Rick Tew’s Martial Science · Est. 2001
Twenty-five years of ninjutsu. Now the record.
Total Warrior ran live-in martial arts and ninja training camps from 2001, in Thailand, California, New Zealand and Europe. The camps have finished. What they taught is kept here — the system, the terminology, the equipment, and what practitioners actually train in.
Total Warrior taught mixed martial arts and modern ninjutsu for more than twenty years, under a system developed by Rick Tew and known as Rick Tew’s Martial Science.
The reference library
The curriculum is documented rather than lost. Where the historical record is thin or contested, these pages say so.
- 01The Shinobi ShozokuWhat a ninja uniform actually is: construction, fabric weight, the five pieces, and the dark indigo it was traditionally dyed.→
- 02Ninjutsu TrainingThe nine areas of focus, the five ranking levels, and what a week of live-in training actually contained.→
- 03Weapons and ToolsSword, stick, knife and staff — plus the historical inventory, and where each item is legally restricted.→
- 04Glossary of TermsShinobi shozoku, taijutsu, kuji-kiri, kachi-iro, tabi, shukō. Twenty-five terms defined without the mysticism.→
- 05Myths and the RecordDid they wear black? Was the ninjatō real? What the surviving manuals say, and where the film version came from.→
Rick Tew
Rick Tew began teaching in a martial arts school at seventeen, opened his first dojo at nineteen, and moved to Europe at twenty-one to develop his own system of martial arts.
He has taught in Europe, Thailand and the United States, and has appeared in Black Belt magazine. He was a wrestler in high school and an avid kick-boxer, and was adamant that grappling and realistic full-contact training belonged in a ninjutsu curriculum from the start.
Total Warrior taught men and women from every walk of life, at every level of fitness and experience. More than half of its students arrived as complete beginners, and the program adjusted to each student’s strengths and weaknesses rather than the other way round.
“If a warrior knows only one style, it will be easy for his enemy to determine how he will move, think and attack. If a warrior knows many arts and adapts them to his changing environment, he will be an unpredictable and formidable opponent in any situation — what we call a Total Warrior.”
Mind, body, spirit
The three-part framework the whole system is built on. Each has its own curriculum.
Mind
Winjitsu
The mental martial art. A five-part system covering combined excellence, motivation and action, mind-body synergy, internal growth, and creative mental training.
Body
Multi-martial arts
Full-contact sparring, grappling, Muay Thai, Krav Maga style street combat, cross training, parkour and yoga. Grappling was part of the system from the beginning.
Spirit
Life-spirit
Quality time outdoors. Rock climbing, mountaineering, hiking and camping, and multi-terrain training in Yosemite, Joshua Tree and Thailand.
In their words
I experienced a great deal during my stay and training with Mr. Tew. I have gained massive amounts of experience that have helped mold me into a superior form of myself. I have done more in a few months of being there than some people have done in their entire lives.
Kris ButlerCanada · Founder, 123abetterme
This is where I learned how to fight, traveled the world, and made lifelong friends. Rick Tew isn’t just a martial arts instructor — he’s been a mentor and coach. Training here pushed me physically and mentally, and the experience inspired me to start real ninja uniforms. If you’re looking for more than just kicks and punches, this is the place.
Kevin MilesUSA · Founder, Kage Ninja Gear
The unique thing about the Martial Science is that it is open to new ideas and techniques and therefore ever growing; it encompasses a wide range of activities from ground fighting to rock climbing, from knife fighting to survival skills. It is dynamic, modern, young, fun and very effective in real life situations.
Marco Van Der WeijdenNetherlands
The programs, 2001–2024
These programs are not currently running and are not accepting students. The pages below are preserved as a record.
Koh Samui, Thailand · Year-round
Thailand Ninja Camp
Mixed martial arts and modern ninjutsu on a tropical island. One of the longest-running programs, and the one most students started with.
Fresno, California · Summer
California Summer Camp
Based outside Yosemite National Park. Students joined for one to four weeks, training from 9am to 5pm. Beginner and advanced together.
Southwest USA · Two weeks
Travel & Training Tour
Through California, Arizona, Nevada and Utah. Hiking, camping, climbing, martial arts and fitness across the Southwest.
Thailand · One year
Instructor’s Program
A full year to certification, for students who intended to teach martial arts professionally.
Martial arts for every type of person
Two films from the camps. The first shows the training; the second is a lighter look at camp life.
What practitioners train in
A shinobi shozoku is the training uniform of ninjutsu practice: a wrap jacket, tied trousers, hood and mask, hand coverings and a belt, made in heavyweight cotton.
Rolls, falls, ground work and outdoor terrain destroy light clothing, which is why practitioners train in heavy cloth rather than a costume reproduction. Training weight runs 12 to 14 ounces; costume grade is typically 6 ounces and fails at the seams inside a season.
- The Reference LibraryTraining, terminology, weapons, uniform and myths→
- Rick Tew’s Martial ScienceThe system in full→
- ContactGeneral enquiries, research and press→
Field notes from the history
Occasional writing on ninjutsu history, terminology and training equipment. No schedule, no filler.