How Does Jiu Jitsu Differ from Other Martial Arts?

Jiu Jitsu developed among the samurai of feudal Japan for use in combat against other samurai. As samurai were usually fully armored, punches and kicks were not very effective. Consequently, jiu-jitsu stressed immobilizing an enemy quickly and permanently using holds, pins, and throws. The idea was to use an enemy samurai's energy against him, rather than directly opposing it. family martial arts academy (Si apre in una nuova finestra)

Jiu Jitsu, literally translated as "the art of softness" or "way of yielding", is a "soft" martial art style. "Soft" styles, like jiu-jitsu, prefer yielding to an opponent's force, using balance and leverage to turn an attacker's momentum against themselves, rather than opposing force with force. "Hard" martial styles (such as Karate and Kung Fu), in contrast, favor forceful, direct attacks requiring power, speed, and strength.

Different martial arts stress different types of combat. Judo, for example, stresses wrestling, and Tae Kwon Do stresses kicking. In jiu-jitsu, it stresses grappling.

"Grappling", though similar to wrestling, is subtly different. Grappling techniques include joint-locks (see below), holds, trapping, pinning, throwing, gouging, biting, choking, and strangling. Jiu Jitsu also includes defensive techniques such as disengaging from an opponent's grasp and breaking your falls. family jiu jitsu classes (Si apre in una nuova finestra)

Joint-locks, incidentally, are pressuring a joint in a way it's not supposed to bend. Not only does it prevent an opponent from using that limb against you, but it causes them pain the more they struggle? Encouraging them to give up. American police are taught to use joint locks to immobilize aggressive criminals.

Why Should I Learn Jiu Jitsu?

Jiu Jitsu is an excellent self-defence martial art to learn for several reasons. First, it teaches how to escape an opponent's attack. Second, you learn how to immobilize an attacker without necessarily hurting them. Third, it teaches as escalation of force.

First, in terms of self-defence from a mugger or rapist, the longer you stay to fight, the greater the chance that the attacker will overwhelm you (especially since criminal tends to travel in packs, or at least pairs). Therefore, the smartest thing to do is to escape and get to a well-lit public area. Muggers know this, so the first thing they'll to do is grab and immobilize you. In jiu-jitsu, you are taught how to escape from such grips and get away. family martial arts classes (Si apre in una nuova finestra)

Second, if the only fighting you know how to do involves hurting someone quickly and deeply, you could get in big trouble. In barroom brawls, or even if a mugger attacks you, if you seriously injure them or kill them, you'll almost certainly face a lawsuit. Being able to escape, immobilize, or subdue an opponent without causing them serious harm neatly avoids this problem.

Escalation of force essentially means only using the minimum necessary force to overcome an opponent. There is a huge combat difference, for example, between a New York City mugger with a knife, and drunken Cousin Eddie who's getting a bit rowdy at a family reunion. bjj for kids (Si apre in una nuova finestra)

Obviously, both issues need to be dealt with. Equally obvious, however, is that you need to use much less force against drunken Cousin Eddie than you would against a mugger. Jiu Jitsu, by teaching how to immobilize an opponent with holds, joint-locks, and pins, allows you to do both. You can pin Cousin Eddie until he calms down while causing him little, if any, harm. On the other hand, if you need to, you can disarm the mugger and throw them to the ground dazed.