152,703 readers visited the akban.org site. On average each read a bit more then 3 pages and spent more then 4 minutes pondering our organization visiting card. 30% returned to read more.

We had 4,469,699 views of AKBAN YouTube channel and added 8,717 subscribers so now we are nearing 20,000 subscribers.

I wrote more than 700 articles, posts and fitness charts dealing with Conflict management, our core martial practice – Combat oriented Ninjutsu, and honed the AKBAN Hebrew fitness program (Marathon table included).

For 2014 I plan videoing missing kata from several ryu and focusing on conflict analysis and prevention for the academy’s company – DETANT.

I want to thank you, students and readers. I am committed to this documentation project and to the research and practice it ensues.

My respect to you.

It’s been years, but ever since I started writing the AKBAN wiki, I have been hearing the same points again and again. Students and readers have been complaining: “the wiki is too big, I can’t find the techniques I am looking for” and so on. This drives me to put more effort on things like user interface, content strategy and better video editing.

I invest respect in this platform of teaching, just like I invest it on my dojo. My craft gets better because of it.

The analytics of akban.org show a steady 16,000 readers a month, a high 33% returning readers and all with an average of almost 7 minutes on site. But even such an unexpected popularity can not mask the faults me and AKBAN members find, so I invest extra time and effort to arrange the information (mind boggling 5000+ techniques) so they are easier to find

I hope the effort makes the orientation a little better, but I know, there’s plenty of space for improvement.

links are here:
AKBAN wiki in English
אקבן ויקי בעברית

Any comments and suggestions are welcomed, as always.
Yossi Sheriff
[email protected]

I was having a problem, a good one, How do I introduce a martial artist into the worlds largest MA wiki? we have 20,000 pages.

“It’s too much”, said one student, “What? do you have the Kukishinden Ryu kata?”, “Where are the videos from the last lesson?”

The problem was bothering me, with a growing and loyal base of 15,000 readers, each month, the page that scared everybody was the front page of the AKBAN wiki.

Here I was, thinking that everyone would be interested in seeing 1000+ links. Wrong. 70% saw this and clicked away.

So, for more then three months Keith and me relearned CSS3 documentation, coded like crazies, sketched on napkins, notebooks and in the air and at gave the wiki a Ninjutsu recommendation: “Breath” we ordered it, and it did. We cleaned, curated and made clear.

We now have an airy page, with loose shoulders and a proud gaze. We are the largest database of its kind, and we are steadily growing.

So check it out, here’s the link, click around, write pointy criticisms or just train.

I can write and say a lot here, but I think that I can sum it up by this: New Ninjutsu portal on the wiki, linked fro the top bar too, Missing a lot, but still the biggest resource on the net for Ninjutsu techniques.
Have a good weekend.

I had a little more time to write this week, so now the second and third levels, Chuden-gata and Sabaki-gata, of Kukishin Ryu martial art is in the AKBAN wiki, ready and organized.
Clicking on the category links above allows a quick scan of all the video techniques on one page, or you can use the lists to explore each technique individually.

Video of Jugan kata, the Jinenkan henka

Last weeks have been very busy in the AKBAN wiki. New articles and techniques were added and a minor button on the top navigation allows us to browse random techniques.

Content wise I have now arranged all the Kukishin Ryu kata of the first, Shoden gata, level. Video of the Kata of the Okuden gata level were uploaded earlier today to our YouTube feed and I thank the veterans who helped me document the valuable information.

I just finished to upload and rewrite the articles of the kata Chu ryaku no maki (中略之巻), the middle level of Gyokko ryu, one of the most important systems in Takamatsu den Ninjutsu.

1. Dashin kata, Chu Ryaku no Maki level – Gyokko ryu
2. Hane tsurube, Chu Ryaku no Maki level – Gyokko ryu
3. Horaku kata, Chu Ryaku no Maki level – Gyokko ryu
4. Housen kata, Chu Ryaku no Maki level – Gyokko ryu
5. Korai, Chu Ryaku no Maki level – Gyokko ryu
6. Seito kata, Chu Ryaku no Maki level – Gyokko ryu
7. Shien, Chu Ryaku no Maki level – Gyokko ryu
8. Ujaku kata, Chu Ryaku no Maki level – Gyokko ryu

Slowly, like a snail, I am writing the huge Ninjutsu syllabus. Last month I finished the Koto ryu kata, now the logical continuation is Gyokko ryu. This is the first strategy level, the Jo ryaku no maki.

