Which martial art is best for self defence?

The style of Japanese Jiu-Jitsu taught in the London Jiu-Jitsu Centre is the most comprehensive martial art for modern self-defence situations. This is because it covers all the most common self-defence situations in a single style. Japanese Jiu-Jitsu includes striking, joint locks, throws, pins on the ground, chokes, and traditional weapons training as well as catering for multiple attackers and ways to escape / avoid dangerous situations. This makes it uniquely suited to self-defence situations in the UK where the most common weapons used are knives and sticks/bats as opposed to other countries where guns are more prevalent. The style of Japanese Jiu-Jitsu taught in the London Jiu-Jitsu Centre also includes sparring exercises to ensure you are able to deal with a fully resisting opponent. You are also free to participate in the MMA classes at the London Jiu-Jitsu Centre as part of your membership, giving you more opportunities to spar and train in modern combat sports if you wish to develop those skills too.

 

 

Which martial art is best for fitness / health?

The best martial arts for fitness and health combine a workout, strength training, and balance / mobility in a manner that has a low risk of injury. The style of Japanese Jiu-Jitsu taught in the London Jiu-Jitsu Centre provides you with a long, low-intensity cardio workout with some higher-intensity periods during the sparring exercises. This mixture of cardio levels during a workout has been proven to have significant health benefits. It also increases your strength and balance / mobility as you learn to position your body in various stances under resistance. Also, traditional martial arts like Japanese Jiu-Jitsu are consistently reported to have the lowest injury rates compared to other styles.

 

 

Which martial art is best for learning mental discipline?

The best martial arts for learning mental discipline are the ones with large numbers of techniques that need to be performed precisely. Japanese Jiu-Jitsu is generally recognised as the best martial art to learn mental discipline. This is because it has a uniquely broad curriculum with literally thousands of techniques covering grappling, striking, and a multitude of traditional weapons. Also, learning a traditional Japanese art that is steeped in Japanese and samurai culture is truly excellent for developing mental discipline. 

 

 

What is the best martial art for women?

The best martial arts for women are the ones that do not require strength, size or aggression to be effective and are run in a culture that is open and inclusive to women’s participation. The style of Japanese Jiu-Jitsu taught at the London Jiu Jitsu Centre doesn’t require strength or size to be effective. Instead it focuses on leverage and strategy to allow a smaller / weaker / less aggressive person to defend themselves despite their physical disadvantages. Another factor for women to consider is the style of striking used in a martial art. Women’s hands are generally much smaller and more delicate than men’s. As a result styles of striking that train with padded gloves (eg boxing, kick boxing or mai thai) create a false sense of security for women when it comes to self-defence. Instead Japanese Jiu-Jitsu uses different types of strikes (eg open hand strikes) that do not have the risk of a woman breaking her hand when performing a strike (eg a boxer’s punch). Finally the culture of any particular club or class is very important for women to feel safe and welcome when training. The Japanese Jiu-Jitsu classes the London Jiu-Jitsu Centre are designed to be very open to women and as a result roughly 1/3 of our members are women.

 

 

Am I too old to start learning Japanese Jiu-Jitsu?

NO! The style of Japanese Jiu-Jitsu taught at the London Jiu Jitsu Centre doesn’t require strength or athleticism to be effective. Instead it focuses on leverage and strategy to allow a smaller / weaker / less athletic person to defend themselves despite their physical disadvantages. As a result Japanese Jiu-Jitsu is excellent for people of all ages. At the London Jiu-Jitsu Centre we have people training Japanese Jiu-Jitsu aged from 18 to over 65 years old, having fun and getting healthier and fitter as a result.

 

 

Am I too unfit to start learning Japanese Jiu-Jitsu?

NO! The style of Japanese Jiu-Jitsu taught at the London Jiu Jitsu Centre doesn’t require strength or athleticism to be effective. Instead it focuses on leverage and strategy to allow a smaller / weaker / less athletic person to defend themselves despite their physical disadvantages. As a result Japanese Jiu-Jitsu is excellent for people of all levels of fitness. The classes the London Jiu-Jitsu Centre are designed to improve your fitness, but we do this in a way that you can improve your fitness at your own pace (there is no requirement to have a minimum level of fitness to participate in classes). We have people of all levels of fitness training with us and all are having fun and getting healthier and fitter as a result.

