Tech-Jutsu Ju-jutsu (Japanese: 柔術, Jūjutsu), also known as Jiu-jitsu or Ju-jitsu, is a Japanese martial art and a method of close combat for defeating an armed and armored opponent in which one uses no weapon or only a short weapon.
“Jū” can be translated to mean “gentle, soft, supple, flexible, pliable, or yielding.” “Jutsu” can be translated to mean “art” or “technique” and represents manipulating the opponent’s force rather than confronting it with your own force. Ju-jutsu developed to combat the samurai of feudal Japan as a method for defeating an armed and armored opponent in which one uses no weapon, or only a short weapon. Because striking against an armored opponent proved ineffective, practitioners learned that the most efficient methods for neutralizing an enemy took the form of pins, joint locks, and throws. These techniques were developed around the principle of using an attacker’s energy against him, rather than directly opposing it. Other theories suggest that the Samurai themselves also trained in unarmed combat as a complement to fighting with weapons.
There are many variations of the art, which leads to a diversity of approaches. Jujutsu schools (ryū) may utilize all forms of grappling techniques to some degree (i.e. throwing, trapping, joint locks, holds, gouging, disengagements, striking, and kicking). In addition to jujutsu, many schools teach the use of weapons.
Today, jujutsu is practiced in both traditional and modern art and sports forms. Derived sport forms include the Olympic sport and martial art of judo, which was developed by Kanō Jigorō in the late 19th century from several traditional styles of jujutsu, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, which was derived from earlier (pre–World War II) versions of Kodokan judo.
Ok, so that’s the blurb from Wikipedia, but what is it in essence? How does it fit in amongst other martial arts such as Karate, Judo, Aikido, Taekwondo, Muay Thai, Wing Chun or Brazilian Jiu-jitsu?
Ju-jutsu can be described as a system of self defense which combines blocks, locks and throws to neutralise and control an attacker. Of course there are strikes, but these are secondary in nature to the real essence of Ju-jutsu, and used primarily as a means of distraction or to enhance a technique. Ju-jutsu is not primarily an offensive martial art like Karate and Muay Thai are, and not a sport such as Judo and Taekwondo (although it has been ‘sportified’ in the form of Sport/Combat Ju-jutsu).
When considering the range of effectiveness, Ju-jutsu fits in the medium to close range spectrum. It’s not a long range art, such as Karate, where the intent is to hold your range until you are ready to strike, and then close the range only so much as to be able to land a strike without the opponent being able to counter. And it’s not primarily a close range art such as Judo where you are in grappling range with an intent to throw, although some techniques can start from this position. Neither is it primarily a ground sport like Brazilian Jiu-jitsu. Ju-jutsu is most effective when your attacker closes the range to you and where you are able to utilise his balance, strength, speed and direction of motion to your advantage.
Finally, Ju-jutsu is endless in it’s variety, which is why–apart from the Koryu forms of Ju-jutsu such as Hontai Yōshin-ryū or Tenjin Shin’yō-ryū, which are distinctive and un-changing–there are a substantial number of Gendai Ju-jutsu schools throughout the world, teaching various techniques, some of which are unique to that school, or some that are in some way recognisable across many schools. Most schools however, contain several basic techniques or variations of such, that originate from Koryu.