The Ninja Kidz are a group of young ninjas who make videos showcasing their incredible martial arts skills on YouTube. Their channel has amassed over 11 million subscribers who tune in to watch these kids perform amazing stunts and showcase their abilities in various forms of martial arts. But what specific martial arts do the Ninja Kidz actually practice and perform? Read on to find out!
Ninjutsu
One of the core martial arts practiced by the Ninja Kidz is ninjutsu. Ninjutsu originated in feudal Japan as an unarmed combat system for self-defense and espionage. Ninjas used ninjutsu to infiltrate enemy territory undetected and gather intelligence. Some key aspects of ninjutsu include:
- Stealth movements
- Disguise and impersonation
- Survival skills
- Weapon usage
The Ninja Kidz demonstrate many classic ninjutsu skills in their videos like rolling, tumbling, jumping, hiding, climbing, and grappling. They frequently roleplay infiltration scenarios where they have to sneak into enemy camps or hide from pursuers. Their ninja-style flips, jumps, and rolls over obstacles are always impressive to watch!
Taekwondo
Taekwondo is likely the most prominently featured martial art in the Ninja Kidz videos. Taekwondo is a Korean martial art focused on kicking techniques. Some hallmarks of taekwondo seen in the Ninja Kidz videos include:
- Kicks like roundhouse kicks, side kicks, spinning hook kicks
- Stances like front stance, back stance, horse riding stance
- Forms (poomsae) and sparring
- Acrobatic and aerial techniques
- Breaking boards, bricks, and other objects with strikes
The kids have incredible kicking skills, flexibility, and athleticism when doing taekwondo. They regularly break multiple stacks of boards and bricks with jumping and spinning kicks. Their sparring shows great technique and control.
Kung Fu
Chinese kung fu styles are also incorporated by the Ninja Kidz. They’ve made videos practicing and demonstrating Northern Shaolin kung fu, Wing Chun, and wushu. Elements of kung fu seen include:
- Low stances and deep squats
- Palm strikes
- Kicks like side kick, front kick, roundhouse
- Acrobatics and aerial maneuvers
- Animal forms like crane, monkey, praying mantis
- Weapon forms with staff, nunchucks
The Ninja Kidz blend kung fu seamlessly with their other martial arts skills. Their kung fu-influenced moves add more style and flair to their routines.
Jiu-Jitsu
The grappling art of Brazilian jiu-jitsu is also practiced by the Ninja Kidz. They’ve made instructional videos on jiu-jitsu techniques like:
- Armbars
- Triangles
- Omoplatas
- Straight ankle locks
- Back mounts
- Guillotine chokes
- Takedowns
When grappling and sparring, the Ninja Kidz exhibit good positional control and smooth transitions between techniques. Their jiu-jitsu skills help them subdue enemies in their adventure scenarios.
Other Martial Arts
Besides the core martial arts already covered, the Ninja Kidz also draw inspiration from other disciplines as well:
- Karate – They’ve trained in Shotokan karate katas and basic techniques.
- Aikido – They’ve demonstrated aikido style wrist locks and throws.
- Judo – Their standing throws and trips show influence from judo.
- Boxing – They sometimes mix in punches and footwork from boxing.
- Muay Thai – Some of their kick combinations have Muay Thai flair.
The Ninja Kidz blend techniques from this wide array of martial arts together seamlessly to create very dynamic styles. Their diverse experience allows them to smoothly transition between different techniques during their performances.
Weapons Training
Beyond unarmed techniques, the Ninja Kidz also train extensively with traditional ninja weapons including:
- Swords – Katana, ninjato, bokken
- Sticks – Bo staff, escrima sticks, nunchucks
- Projectiles – Shuriken, blowguns, bow and arrow
- Chains and ropes – Kusarigama, grappling hook
- Knives – Tanto, kunai
They demonstrate their weapons skills both individually and collaboratively in choreographed performances. The kids showcase immense coordination when working together using weapons. Their videos really highlight the discipline and control required to train safely with dangerous weapons.
Acrobatics
In addition to martial arts, the Ninja Kidz also blend in many acrobatic maneuvers to enhance their performances:
- Flips – Front flips, backflips, side flips, butterfly twist
- Rolls – Dive rolls, shoulder rolls, log rolls
- Jumps – Long jumps, high jumps, gaps between platforms
- Vaults – Front handsprings, sideflips over obstacles
- Balancing – Handstands, cartwheels, one-handed poses
These acrobatic skills help the kids smoothly move through obstacle courses and various terrain. The flips, jumps, and rolls add excitement and difficulty to their routines. Their balance and kinesthetic awareness from martial arts training enables them to safely perform these acrobatics.
Parkour
The Ninja Kidz also do a lot of parkour-style training to move efficiently through their outdoor environments. They incorporate common parkour techniques like:
- Vaults over walls, barriers, gaps between platforms
- Precisions jumps landing on railings or other small fixtures
- Rolls upon landing from drops
- Climbing up walls, trees, nets
- Swinging from branches, ropes or rails
- Sliding under low obstacles
This parkour training allows the Ninja Kidz to dynamically navigate the woods, play structures, and other outdoor settings featured in their videos. They can quickly chase each other or escape pursuers by fluidly moving through these environments.
Physical Conditioning
To perform all these martial arts, acrobatics, and parkour skills, the Ninja Kidz follow intensive conditioning to build strength, speed, endurance, and flexibility including:
- Running, swimming, biking – For cardiovascular endurance
- Bodyweight exercises like pushups, situps, pullups – For strength
- Climbing rope, pegboards – For grip and upper body strength
- Agility drills with ladders, cones – For coordination and footwork
- Yoga, dynamic stretching – For flexibility
- Balance training on beams, exercise balls
This well-rounded physical preparation enables the Ninja Kidz to safely attempt all the demanding moves and stunts they perform. Their conditioning routines clearly complement their diverse martial arts training.
Conclusion
The Ninja Kidz demonstrate an impressive breadth of martial arts skills in their viral videos, blending elements from disciplines like ninjutsu, taekwondo, kung fu, jiu-jitsu, karate, aikido, and more. They supplement their martial arts training with extensive acrobatics, parkour, and physical conditioning to pull off their unique blend of dynamic techniques. From high kicking to grappling to weapons forms, the Ninja Kidz have clearly put in a tremendous amount of training to become so talented at such a young age. Their blend of old school martial arts with youthful flair has inspired millions of fans around the world.
