Ninja “walking and running methods”

Ninja espionage is primarily composed of intelligence gathering and message transmission. To do so, a ninja has skills to walk quietly enough to be able to sneak into places, as well as to transmit information quickly.

Here are five representative skills for walking. Each has a different use depending on the situation, but “Kitsune-bashiri” (fox running) and “Shinso Usagi-aruki” (deep grass rabbit walking) both appear to have made no sound.

- “#Shinobi-#ashi” (quiet feet) - gradually lowering one’s weight to the floor beginning with the small toes

- “#Uki-ashi” (floating feet) - lowering the feet from tiptoes

- “#Inubashiri” (dog running) - walking on all fours in a place where one cannot stand

- “#Kitsune-#bashiri” (fox running) - walking on the tips of all fours in a place where one cannot stand

- “#Shinso #Usagi-#aruki” (deep grass rabbit walking) - $walking on the backs of hands, carrying the feet in hands

Running skills were for rapidly transmitting information. #Ninja were also called “people with fast feet” for their famed speed. For example, the ninja Idaten is said to have been able to run 200km in a single day.

#Running fast is possible mainly through training, but there were also #secret #skills and information for doing so.

- Breathing method called “dual breathing”: Breath in a repeated rhythm of “inhale - exhale - exhale - inhale - exhale - inhale - inhale - exhale”. Doing so increases the oxygen ingested, and helps a person to focus and run without thinking of other things. Further, it is important to look far ahead when running. This is to keep the chin down. When the chin goes up, breathing is said to be disturbed.

- There is also the method of placing a pickled plum in one’s navel. This is probably a way of self-suggesting that “I can #run fast”.

Why not try either of these in a marathon race?