American Ninjutsu (Legacy Program)
What is defense? It is a countermeasure to aggression, an act of protection from danger. ~ Robert Bussey
This Class is Currently On Hold And Unlikely to Resume.
Check Out Our Current Schedule
American Ninjutsu was one of the original martial arts offered at Fort Worth Combatives, tracing its roots back to the Japanese art of ninjutsu — the traditional battlefield skills of the shinobi that included striking, grappling, weapons, stealth, and survival principles. Historically, modern Western iterations of ninjutsu blend multiple combat skills (strikes, throws, joint locks, ground defense, and traditional tools) into a comprehensive self-defense system.
American Ninjutsu is considered a "modern" Ninjutsu style. After being brought to the States by Mr. Robert Bussey in 1979, it was then modernized and evolved into Robert Bussey's Warrior International (RBWI) in 1988. In 1997 Robert Bussey retired and disbanded RBWI, from this Personal Protection Concepts (PPC) was born from formal RBWI sanctioned instructors. There is quite a bit of items that separates us from the more "traditional" Ninjutsu styles; First we have removed nearly all of the Japanese terminology and replaced it English terms and phrases, . We focus on practical and realistic training while downplaying the antiquated and esoteric aspects of Ninjutsu. We have improved and evolved the style to fit modern times. Once screened for "fatal tendencies" and tested in the crucible of force-on-force opposition, new material has been integrated into the curriculum. This is not the same Ninjutsu that has been taught for hundreds of years in a country far far away, but has been evolved to fit the modern day. Because of these changes we are not highly viewed in traditional Bujinkan organizations, we view this as a strength for it frees us of restrictions of traditions. You won't see any Kuji Kiri hand signs here.
Read More About the History of American Ninjutsu Here
Please note: We currently do not offer American Ninjutsu classes, and this program is on indefinite hold. However, many of the practical self-defense principles and realistic movement concepts that were part of this training continue to inform our current curriculum in other programs.
Where to Train Similar Skills Today
If you’re looking for striking, movement integration, grappling transitions, and combative application — skills that overlap with what students once trained in American Ninjutsu — check out these current programs:
- ALIVE!™ Combatives – Realistic, context-based self-defense training involving timing, distance, tools, and unarmed responses.
- Sport & Combat Sambo – Integrates throws, takedowns, positional grappling, and striking (in Combat Sambo), a great option for full-body combative awareness.
- Gracie Jiu-Jitsu® & Combatives – Structured groundwork and stand-up self-defense that builds confidence and practical skill from day one.
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