The hips in Classical Jujutsu

Jujutsu (science of suppleness; 柔術) is a system of unarmed combat developed in Japan in the early 16th century from a much older system of fighting as their perfect shape. They wanted to survive on the battlefield but also in everyday life, dressed in samurai armor (katcchu) or without. What that says leads to the characteristics of the classical form of jujutsu where there is no rotation of the hips (nejiranai; 捻らない) to perform strikes, leverage or throws since it is simply impossible while wearing armor.

Punches and kicks, levers, chokes and throws specifically for Jujutsu were developed during periods of calm in Japan after 1603 systematized and divided into several levels, which at that time were used as a rating system in comparison to today’s Kyu and Dan system put in place by Jigoro Kano the founder of Judo.

Jujutsu throughout history had different names which differed from school to school; Yawara ge, kacchu, Yoroi Kumi uchi, but Jujutsu is the best known term used to this day.

The classic form is still practiced in many schools, for example according to the Honcho Bugei Shoden in chapter 9 lists some schools such as;

– Takenouchi-ryu 竹の内流
– Mujinsai-Ryu 無人斎流
– Mori-Ryu 森流
– Musou-Ryu 夢想流

The list is not exhaustive of course, we can also include Hontai Takagi Yoshin-Ryu (本体高木陽心流), Bokuden-Ryu (卜傳流), Asayama Ichiden-Ryu (麻山一傳流) and many others.

In chapter 10 points to the schools:

– Seigo-Ryu 整合流
– Kajiwara-Ryu 梶原流
– Sekiguchi-Ryu 関口流
– Shibukawa-Ryu 渋川流

They can be divided into classical schools (Koryu; 古流) and modern schools (Gendai Budo; 現代武道) and school; Hakko-Ryu, Daito-Ryu, Takeda-Ryu. All these schools have their own characteristics and the secrets of the fighting carried forward in accordance with the levels that are included. As a single form of fighting is very rarely practiced as an exclusive specialty of a school but in addition to the techniques of fighting with weapons (buki waza; 武器技) and concealed weapons (kakushi Buki; 隠武器).