Essential Ju-Jitsu: Origins, Principles & Practices

By Dan Verghese

Traditional Ju-Jitsu has a rich and varied history, dating back at least 700 years. Originally developed by the samurai, ju-jitsu has evolved into a complete, practical self-defence system ideally suited to the challenges of the modern world.

From feudal Japan, to the British suffragettes and the Second World War, to police and militaries around the world, and to widespread modern-day practise by children and adults, ju-jitsu has stood the test of time and offers something for everyone.

The holistic nature of ju-jitsu, combines strikes, throws, holds, blocks, locks, strangles, and weapons with scientific principles of movement, balance and leverage. This makes this unique and fascinating martial art a continually rewarding way to get fit, de-stress, learn self-defence, challenge yourself and realise your full potential.

This book has something for the novice and experienced practitioner alike. Learn about:

• History and development of ju-jitsu
• Essential principles, concepts and benefits
• Grading systems, ranks and etiquette
• Example techniques
• Kobudo weapons training
• Ju-jitsu's relationship to other martial arts
• Competition formats
• Self-defence and the law.

Essential Ju-Jitsu also includes a comprehensive English-Japanese glossary, striking-point diagrams and other quick-reference resources.

Dan Verghese is a 3rd degree ju-jitsu black belt and has practised a variety of martial arts since the age of seventeen, including taekwondo, eskrima, judo, bojutsu, kobudo, aikido and Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

 

198 pages.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dan Verghese
• Release date: Nov 9, 2022
• ISBN: 9798223058960

Dan Verghese

Dan Verghese began training in martial arts at the age of seventeen and holds a second dan black belt in taekwondo, and a third dan black belt in traditional ju-jitsu. He has also trained in bojutsu, kobudo, eskrima, judo, Brazilian jiu-jitsu and aikido. He has taught martial arts professionally, operating his own school in the UK. Dan has over twenty years’ experience delivering and managing high-performing websites and campaigns, having managed digital marketing teams at start-ups, FTSE 100 companies and SEO agencies. He also works as a mentor and assessor to students on digital marketing training and certification programmes. Dan specialises in SEO, web project management, content writing and email marketing, offering freelance consulting to the martial arts, wellness and professional education sectors. His first book, Essential Ju-Jitsu: Origins, Principles & Practices was published in 2022, followed by SEO Dojo: Search Engine Optimization for Martial Arts Schools, in June 2023.

Book preview

Essential Ju-Jitsu

Essential Ju-Jitsu

Origins, Principles & Practices

Dan Verghese

Essential Ju-Jitsu: Origins, Principles & Practices

Copyright © 2022 Dan Verghese

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without prior permission from the copyright owner of this book.

Some photography by Jonathan Bowker.

Disclaimer

Please note that the author of this book is not responsible in any manner whatsoever for any loss, damage, injury, or adverse outcome of any kind that may result from practising or applying the principles, ideas, techniques and/or attempting to perform anything shown or described in this publication. Since the physical activities described in the book may be too strenuous in nature for some readers to engage in safely, it is advisable to consult a doctor before undertaking training. Martial arts techniques should only be learned under the supervision of an appropriately qualified instructor.

For Anna and Isabelle

"Force has no place

where there is need of skill"

-  Herodotus

Table of Contents

Preface

Introduction

1. What Is Ju-Jitsu?

2. History of Ju-Jitsu

3. Benefits of Ju-Jitsu Practice

4. Ranking Systems

5. The Training Environment

6. Principles of Ju-Jitsu

7. Key Elements of Ju-Jitsu Practice

8. Kobudo - Traditional Weapons

9. Competition

10. Related Martial Arts

11. Self-Defence and the Law

Appendices

Bibliography

Acknowledgements

Index

About the Author

Preface

I

am passionate about ju-jitsu, but writing a book about it is no simple task, primarily because the label ‘ju-jitsu’ is a general term that has been applied broadly to all manner of self-defence systems. Ju-jitsu is not alone in this regard. If someone mentions ‘karate’ do they mean a specific style, and if so which one? Shotokan, Goju ryu, Wado ryu, sport karate and many other types are all ‘karate’. Are they referring to Japanese or Okinawan karate? Or do they merely use the term as a catch-all for martial arts in general, not knowing any better? Ju-jitsu suffers from the same indefinability, as it is practiced in many and varied forms all around the world.

In each region and period the art(s) known as ‘ju-jitsu’ have continued to evolve, with modern British ju-jitsu differing significantly from the original samurai arts. Some ju-jitsu schools practice with traditional weapons. Others practice to defend against modern knives and guns, whilst others still eschew weapons entirely and focus on empty-hand techniques.

However, ju-jitsu has a rich tradition in the West, having been practised continually in Great Britain since the late nineteen century, longer than many other Japanese martial arts that you may assume to be ‘ancient’, have even existed. In this book I attempt to identify the common elements of modern ju-jitsu, whilst also examining its historical roots.

