How Does Jiu Jitsu Differ From Other Martial Arts?

[Preston Gary]

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.
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.
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-defense 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-defense 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.
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.
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.
Disclaimer: This article is intended as an informational source on the
art of Jiu Jitsu and not meant to be a guide on how to "do" Jiu Jitsu.
Please do not attempt to undertake any actions described herein
without proper supervision or cause. If you take an interest in Jiu
Jitsu please find a club to join and take part in the controlled and
safe-environment of the dojo. The information on this site is taken
from secondary sources and is given in good faith. It should not be
regarded as scientific or expert advice in its own right. We recommend
you conduct your own research with expert sources prior to engaging or
applying any technique mentioned here.

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