While most Sacramento State students are studying or eating in the University Union, a group of students play a martial-art type of game known as Ninja tucked in a corner on the second floor.

Sac State students who play Ninja in the University Union say it came from the Bay Area. The students had played so much over the summer they decided to bring it to Sac State this semester and play between classes.

Bernard Jay Prinidad, business-marketing senior, learned Ninja over the summer. One of Prinidad’s friends from the Bay Area taught him the game while in a shopping mall. He said he was intrigued from that point on and after he understood the concept of the game he began teaching his friends, many who go to Sac State.

Matt Abero, graphic design senior, said he saw Ninja being played a couple of years ago in Daly City, but Abero did not start playing seriously until this summer when friends from San Jose State University taught him and his girlfriend, Audrey Bangal, a health science senior, the technique of the game.

“I can confidently say it is a bay area game,” Prinidad said.

Abero explained the game, to begin, the people playing Ninja stand in a circle. The first person to go strikes any type of pose. From there people take turns making a move, but can only move one foot and both arms. Players must keep one foot steady, on the floor, and when they move, they have to do it in one motion Abero said.

The object of the game is to hit the opponent’s hands. When a hand is hit, the hand is considered dead and must be placed behind the person’s back. When both hands are dead, the player is out.

Many of the students that play Ninja are from the Samahan Filipino Club on campus. The club meets at 6 P.M. on Wednesdays in Mendocino Hall. Abero said most of the club members play Ninja in the Union. But, since they play in the Union, students who are not in the club have noticed Ninja being played, and have been intrigued by it. Members of the Filipino Club said they are eager to teach new people how to play.

Prinidad said at one point, it started to become more like wrestling. Since then he has made official rules for the group that plays at Sac State in order to keep it fair and more inviting for everyone to play.

“It is a lot more competitive with the rules and even the girls can play now because we do not roll all over the floor,” Prinidad said.

Males and females are welcome to play the game. Bangal said it is not aggressive, but more competitive. When asked if she was afraid to get hit or hurt she said the only thing that has pushed her away from playing is that the guys get stinky.

“As far as getting hit, if I get hit, I get to hit them back, and it is much more rewarding to get them out,” Bangal said.

Although they are not rolling on the floor, it is still a rigorous exercise. Students playing Ninja have found it to be cardiovascular.

Abero said when there are a lot of people playing Ninja; after a competitor takes a swing they have to hold the pose they have landed in for a long time.

“There are periods of time where my friends are sweating profusely,” Prinidad said.

Ninja can be played with two people and up to 20 people, according to Prinidad’s official rulebook. When there are two people playing, Bangal said it looks poetic or like a dance because they are moving quickly and coordinating each movement based on their opponent’s movement.

Since Ninja has become popular among Sac State students in the Samahang Pilipino club and the Union, Abero and Prinidad are planning a tournament in order to raise money for the club. Details are to be announced Abero said. Ninja is a competitive game but, regardless of the winner it is just for fun the players said.

“It is a good ice breaker. We have met a lot of people and it is always a good time,” Bangal said.

Vanessa Garibaldi can be reached at [email protected]

Click here to see a video about Ninja