What is Jitsu?

There is no doubt that training in a martial art will give you added confidence and self-defence ability. What we aim to do in our art is to practice against attacks you are likely to face in a real situation. From the first lesson you will learn how to deal with a variety of attacks, including grabs, strikes and weapons. The primary emphasis on all this training is safety, so you will not be asked to do anything beyond your level of competence.


Is Jitsu Like Any Other Martial Art?

Jitsu is based on traditional Japanese grappling, so in some respects it will resemble judo, traditional jujutsu and aikido. Our art has also been said to resemble shorinji kempo, though we are not sure if that is due to coincidence or influence. We do not much resemble karate, as we do not practice many strikes in our system.

Do I Have To Be Fit To Join?

No. Jitsu becomes a very good form of exercise when trained enough though, and this tends to build up fitness levels. You do not have to be able to do 50 pushups or leap 6 feet into the air from standing to practice our art, all you need is to come along regularly and train well. 

What Is The Jitsu Foundation?

Shorinji Kan Jiu Jitsu was founded by Riukiu Mura, a policeman and unarmed combat instructor in the Tokyo Police Force. He had grown up with Martial Arts, studying Jiu Jitsu, Kodokan Judo and Shorinji Kempo. He later combined his knowledge of Jiu Jitsu and Shorinji Kempo (meaning 'Shaolin Fist') with his Police experiences of street fighting to form his own style, which he called Shorinji Kempo Jiu Jitsu.

 

Matthew Komp, who was a highly graded martial artist who had previously studied Judo, Aikido and Karate, studied both Jiu Jitsu and Shorinji Kempo under Riukiu Mura's tutelage, whilst he was working in Japan after the 2nd World war. He further developed Mura's style, taking it to Australia in the 1950s, where he founded a school in Footscray, near Melbourne.

Brian Graham, a Yorkshireman, studied martial arts under Matthew Komp in Australia. He returned to England a 5th Dan Jitsuka and 2nd Dan Judoka and named the style he brought with him Samurai Jiu Jitsu. When Matthew Komp visited the UK in 1997 he conferred the rank Shihan (meaning 6th Dan) on Brian Graham.

One of Brian's first students, Peter Farrar formalised the style and started the first collegiate club at Plymouth Polytechnic. Peter Farrar's students moved & spread the style rapidly throughout Britain. As it grew the style became known simply as ‘Jitsu’.

The Jitsu Foundation, is the administrative and organisational body responsible for organising insurance for all it’s members and teaching and first aid qualifications for it’s instructors. It also organises events such as competitions, gradings and specialist courses.

Studio III is a commercial enterprise which provides training in non-aversive behaviour management. Their founding members are top-ranking Jitsuka. Previously, these different concerns formed the National Samurai Jiu Jitsu Association but were able to flourish independently from each other from 1990 onwards.

Sadly, Peter Farrar passed away in 1997 and Shihan Brian Graham passed away in 2005. However their legacy lives on and the Jitsu Foundation has continued to grow and now has over 100 clubs in the UK.

When instructors leave the country they often start Jitsu clubs in the countries in which they settle. The first was Cyprus in 1989, then Canada in 1993 and the U.S.A. in 1994. More recently, clubs have also opened in Greece, Holland, Belgium, Germany, Australia... and Japan.