The book is not a ‘how-to’ manual, as the almost unlimited range of techniques and applications could easily fill an encyclopaedia. Instead, the book discusses the principles and practices that underpin this fascinating and rewarding martial art, as well as offering some insights into its history and development. Related martial arts and their connection to ju-jitsu will be briefly examined, before closing with a look at the law as it relates to self-defence.

Any book such as this can be no substitute for a professional instructor and regular training, but I hope, whether you have yet to try ju-jitsu or are an experienced practitioner, that this book will help you on your journey through the martial arts.

Dan Verghese

November 2022

Berkshire, England

Introduction

J

u-jitsu is a popular martial art practised by adults and children the world over. It has a particularly strong presence in the UK and Europe, where a unique, varied and distinctive art has evolved since the first instructors left Japan and introduced their eclectic, dynamic combat system to the Western world.

The Japanese name ju-jitsu literally means technique or art (jitsu) of gentleness, suppleness, pliancy, or flexibility (ju). However, the ‘gentle’ name belies the power and effectiveness of many techniques in the competent ju-jitsu practitioner’s arsenal. The ‘hard’ aspects of the martial art combine with and complement the softer aspects of yielding and pliability, to produce infinite combinations of technique and movement. Modern ju-jitsu is practised all over the world by civilians, law enforcement, prison officers and military personnel, and has been adapted to suit their varying requirements.

In the Western alphabet the name can have various alternative spellings, such as jujutsu, jiu jitsu, jiu jutsu etc, but all essentially have the same meaning. For convenience and consistency, the spelling used in most of this book is ju-jitsu, as this is probably the most common spelling in use today.

The earliest forms of ju-jitsu that we might recognise as such are thought to date from seventeenth century Japan, but the art has roots stretching back to at least the eighth century. This diverse and fascinating martial art, sometimes termed the ‘mother art’ gave birth to the modern Olympic sport of judo, and is the forerunner to, or an influencer of many other martial arts practised today such as Aikido, Aiki-jutsu, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Shorinji Kempo, Sambo and Mixed Martial Arts (MMA).

Modern ju-jitsu is predominantly a physical training system with self-defence at its core, in contrast to Japanese budo styles such as Aikido or Karate-do, which tend to place more emphasis on spiritual development, and use physical training as a vehicle for personal growth. Ju-jitsu is an excellent means of developing character and physical fitness, but the central emphasis is usually placed on learning practical self-defence skills, which include throws, take-downs, joint locks, strikes, kicks, strangles and chokes, as well as the use of improvised weapons.

Modern ju-jitsu remains fundamentally a grappling art at its core, and aims to equip those who train in it with usable self- protection skills. Most ju-jitsu training aims not to rely on physical strength, size or stature, but to employ the principles of leverage, balance, timing and momentum. This makes it a highly accessible art which everyone can benefit from, and the breadth and depth of the art’s techniques ensures that the opportunities for learning, growth and self-expression are virtually endless. It is possible to gain genuinely useful self-defence skills in a relatively short time period, yet the path to true mastery lasts a lifetime.

1.  What Is Ju-Jitsu?

T

he name ju-jitsu is a loosely-defined umbrella term encompassing an eclectic variety of fighting and self-defence systems. A syllabus from one ju-jitsu school or association may differ greatly from another, even within the same country or governing body. This is in contrast to judo, which is relatively homogenous the world over, likely a product of its status as an Olympic sport which ensures a certain level of consistency. Ju-jitsu brings together a number of different martial traditions under a common name (which used to include judo, in its early days when the names ju-jitsu and judo were interchangeable). With that said, there two broad categories into which most schools will fall that are useful to understand, as the techniques and training emphasis between them differ appreciably.

Koryu and Classical Ju-Jitsu

Koryu, literally old/ancient school is the term often used for those schools that originated in pre-Meiji Japan (i.e. pre-1868). The very earliest forms of what we might recognise as ju-jitsu today, were called Yawara, with the term ju-jitsu being coined in the seventeenth century. Koryu ju-jitsu was originally a battlefield art focussed mainly on defeating an armoured opponent using throws, trips and locks, and contained very few strikes compared to modern variants. Ground-fighting was not emphasised, as in a battlefield environment spending any time on the floor would likely mean death. Swiftly dropping and disarming a foe whilst delivering a coup de grace from a standing position, would likely have been the preferred approach.

Later variations evolved to deal with unarmoured opponents during the relative peace of the late Edo Period (1603-1867, also called the Tokugawa Shogunate, when the military dictatorship passed down the Tokugawa family from 1600 to 1868, beginning with Tokugawa Ieyasu and ending with Tokugawa Yoshinobu). Even within koryu ju-jitsu there were many diverse approaches to training. Most of the original ju-jitsu ryuha died out long ago with the gradual abolition of the samurai class, or were progressively supplanted by Jigoro Kano’s Kodokan judo in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The sport of judo is a direct descendent of koryu ju-jitsu, as Kano based his original syllabus on techniques harvested from his training in the Kito and Tenjin Shin’yo ryu ju-jitsu schools.

