WARRIOR JUJITSU
STRIKING & GRAPPLING
THE TOTAL MARTIAL ART!
By
Damien G. Chambers
We must remember that
one man is much the same as another, and that he is best who is trained
in the severest school.
Thucydides (404 BCE)
Warrior jujitsu, Japan’s
art of unarmed combat, is a complete fighting art that includes
punching, kicking, throwing, grappling, and ground fighting. These are
all necessary skills in real fighting. Warrior jujitsu can be
traced back over 2,000 years to Japan’s ancient past. The Kojiki,
Record of Ancient Matters, tells us that the ancient gods Kajima
and Kadori used the art to chastise the lawless inhabitants of an
eastern province. The term jujitsu is composed of two Japanese
characters, ju meaning gentle or yielding and jutsu
meaning art or technique.
It has been noted that
jujitsu developed as a defensive method used by an unarmed man against
weapons. The idea behind this theory being that weapons such as swords
and spears were developed first and that jujitsu was developed later.
The samurai used his sword at long range as his primary weapon and that
close quarter individual combat was characterized by kumi-uchi or
grappling methods. Jujitsu then was originally a secondary system of
defense used only after the classical warrior made use of his weapons
and then closed with the opponent. Only in the modern era, as the
frequency of warfare on the field of battle declined, did ryu or
styles specialize solely in empty-hand tactics and de-emphasize the use
of weapons as a primary combative resource.
Originally, in ancient
Japan the fighting arts were classified into 18 individual martial arts
and a samurai learned all of them in order to complete his martial arts
education. Only later, in the modern era, did they become
separated or specialized.
The old Okinawan karate
systems [Okinawa-Te] were a complete martial art in that they included a
throwing and joint locking art known as a tuite. This system
started from a standing position and was extended to ground fighting.
(See Bubishi Martial Art Spirit, 48 Essential Fighting Techniques of
Kenpo, p. 110 Alexander and Penland, Yamazato Publications). Although,
Okinawan Karate’s emphasis was placed on punching and kicking in order
to subdue an opponent, throwing and joint locking was used in
combination with striking methods. As karate became more modernized less
importance was placed on karate’s tuite or grappling art and more
emphasis was placed on punching and kicking skills. This was done in
order to make the art more suitable and safer for tournament
competition.
Warrior jujitsu’s
emphasis on technique is the reverse of karates. Throwing and
joint locking are emphasized more in jujitsu and punching and kicking
are emphasized less. Although punching and kicking, known as
atemi within the parlance of jujitsu, are often used to set up a
throw or joint lock. It is perhaps necessary to look at the historical
perspective of jujitsu in order to understand the emphasis on waza or
technique within this martial art.
In terms of technique,
classical jujitsu emphasizes blocking and either throwing or joint
locking to subjugate an opponent. One reason for this emphasis in
technique is that in ancient times a samurai who lost or broke his sword
had to deal with a sword-wielding opponent clad in armor. In this
case, standard karate blocking, punching and kicking was rather
ineffective against the samurai’s armor and the Japanese katana.
The katana or Japanese sword was a formidable weapon and was in
essence a three-foot razor blade. What actually works against a
sword, or at least has a higher probability of success, is to tie up the
opponent’s weapon and use grappling methods to disarm him.
It would seem from this
that the most effective modern martial art would contain elements of
punching, kicking, throwing and ground fighting. The recently televised
fighting matches, that are virtually no holds barred, have raised a few
eyebrows among traditional martial artists. Notwithstanding the
traditions of the classical Japanese martial arts, perhaps these
ultimate fighting matches are good in that they serve as a reality check
for all of us and allow us to focus [like it or not] on the continuing
evolution of the martial arts.
In analyzing modern
martial art methods or techniques, the total modern martial art should
be categorized into standing striking methods, throwing and takedowns,
joint locking, choking and ground fighting. However, it is important to
note that striking methods, punching and kicking, can be done either
standing or on the ground. Although, it is arguable that striking
techniques are most effective while standing.
