Jujutsu is a highly recognizable way of fighting. It is mostly popular for the fact that there is where judo came from. However, you’ll be interested to know that judo is just one of the martial arts inspired by jujutsu. Other known forms of self-defense hailing from jujutsu include aikido, baritsu, and catch wrestling. Originally stemming from Japan, jujutsu has a rich history that helped shaped the martial arts world we know today.
Image by Taco Fleur from Pixabay
The Technique
Jujutsu is typically defined as a form of martial art wherein a person wins by yielding. It was originally developed with the intent of winning against armored opponents when the practitioner himself has no weapons on hand. Later versions of the jujutsu however have included the use of small, circumspect weapons.
The system focuses mainly on pinning, throwing, strangling, chocking, locking, and essentially leaving the opponent immobilized. There’s a good reason for this – Jujutsu was created in a time when samurai’s wore body armor. Hence, striking moves wouldn’t be useful since the armor can easily absorb the impact. With the samurai’s sword adding a threat to the practitioner, it makes sense for them to immobilize the opponent quickly and efficiently.
Less on Force, More on Balance
Jujutsu can be an excellent form of self-defense taught to women, for the simple reason that it doesn’t promote too much force and power on the part of the practitioner. The whole idea of jujutsu is to take the opponents force of attack and use it against him by yielding. The idea is not to resist but gain the upper hand by being pliant. You’ve probably seen this demonstrate often in television where a female makes a man lose his center of gravity before a throw. This is a good example of jujutsu’s principle.
Culture and Religion
Considered to be one of the oldest forms of martial art, it’s not surprising that jujutsu has been linked with different cultures and religion. Different practitioners tend to mix and match religious beliefs with the practice of Jujutsu so it really depends on your teacher. Some of the most common religions intertwined with this martial art include but are not limited to the following: Buddhism, Shinto, and Taoism.
Jujutsu Today
The good news is that with Jujutsu being so popular, finding teachers of this martial art form isn’t that hard. In fact, you’ll find jujutsu dojos spread all across the United States, especially in large cities. As a form of self-defense, there’s no question that jujutsu is highly effective and perfect for people who are lacking, power-wise.
0 comments: