| Part 1The Beginning | | | | more acceptable as an Olympic sport. Leg locks |
| "Where did it all begin?"I don't think anyone can | | | | were not allowed, and when a fight went to the |
| answer this question with certainty, but there are | | | | ground, a player had only 25 seconds to escape a |
| plenty of good hypotheses. Every culture has | | | | hold or pin before the match was lost. These are |
| some form of hand to hand combat in its history. | | | | a few of the rules that hindered Judo as a realistic |
| Combat without weapons usually appears in the | | | | form of self-defense. Then why did Judo flourish |
| form of wrestling and sometimes boxing. Looking | | | | and why was it so great? Even with all the rules |
| at the history timeline, one good hypothesis is | | | | and restrictions, the time-tested principle of "pure |
| that the wrestling techniques of Jiu-Jitsu could | | | | grappler beats pure striker," still holds true. The |
| very well have come from Ancient Greece. | | | | fact remains that most fights, even those fights |
| Olympic games were one of the Greek's | | | | occurring between strikers with no grappling |
| strongest traditions. It is most likely that along | | | | experience, end up in a clinch. You see the clinch in |
| with Greek ideas, came one of its most popular | | | | just about every boxing match, and hundreds of |
| sports, Pankration. Pankration was a sport that | | | | punches usually need to be thrown to end the |
| involved both boxing and wrestling techniques and | | | | fight with a strike, which gives the grappler plenty |
| became more popular to the Greeks than either | | | | of opportunity to take his/her opponent to the |
| of those sports individually. Pankration would later | | | | ground, where a pure striker has no experience |
| be overshadowed by the Roman Gladiators, and | | | | and is at the grappler's mercy.After a match-up |
| then banned from the Olympics by Christian | | | | between older styles of Jiu-jitsu and Judo at the |
| leaders of the Roman Empire. Even though new | | | | Tokyo police headquarters, Judo was named the |
| rulers would come and go, Greek customs and | | | | national martial art in Japan. It was the official art |
| ideas still reached India, where Jiu-Jitsu's foundation | | | | used by law enforcement in the late 1800's, and |
| was likely to have been born. During Alexander | | | | continues to be popular to this day. During World |
| the Great's conquests (356 - 323 B.C.), he brought | | | | War II, many U.S. soldiers were exposed to the |
| the Greek culture to the areas he conquered. His | | | | art of Judo and brought it back to America with |
| conquests stretched all the way to India, where | | | | them. The first issue of Black Belt magazine here |
| he introduced the customs and ideals of Greek | | | | in America (1961), featured a sketch of a Judo |
| culture to the people of that area. Jiu-Jitsu wasn't | | | | throw and was a special Judo issue.It wasn't until |
| being formally taught in Japan for over one | | | | the birth of martial arts in Hollywood that the |
| thousand years after this. Many say that the | | | | mystique of martial arts myths were catapulted |
| Greek influence in India led to the development of | | | | to the public eye on a large scale. Here in the U.S. |
| Kung Fu or more appropriately, Wu Shu (martial | | | | especially, Bruce Lee was one of the greatest |
| arts) in China.The Chinese have a great deal of | | | | catalysts for martial arts in the world today. |
| stories to support the history of their martial arts. | | | | Bruce Lee was actually a student of Judo and did |
| The general idea embraced by most historians is | | | | many studies on grappling while he was alive. He |
| that systemized martial arts techniques came | | | | criticized traditional martial arts as being |
| from India along with Buddhism (Bodhi Dharma). | | | | ineffective, but ironically spread more myths |
| The concept here is that the Shaolin temple was | | | | about martial arts through his movies than almost |
| built in the center of China and this is where Bodhi | | | | anyone in martial arts history.Jigoro Kano was the |
| Dharma introduced Buddhism and Boxing | | | | founder of Judo, however, Judo is simply a style |
| (senzuikyo). (ref. Aikido and Chinese Martial Arts, | | | | of Jiu-jitsu and not a separate martial art. Kano |
| Sugawara and Xing) The story that supports the | | | | was not the first to use the name Judo, the |
| idea of Jiu-Jitsu coming from China takes place | | | | Jiu-jitsu schools he studied at, which would be the |
| around the time of the fall of the Ming Dynasty. It | | | | source of much of his Judo's techniques had used |
| states that a man named Chingempin came from | | | | the phrase before he made it famous in the late |
| Japan to live in Tokyo at a Buddhist temple | | | | 1800's.The first use of the name Judo was by |
| where he met three Ronin (masterless Samurai) | | | | Seijun Inoue IV, who applied it to his Jujitsu of |
