martial skills

MARTIAL SKILLS

The western world use ‘martial arts’ as a generic term. There are many branches and training reason for these skills. I once spoke to leading master Donn Draeger about this and here is my synopsis:

* A Martial Discipline relates to the feudal skills that are living history.

* A Martial Art is a modern development, retaining the old precepts.

* A Martial Way has a more spiritual emphasis

* A Martial Sport is competitive

* Self Defence relates to personal protection within the rules and laws of society.

* Unarmed Combat is for battlefield use outside social and often ethical laws.

Below is a brief description and video footage of a few martial skills…….

KENDO: This developed from Kenjutsu, the sword art of the samurai. In 1928 the Zen Nihon Kendo Renmei was formed in Japan, by now the sword skills had developed into a combative sport. Exponents wear armour and use a bamboo sword called a ‘shinai’, this minimizes the impact of the strikes. Kendo is practiced under strict rules to maintain safety. Finn sensei represented Britain in the first world kendo championships in 1970.

AIKIDO: Aikido originated from Daito Ryu Aikijutsu via Takeda Sokaku, this was in the feudal era. Later in the 1900s Morihei Ueshiba studied under him and founded the first Aikido system. The locks and throws in all Aikido use the opponents energy and turn it against them. Kenji Tomiki developed his own style of Aikido offering both pre arranged and competitive practice. The style we teach follows Tomiki Aikido.

JODO: Jojutsu is the art of 4 foot stick against sword, which developed in the 1600s. The founder was Muso Gonosuke. In modern times the last head Master was Takaji Shimizu, under whom Finn sensei trained in Japan. Jodo (as it was later called) is from the style of Shindo Muso Ryu. The school also include in its repertoire other weapons such as sword, sickle and chain, jutte, rope tying, and short stick.

SEITEI TANJO: This is a powerful stick system developed by Finn sensei. It involves the use of three lengths of stick, they are 36 inch, 18 inch, and nine inch. Each length of stick is used independently, the repertoire uses both striking and locking skills against both armed and unarmed attacks. The locks are very powerful and overall the stick system is relentlessly effective.

IAIDO: This is the skill of using the Japanese sword as the samurai did in the feudal ere. The old art dealt with situations that required fast sword drawing to meet sudden attacks. The student first learns Seitei Iaido, developed by the ZNKR in Japan, this is an eclectic system developed in modern times. Next we teach the classical style of Muso Shinden Ryu, which dates back to the 1600s.

RYUKYU KOBUDO: Finn sensei’s teacher was Master Seiko Suzuki. Ryukyu Kobudo is an eclectic system that developed in the Ryukyu Islands in the feudal era. Various weapons are used, the most popular being; nunchaku, rokushakubo, sai, tonfa, and kamma. The techniques were developed by the common classes, weapons were banned through part of their history.