Rotorua self-defence specialist in new venue

VITAL SKILL: Close Quarter Solutions chief instructor Leighton White hopes his new building will allow him to teach Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu to a larger group of people. PHOTO/STEPHEN PARKER

Leighton White has been teaching Rotorua locals how to defend themselves in real life situations for more than 20 years.

Having outgrown the building he was in, the Close Quarter Solutions chief instructor has a new dojo, in Wahanga-a-Rangi Crescent, to further expand on his teaching of Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu/Ninjutsu, a Japanese-based martial art.

"This gives us scope to extend the training group, it's a much nicer, larger building and a good training facility.

"We've had really positive feedback so far, the main things my students have said is there is a lot more space and a friendly atmosphere. We'd like to see people who haven't been involved in martial arts, or maybe were in other martial arts, come and check it out.

"The door is always open for prospective new students to come in and make enquiries and see what it's all about. We're looking at maybe having an open night where we conduct a demonstration and open the doors to the public. I think that would be a good way to give people an insight without them having to participate," White said.

He said the thing that made Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu different to other martial arts offered in town was that it was a combat art, purely for self-defence.

White, who is a sixth Dan (sixth degree black belt) has a background in military, security and prison officer roles, also runs School of Self Protection classes in eight-week blocks.

"The core components are learning and developing situational awareness, self defence, strategy and tactics, weapons training and basic law in regards to use of force and self defence. We are part of an international warrior brotherhood called Bujinkan.

"It's a vital life skill for people to have. Let's be honest, we live in a dangerous world and it's easy to be a victim of circumstance.

"We teach all the traditional, but also modern applications - we're not stuck in the past. The key component of our training is our mindset and our ability to adapt to a situation."