Does Japanese Jiu Jitsu have striking? Yes – Strikes are used in JJJ

When thinking about traditional Japanese Jiu Jitsu, most people tend to think about the grappling aspects. In short, it usually involves throws similar to those used in Judo and wrist locks found in Aikido. However, there is more to Japanese Jiu Jitsu than just grappling. For those wondering whether it also uses striking, the answer is yes – but it is also dependent on the dojo that you use. Below we shall be looking at striking in Japanese Jiu Jitsu and how it is utilized.

Japanese Jiu Jitsu’s use of striking

When looking at traditional martial arts, you can roughly divide them into two groups. The first is Kung Fu and the second is Ju Jitsu. Kung Fu involves striking and is an umbrella term that has influenced the likes of Karate and Wing Chun. Basically, a very broad definition would be to say that Kung Fu is based on strikes. With this said, Ju Jitsu is based more around grappling. This involves joint locks and takedowns which Japanese Jiu Jitsu is primarily known for. Yet, Japanese Jiu Jitsu isn’t as simple as that as we will look into.

Basically, Japanese Jiu Jitsu can be seen as a philosophy for self-defense as much as anything. For example, one aspect of this is that in some cases it teaches the art of de-escalation. In brief, this involves talking people down from a confrontation. The idea here is to use your words to defuse a possibly bad situation. You could argue that this kind of mentality and lesson needs to be taught more often in all forms of martial arts.

Imagine if you had the intellect to stop fights through words, it would solve a lot of troubles. Having said this, it is a story for another day. The main point is that Japanese Jiu Jitsu shouldn’t be viewed in static form. In other words, it can be seen as an entire system and philosophy rather than a set of certain moves. For instance, if you look at something like Judo you know it involves throws and a few submissions. However, away from that, it isn’t as broad. Japanese Jiu Jitsu is very broad in terms of using weapons, grappling and is more akin to Hapkido in that sense.

What types of strikes are used in Japanese Jiu Jitsu?

With this said, it’s now easier to understand why Japanese Jiu Jitsu does in fact use striking. In short, try to think of it as a framework based on combat as opposed to one type or style. Regardless, most Japanese Jiu Jitsu schools these days will tend to focus on the grappling side of things. Nonetheless, strikes still feature in many Japanese Jiu Jitsu dojos. The question remains, what is the kind of striking that is taught in Japanese Jiu Jitsu?

Due to originating from Japan – the most common form of striking associated with the art form is akin to Karate. As outlined earlier, most people think of Karate under Kung Fu. However, you should also note that Japanese Jiu Jitsu is a very diverse art. Not only this but due to its age it also makes sense that the striking involved happens to be Karate. As Karate is one of the older forms of striking and Japanese Jiu Jitsu is one of the older forms of grappling, it makes sense.

Now, this is where things get a bit confusing. As Japanese Jiu Jitsu is a fluid martial art, it is open to a degree of interpretation. This means that the striking taught is somewhat dependent on the teacher. Like all forms of martial arts, it depends on their preferences and what they prioritize. With this said, you may even find the likes of boxing or Muay Thai variations taught in some Japanese Jiu Jitsu schools. Saying this, Karate is still the most dominant form of striking found in the art and is historically and traditionally closer to Japanese Jiu Jitsu.

So, is striking taught in all forms of Japanese Jiu Jitsu?

In short, no it’s not. As discussed, Japanese Jiu Jitsu is based on the discretion of the teacher. Whilst some dojos will teach striking, many will not. Again, it’s important to note that Japanese Jiu Jitsu is as much a mentality as it is a physical fighting style. With this in mind, if you are bothered about your local dojo teaching striking, you should check with them before signing up as many will not offer this service. Like many aspects of martial arts, the answer is never simple and is something of a grey area.

In summary, Japanese Jiu Jitsu will teach striking dependent on each location. It should be added that the majority of gyms will also prioritize grappling and joint locks above striking. Usually, striking is more of a secondary idea as far as Japanese Jiu Jitsu is concerned. So, for those wondering hopefully this article clears things up.

For those wanting to learn more about the moves used in Japanese Jiu Jitsu – check this detailed book out.