General Information
Instructor
John Hidalgo has been training in the Bujinkan Dojo System since the mid-1980's. He holds a Godan (5th Degree Black Belt) and Shidoshi teacher's license in Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu. In addition to Budo Taijutsu, he is has studied Judo and Aikido through Round Rock Martial Arts, and runs the Texas Shinto Study Group. Mr. Hidalgo has a certificate in Rape Crisis Intervention from Fayetteville Technical Community College in North Carolina and received additional rape crisis intervention training through the Texas Association Against Sexual Assault. Mr. Hidalgo recently returned from his second training trip to Japan where he attended classes taught by Hatsumi-soke and some of the Japanese shihan (upper level instructors).
Godan (5th Degree Black Belt) certificate Shidoshi Teacher's License


How to Join the Class
The Bujinkan Ninjutsu Club at the University of Texas is open to all University of Texas students. Absolute beginners are definitely welcomed. Also any UT students who are Bujinkan members are welcome regardless of rank as long as they are good standing in the Bujinkan. If you have questions please call contact the instructor at either (512) 656-2836 or via e-mail at instructor@roundrockbujinkan.com.

Note for those with Physical or Mental Disabilities:
Please note that we do try to be accommodating of those with disabilities. However, the Bujinkan martial arts are a physical activity which requires some level of mobility, where the participants are constantly coming into contact with each other and where there is always the possibility of injury. Our art does include punches, kicks, joint locks, throws and submissions. Additionally, within the Bujinkan martial arts, one must conduct themselves with a certain level of discipline, maturity and professionalism and protect the necessary level of trust that exists between training partners. If you have any sort of disability, please let the instructor know and we will do whatever is reasonable to accommodate you. please note that the instructor does reserve the right to request a doctor's note stating that it is safe for you to participate in Bujinkan martial arts training.

Fees
Free to University of Texas students

Schedule
Tuesday evenings, 7:30 to 9:30 PM

Location
Patterson Park
Across from the Pharr Tennis Center
4200 Brookview Rd.
Austin, Texas 78722
Map to Patterson Park

What to Wear
Outdoor: Black military BDUs (battle dress uniform) with training apprproriate t-shirt and, if possible, belt in the same color as one's normal rank belt. Outdoor tabi are acceptable, but black combat boots on athletic shoes are preferred.
Male Indoor: Black gi with black tabi and appropriate rank belt and patch
Female Indoor: Black gi with black tabi and appropriate rank belt and patch or purple gi and tabi with white or red belt (depending or rank) and appropriate rank patch

Class Rules
  1. Personal Hygiene: Please note that you will be working within someone else's personal space. Foul body odor, bad breath, strong perfumes and such can be unpleasant to endure. Also, as we do an number of things that involve grabbing or striking with finger tips, please keep your fingernails trim and clean.
  2. Listen and Learn: When the instructor is teaching, please listen and refrain from talking except to ask questions.
  3. Questions: Questions are welcomed, but please keep questions relevant to what is being taught at the time.
  4. Lateness: Please try to be at class, in uniform and ready to train a few minutes before class starts. If you have to be late, please call the instructor at (512) 656-2836, If there is no answer, please leave a voicemail. Please not that in the very, very rare case that no one shows up for class, unless otherwise notified, the instructor will stick around for about twenty minutes and then leave.
  5. Absence: If you know in advance that you are going to miss a class, please let the instructor know. If you find that you have to miss a class and have not previously told the instructor, please call the instructor at (512) 656-2836, If there is no answer, please leave a voicemail.
  6. Outside the Dojo: Please be conscious of how you represent yourself and the Round Rock Bujinkan Dojo when you are not training, especially at martial arts events, on the internet and in front of the media. Please do not engage in any martial arts activities where video recording or other types of media may occur without first consulting the instructor. Additionally, do not take on any "challenge matches" without first consulting the instructor.
  7. Respect: The way we train is a very cooperative process. Yes, we do techniques that sometimes involve pain. When doing such techniques it is important to be respectful of your training partners and what you are applying to them. Remember: it their turn next.
  8. Leave the teaching to the Instructor: It is natural to want to help your training partner. However, unsolicited teaching can become problematic. Unless you are shodan or above, it is probably best to leave the teaching to the instructor.


Guidelines For Participation In The Bujinkan
The following guidelines are from Hatsumi-soke and can be found at www.bujinkan.com/guidelines.htm.
  1. The Bujinkan shall be open to only those who agree with and uphold the guidelines of the Bujinkan Dojo. Those not doing so shall not be allowed to join. Specifically: Only those who have read and agreed with these guidelines shall be allowed to participate.
  2. Only those able to exercise true patience, self-control, and dedication shall be allowed to participate. A physician's examination report shall be required. Specifically, individuals with mental illness, drug addiction, or mental instability shall be barred from joining. The necessity of such a report concerns individuals who may present a danger to others, for example, those with infectious diseases or illnesses, individuals with clinically abnormal personalities or physiology, and individuals lacking self-control.
  3. Individuals with criminal records shall be turned away. Trouble makers, those who commit crimes, and those living in Japan who break domestic laws shall be turned away.
  4. Those not upholding the guidelines of the Bujinkan, either as practitioners or as members of society, by committing disgraceful or reproachable acts shall be expelled. Until now, the Bujinkan was open to large numbers of people who came to Japan. Among them, unfortunately, were those committing violent drunken acts, the mentally ill, and trouble makers who thought only of themselves and failed to see how their actions might adversely affect others. Through their actions, such people were discarding the traditional righteous heart of the Bujinkan. From this day forward, all such people shall be expelled.
  5. Regarding accidents occurring during training (both inside and outside the dojo), one should not cause trouble to the Bujinkan. This is an extremely important point. Those unwilling to take personal responsibility for accidents occurring during Bujinkan training shall not be admitted. Reiterating for clarity, the Bujinkan shall not take responsibility for any accidents happening in the course of training, regardless of the location.
  6. All those joining the Bujinkan must get an annual membership card. This card not only preserves the honor of the Bujinkan members, it indicates you are part of a larger whole--one whose members come together with warrior hearts to better themselves through training and friendship. It evinces the glory of warrior virtue, and embodies both loyalty and brotherly love.
  7. The tradition of the Bujinkan recognizes nature and the universality of all human life, and is aware of that which flows naturally between the two parts:
    • "The secret principle of Taijutsu is to know the foundations of peace.
    • To study is the path to the immovable heart (fudoshin)."
    Recently, the Bujinkan has become truly international. Just as there are various time zones, so exist various taboos among the world's peoples and nations. We must respect each other, striving to avoid such taboos. We must put the heart of the warrior first, working together for self-improvement and for the betterment of the Bujinkan.
Those not upholding the above-mentioned guidelines shall be forced out of the Bujinkan.

Masaaki Hatsumi - Soke