"ju-jitsu,
I'm going to learn ju-jitsu?"
The
immortal lines uttered by a one Keanu Reeves in a certain film popularly
known as the Matrix. Nice one Keanu, but did you show us any ju-jitsu
in the film? Not really, of all the three hundred martial art styles
downloaded into his brain, the one he chose to despatch his foes
with was mostly wing-chun kung-fu and maybe a little freestyle kickboxing.
So
what is ju-jitsu? Well, allow me to clarify one thing first. You
may see it written as 'Ju-Jitsu', 'Ju-Jutsu' or 'Jiu-Jitsu' - they
are all referring pretty much to the same thing. It's two Japanese
words derived from the kanji and rather ambiguously translates to
as 'gentle art'.
Origins
The first recorded homogenous system of ju-jitsu was known as Takenouchi
Ryu which began its existence in 1532 (Ferrie). Since then there
were many schools of ju-jitsu with jealously guarded specialised
skills passed down the generations. We like to refer to the popular
notion that ju-jitsu was practiced only by the Samurai warriors
of feudal period Japan and to some extent this is true. But to become
a warrior soldier in Japan also meant learning to use weapons, ride
horseback, drink tea, kill enemies and observe a myriad of social
etiquette requirements. We're not learning to become samurai but
what a lot of people have done over the centuries is take the fighting
skills practiced by the samurai, and made it what it is today. This
probably explains why you will find references to ju-jitsu in many
apparently differing martial arts. Judo, for instance, was originally
designed by Jigoro Kano from a style of Ju-jitsu. It has now evolved
into a technical sport, but nonetheless, it is still ju-jitsu. Karate,
seemingly very different with their hard punches and hard kicks,
but you'll find that many karate masters also knew ju-jitsu and
there are techniques locked away somewhere in those complex katas.
Aikido looks most like ju-jitsu so it is no surprise to learn that
it was founded by a ju-jitsu master (Morihei Ueshiba).
As
you can see, the influence of the samurai and their unarmed combat
has spread far and wide. Today, ju-jitsu schools all over the world
seek to teach you skills which more or less are based on the same
one's used by the samurai. There are more classical styles, typified
by the wearing of long robes called hakamas, which adhere as closely
as possible to traditional teachings. There are sport only styles
that emphasise winning in competitions using ju-jitsu skills, the
most famous of these is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Our
club and the style we practice fits somewhere in the middle of those
just mentioned. We mainly practice no-nonsense self defence techniques,
we also train in sport-ju-jitsu and we also practice more esoteric
techniques such as use of the katana and various katas. The core
of our training is based on a standard 'syllabus' that contains
well over 370 techniques but that is just the core, there's plenty
more than just the syllabus. It's no surprise to learn that it takes
years of regular training and dedication to earn a black belt but
it is very much an achievable goal. The training doesn't stop there
with further 'dan' grades, instructor or competition judge qualifications
to aim for.
Techniques
There are a number of excellent books in print that offer a good
introduction to our art - see book reviews - but, as one author
suggests, ju-jitsu really is the ultimate mixed martial art (Simco).
We train to be able to block, throw, lock and immobilise, punch
and strike with all parts of our body, strangle and choke, inflict
pain through knowledge of pressure points (atemi), kick, trip and
sweep, grab, gouge and poke etc etc…the list goes on.
Our
martial art is more than just a brutal exercise in hitting people,
it's about using whatever is available (usually just your own body)
in the most intelligent manner possible to conclude the action in
the most efficient manner. Techniques are learnt as a sequence which
almost always begins by blocking a strike in such a way as to open
up your opponent for a subsequent technique, be it a lock, throw
or atemi strike.
You
may hear some disciplines comment that ju-jitsu relies too heavily
on non-resistance and partner compliance. It is our belief that
this is the best way to learn ju-jitsu techniques while still maintaining
a degree of control and safety. After a number of years, these techniques
become part of the muscle memory and enable students to apply ju-jitsu
against a huge variety of random attacking situations.
ENDS
Seymour
Yang, 2nd dan black belt, Head coach of Imperial Ju-Jitsu Club,
South Kensington branch, London.
