Your thoughts on "Jitsu"

[Diomedes]

Hi. As a poor student, there's no way I can afford to attend BJJ where I am, it's simply too expensive. However, my university has some sort of Ju Jitsu club, which would be more affordable, though everything's tough when you have as little $$ as I do :p

I'd like you guys opinions, based on the information available. Here's the website:

http://www.geocities.com/vuwjitsu/

Their website seems to be a bit out of date, but provides some information:

WHAT IS JITSU?
The Jitsu Style of the Jitsu Foundation Austrlasia is designed principally for practical self-defense in a modern setting, using techniques that work under realistic conditions.

Ju-Jitsu, translated as "gentle art", is a method of fighting that employs holds, locks and throws to subdue an opponent. Because this sort of thing requires considerably more skill than strength, men and women of any size can become very good at it. In training sessions, you will learn how to defend yourself from everything from unwanted grabs to punches, shoves, head-butts, chokes, kicks and multiple attackers, armed or otherwise. By training regularly, you will improve your general fitness, flexibility, strength, coordination, reaction time, and above all, self-confidence.

They have a video here:

http://www.geocities.com/vuwjitsu/movies/jitsu.mpeg

Thoughts?

[Shawarma]

No judo around?

[Diomedes]

No judo around?

There's no university Judo club unfortunately, though there are probably private clubs in the city. Basically Uni clubs are all I can afford to attend since they're much cheaper for students. The Muay Thai and Boxing clubs are superb, but I dont have any experience with the rest. They've got two TKD clubs and two Karate clubs as well, but I'm not particularly interested in them - I might check out the Kyokushin one sometime though.

[PEtrainer]

You should look into some akidio or Capoeria then.

[Diomedes]

You should look into some akidio or Capoeria then.

Har har.

I've seen the Aikido club guys practising actually. Super slow-mo.

There's also a ninjitsu club.

[Zing!]

Jeezy's advice is good. If that fails, judo is generally cheap. Check out the clubs around you and you might be surprised.

[supercrap]

Roughly 5 times on their website it mentions drinking beer after training is essential.

Go there. At least you can get drunk and forget you are training a shit martial art.

[eyebeams]

The "Jitsu" Foundation teaches a JJJ style called Shorinji Kan. They're headquartered in the UK. We have a club around here. Some stuff:

* It's mostly standup grappling in the JJJ style, but resistance is added as you go up. It evolves from one-steps to full-on sparring by the blue-brown level.
* However, even in the beginning drills they do emphasize on target attacks by uke at full power, with some resistance permitted.
* It's a modern JJJ style, so even though there are ancient weapons, they also talk about bottles and such.
* They practice tournament style judo at senior belts. A jitsu belt is not going to be as good a judoka as a judoka of the same rank by any means.
* They heavily emphasize ukemi skills.
* They do tend to be partying types, to be sure.

So in short it eases into fully resistant striking and grappling over time, but you don't get it from the start. One of my seniors in kung fu is a brown at their club here and we was able to use the throws he learned in sanda competition when he visited China over the summer.

[Cullion]

I tried the style for a few weeks (we had a thread about them before). I largely agree with eyebeam's comments except to say that they don't practice striking that much and I've never heard of them really sparring with strikes. AFAIK their striking is limited to RBSD-style self defence drills. They don't claim to be able to teach people to strike well enough for any sort of competitive use.

It's better than most Aikido, and more varied (though less intense and resistant) than Judo.
They don't do randoori every week, but they seem to gradually be getting more into alive and resistant training.

They are generally nice people, aren't out to milk their students for cash (the TJF seems to be a well organised non-profit organisation that ensures instructors have first aid and teaching skills), and have no problem with people cross-training (a lot of their higher grades seem to cross train in Judo).

The Bullshido user Sophist trained with them for a while, so you might want to ask his opinion.

A lot of TJF members post on this site (most of the posters have trained in either TJF or an offshoot.) : http://www.planetjitsu.com

Some of their users also read bullshido, but I'm not sure if they actively post here.

[Diomedes]

Thanks for the thoughts and info guys. I will probably give it a go for a few weeks at least, but I'll have to wait until I get back from up north at the beginning of next year. I'm also trying to find out prices for Judo classes - I've found a couple of clubs in my area, but it's funny how the websites will have all sorts of information except actual fees. If I'm lucky one might have a student discount.

