A lot of people dismiss the ninja as some fantasy warrior BS that’s only for Hollywood.
Big mistake.
The ninja were not a myth — they really did exist, and still exist today.
In fact, I’ve known a few real ninjas in my life and trust me, there’s a LOT more to their skills than just sinking a throwing star into someone’s forehead from 100 yards away (which is a myth by the way).
They’re skilled at everything from surviving in the wild (alone)… to hand-to-hand combat… bladed weapons… even psychological warfare!
You see, “Nin-Ja” actually means “enduring person”, or “one who endures” — in other words, a ninja is an elite survivalist of the highest order, one that could teach the rest of us a thing or two.
Here are four real-life ninja skills you can use today:
Become Invisible
The ninja didn’t walk down the middle of the street dressed in a mask and full black bodysuit (actually, they didn’t wear black to begin with, but more on that in a minute).
Instead, they would study the dress, walk, mannerisms and even talk of the people they were hiding among — the “grey man” if you will — and you’d never even know they were right next to you because true camouflage is really about blending into your environment, right?
So how are YOU blending in these days?
Do you blend into your surroundings (even urban)?
Or do you wear “tactical” clothing… gun-focused t-shirts… an NRA or “Infidel” hat… a “We Don’t Dial 911” sign on your front door… or have a firearms-related bumper sticker on your truck?
If so, you’re telegraphing to others your level of preparedness… and should re-think how you project yourself.
Better to be a silent warrior. (Speaking of…)
Walk Silently
The ninja were masters at moving without their enemies even knowing their presence.
They understood how the human body interacts with its environment to create sound that could give away (or hide) their presence.
Likewise — even in your own home — if you were to get out of bed to investigate a bump in the night, do you know how to tread so lightly that you won’t be heard if there’s actually someone in your house?
First, it helps for you to test this out in the middle of the night (when everything is quiet) and walk through your home, taking note of any creaks and bonks you may not have noticed before.
Plus, the ninja used a “stealth walk” where they put their weight on the outer edges of their feet to muffle the sound.
Practice this step in gravel or sand to really get it down… and then in your own home at night.
Blend in to the Night
Not only were the ninja able to blend into the local population in broad daylight, but at night, they were masters of being a true shadow warrior and as invisible as the darkness itself.
Hollywood dressed them in black, but in reality, the color black tends to stand out more in darkness.
Instead, dark blue clothing becomes virtually unable to view at night because of the way the eyes pick up specific colors — blue being the hardest.
Personally, I carry a super lightweight dark blue windbreaker in my EDC “bag of tricks” (it literally zips inside of itself to only six inches and weighs nothing).
Whether I want to travel unnoticed at night or if I felt I was being tailed, I can quickly pull out my windbreaker… throw it on… and instantly I’ve not only changed my disguise, but also made myself invisible in darker shadows.
Train in Secrecy
Because so much of the existence of the ninja’s skills depended on no one noticing their presence or intentions, they would train in complete secrecy.
Likewise, I personally like to train very realistic and have a private range I go to for my firearms training where I can pretty much do anything I want — without anyone looking at me with my shotgun or AR-15 and thinking I’m some kind of nut job.
Same goes for all my other training — I like to keep my skills unknown to others around me.
Frankly, this mystery tends to make my friends think I’m way more “badass” than I probably am…
…and I like it that way!
[Editor’s note: Your everyday carry (EDC) gear is critical to ensuring your survival and protecting the ones you love. Click here to check out Jeff Anderson’s personal collection of 27 “sneaky” survival gadgets you should have on you every single day.]
