What is Ju Jitsu?                                                                                            Ju Jitsu is an ancient Japanese martial art which is often described as the mother of all Japanese martial arts as many other systems originated in Ju Jitsu eg the founder of Judo (Jigoro Kano) was a Ju Jitsu master who saw the potential for a sport in Ju Jitsu and came up with Kodokan Judo. Aikido also stemmed from an old Ju Jitsu school. Although Ju Jitsu has older roots it is most commonly associated with the methods of unarmed combat which the Samurai would use in feudal Japan when they were disarmed in battle. To someone with no experience of Ju Jitsu it is best described as an "all round" martial art as it has everything that a lot of other arts have and much more - punching, kicking, throws, locks and joint manipulation, chokes, grappling and ground work are all practiced in the art of Ju Jitsu.

Is Ju Jitsu good for self defence?                                                            There are few arts which are as good for practical self defence as Ju Jitsu. Many arts will teach a lot of complicated strikes and high kicks which are impossible to actually use if one was attacked on the street. In Ju Jitsu students are taught defences against a wide variety of realistic situations - defence from rear attacks, holds, weapons, punches, kicks, attacks on the ground and many more. Another reason most people find it useful is the fact that size and strength is not an issue and because of this Ju Jitsu is commonly taught in self defence courses to different people and in particular women.

What experience do I need?                                                                        No experience is needed as most people who join our classes have never done a martial art before.

When can I start?                                                                                       New students are welcome to start at any time as the classes run all year round. All you have to do is turn up, fill out an induction form and then have a go.

What do I need to wear?                                                                                A Ju Jitsu suit (gi) is not required in the early stages of training and I wouldn't recommend buying one straight away until you are sure you want to stick at it. New students should just turn up in loose clothing like a pair of tracksuit bottoms and a T-shirt. Footwear is not needed as we train in our bare feet.

Will practising Ju Jitsu make me fit?                                                          Although a high level of fitness is not initially important in Ju Jitsu training a large number of people join the classes as a way of losing weight and improving their cardio-vascular fitness and learning something useful in the process.

How often do I need to train?                                                                      Ideally students should train twice each week so that they get the best out of their training but this isn't always possible as a lot of people work late or their shift patterns change etc. Students should remember that the more you put in, the more you get out.

If I have a medical condition can I still train?                                             As long as the instructors are made fully aware of your condition and both you and the instructors know how much (if at all) it limits your training then you will be fine. Any medication needed eg inhalers, insulin etc should be brought to each training session.

Do I need to bring someone to train with?                                                  There will always be someone in the class who new students can train with so it is fine for students to come along on their own.

When will I be ready for my first belt?                                                         Based on training twice each week students should be ready for their first belt in approximately 3 months although this can vary depending on students abilities and the effort put in. The time between each belt increases as you progress to higher belts.

Do you use weapons in Ju Jitsu?                                                                  As students progress to higher grades they will begin to use a variety of different weapons including tonfa, nunchaku, sai, bo, katana and more.

If you have any further questions please contact us.