[slideyfoot]

Previous thread here.

I trained at the Warwick University Jitsu club (which called itself 'samurai jiu jitsu') for about a month (went along to five sessions), and I personally wouldn't rate it.

Firstly, the teaching was terrible. Techniques were shown once, you were supposed to practice it for about a minute, then onto the next technique.

Secondly, the main focus of the class was breakfalling. Over and over again. Now, breakfalling is important, but shouldn't take up such a large proportion of class.

Thirdly, 'knife defence'. I'm no expert on that, but from what I remember, it was the classic x blocking etc. However, I may be remembering that incorrectly, as it was a few years ago now.

I never did any sparring, but then I was only there briefly. Other possibly minor thing that put me off was that they were extremely keen to get you teaching - clearly had expansionist aims, which makes an organisation prone to McDojoism. The two things in the classes favour were firstly that they all seemed quite friendly, so there was a welcoming atmosphere. Secondly, one of the higher belts had apparently performed well in a judo competition; that would seem to indicate some skill, at least on his part, though I'm not sure what the details of the competition were.

Further info from the site:

Jitsu is a martial art based on a moving system of throwing, locking and striking.

Better than that, you don't need to be big, strong or fit to start (although you will get fitter).

It is great as a martial art, or just for self-defence if that's all your looking for. With Jitsu you will learn defences against un-armed attacks: punches, kicks, being grabbed hold of; and armed attacks: knives, coshes, bottles, even chains and chairs!

Jitsu is great at dealing with modern day violent situations and teaching you how to get out of them safely. And what we teach will give you a range of options from getting yourself into the position where you can just walk away (if someone has grabbed you drunkenly on the dance floor) to putting someone on the floor and restraining them there until the police arrive (if someone has tried to mug you for example)

We teach you to deal with all sorts of attacks, from people grabbing hold of you, to trying to punch or kick you, to even more serious situations where your attacker has weapons, or where there is more than one of them.

Roughly speaking, you can never grade unless your club instructor tells you that he (or she) thinks you are ready to grade, and puts you forward for a grading. Conversly, if your club instructor says you are ready to grade, then you are. They've been doing this a lot longer than you, and will have an excellent idea of whether or not you are ready.

Purely for your entertainment then, here is a list of the main criteria which determine whether or not a candiidate is ready to grade.

1. The student must have trained at least once weekly for three months between grades up to 4th Kyu. For 3rd 2nd and 1st Kyu students must have a six-month period between grades.
2. For 3rd and 2nd Kyu the student must have taught at least twice a month in that period under the supervision of the club instructor.
3. For 1st Kyu the student must have full knowledge of club running and teaching.
4. Any student without a gi will not be eligible.
5. Any student with long nails, dirty gi or incorrectly tied belt will not be eligible.
6. Once the dojo becomes a grading room there will be no talking whispering or joking by the students.
7. Failure to rei to the grading panel at the commencement of the student's first routine will result in instant failure.
8. If a student loses their temper this too will result in instant failure.
9. A student must attend at least two courses between gradings in order to be eligible.
10. A student must produce a valid licence on demand.
11. A student must be nominated for a grading by their club instructor or mentor.

[Cullion]

The two things in the classes favour were firstly that they all seemed quite friendly, so there was a welcoming atmosphere. Secondly, one of the higher belts had apparently performed well in a judo competition; that would seem to indicate some skill, at least on his part, though I'm not sure what the details of the competition were.

Further info from the site:

The TJF have an internal 'judo rules' competition where they compete with other practitioners of the same style. I think the rules are a bit more restrictive than real judo competition, at least for lower grades. I watched a class and went to two classes and didn't see any randoori (although they do do it).

We did about 15 minutes of ne waza in one class.

[flange]

[Diomedes]

Awesome info, thanks guys, you've helped me a lot. I'm still checking out the prices at the Judo schools, but I think I'll probably have to just play around with my budget a bit and find a way.

[gabro]

Try the Wellington Judo & Jujutsu Academy. Don't know about the Jujutsu, but the Judo was great when I visited them. Nothing like getting straight off the plane from UK and onto the mats to cure jet-lag. I don't think they were too expensive, and they also enjoyed the occasional pint after class if that is important to you.

Try to get sophist started on Jitsu, but only if you have a few hours spare........