---

The Reign That Was RBWI
Robert Bussey's Warrior International Sat Atop the Ninjutsu World for 20 Years.
By Norman Leff
Reprinted with Permission

In 1997, to the surprise of thousands of practitioners and coinciding with the 20th Anniversary of this organization, "RBWI" founder and president, Robert Bussey, announced the end of his martial arts empire, retiring as a patriot of combat realism.

For two decades, a distinct group of warriors flourished throughout the martial arts landscape. They were comprised of all walks of life and practiced what they considered to be an all-encompassing system of protection based on the teachings of its founder. The methodology of mid-Western born Robert Bussey covered a veritable cornucopia of combat practices, and seemed to break new ground with provocative titles and names not generally associated with martial arts or military practices. Titles developed by Bussey to represent what he called his, "chain of influence."

Instead of earning conventional colored belts, he established "Side Bar Distinctions" for his "Ardor Members." In place of rank requirements, he provided "Grade Guidelines" which measured the talents of his members on their individual merits. There were no degrees of black belt. Rather, Bussey created no less than eight "Recognition Associates" with titles such as, "Instructor Senior Status" or "Instructor Chieftain Status" to signify authority.

In the height of its glory, RBWI had scattered the landscape with facilities know as "Warrior Training Branches," which allowed participants access to customized equipment and uniforms in addition to their specialized training.

At the forefront of every decision affecting the organization was Bussey, who went to great lengths to make sure that all RBWI items were custom made in the U.S.A. From materials to labor, no product was imported. Although decisions like this greatly decreased profits coming into the headquarters, it helped to maintain Bussey's commitment to invest in America.

By anyone's account, the practice of RBWI was considered both brutal and highly diverse. The details of both will be covered later in this article. However, in addition to its pragmatism, RBWI is said to have flourished in large part due to the made-to-order training tactics and honest commitment to make each member feel part of an elite group.

Bussey made sure that everyone was treated as if they were important contributors to the total development of his organization. With this kind of thinking, Bussey was able to foster an atmosphere of creativity which, in turn, allowed RBWI to constantly change and upgrade its methods.

Scott Hutchinson, a career military specialist and RBWI instructor points out that, "RBWI was in a constant state of evolution. Robert motivated everyone to expand their horizons. Consequently, RBWI would improve when everyone worked collectively."

FADES AWAY

As RBWI fades into the fabric of martial arts history, it leaves behind a legacy to thousands of practitioners scattered from Boston to Brussels. Along with it, a future not fully realized by its founder, Robert Bussey. It was the creative resources of this sole individual that designed an entity set apart from all those that came before it, and which surely will influence future warriors of the 21st century.

So, after building momentum for 20 years, one might expect that the demise of Robert Bussey's Warrior International would set into motion a power struggle within the organization itself. Would battles be fought over who would succeed the man considered by many to be the quintessential martial artist? Apparently not. RBWI had no dramatic conclusion.

The consensus among members seemed to be feelings of pride and emotion. Some considered Bussey's teachings "misunderstood" and as one man aptly put it, "a diamond in the rough and probably the best kept secret in the martial arts community."

"I don't think a day has passed when I didn't struggle with the responsibility of leadership," Bussey once said.

Yet, the leadership qualities that he possessed were never more apparent than when he was coaxed into making a personal appearance at a convention of martial arts experts in Banff, Canada. Lured by his love of the outdoors and as an expert in primitive survival skills, Bussey thought that the northern Rocky Mountains might just be the place to escape, think and relax. The event featured a star-studded cast of instructors, including his brother, Michael Bussey, legends Joe Lewis and Bill Wallace, as well as Dr. Jerry Beasley, Peter Cunningham and others. Bussey was scheduled to instruct two separate one-hour clinics. However, Bussey's R&R would be short lived.

According to Dale Kliparchuk, host of the event, "Once Robert initially exposed the participants to his ideas, he ended up teaching several three-hour segments because of the demand. He was very generous. I've had the opportunity to observe many of the best in the world, but his techniques were so fluent and effective that I have nothing to compare them to."

The "originality" of Bussey's creation was not so much his re-invention of martial arts, but his ability to shred the myths associated with fighting through his analogies and performance.

"He's so versatile that it causes him to move differently from everyone else…he's an original," claims Stephen Bowers, the 6-foot, 4-inch California veteran of RBWI. "It's like watching a great painter who, with one stroke of his brush, makes the art come alive. Robert is constantly processing while he is in motion."

It has also been said that Bussey's movement had no real beginning or end. There was no static interpretation of technique. He described his explosive displays as "living movement." RBWI in turn, mirrored these tendencies. RBWI was unique in that it represented a certain kind of movement and conduct which permeated through an army or practitioners without all the usual stylized restrictions, structured requirements, style name, or even a supreme leader for that matter.

"I was more of a guide…an example, than a master of an art," Bussey once said.

THE IMPACT OF A FORMER NINJA

There are several ways in which the legacy of Nebraska native Robert Bussey has formed modern martial artists, no matter what style or skill level. He labored to raise awareness among martial arts instructors to strive for technical integrity. This helped to implant true "realism" as an ethic among instructors whether practiced or imagined. He created a sub-culture of no rules, reality-based technicians well before it was vogue.

In fact, his multi-faceted concepts stretched past the normal boundaries of no-rules fighting to include weapons and multiple opponent fighting. It was a period in the early 1980s that he recounts as being "ground breaking but occasionally reckless."

Besides his scary dynamism, Bussey's philosophy represented a radical departure from the popular Eastern views commonly associated with martial arts, crediting his conversion to the Christian faith as the turning point in his revolutionary view of the arts.

According to Dr. Lou Verner, a long-time instructor of RBWI, "Robert has always, to my knowledge, been a very deep thinking individual and a person of great personal conviction. What he is leaving behind will be self-perpetuating."

Bussey imparted many of these philosophies in a book titled, "A Biblical Perspective of the Martial Arts," available through Cross Training Publishing. In it, he redefines many of the ethics and demands within the martial arts, and as a result, demystifies many commonly held views which link the martial arts with spiritual endeavors.

James Rosenbach once said of his best friend that, "The only thing that can compare to Robert's enormous talent is his heart."

Since the closure of RBWI, Rosenbach has remained in the birthplace of the art, Fremont, Nebraska, and operates a half dozen training centers there.

A NINJA COLLEGE

Partly because he is rarely accessible, Bussey has largely remained unnoticed in the martial arts community, despite his contributions and accolades. He is best known for pioneering the ninja art from Japan to America as early as 1979, but his credentials stretch far beyond those examined by the public. By 1984, he was running the largest ninja training facility in the world, a 12,000-square foot ninja college of sorts, centrally located in Omaha. In its heyday during the ninja craze of the 80s, Bussey's academy attracted technicians from around the world and seemed to create a rift between himself and the classical representation of Ninjutsu practiced by Stephen Hayes.

Bussey's life was divided between the diplomacy of handling training guests and dissecting various fighting strategies by putting them to the test. He was young and thoroughly dedicated to his craft. Bussey's performance seemed so far removed from conventional martial arts that publishers and videographers urged him to organize his own art and preferably label it with an oriental name to lend credibility to his teachings. At first, it is said that Bussey resisted the idea. However, he eventually adopted the title of founder, refused to concoct a name for his style and chose the acronym RBWI, the heading he used for his various unions of academies.

Admired by most, and considered controversial by others, Bussey has never really been able to escape the image that links him to Ninjutsu.

"It is an image which he has fought to reverse for years," claims his brother Michael. "RBWI was Robert's vehicle for exposing the inefficiencies of martial arts by discovering new ways to train and defeat aggression."

LOW PROFILE

Perhaps one of the reasons Bussey is a lesser-known personality in the martial arts community is because he remained uncomfortable with what he viewed as politics within the martial arts and loathed being a salesman of his methods. RBWI emphasized the perfection of technical adaptability and Bussey himself advocated that his instructors intelligently understand the defects associated with eastern symbolism, etiquette and religious customs of some classical styles.

