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The Ninja Art of Invisibility - Part One

Author: Rick Tew
Date Posted: June 08, 2008

"You might see me, but can you perceive me?"

How to disappear (or sneak past your cat) like a Ninja, including - 7 Step guide to STEALTH.

Learn why Black is NOT the best color for a Ninja and other mistakes wanna-be midnight warriors and soldiers of twilight make when training to be a Shadow Warrior. The "Art of invisibility" has always been a popular topic when it comes to learning about Ninjitsu / Ninjutsu or the Art of the Ninja, how are these masters of the very hard to see? Who are these Warriors in the woods that look like leaves and trees?

This popularity (of people either being invisible or disappearing) was brought on by the ever growing Ninja and martial arts films - not to mention the fact that it often serves as a realistic tool in today's excuse related system of business self-defense. The attention brought by the media and other forms of entertainment have done a fare share to expand awareness and help spread the need for being rather stealthy.

For example:

The villain in the movie

"The Blair Witch Project"

David Copperfield

Rambo

Great presidential candidates

OJ Simpson.

All of which were masters of stealth, invisibility, survival, hiding, and/or verbal claims such as, "I wasn't there."

Let me start by saying, "There are no deep dark secrets about the art of invisibility."The above is true, even though it (being sneaky) may create an awe of mysticism in the eye of your adversary. Invisibility is the art of employing simple techniques and skills utilized in an effective manner in order to make one hard to perceive or hear.

None of what you learn here will teach you to just disappear. This and all articles (outside of the story of how I survived a fight with 10 Black Bears from Yosemite) are based on realistic approaches towards training. I will not (and I hope you don't either) concern myself with black magic or concepts based on ancient history and storytelling. So put away the twisty fingers and the books on Kuji-Kiri and let's focus on some fancy footwork.

If you truly want to master the art of invisibility, I would also suggest you throw away your ninja text guides to wearing black (which honestly isn't even the right color for hiding in the shadows). And until you manage to track down David Copperfield - here are a few tips to improve skills in the physical realm. The first is to memorize (not mesmerize) my definition of being hard to see:

To be invisible, you must not be seen or heard in a way that would distinguish you as YOU. Remember that forest with that tree that falls with no one around to hear it fall? You know, the one that ends with this question: If there is no one there to hear the tree fall, does it make a sound?

Yes, the tree does make a sound. Why, because if you were there - you would hear it and you would say, "wow that was loud." Regardless of your presence or your perception of reality, the tree will always make the sound. The real question is do we define the word "sound" and associating that to our hearing. When in fact, the falling of the tree creates a noise as a fact regardless of the way we perceive definitions. This is another concept of invisibility. Both the theory and the tree remain elusive and thus invisible. You want to be that tree.

Okay, let me take you out of the woods before we you get lost. The concept of invisibility means that you can make sounds and even cross within your opponent's visual sight, but you must not be perceived. So, you can be within your enemy's eye sight, in fact, he may even see you. However, because you have blended in with your surroundings, you are not perceived. Another example is, "Where's Waldo?" You may be looking for Waldo, who is well within your sight, but unless you perceive him, he remains invisible.Invisibility is the art of blending in, becoming an insignificant part of our environment and disappearing within it. Hey, this reminds me of high school.

So, in order for us to remain invisible - we have to master the art masking any and all indicators. An indicator is something that would basically say, "hey, it's me and I'm hiding behind this rock."We mask indicators by developing our skills in the following areas:

Camouflage

Obviously you want to remain quite when traversing through the woods or a dark alley. The key to concealment is learning and practicing a few techniques of stealth. Camouflage is usually seen as green patterned clothing for use in a forest. Camouflage (whether artificial or natural) is actually any and all skill you use to remain unseen. This includes - sight, sound, smell and sense:

Sight

The human eye sees movement first. So, this is your number one priority, in order to stay out of sight, you need to know what you can do and what your opponent is trying to do. This goes for all your invisibility training. Here are the basics:

Don't be a jerk

You need to lean to move with patience and fluidity. Jerky movements are easy to see. Also, don't go disturbing the peace in a natural environment. A flock of birds taking off is a sign that something is in the area.

If you are heard - it does not mean that you will be perceived. Even if it is obvious that you are there. However, if you are seen - not only is it obvious that you are there, but your exact position is now revealed.What is that? Is that a big black head?

Your visual goal is to remove the distinct shape of the human form. You will also need to pay attention to shape and lighting. Think of what might create a silhouette and know when you should hide, crawl, walk, stealth or run. What kind of uniform or outfit do you have on? Do you stand out or blend in? Are you carrying a big sword or what looks like a tree branch? Form - an opinion

Depending on your situation, jogging clothes often make a much better outfit for urban invisibility. Why? Well, what if you happened to be revealed? A jogging suit is much more believable than the embarrassment of having your tabi (a ninja warriors split toed footwear) out in plain sight. For photographs and Ninja films the uniform portrayed looks great, but it is more effective to look like a fallen tree branch than a model for Ninja magazine.

Colors for concealment

In order to be invisible, it is crucial that you wear clothing or material that blends in with your surrounding environment. Colors should have the same level of intensity, brightness and contrast in order to remain consistent. Use the following guide.

Night: Dark blue, black, gray or other dark color

Country: Green and browns

City: Gray sometimes blue

Just because it is night, does not mean a black uniform from head to toe will make you invisible. That outfit will actually make you stick out and it will be easy to spot you when moving. Unless you remain deep in the darkest part of a shadow, a dark black outfit is not realistic. Remember, black isn't a very natural color - the sky is dark blue not black and trees, leaves and grass are usually made up of greens or browns. Also, a black uniform is limited to night work, while a green and brown uniform can adapt when the sun comes out.Remember, the goal is to remove the distinct shape of the human form. Color choices can help to do this. Movement.

Always move from shadow to shadow, rock to rock, obstacle to obstacle. Other strategies and specialized body tactics are used in combination with your movements. The more you look like part of the surroundings and the less you look like a human hiding behind a bush, the more likely you will remain invisible. You will usually use your environment in one of two ways: either to hide behind or blend beside. If the area you are hiding behind does not fully conceal your figure or form, then it is important that you shape your body to look like that of your cover. For example: laying down in a field, crouching amongst rocks and extending your arms and legs along tree limbs and branches.

Note that when doing so (aligning your body with that of an object for concealment) that you do your best to be in a position you can respond from. If you lay face down in the mud and can't react when an opponent is about to stick a 6 inch dagger in your back you will have more than just mud in your face.

This ends Part One - be sure to read Part Two to learn more tips on how to Stealth like a master Ninja.

About The Author

Rick Tew
Master Instructor College of Martial Science
http://www.TheNinjaCamp.com
http://www.NinjaNinja.com

Article Source: JKD Street Combat - online collection of Ninjutsu articles.

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