Brief Introduction to Martial Arts Systems

KARATE ("EMPTY HAND")

Karate is recognized as one of the most practiced forms of
self defense in the world today. Developed and practiced by
the farming communities of the East, Karate's focus is on
hand strikes, leg strikes, and weapons (that were originally
farming tools).

Due to both its popularity and simplicity,
Karate is one of the most fragmented of the martial arts
systems having many hundreds of variations on its theme.

Of the striking arts, Kenpo is one of the most complete and
most extensive systems available today. Any arts that teach
predominantly striking, could be coined as Karate.

JUJITSU ("GENTLE ART")
Jujitsu is one of the oldest and most versatile of the martial art systems of the world today. Developed as an adjunct to the sword by the Samurai warriors of Japan, Jujitsu incorporates locking, throwing, choking and basic striking skills. Also included is the use of ancient weapons such as the bo, sword, iron fan and jutte.

AIKIJITSU ("MEETING ENERGY ART")
Stemming from Jujitsu, Aikijitsu is the martial form of
Aikido ("meeting energy way"). Based on the platform of
using the attacker's momentum and strength against him/her,
Aikijitsu manipulates the attacker's force ("ki") into a
throwing, or immobilization technique. A very graceful and
deceptively simple art, Aikijitsu takes Jujitsu techniques to a more advanced level of training.

TAIJI/T'AI CHI CH'UAN ("ULTIMATE BOXING")
This is a Chinese Kung-fu art that was developed by Chang
San-feng around 1300 A.D. and later named Tai Chi. Taiji
was designed to be a family system that was never to be
revealed to outside circles.

A healing, as well as a martial art, Tai Chi contains some of the most devastating martial arts ever developed. Tai Chi remains one of the most
misunderstood arts, as well as one of the most difficult of the martial arts to perfect.

NINJITSU ("PERSEVERANCE ART")
Cultural opposites of the Samurai, Ninjas practised espionage and guerrilla tactical warfare. They were spies and assassins. Because of the traditional secrecy of the art, it is only recently that Ninjitsu was allowed out of immediate circles. The curriculum of Ninjitsu contains a plethora of weapons, grappling skills, and striking methods.

TAIJITSU ("BODY ART")
Taijitsu, or "body art", is the culmination of all of the other systems. Some systems in advanced belts even refer to their system as "Taijitsu". Taijitsu uses the entire body for leverage and power, and this makes it one of the most
effective systems of self defense/martial arts ever developed. Taijitsu is the most complete of the martial arts systems containing the elements of all other martial arts. Each belt, or training level, contains a different aspect of martial arts from escaping to striking, locking and throwing, to the use of several traditional weapons such as the stick, sword and knife. Also incorporated in Taijitsu are several facets of healing arts such as acupressure, nutrition, muscle balancing, and reflex therapy.