To exercise understanding computers I would recommend people to learn to install GNU/Linux either as dual boot or virtualized through VMware or similar software for virtualization. If you already are running GNU/Linux it means you most likely already have learned a lot of computer skills. However; most of you might prefer running Mac or MS Windows, and please continue do so. I would recommend you started by installing once virtualized just to understand the basic installation process, and maybe read a bit on partitioning. That will be the real challenge for some; to be able to create partitions both for Linux and for MS Windows without destroying the current windows installation. It’s not so difficult, but you should attempt to understand partitioning and file systems. Later you can learn how to encrypt your GNU/Linux partition, or creating additional partitions of 10 GB where you keep secret work files. The idea is simply to understand computer. You will also shortly after starting learn that it’s really easy to access MS Windows files (I am unsure of Mac files), but rather complicated to view files you have on your GNU/Linux system from Windows, in particular if you have encrypted parts of your system.

Next you should learn to do basic administration tasks from the shell. You can look at tools for partitioning the disks, for how to set up and manage users, how to work with various systems that might be needed during administrating a work place. Don’t use to much time on this, but use enough to gather skills to quickly do tasks typing and executing instead of clicking and waiting for the GUI. It’s only important you understand basic file, user management and maybe some to investigate logs to understand where information is stored if you do mistakes as typing wrong password. Again, just for you to understand the system, and being able to understand basic computer security system.  Once you have looked at the log files you might start to learn to monitor process currently working; simply just how to monitor and start/stop processes, services and so on.

Next you might start setting up a simple Apache, PHP, MySQL system, and create a small website. Again, only to understand the basic of how websites are created. IT might also be interesting to create a ftp server to upload files too.

The basic idea is to gather basic information on understand partitioning, file systems, encryption, monitoring the system and how server/clients work. This way you will be more efficient both in securing your own private data, and maybe to access data from other computers (DO NOT DO THIS AS IT IS ILLEGAL – if you find security weaknesses, report them and you might get successful in computer security.

These are all good options to keep the body in good shape. The next think we should start looking at are exercises that could be done in darkness.

In these elements we should also start use elements as trying to move silently, and to move unseen. Many believe the best color for dressing is black; but they are wrong; black can easily be seen in darkness. You should instead focus on a dark reddish color, or a dark bluish color to better avoid being seen. You could also think about using some shoes that give little sounds when hitting the ground; these are often more uncomfortable than other normal running shoes.

If you look around on the internet you might also find ninja shoes; I haven’t tried those yet; but they might be efficient to cover sound; and still be somehow silent.

The exercise you are going to do is relatively simple; you should find a target; it might be a local shop or somewhere close to where you live. During daytime you should familiarize yourself of where you are going to run, what obstacles you might find during the track, and of course; to look find out where there are security cameras. Remember; you are going to get there unnoticed by anyone; including any cameras.

To make it a bit more difficult for yourself you could look for a target that is a bit more unknown for you; maybe a location in different direction of where you normally go. You might even use Google earth to find the target close by for you.

After learning and studying the path you are going to take (you might even include parkour, but this might be hard since you should ideally be moving in darkness and being completely unnoticed). The first targets might be fairly simple to reach; and increasing the difficulties as you is getting better at moving silently through the night. And please keep in mind to avoid light sources to better be covered by the darkness of the night.

When you get to the target you leave some kind of mark; maybe a sticker or some kind of yellow note it; the point it to leave something there (keep in mind tagging and other illegal ways of marking the target should not be used).

The first you could start with is endurance training. Endurance training could be hard if you aren’t used to jogging or something. The first few weeks could be used by combining walking and running. Just make sure you don’t get tired of running; feeling it too hard to achieve endurance. There is no shame walking 5 minutes, running 5 minutes, walking 5 minutes and again running 5 minutes. The most important is to make routines to your exercises and not get bored or finding it too hard.

After some weeks of running/walking you should be able to run at least some kilometers/miles nonstop. When this is achieved you could start exercising a bit with interval exercises; to run as fast as possible; paused by a small break to gain normal heart beat and normal breathing again. After you are bit rested you again run for full speed. This will help both endurance, and exercise for speed. Another exercise that could be used alternated by interval is hill running; this mean to find a nice hill that is not too large, nor to small. Your run up the hill as fast as possible and walk down again. This will again help you exercise speed and endurance; but also exercise the stomach muscles well.

Please make a good exercise program to exercise endurance and speed as they are important skills for the urban ninja.

After having a somehow fluent endurance you could start thinking about learning parkour; parkour is a French word for free running. I am not sure if you could properly define it as there are no particular rules to it. It might be more a philosophy or art form where you try to use all of your body while running, and always finding the most efficient way. If you live in a city it might consist of jumping over and balancing on benches etc. The point is to not run around objects as much as you previously have done; but instead try to make use of the objects to pass them efficiently using only your fantasy. It will for sure make your running a lot more fun; and you will make more use of all your body while running. There is no one saying the most efficient way to pass an object, may it be bench or can or whatever, is to run around it.

