Unarmed fighting forms have be a part of Japanese culture for many centuries. Unarmed combat is mentioned in the earliest Japanese historical records. The Japanese fighting systems we know today have their origins found in ancient Japanese battlefield combat systems. The fighting styles that fall under the general name Sengoku Jujutsu were originally not for unarmed combat as much as they were to help a lightly armored warrior defeat a heavily armed warrior. The heavily armed attacker would generally not be prepared to defend against unarmed techniques. Jujitsu training includes learning striking, body throws, sweeps, joint-locks, off-balance throws, pinning, grappling, wrestling, strangulating holds, submission holds, and even weapon skills such as with the tanto. Jujitsu training also includes defensive strategies such as evasion, blocking, blending, escaping, and maintaining balance.
During the Edo period is when the Jujitsu that we recognize today started to come into being. The Nihon Jujutsu of today is a child of Edo Jujutsu, which was less battlefield oriented and focused on dealing with unarmored opponents. One of the primary differences is the addition use of striking vital targets. This would not be of much use against an armored opponent, but it is very powerful when used against an enemy in civilian or street clothes.
One aspect of the original forms of Jujitsu training that is no longer seen much is the use of a cord to restrain or choke an attacker. While these techniques are not as relevant with today’s weapons, Tokyo police still carry a hojo cord and train with it regularly.
Truly modern Jujutsu was founded towards the end of the Tokegawa period around the year 1850. Around this time many Jujutsu schools sprung up which stressed Jujitsu training based on the Edo Jujustsu system rather than the Sengoku Jujutsu system as battlefield confrontation was no longer very relevant.
Modern Jujutsu is employed by law enforcement and military all around the world. It is a very effective way to restrain an attacker without using lethal force. If an opponent is not trained in Jujutsu, it is very hard for them to defend against Jujutsu’s attacks and control maneuvers. Modern Jujutsu is also very popular in the mixed martial arts sport of today, and there are also many Jujutsu specific competitions.
One of the reasons Jujutsu is so effective is that it specializes in reacting to any given situation. You do not just run striking drills and hope an opponent cannot defend against your combinations. Jujutsu allows the student to stay effective no matter where the fight goes. If the fight goes to the ground, the Jujutsu student is prepared. Jujutsu allows the student to keep control over the fight and impose his strategy upon the opponent no matter what they try to do.
Yoshi Kundagawa
http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/history-of-the-samurai-and-bodyguard-training-that-became-jujutsu-133680.html
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