| named Fukuno, Isogai, and Miura. Chingempin told | | | | Jikishin-ryu. Students of Jikishin-ryu Judo were not |
| the Ronin of a grappling art he had seen in China. | | | | only expected to master its ninety-seven |
| The Ronin became particularly interested in | | | | techniques, but to also develop into generous and |
| pursuing the study of this art, so he then began | | | | gentle-mannered individuals.Kuninori Suzuki V, the |
| teaching in Japan, and this art became Jiu-Jitsu.The | | | | Master of Kito-ryu (Kito means to Rise and Fall) |
| next theory is that there was many forms of | | | | Jiu-jitsu, changed the name of Kito-kumiuchi to |
| wrestling that had developed in China. One of the | | | | Kito-ryu Judo in 1714. The most important |
| most notable is Horn Wrestling, called Jiaodixi. This | | | | contribution that kito ryu would offer Judo was |
| form of wrestling was practiced by the | | | | the principle of kuzushi (off-balancing), which is the |
| Mongolians and later evolved into Jiaoli, which was | | | | key to the throwing techniques of modern Judo. |
| wrestling without the horns. This form of | | | | Jigoro Kano studied the judo of Jikishin-ryu and |
| wrestling can be seen in Native American cultures | | | | Kito-ryu, and incorporated some of their concepts |
| (evident in the typical Native American Buffalo | | | | into his original system, which he named Kodokan |
| head wear) and most likely arrived there by way | | | | Judo.Judo is made up of many styles of Jiu-jitsu |
| of Mongolians migrating through now modern | | | | whose masters Kano had studied with. The most |
| Alaska. Jiaoli evolved and became Xiangpu and it is | | | | notable were Jikishin-ryu, Kito-ryu, and later |
| said that this form of wrestling became Sumo in | | | | Fusen-ryu would be incorporated for its |
| Japan. Another theory says that there were | | | | groundwork (ne waza) as Kano would ask the |
| practitioners of Chikura Karube, a wrestling sport | | | | style's head master, Mataemon Tanabe for his |
| developed around 200 B.C. It is said that Chikura | | | | syllabus. Yokiashi Yamashita (Kano's Chief |
| Karube later became Jiu-Jitsu in Japan.The last | | | | assistant) would add his knowledge of Yoshin Ryu |
| story mentioned here is that Jiu-Jitsu is Japanese | | | | ju jitsu and Tenshin shinyo Ryu ju jitsu, both of |
| and from Japan. This story follows the same basic | | | | which, he was a master.In 1912, Kano met with |
| idea but differs in that Chingempin introduced an | | | | the remaining leader masters of Jiu Jitsu to finalize |
| early form of Jiu-Jitsu (not yet called Jiu-Jitsu) | | | | a Kodokan syllabus of training and kata. Aoyagi of |
| called Kempo in Japan, which consisted mostly of | | | | Sosusihis Ryu, Takano, Yano, Kotaro Imei and |
| strikes and very little grappling. From there, the | | | | Hikasuburo Ohshima from Takeuisi Ryu. Jushin |
| Japanese developed it into a more effective | | | | Sekiguchi and Mogichi Tsumizu from Sekiguchi |
| grappling art. One thing is certain about these | | | | Ryu, Eguchi from Kyushin Ryu, Hoshino from |
| stories, and that is that the Japanese were | | | | Shiten Ryu, Inazu from Miura Ryu and finally, |
| responsible for refining a grappling art into a very | | | | Takamatsu, a Kukkishin Ryu master, whose |
| sophisticated grappling system called | | | | school specialized in weapons training.Before the |
| Jiu-Jitsu.Tracing the history of grappling techniques | | | | formal meeting between Kano and the |
| for this book was quite interesting. In doing so, I | | | | grandmasters of Japan's greatest Jiu-jitsu schools, |
| decided to look for some common threads | | | | a defining event occurred, which is one of the |
| between the stories, which are:All ancient cultures | | | | most historically important pieces of the Brazilian |
| had some form of grappling and unarmed fighting | | | | Jiu-jitsu puzzle. By 1900, the Kodokan had been |
| techniques. | | | | challenging other Jiu-Jitsu schools in sport |
| The Greek culture gave its fighters the greatest | | | | competition and winning with throwing (standing) |
| financial and social rewards. The ancient Greeks | | | | techniques. Much of the Kodokan's status was |
| conquered quite a bit of territory during the time | | | | built on the throwing skills of Shiro Saigo, a |
| of Alexander the Great, including the area that | | | | practitioner of Oshikiuchi, the art of Daito Ryu |
| Jiu-Jitsu's techniques were said to have come | | | | Aikijujutsu. Jigoro Kano had actually enlisted the |
| from. | | | | help of Shiro Saigo in order to win a famous |
| Wrestling did exist in China and Mongolia before | | | | tournament at the Tokyo police headquarters in |
| Jiu-Jitsu did in Japan, and it is interesting to note | | | | 1886. This tournament, mentioned briefly earlier in |
| that this is where Native American wrestling most | | | | this chapter, was Judo (Kano's style of Jujitsu) vs. |
| likely came from by way of migration over the | | | | "old" Jujitsu. It is interesting to note that Kano's |