After understanding deception and the human mind you might start to practice on moving in darkness. This is difficult skill to acquire as the sight is significantly reduced in darkness. It could however be improved by eating minerals and vitamins, and practicing movements in darkness.

You should also educate yourself within colors and how certain colors is less visible in darkness; and some colors camouflage better with wood or grass. Some colors better used in cities etc. But to successfully move unnoticed you should educate yourself in color perception, and visual perception. This is also how illusionist gives impression of floating in the air or when using boxes people are not really inside, but behind it.

There could also be some physical exercises you could start doing; both endurance and speed can be achieved by running longer distances mixed with hill training and interval training. There are important features to anything you do. You could also practice flexibility training, and jumping exercises. The body should be well exercised, to become a tool well suited for good endurance and speed for good movements; and might be slightly more important than strength. Strength might of course also be practiced, and maybe in good combination with climbing. The point is to improve your body to be suitable for movements.

Another natural exercise could be to practice moving with as little sounds as possible to avoid being caught by others. No one can be completely silent; but you can hide some of the sounds you make through moving in particular ways, and by clothing and shoes you wear.

Meditation is another exercise often used to calm your mind, and to be better to focus and concentrate while doing tasks.

Remember; the most important tools you always will have available are your mind and you body. You might in many situations be unequipped with no tools, but you will always have your mind and body ready; and that’s why these are the tools that needs the most exercise to become an urban ninja in these days. In most situations you have nothing but yourself to depend upon.

But keep in mind to not use or train any fighting with real people without having guidance. There might not be any ninja courses close to where you live; and maybe you should practice martial arts like karate or kick-boxing to learn how to hit or kick someone. However; you don’t need to master the discipline you start; only to master basic techniques.

To efficiently fight you should educate yourself in the human body; where to hit or kick to create as much pain as possible. You don’t want to become a master of fighting, only to create enough pain or diversions to get away from your opponent. It should not be your ultimate goal to become the strongest or best fighter. Your goals should always be to avoid fighting as in real life. There is no real benefit to be able to become a champion fighter; only to be able to survive if you are forced to fight.

After you have learned some basic martial arts you should consider investing time in learning to do magic and illusions. I think you can easily find both books and DVD’s everywhere on how to do simple magic and illusions. This might be really fun; and you might even learn some romantic performances. I am not sure if all of you reading this remember David Copperfield; but he had a nice performance called “the floating rose” where he transformed a piece of paper to a rose. It might charm ladies as well if you could perform. I know the secrets behind it; and it’s not difficult. Even you could do it! If you want to learn that particular performance you should get the DVD “Kevin James – the new floating rose”. Just in case you wondered; Kevin James created the performance; David Copperfield only borrowed the illusion with the permission of Kevin James.

The point of learning magic tricks and illusions isn’t to become a magician; but to understand human psychology. The truth is that ninjas, magicians, con artists and pocket thieves use the same understanding of the human mind, and how to create diversions to conceal their real agenda.

The ninja’s often made use of principle’s we find in Sun Tze’s Art of war. Their main weapon was to do espionage and gathering information to more easily defeat the enemy. Their martial arts were also based on understanding the human body to make efficient battles; and not to waste time fighting.

The ninjas were often farmers, or other people not possessing the same skills as samurai warriors; there methods often involved in guerilla warfare tactics, and often successful to create destabilization, or social chaos.

It is not known exactly when the first ninjas appeared; but it’s commonly thought to be in the 14th century Japan.

The word ninja; seems to come from the word ninjitsu, which mean “the skill of going unperceived” or “the art of stealth”. This also validate the above descriptions, where we look at a ninja more as a spy; and using efficient battles as methods more than the typical warriors of the time.

The point being made is that ninjas is more than simply the art of fighting; it’s also an art to camouflage; creating illusion, gathering information and understanding of the body; and of course some martial arts techniques.

Do not mix or believe ninjas to be superior way of fighting, as you might think if you watch movies. The art of ninjitsu is far broader; and involves far more than being able to fight.

To be a ninja is to be efficient in actions, and perceiving the human mind.

The beauty with ninja skills, are that they don’t require a life time to master; they are often designed to teach and educate ordinary people within a short amount of time.

Of course; you should not underestimate the amount of time you need to master the skills; as with anything you need commitment and dedication to reach skills that are sufficient to really make use of them. But this is applicable for anything you want to learn; you don’t learn to make good food without creating a good foundation and knowledge about raw materials and how to create simple dishes. Everything you want to learn require dedication and determination; but it is simpler to master ninjitsu than many other combat skills.