 

 

Am I too uncoordinated to start learning Japanese Jiu-Jitsu?

NO! The style of Japanese Jiu-Jitsu taught at the London Jiu Jitsu Centre is an excellent way to improve your coordination and balance. Classes are run in a way that they don’t require any minimum levels of coordination or fitness. Students will develop skills and coordination at their own pace whilst having fun in class and learning how to defend themselves.

 

 

How long will it take to learn how to defend yourself with Japanese Jiu-Jitsu?

In your first Japanese Jiu-Jitsu class at the London Jiu-Jitsu Centre you will learn simple techniques that can be used effectively in a self defence context. Japanese Jiu-Jitsu is unique in that it includes several simple techniques and concepts that are easy to learn and are incredibly effective against an untrained attacker even if they are bigger and stronger than you. However, self defence is a complex subject, especially when considering the potential for weapons and/or multiple opponents, and developing reliable skills to deal with these more difficult situations takes time and training. We have a saying in Japanese Jiu-Jitsu that it will take you around a year or two to learn how to beat any unarmed assailant regardless of size. After that you’re training to beat trained martial artists or armed / multiple assailants. 

 

 

Do I have to compete in Japanese Jiu-Jitsu?

No. Japanese Jiu-Jitsu is focused on learning the martial arts skills developed by the samurai for both the battlefield and self-defence in the middle ages (ie including weapons). The style of Japanese Jiu-Jitsu taught at the London Jiu-Jitsu Centre also includes self defence training appropriate for modern situations as experienced by people in London today. There is there is no competition format that effectively supports these goals and as a result Japanese Jiu-Jitsu does not include competitions or require them for belt promotions. If people wish to compete then Japanese Jiu-Jitsu members at the London Jiu-Jitsu Centre can attend the MMA classes at the Centre as part of their membership.

 

 

Do I have to spar in Japanese Jiu-Jitsu?

The style of Japanese Jiu-Jitsu taught in the London Jiu-Jitsu Centre is unique in that it includes exercises to teach you how to apply the techniques against a fully resisting opponent without engaging in full contact competitive sparring. These exercises are often referred to as specific sparring or situational sparring and are used by the top level combat sports athletes to develop their skills. In these exercises your partner increases the level of resistance and intensity to help you learn how to deal with a fully resisting opponent who is trying to do you harm. This is done in a way that the level of contact or intensity pushes you to develop, but does not exceed your ability to deal with it. This can be thought of as being similar to weight training where you start with small weights and slowly increase the weight as you build strength. It is very different to competitive sparring where two people compete to submit or knock out each other. The principle is to give you the benefits of sparring in terms of building reliable skills that work against resisting opponents without the downsides of fully competitive sparring such as black eyes or higher risk of injury. 

 

 

How safe is training in Japanese Jiu-Jitsu, and how often do people get injured?

Traditional martial arts like Japanese Jiu-Jitsu are consistently reported to have the lowest injury rates compared to other styles. Naturally minor injuries will occur in any sporting activities, but the Japanese Jiu-Jitsu classes at the London Jiu-Jitsu Centre are run in a very safe and low risk way. All our coaches are first aid trained and we place great emphasis on creating a safe training environment for students. The main instructor has been teaching for over 25 years and there has never been a serious injury in any of his classes during that time. 

 

 

What are the class times/schedule, and how often should I attend?

There are 9 Japanese Jiu-Jitsu classes a week at the London Jiu-Jitsu Centre. Classes are scheduled in the evenings on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and lunchtimes on Friday. Four classes a week are focused on fundamentals / basics and are great for beginners. Beginners are welcome to attend all classes including the more advanced classes from Day 1. In addition Japanese Jiu-Jitsu members can attend any of the 2 MMA classes a week that the Centre hosts.

 

 

Can I try a Japanese Jiu-Jitsu class before signing up?

Yes. You’re welcome to come along and try a Japanese Jiu-Jitsu class at the London Jiu-Jitsu Centre before committing to a contract. We also offer pay as you go options. 

 

 

How much does it cost to train Japanese Jiu-Jitsu?

