| Unarmed fighting forms have be a part of | | | | today's weapons, Tokyo police still carry a hojo |
| Japanese culture for many centuries. Unarmed | | | | cord and train with it regularly. Truly modern |
| combat is mentioned in the earliest Japanese | | | | Jujutsu was founded towards the end of the |
| historical records. The Japanese fighting systems | | | | Tokegawa period around the year 1850. Around |
| we know today have their origins found in ancient | | | | this time many Jujutsu schools sprung up which |
| Japanese battlefield combat systems. The fighting | | | | stressed Jujitsu training based on the Edo Jujustsu |
| styles that fall under the general name Sengoku | | | | system rather than the Sengoku Jujutsu system |
| Jujutsu were originally not for unarmed combat as | | | | as battlefield confrontation was no longer very |
| much as they were to help a lightly armored | | | | relevant. Modern Jujutsu is employed by law |
| warrior defeat a heavily armed warrior. The | | | | enforcement and military all around the world. It is |
| heavily armed attacker would generally not be | | | | a very effective way to restrain an attacker |
| prepared to defend against unarmed techniques. | | | | without using lethal force. If an opponent is not |
| Jujitsu training includes learning striking, body | | | | trained in Jujutsu, it is very hard for them to |
| throws, sweeps, joint-locks, off-balance throws, | | | | defend against Jujutsu's attacks and control |
| pinning, grappling, wrestling, strangulating holds, | | | | maneuvers. Modern Jujutsu is also very popular in |
| submission holds, and even weapon skills such as | | | | the mixed martial arts sport of today, and there |
| with the tanto. Jujitsu training also includes | | | | are also many Jujutsu specific competitions. One |
| defensive strategies such as evasion, blocking, | | | | of the reasons Jujutsu is so effective is that it |
| blending, escaping, and maintaining balance. During | | | | specializes in reacting to any given situation. You |
| the Edo period is when the Jujitsu that we | | | | do not just run striking drills and hope an |
| recognize today started to come into being. The | | | | opponent cannot defend against your |
| Nihon Jujutsu of today is a child of Edo Jujutsu, | | | | combinations. Jujutsu allows the student to stay |
| which was less battlefield oriented and focused on | | | | effective no matter where the fight goes. If the |
| dealing with unarmored opponents. One of the | | | | fight goes to the ground, the Jujutsu student is |
| primary differences is the addition use of striking | | | | prepared. Jujutsu allows the student to keep |
| vital targets. This would not be of much use | | | | control over the fight and impose his strategy |
| against an armored opponent, but it is very | | | | upon the opponent no matter what they try to |
| powerful when used against an enemy in civilian or | | | | do. |
| street clothes. One aspect of the original forms of | | | | Yoshi I Kundagawa is a freelance journalist. He |
| Jujitsu training that is no longer seen much is the | | | | covers the mixed martial arts industry. For a free |
| use of a cord to restrain or choke an attacker. | | | | report on jujitsu training visit his blog. |
| While these techniques are not as relevant with | | | | |