| Alaskan Ice Bridge. | | | | champion was not originally a Judo student at all, |
| The pinning and throwing techniques of Jiu-Jitsu | | | | but a student of an older Jujitsu style, which in |
| are very similar to, and in some cases, the same | | | | reality, defeated the purpose of having a Judo vs. |
| as those of Greco Roman Wrestling.Development | | | | Jujitsu tournament in the first place.As I stated |
| of Jiu-Jitsu | | | | earlier, Judo was a collection of Jiu-jitsu styles, |
| Jiu-Jitsu itself was developed in Japan during the | | | | once such style was the Fusen Ryu. Fusen was a |
| Feudal period. It was originally an art designed for | | | | school of Jiu-jitsu which specialized in Ground |
| warfare, but after the abolition of the Feudal | | | | Work (Ne Waza). In 1900, the Kodokan challenged |
| system in Japan, certain modifications needed to | | | | the Fusen Ryu school to a contest. At that time |
| be made to the art in order to make it suitable | | | | Judo did not have Ne Waza (ground fighting |
| for practice. During Feudal times, Jiu-Jitsu was also | | | | techniques), so instead they fought standing up, |
| known as Yawara, Hakuda, Kogusoko, and an | | | | as Kano had been taught in both the Tenshin |
| assortment of other names. The earliest recorded | | | | Shinyo Ryu and Kito Ryu systems he studied. |
| use of the word "jiu-jitsu" happens in 1532 and is | | | | Both Kito Ryu and Tenshin Shinyo Ryu had |
| coined by the Takenouchi Ryu (school). The | | | | excellent striking skills and effective throws.When |
| history of the art during this time is uncertain | | | | Kodokan Judo practitioners fought the |
| because teachers kept everything secret to give | | | | practitioners of Fusen Ryu Jiu-Jitsu, the Kodokan |
| their art a feeling of importance and then would | | | | practitioners realized that there was no way they |
| change the stories of their art to suit their own | | | | could defeat the Kodokan Judoka standing, thus |
| needs.After the Feudal period in Japan ended | | | | they decided to use their superior ground fighting |
| (Jiu-jitsu was no longer needed on the battlefield), | | | | skills. When the Kodokan fighters and the Fusen |
| a way to practice the art realistically was needed, | | | | Ryu men began to fight, the Jiu-Jitsu practitioners |
| which is why Jigoro Kano (1860--1938), a | | | | immediately went to the guard position ( lying on |
| practitioner of Jiu-Jitsu, developed his own system | | | | their backs in front of their opponents in order to |
| of Jiu-Jitsu in the late 1800's, called Judo. Judo was | | | | control them with the use of their legs). The |
| helpful because it allowed practitioners the ability | | | | Kodokan Judoka didn't know what to do, and then |
| to try the art safely and realistically at the same | | | | the Fusen Ryu practitioners took them to the |
| time. The most important contribution Judo made | | | | ground, using submission holds to win the |
| to the practice of "Jiu-jitsu" was the concept of | | | | matches. This was the first real loss that the |
| Rondori. Rondori was a form of sparing and | | | | Kodokan had experienced in eight years.Kano |
| contained a set of sportive rules that made | | | | knew that if they were going to continue |
| practice safe, yet realistic. Because of the | | | | challenging other Jiu-Jitsu schools, they needed a |
| sportive outlet (rules that made practice safe), | | | | full range of ground fighting techniques. Thus with |
| students of Jiu-jitsu from Kano's school were able | | | | friends of other Jiu-Jitsu systems, among them |
| to practice more frequently due to the fact that | | | | being Fusen Ryu practitioners, Kano formulated |
| they were not always recovering from injuries. | | | | the Ne Waza (ground techniques) of Kodokan |
| This multiplies the amount of training time for | | | | Judo which included three divisions: Katame Waza |
| student's of Kano's school and drastically increased | | | | (joint locking techniques), Shime Waza (choking |
| their abilities. Judo (Kano's version of Jiu-jitsu) was | | | | techniques), and Osae Waza (holding techniques). |
| watered down from the complete form (of | | | | This all occurs shortly before Judo arrives in Brazil, |
| Jiu-jitsu), but still contained enough techniques to | | | | and serves as an excellent suggestion as to why |
| preserve its realistic effectiveness. The one | | | | Brazilian Jiu-jitsu contains a higher percentage of |
| problem that occurred was, in Kano's opinion, | | | | techniques on the ground than most styles of |
| ground work was not as important as achieving | | | | Jiu-jitsu or Judo. Thus, we find ourselves faced |
| the throw or take down, therefore ground | | | | with the impending development of Jiu-Jitsu in |
| fighting was not emphasized in Judo and became | | | | Brazil.Gene Simco is a Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Black Belt |
| weak in that system. Judo also began placing too | | | | and author of several tuitles on the subject. |
| many rules and regulations on the art to make it | | | | |