Pay as you go classes cost £20 per session. There is an offer at the moment where you can train unlimited classes for £80 a month. This also includes access to the MMA classes hosted by the London Jiu Jitsu Centre.

 

 

What are the instructor’s qualifications and experience?

Our head instructor is one of the most experienced teachers of Japanese Jiu-Jitsu in the UK. He learnt Jiu-Jitsu directly from the masters in Japan and has traveled there more than 35 times to study there. He earned his black belt in 1993 and the Japanese grandmaster awarded him the title of shidoshi (fully qualified teacher) in 1999. He also holds a black belt in BJJ and teaches both BJJ and MMA at the London Jiu-Jitsu Centre. All of the Japanese Jiu-Jitsu coaches at the London Jiu-Jitsu Centre have held their black belts for over 15 years and have spent significant time in Japan training there.

 

 

What are Japanese Jiu-Jitsu classes like?

The Japanese Jiu-Jitsu classes at the London Jiu-Jitsu Centre are run in a relaxed and fun way. Whilst this is a Japanese art we don’t require any formal, complex Japanese etiquette other than a quick bow at the start and end of class. The only rules we have are to ensure we have a clean and safe training environment (eg no shoes on the mats, look after your training partner). Students change partners regularly so you get to meet everyone and can partner with more advanced students who will help coach you during class. You will laugh, sweat a little and feel like you’ve learnt something new every class.

 

 

Will I meet new people and make new friends at the Japanese Jiu-Jitsu classes?

Our ethos at the London Jiu Jitsu Centre is to build a friendly, inclusive and supportive community for people to learn Japanese Jiu-Jitsu. Classes are mixed and we have people of all ages, backgrounds, gender etc training together and sharing the same experience. You will change your partners regularly during class which gives you a chance to meet everyone. Typically there’s a chance to grab a drink with the group after class and many long friendships have been formed on the mats training Japanese Jiu-Jitsu.

 

 

What tube stations are within walking or bus distance of the London Jiu-Jitsu Centre?

The following tube stations are within 10 minutes walk or bus ride from the London Jiu-Jitsu Centre: Euston Square, Warren Street, Euston, Great Portland Street, Regent’s Park, Goodge Street, Mornington Crescent, King’s Cross, Camden Town, Baker Street, Angel, Tottenham Court Road and Oxford Circus.

 

 

What areas of London are easy travel distance to the London Jiu-Jitsu Centre?

The London Jiu-Jitsu Centre is easily accessible from most of London and we have members travelling to us from all the main London boroughs. The closest (in terms of travelling time) areas are: Camden, St John’s Wood, Marylebone, Soho, Mayfair, Bloomsbury, Clerkenwell, Finsbury, Islington, Kentish Town, Edgware Road, Paddington, Bayswater, Westminster, Waterloo, Battersea, Clapham, Earl’s Court and Vauxhall.

 

 

What tube lines are close to the London Jiu-Jitsu Centre?

The London Jiu-Jitsu Centre is close to the following tube lines: Victoria line, Northern line, Bakerloo Line, Circle Line, Hammersmith and City Line and the Metropolitan Line.

 

 

Is the London Jiu-Jitsu Centre clean and well-maintained?

The London Jiu-Jitsu Centre is one of the cleanest and well managed martial arts venues in London. Mats are cleaned several times during the day and students clean their feet before stepping onto the mats. The venue also operates a no shoe policy which stops bacteria from the street entering the venue in the first place.

 

 

What facilities are available at the London Jiu-Jitsu Centre?

The London Jiu-Jitsu Centre has excellent facilities especially for a venue based in Central London. It has car parking, changing rooms, showers, a towel service and water fountains. There are two large mats for training, the training mats are high quality and meet all the recommended safety requirements for training martial arts. There are even mats on the walls.

 

 

What’s the London Jiu-Jitsu Centre like inside?

The London Jiu-Jitsu Centre is the most beautiful martial arts venue in the UK. It’s like stepping into a Japanese haven. There are amazing art works on the walls, samurai armour and Japanese scrolls throughout the venue. There are photos of Japanese and Brazilian masters of Jiu Jitsu (who taught the instructors there) throughout the venue - a great mark of respect and a sign that you’re learning from instructors who have a direct lineage to these masters.