Jiu Jitsu is a martial art with tradition. It has been practiced for a long time in Asia, but where its roots lie exactly can not be said, but there are several legends.
In this article we would like to introduce you to the origins of Jiu Jitsu and how the sport has found its current popularity.
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Roots in China & Japan
This martial art has its roots in China. There are some legends told of Chinese who came to Japan and attracted attention with their special martial arts skills. They were accepted as samurai in Japan and thus passed on their knowledge to the Japanese. However, there are also sources that simply tell of a cultural exchange between traders and monks, which included the exchange of fighting techniques.
The legend of the Japanese doctor
According to the original legend, there was a Japanese doctor who was looking for a martial art that could be performed without great physical strength
He is said to have observed the effects of a heavy snowfall one winter day: A rigid, sturdy cherry tree broke under the weight of the snow, while a pliable willow simply gave way and remained undamaged. This “spirit of the willow” was then used as a model for the new martial art.
For this reason, Jiu Jitsu is also called “The Yielding Art“. It is always about evading the attack energy and finally hitting the weak points of the attacker.
Constant improvement!
In addition, Jiu Jitsu could also be called “thecurious martial art“. The reason: unlike other martial arts, the fighting system has remained open to new influences to this day. Consequently, it is constantly being developed further. In the course of time, new Jiu Jitsu schools have been added. In addition, new styles are constantly being formed
Depending on the school, different techniques were preferred. Thus, a martial arts universe of its own was created. The martial arts also suffered from the decline of the samurai. People looked forward to a new era and Western influence increased. Thus, self-defense without weapons lost its importance.
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Current influences & popularity today
It was not until the end of the 19th century that people returned to the old traditions and began to transform Japanese martial arts into contemporary combat sports. As a result, Jiu Jitsu also experienced a rebirth. At that time, the educational value of martial arts was increasingly appreciated. Bit by bit, the samurai martial art became more popular. At first there were many Japanese from all parts of the population who practiced the martial art. Then, in the 20th century, it began its triumphal march around the world.
The popularity of Jiu Jitsu also increased because more and more security forces began to learn the techniques. This has not changed until today. There is a good reason for this, because the fighting techniques have many advantages: They are effective without causing unnecessary damage to the attacker. It is possible to incapacitate an attacker without risking serious injury. Jiu Jitsu also got the nickname “Gentleman Art” because you can feel like a real gentleman while fighting. Security forces also like Jiu Jitsu because it is an open system. New techniques can be added as needed using the modular principle and can be combined as desired. For example, techniques can also be selected based on whether they meet legal requirements.
Update: 2023-05-28 / Affiliate Links / Bilder von der Amazon Product Advertising API