Standing Striking
Methods
Stand up fighting using
striking methods, including punching and kicking, relies on the
alternate use of offensive and defensive tactics. Offensive
tactics include aggressively closing with an opponent using rapid-fire
kicks and punches to make him submit. The idea is to make him physically
and psychologically incapable of counterattacking. As long as the
opponent is physically and psychologically capable of attacking the
fight is not over. Sufficient punching and kicking techniques must be
used to render the opponent incapable of fighting back. The proper uses
of distance, speed, power, timing and vital point striking are all
essential elements of striking.
Throwing and
Takedowns
Throwing and takedowns
involve closing with the opponent taking a grip and breaking his balance
so that he falls to the ground. A throwing technique can make use of the
hand, hip, shoulder, leg or foot to throw, sweep or trip the opponent. A
takedown involves shooting the opponent’s leg. This means rapidly
closing with the opponent, grabbing his leg and crashing into him,
knocking him down. A single leg takedown in classical
jujitsu is called kuchiki taoshi (dead tree drop) and a double
leg takedown is called morote gari (two hand reap)! On the
opposite side of the coin, defending against a takedown involves
striking the attacker with a kick or a punch as he shoots your leg. An
alternate defense is to simply scoot your legs back as your opponent
shoots your leg and fall on top of him. A throwing technique or takedown
may not necessarily end the fight. A good throw can injure or daze an
opponent but may not render him incapable of fighting. It simply puts
the fight on a different level. On the ground!
Ground Fighting
Most fights that are won
on the ground are won by being in the mounted position i.e., on top of
your opponent, and either striking downward reigning blows upon the
opponent or applying a choke or joint lock. Defensively, if you are on
the bottom, it is best to use the pyramid defense to block punches and
then reverse the situation by bucking off your opponent. You can
then get on top of him and be in the superior position.
Choking can be done most effectively on the ground from behind the
opponent using a naked strangle. One method of doing this is to entangle
your legs around your opponent’s legs, roll him on his back with you
underneath, and choke him from behind in order to bring him into
submission.
Joint Locking
Joint locking or
kansetsu waza as it is known in Japanese can be used in a standing or
lying down position to cause pain and make the opponent submit. Joint
locking can also be used to throw an opponent to the ground where ne
waza or matwork can be employed. Additionally, once a throw or
takedown has been successfully used on an opponent the fight then goes
to the ground. A throw itself may not end the fight. So, a finishing
technique, such as a joint locking technique, must be used. The various
forms of locking or kansetsu waza include wristlocks, arm bars, leg bars
or ankle locks. Pressure against a joint in the opposite direction in
which a joint normally moves will cause severe pain and make almost any
opponent give up. In fact, an excruciating amount of pain can be caused
even before damage is done to the joint.
Chokes
Strangulation or choking
is another highly effective way to make almost anybody submit during a
fight. In a fashion similar to joint locking, strangulation techniques
can be used either from a standing position or on the ground. The two
major techniques are to either grab the opponent’s gi and use it
as a fulcrum to apply violent pressure to the neck or to use the
forearms, also known as hadaka jime or naked strangle, to apply
pressure to the neck. In each case, pressure is applied to either the
carotid artery or windpipe, which rapidly cuts off the opponent’s blood
supply to the brain or air, respectively. A properly applied
choke will cause the opponent to pass out within seconds.
Therefore, the most
effective and total modern martial art contains elements of punching,
kicking, throwing, joint locking, strangulation and ground fighting. It
would seem that the martial arts have come full circle. This is true in
that the older combative disciplines such as Okinawan Karate and Chinese
Kempo, to name a few, all contained the full range of striking, throwing
and grappling techniques. It is only in recent history that the martial
arts have become so specialized in terms of their individual techniques.
The martial arts are continually evolving and have undergone a recent
transition in which techniques are now more all encompassing. It
seems once again that we have returned to a total approach to the
martial arts.
Damien Chambers is an
Englishman who lives and practices martial arts in Kyoto, Japan. He is a
martial arts historian and translator. He has been featured as a
narrator on various videotapes entitled, The Fighting Spirit of Old
Japan, Kodokan: Japanese Judo Masters, Tomiki Aikido and Early American
Judo & Jujitsu. He can be contacted through Yamazato Productions (423)
338-4972 or Masrtersline videos at (310) 248-3633.