The Lady Ninjas Of Iran

There are 3,500 women in Iran officially registered as training to become ninjas, according to state-run Press TV. The network produced an exceptionally campy video report on the new trend -- yes, that's Michael Bay-style choral music you hear over the slow-motion action scenes -- and some experts dispute whether ninjutsu is even a real martial art. The modern schools of Japan's ancient ninjas didn't emerge until the 1970s, and their classes look a lot like jujutsu plus acrobatics plus throwing stars. But the women in the video appear to take it quite seriously, and that's the point.

Students of ninjutsu claim that it teaches many of the skills of the Japanese ninja, including unarmed self-defense and the use of weapons. But it also focuses on the development of self-control, patience and self-respect. Like many martial arts, its popularity is growing among Iranian women.

Today you can practice ninjutsu in 22 provinces in Iran, including Tehran, East Azerbaijan, West Azerbaijan, Mazandaran, Markazi, Khuzestan, Qom, Khorasan, Golestan, Loristan, Bushehr, Qazvin, Zanjan, Fars, Sistan and Baluchistan, Hamadan, Hormozgan and Gilan.

Fatima Muammar, a ninjutsu instructor, says: “This activity is becoming more popular with women every day, because it helps with balancing the body and the mind.”