th kyu to their dan certification level.
• IBDA instructors will have solid reference material for themselves and students
• IBDA Shidoshi (fully licensed) or Shidoshi-ho (junior licensed) instructors will have been taught how to teach.
• IBDA instructors (and students) will be properly rank licensed through Soke Hatsumi in Japan, signed by Shihan Van Donk and will be recognized worldwide.
• IBDA Branch Dojo instructors will have went through a Dojo Building Course so their students will know they will still be in business a year later.
• All of their students will have the opportunity to learn whatever they desire of the Ninjutsu teachings while having a solid curriculum to follow from 10th kyu Beginner to 10th dan Master.

To Learn more........ Please select the most appropriate category that fits you in starting your journey with us.

• Just joining the Bujinkan Ninjutsu teachings
• Already studying with IBDA
• Already have other Bujinkan kyu ranking
• Already have other Bujinkan Dojo ranking

We encourage everyone to share what they have learned with others, in fact we have Instructor Training courses. We know that some people only want to learn for themselves and not teach the art, we respect that. I started to learn for myself only. I had already done the teaching and wanted to be a student only. That lead me to taking really deep notes like a scholar would. I was so fascinated with all hate aspects of Ninjutsu that I attended training groups, and got together with friends almost everyday to do something related to the art. That grew into my own training group. I became a teacher to others not really even thinking about it. one thing lead to the next and I was in Japan. Wow! What a life changing experience for me. I learn more and more. Took more and more notes. I filmed myself after classes in my room or at a park so that I could remember what Soke Hatsumi and other Shihan taught me so that when I went back to the USA I could learn it well. Well you can guess the rest of the story. My notes became training manuals and my videos I made for others got offered to the world. Through these efforts I have taught, inspired and helped well over a dozen students to 10th dan and several hundred over 5th degree BlackBelt. Something that I at first did not even imagine for myself.

What does this have to do with you? Well I have personally found that if I train students well enough then they can more easily share it with others. There are those that choose to be an instructor from the beginning. So of course that opportunity is available for you. AND soon there will be a complete Ninjutsu Shodan course, how to be an instructor course, and how to start a training group or dojo that you can study WHILE you are studying the Ninjutsu Shodan teachings. That way you will qualify to become a Shidoshi-ho at Shodan, instead of at Nidan AND you will be able to become an IBDA Branch Dojo.

Please read Just joining the Bujinkan Ninjutsu teachings first. This could be very exciting news for you to know that you will be able to learn how to earn a living doing what you love. Or at least learn how to effectively have a fun group. Or to just to become recognized as a Shidoshi-ho teacher. We really want to support you in your life pursuits.

For Students joining us from other Bujinkan Affiliations

Many students and instructors decide to train with us and continue their ranking certification grading's with us after training with other instructors in the Bujinkan system for many different reasons. Most of them want a solid standard curriculum to know why they are given a grade which we openly offer. We want all of our grading's to mean something special for everyone. It is a personal journey and since we think of grading's as a way of showing the measurement of how far a student has travel down the path and that they have effectively learned the material to a certain level. Especially as many people who first start never thinking they will become a teacher someday end up becoming a teacher to at least a few others. Ninjutsu training is so much fun that it is contagious. Here is our guidelines for ranking certification and how a student can become affiliated with us at the many possible levels they can already be at. We welcome you to the ABD training!!

Ranking Advancement- Material Required
Everyone who trains at International Bujinkan Dojo Association TM must abide by the same guidelines for learning and advancement.
Everyone must learn and properly demonstrate the exact same material for all rank levels as taught and detailed in the kyu and dan manuals no matter where or from whom they learned it. At International Bujinkan Dojo AssociationTM we want all students and instructors to know the same basic material as they grow and expand their knowledge and travel the budo path to inner enlightenment.

Rank Recognition
We will recognize your certification from the Hombu Dojo in Japan as your rank, whatever the rank level is that you currently hold. We will also require you to learn all of our International Bujinkan Dojo AssociationTM kyu and/or Dan material up to the next level you wish to test for before advancing you to your next rank. It is the learning that is most valuable to us as martial artists and not the rank, which is only a recognition that you have learned certain material up to a certified level. Again, anyone choosing to have affiliation with Shihan Van Donk at any level must know the information International Bujinkan Dojo AssociationTM requires of its students up to the rank level they want to be recognized at, whether that level is 9th kyu or 4th Dan While we respect everyone and their teachings the only recognized rank certification International Bujinkan Dojo AssociationTM recognizes is that from the Hombu Dojo of Soke Hatsumi in Japan. This must be shown to us before we can consider any new rank testing certification. And while we do recognize all certification from the Hombu dojo as valid we also that the practitioner learn our International Bujinkan Dojo AssociationTM material as it is usually much more in-depth and comprehensive than that of other instructors who may have a different learning curriculum than us.

