The Art
Jiu Jitsu ( the gentle art)
Jiu Jitsu literally means the "art of softness" and is a collective name for Japanese martial arts styles which include armed and unarmed techniques. Although the name translates as gentle, the effects of the art are far from it.
Jiu Jitsu was developed by the Samurai warriors on the battlefields of feudal Japan, as a method for defeating an armed and armored opponent without the use of their primary weapons. The idea is to ground the opponent or opponents using as little effort as possible if the warriors own weapon was lost or broken. Kumi Uchi (grappling in armour) made use of the opponent's breast plate and shoulder plates in order to topple him. This was sometimes aided by the use of a small dagger. All Samurai carried various secret concealed weapons in case of emergency. Due to the ineffectiveness of striking the body against an armored opponent, the most efficient methods for neutralizing an enemy took the form of trips, sweeps, joint locks and take downs. These techniques were developed around the principle of using an attacker's energy against him, rather than directly opposing it.
