"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 not-very-large 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 will see
it written as; 'Ju-Jutsu', 'Jiu-Jitsu', or even 'Joo Jitsoo' - 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.