This is especially important for Dan level persons who have decided to join our training after having reached an instructor level. These persons are required to get the Black Belt Home Study Course so they will know our kyu level material as we at International Bujinkan Dojo AssociationTM teach it. This will give them a reference for teaching others and it is important that all ABD students can attend any class from any International Bujinkan Dojo AssociationTM instructor and be assured that the instructor can help them with their training. This International Bujinkan Dojo AssociationTM instructor can teach his or her class in any way they desire, adding whatever lessons they desire, as long as when the student tests they know and can demonstrate proficiently the kyu level material laid out by International Bujinkan Dojo AssociationTM. Again, knowledge is more important than rank and this is why no one offers more Ninjutsu training information than we do at International Bujinkan Dojo AssociationTM and Bushindo Martial Arts University.

Testing your Students
Every instructor must have a relationship with Shihan Van Donk to test their students as he is responsible for you and the students you grade with Japan. All instructors will need to hold a Shidoshi-ho license to rank students. Shidoshi-ho (a junior licensed teacher still under a Shidoshi) license and titles can be issued at Shodan (1st degree Black Belt) level if a student has received the proper training (such as our Shidoshi Course or direct dojo training). As a general Bujinkan rule this license is usually granted at Nidan (2nd degree) level.

As a Shidoshi-ho you can rank your students directly with Japan up to one rank level certification below your own grade, or you can have the International Bujinkan Dojo AssociationTM send in the ranking requests to Japan for you. Many students do this as all correspondence and monies must be in Japanese.

At this time, all Shidoshi (a fully licensed teacher) Licenses are granted by Soke Hatsumi after the passing of the Godan test (5th degree). Your studies continue with us their is so much more to learn. You will be recommend for grade advancement as you learn the next Dan level material.

Affiliation Procedures for a Kyu level Student with a Hombu certificate who was certified by another instructor

Affiliation Procedures for a Shodan (or above) with a Hombu certificate who was certified by another instructor.

Affiliation Procedures for a Shodan (or above) certified by another instructor without a Hombu certificate.

Become a Teacher of the Warrior Ways of Enlightenment.

IBDA Shidoshi Training Course

In Development- Scheduled for release in June-July 2006!

SHIDOSHI TRAINING

• Becoming a teacher of the "Warrior Ways of Enlightenment"
• How to be a good teacher
• Lesson Plans - daily, weekly, monthly and yearly
• Handling Students
• Your responsibility as a teacher
• Personal growth - learning to become a good communicator, leader, thinking on your feet, quick decision making

A complete Shidoshi Teacher Training Course is coming soon to IBDA Students. Like everyone else you begin your training at 10th kyu. We all start the journey with the first level of learning the 9th kyu material. It is wonderful if you can attend our dojo classes directly or train with a certified instructor. If this is not available to you we have a complete Distant learning program that can take you as far as you want to go. Interactive Online teachings are being created as well.

While you are training to get your blackbelt in Ninjutsu you can also study how to teach the art to others. Most students will start this Shidoshi training when they reach the 5th kyu level which is about half way to Shodan. Some will start right away.

So that when you get your Shodan (or Nidan) you will already be trained to open up your own Ninjutsu dojo and those that complete this course will be granted a Shidoshi-ho ( a direct student under Shihan Van Donk) issued by GrandMaster Soke Masaaki Hatsumi at the Bujinkan headquarters in Japan.

We consider getting your Shodan a major Achievement Level. The next Achievement Level 2 would be earning your Shidoshi-ho.

Achievement Level 3 is to advance through the 2nd dan - 5th dan educational materials we have carefully established to prepare you for the 5th dan test and once you pass this test you will become a fully licensed teacher, a Shidoshi (Achievement Level 4). Achievement Level 5 would be becoming a Shihan.

Although the greatest level of all is what you will feel inside, the changes you have made in your life and how that has affected others because of your hard earned efforts. These studies have proven to change lives.

Would Sell your BlackBelt experience for $50,000?

We have asked many people over the years that have achieved Blackbelt level from us "Would you sell your Blackbelt knowledge, changes it has made in your life, impact it has made on others and the friends you have made for $50,000?" NO WAY. In one class of 20 Blackbelts all said NO to $1,000,000 - They said they would turn down one million dollars! Now that says something!

You can be a Blackbelt in techniques and a White belt at sharing it.

It is one thing to be able to do techniques and another to be able to share the teachings in a way that others can understand it and be able to do it well. This course will train you how to set up training, create schedules, themes and select material for your classes. It will also teach you how to instruct a class and how to handle dojo situations. It will also teach you how to interact with your students.

You can be a Blackbelt in techniques and a Black belt at sharing it and a White belt at running a dojo and your school will fail..

In addition to this course will be the IBDA "Dojo Wealth Building Course" that will instruct you from A-Z on how to run a profitable dojo so you can get paid doing what you love.