Jutsu or Do?
I was going to post a blog about koshi waza, but as I so bitterly disappointed with my performance that I’ll try to produce some videos worth sharing and discuss them next week.
Something that has been knocking around in my head recently has been more philosophical. Jutsu or Do? Other than the stylised distinctions between Jutsu and Do combative systems, I think the truth is that two are not so easily parted.
To quickly address the point about Aikijutsu/Aikijujutsu and Aikido. From what I can gather only Daito Ryu was occasionally referred to a aikijutsu/aikijujutsu rather jujutsu and it seems to me like it was some sort of marketing ploy. No other school (ryu) of classical melee combative system was referred to with the suffix. Sometimes I think that this aikijutsu name gives Aikidoka a false sense of the sophistication and power of our art. The reality is that many amazing melee systems existed, like all the systems Sokaku Takeda studied and others like Kito Ryu, Yagyu Shingan Ryu (pictured) and Yoshin Ryu all carried the suffix Jujutsu.
After that small digression, when we look at the definitions jutsu means technique. Many modern creators of Japanese combative systems wanted to distance themselves with the cruel techniques of the Japanese warriors commonly called Samurai. However, does this mean we should practice blindly and without focus on the original purpose of the techniques that we are learning.
I’ve covered in previous articles my belief that Aikido techniques are like living archaeology, and with focused study we can see how the techniques we practice have medieval roots. If we distance ourselves from these truths do we do ourselves a disservice? Arguably Ueshiba Sensei, especially in his later years rarely discussed (from what I’ve read) the combative nature/hertiage of Aikido. But is it because he knew those foundations the he could become to powerful. I believe so.
Ueshiba Sensei’s understanding of Jutsu, not just the Do (or self perfection/which he focused on later) allowed him to access the true power of each and every technique he developed.
However, in our modern society can we allow ourselves to just focus on Jutsu? Is Aikido just an archaic combative system from a medieval age which has no bearing place in the 21st century? We all have the luxury of perfecting our throws and pins, our body movement and balance, a luxury rarely afforded in more unstable times. But I do believe that if we follow the Do path, then we must understand the movements we make or we are on a path to nowhere. Jutsu is the car and Do is the road, and if we want to make this journey then we need both.
Train with form.
Osu.