Further, he avoided tournaments and seminar circuits. Most of his followers mirrored his non-political views and remain to this day, out of the limelight. Although he respected all arts and teachers, he considered some to be "very talented experts with blinders on" and "capable yet reluctant to see the bigger picture." He stressed that any system could work if the artist was stronger or more skilled than his foe. However, he strived to design sure-fire moves that most anyone could add to their repertoire. He formed many of his opinions based on what he called "the total scope of self-preservation," adding that "my only allegiance is to provide individuals with tools to survive, regardless of their distinctions."

Generally, he was reluctant to write articles or make public appearances. Today, few disregard his impact upon the martial arts community or cutting edge vision, and those who know him best describe him as an encyclopedia of the science of fighting. Keith Trottier, of Lifespring Martial Arts, was a former jujitsu instructor in Southern California who spent three years honing RBWI skills.

"I firmly believe that he opened my eyes and mind to what real self-defense is all about, and to many other aspects such as wilderness survival and an overall awareness of what really happens," he said.

Surprisingly, Bussey had made very little financial gain from RBWI, choosing instead to filter profits back into the organization and into the pockets of his struggling representatives. Bussey perceived RBWI to be more of a mission than a business.

He opened his first commercial school when he was only 15. By his mid 20s Bussey became synonymous with other top leaders in the field who were twice his age. According to many, it was a well-deserved distinction. Author Keith Jones stated in his book "The King of Combat" that Bussey was, "A true genius of the martial arts."

Well-known Hollywood actor, Geoffrey Lewis, concurs. An avid martial arts enthusiast, Lewis has worked out with some of the best, including the Machado brothers, Jean-Claude Van Damme, the Gracies, Gene LeBell and Chuck Norris.

"Robert's stuff, his RBWI, was no-nonsense and really well-rounded…it had a lot of dimensions to it."

So it came as a complete shock to his modernist following when Bussey made the announcement to withdraw from active service and relinquish his now credible organization. The question on everyone's mind seemed to be, "Why?"

RBWI boasted an estimated 10,000 enthusiasts with 200 instructors…most recently expanding to South Africa, the Bahamas, Australia and Belgium. With these numbers and branch locations dramatically increasing throughout the world, why would the founder and president of RBWI suddenly disband a structure that had such a significant impact on the lives of so many people? It is a question that no one seemed to be able to answer with any great certainty.

Some speculate that Bussey grew increasingly uncomfortable with the size of his organization and the varied interpretations of his teachings. Others conclude that it was strictly the result of economics, while some point to the numerous bodily injuries he sustained over the years.

Whatever the reason, the beginning of the end began with a simple letter.

It was the summer of 1997 and on the eve of Bussey's 36th birthday. Sanctioned RBWI instructors from across the globe were making preparations to converge at Bussey's legendary 17th annual summer training camp. This historical camp, usually held in the nation's rural breadbasket, has traditionally been the most comfortable setting for Bussey to perform and deliver his strategies. Rarely if ever, did he expose these tactics in the mainstream martial arts community.

Over a decade earlier, the editors of magazines such as "Fighting Stars" satisfied readers with histories and coverage of Bussey's annual retreats."To fully recreate the emotion, feelings, experiences and knowledge gained from each camp, volumes of magazines and photo albums would be needed," the magazine once stated.

For those attending that year's event, the anticipation of Bussey's versatile instruction was strong. However, expectation gave way to disappointment and puzzlement when each instructor was sent a personal letter from Bussey that stated his intentions to relinquish RBWI.

In his final statement, Bussey expressed his gratitude and extreme privilege to "teach and uncover dormant abilities and to help people to become more reflective about their own personal standards."

He went on to say, "From these years, I remember most those who tempered their training with compassion. Those who were teachable. Those who had ethics and attained a level of commitment, eager to grow in talent."

Although Bussey was aware that many of his people had not escaped the trap of mediocrity, he felt that everyone was significant and had made a contribution to RBWI. His genuine concern for others seemed to inspire people to expand their boundaries of skill and knowledge. He closed his letter by instructing his followers to present their talents through their own individualism, further stating, "If you shout the name of a mountain in any language you will see that the majesty remains.