1. Danshi kata, Jo Ryaku no Maki level – Gyokko ryu
2. Danshu kata, Jo Ryaku no Maki level – Gyokko ryu
3. Hanebi kata, Jo Ryaku no Maki level – Gyokko ryu
4. Keo kata, Jo Ryaku no Maki level – Gyokko ryu
5. Keto kata, Jo Ryaku no Maki level – Gyokko ryu
6. Ketsumiyaku kata, Jo Ryaku no Maki level – Gyokko ryu
7. Koku kata, Jo Ryaku no Maki level – Gyokko ryu
8. Renyo kata, Jo Ryaku no Maki level – Gyokko ryu
9. Sakanagare kata, Jo Ryaku no Maki level – Gyokko ryu
10. Sakketsu kata, Jo Ryaku no Maki level – Gyokko ryu
11. Teiken kata, Jo Ryaku no Maki level – Gyokko ryu
12. Yubi kudaki kata, Jo Ryaku no Maki level – Gyokko ryu

Video of Renyo no kata – Gyokko ryu

As I am preparing for the launch next week of our mobile site and with it our double secret “AKBAN Dojo to database project” (ADoDB)  (Thanks Arik Hatuel) I took the time to almost finish documenting Koto ryu kata in English and also on the Hebrew wiki summery.
We still have several kata missing, mainly from the Kaiden Gata (皆伝型) level, but most of it is on site.
Here are this week kata articles:

At the Chuden gata level

1. Gohi, Chuden gata level – Koto ryu
2. Hehi, Chuden gata level – Koto ryu
3. Hicho, Chuden gata level – Koto ryu
4. Hida, Chuden gata level – Koto ryu
5. Hisaku, Chuden gata level – Koto ryu
6. Hitto, Chuden gata level – Koto ryu
7. Kakuhi, Chuden gata level – Koto ryu
8. Kapi, Chuden gata level – Koto ryu
9. Koto, Chuden gata level – Koto ryu
10. Monpi, Chuden gata level – Koto ryu
11. Suito, Chuden gata level – Koto ryu
12. Teki gaeshi, Chuden gata level – Koto ryu

At the Okuden gata level

1. Josetsu, Okuden gata level – Koto ryu
2. Kimon, Okuden gata level – Koto ryu – This technique does not have a video yet.
3. Konpi, Okuden gata level – Koto ryu
4. Koto, Okuden gata level – Koto ryu
5. Kouki, Okuden gata level – Koto ryu
6. Ran Setsu, Okuden gata level – Koto ryu
7. Santo, (muto dori) Okuden gata level – Koto ryu
8. Santo, (taijutsu) Okuden gata level – Koto ryu
9. Shinsen, Okuden gata level – Koto ryu
10. Sosetsu, Okuden gata level – Koto ryu
11. Soto, Okuden gata level – Koto ryu
12. Ura Kimon, Okuden gata level – Koto ryu  – This technique does not have a video yet.

A new short article with the first video in a series was written about the Ninjutsu chain – Kusari gama, long combat chain – Ninjutsu.

I uploaded few videos, the last one, for the article above,  is this one.

Video of using the Kusari gama, basic flying knot

While working together with Keith on our mobile site, I managed to finish the Hekito gata level (with the online help of Z., one of the veterans).
Clicking on the Hekito gata category shows a list of articles, all of them with video that was filmed and edited in our facility, all of them linked to the Hebrew הקיטו גטה.

1. Soku boku, Hekito gata level – Koto ryu
2. Shuriki, Hekito gata level – Koto ryu
3. Saki ryoku, Hekito gata level – Koto ryu
4. Kuahi, Hekito gata level – Koto ryu
5. Kibo, Hekito gata level – Koto ryu
6. Damara, Hekito gata level – Koto ryu
7. Boku hen, Hekito gata level – Koto ryu
8. Batsu yo, Hekito gata level – Koto ryu

Few armlocks (Joint lock) articles were updated

1. Oni kudaki, shoulder lock – Ninjutsu
2.  Musha dori, underarm shoulder lock – Ninjutsu
3. Ude Garame, reverse shoulder lock – Ninjutsu

I uploaded two videos for the following articles

1. Double Ura shuto drill with focus mitts
2. Double jab cross drill with focus mitts

Video of Ninjutsu boxing drill