Is Jiu Jitsu Unarmed Combat

How often do we read about jiu jitsu, the classical unarmed combat system of the samurai. Articles are written, videos and D.V.D.s are filmed, books are published and web sites devoted to this art; but does the art we know as jiu jitsu resemble in any way unarmed combat taught in feudal Japan, then weapon combat was emphasised only as a last resort and in the gravest emergency would a samurai be without a weapon, only with the banning of weapon carrying did jiu jitsu become popular.

What we in the west know as jiu jitsu is a catch all term for the self protection systems promoted by various sporting instructors of judo, aikido and karate who have formed methods of self protection taken from the sporting forms of judo, aikido, karate, wrestling, kick boxing and western boxing put together in what they hope will be the ultimate fighting system. In Japan people who practice traditional jiu jitsu are classed as harmless eccentrics rather like members of the Civil War re-enactment societies, who stage seventeen century battles using costumes, equipment and tactics of that era for the entertainment of the public. Modern jiu jitsu owes more to the kime no kata and goshin jitsu kata of judo than the classical tradition; techniques are grafted on to this eclectic art from aikido, for wrist locks, judo, for throws, strangles and elbow locks and either kick boxing, savate or muay thai for striking power with the hand work of western boxing.

At present anyone can form a system which he or she can call jiu jitsu as long as they call it a modern goshin jitsu jiu jitsu system, modern self defence unarmed combat system. The difficulty that person faces is when he calls his style of jiu jitsu something it is not, classical jiu jitsu, and grades people in that system and hands out certificates in that system, he is committing fraud breaking the trades description act taking money for something he has no right to teach. I can take the various techniques I have learned over the years and apply them, as I earn my living as a security guard I have mostly been concerned with security situations using minimum force to get the job done, to a system I say I have invented in a moment of insight call the system Yojimbo Ryu, bodyguards school of jiu jitsu, or call it Nanushi Do, bouncers way; no one can say what I am doing is wrong, unethical maybe but to the members of the public my system might be as valid as any other system. Traditional martial artists might know that I and my system are a joke but if people are willing to pay their hard earned cash to me for what I am teaching. I can put in some Japanese terminology and if my system is successful then in ten or twenty years time people will create their own myths about its origins, I don't have to say anything people will invent a story from me being a former special forces soldier to having studied in a secret Tibetan temple don't deny it just smile inscrutably; even better if I was of oriental appearance I would be teaching my secret family system for the first time in the west, even though I have never been to the far east people will invent these stories.

I wonder when the public at large will learn that we as martial artists do not have the answers to their fears of the threat of violence in our society, training will make you fitter and more confident but it does not give you an imaginary shield that will make you invincible, because you are fitter and more confident you will look like a harder target for a mugger or violent sociopath but remember even the best can lose, Yuki Tani one of the first judo/ jiu jitsu teachers to come to this country was mugged at a Brighton racetrack when someone asked him for a light, Tani had been taking on the public in exhibition matches in the music halls in the Edwardian era at the turn of century and was victorious in all these fights.