Koryu ju-jitsu schools had diverse origins, with some influenced by Chinese martial arts whilst others had a more indigenous Japanese origin, inheriting techniques from earlier traditions. The influence of China on the development of Japanese and particularly Okinawan martial arts was substantial, even allowing for the long period of relative isolation during the Tokugawa Shogunate. Today, koryu ju-jitsu is almost extinct, with only a handful of ryu still operating, mostly confined to the Japanese islands. In Japan, judo now dominates the grappling scene and is extremely popular due to its Olympic status, as well as being a safe and popular sport for children. Genuine koryu ju-jitsu is also hard to find in the West, and is not specifically adapted to dealing with common threats faced in twenty-first century society, yet it is rich in tradition stretching back centuries. The term koryu ju-jitsu (or jujutsu) is more or less interchangeable with Classical ju-jitsu or Traditional ju-jitsu. We will return to koryu ju-jitsu in more detail in the next chapter.

Modern Ju-Jitsu

Most clubs today practise modern ju-jitsu, or gendai goshin ju-jitsu (modern self-defence arts). Modern ju-jitsu is a blend of original Japanese techniques coupled with more recent Western innovations, pioneered in the UK, Europe and the US during the first few decades of the twentieth century, inspired by techniques learned from visiting Japanese instructors. Since the early days ju-jitsu has continued to evolve, being influenced by Western boxing, karate, judo and more. It adopts the best techniques from each and integrates them with core ju-jitsu locks and throws, within the standard ju-jitsu methodology of counter-attacking, stunning and submitting an aggressor.

Modern ju-jitsu is very self-defence oriented, with comprehensive syllabi designed to deal with punching or striking opponents as well as attackers wielding improvised weapons such as bottles, blunt instruments, knives and firearms. Techniques for disarming and defeating warriors armed with swords, as seen in koryu jujitsu are now mostly absent, replaced with defences against roundhouse and straight punches, or attacks with blunt instruments and knives.

The Japanese roots of ju-jitsu are still acknowledged to a greater or lesser extent from club to club, through the continued usage of Japanese terms and etiquette. What originated as a lethal battlefield art of last-resort, intended for use by samurai who had been disarmed, is today practiced as a safe, social and family pastime that promotes good health, confidence, fun and cooperation, whilst developing practical self-protection skills. Modern ju-jitsu students, whether treating the art as a fun hobby or, for the truly dedicated, as a way of life, can derive great benefits from diligent practice. The personal satisfaction gained through promotion to the next belt, mastering a tricky technique or kata, or even winning a medal in competition serves to build character and strengthen resolve. As Ferrie[1] notes, "good ju-jitsu dojo flourish in an atmosphere of cooperation; the real competition is with oneself".

In more recent years ju-jitsu has been safely adapted to various sport formats. The art has never been as sports oriented as judo or some types of modern karate, focussing instead on practical self-defence, but students now often have the opportunity to compete, should they so wish. The growing influence of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) in the twenty-first century has also influenced modern ju-jitsu to some extent, and ground-fighting competitions have become more prevalent.

Adult students often gravitate towards ju-jitsu having previously studied other martial arts in their youth. Often, they are looking for a stimulating hobby that is both intellectually and physically challenging, and that does not require the extreme levels of fitness and athleticism that some other arts require. This author took up ju-jitsu after several years’ training in taekwondo, in the search for a more effective system of self-defence that was not so hard on the body. This outside experience can be used to great effect in enhancing one’s ju-jitsu training. As the art covers such a broad range of techniques, any skills acquired in other arts are usually very transferable to ju-jitsu, whether they be judo throws, karate’s strikes, or taekwondo kicks. As ju-jitsu is such a broad-based art, it provides an excellent all-round system from which students can later specialise in areas that particularly interest them.

2.  History of Ju-Jitsu

Feudal Japan

T

he samurai were the warrior class of Japan, existing for hundreds of years until the mid-nineteenth century and the Meiji Restoration. ‘Samurai’ literally means ‘retainer’, or one who waits upon their lord, and are more accurately termed bushi, or ‘warriors’. Ju-jitsu was one of the original eighteen arts (bugei juhappan) that traditionally had to be mastered to produce the perfect samurai. Other arts in the set included horsemanship, rope tying (hojo jutsu), archery, swordsmanship, and proficiency in a variety of other weapons including truncheons, spears, staff weapons, sickle-and chain, among others. In around 1650, during the reign of the first Tokugawa Shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu, ju-jitsu was added to the list of compulsory martial arts (roku-bugei) that all samurai were required to practise.

As ju-jitsu was originally a battlefield art, ju-jitsu techniques are thought to have first emerged during the Muromachi Period (1336-1573) to counter  armoured warriors, hence the emphasis on grappling, as strikes and kicks were of very limited use against someone clad head to toe in yoroi, the traditional samurai armour. A ju-jitsu-trained warrior would attempt to break his enemy's balance by grabbing the armour, or grasping a joint such as the elbow in an attempt to control body movement. The aim in battle was either to throw an opponent on their head, incapacitating or killing them outright, or to throw and pin them until a dagger (tanto) could be used to dispatch them. Conversely, an