Chapter Four. Modern bujutsu

Although destined to change sandals,
We will continue our path
Okakura Kakuzo

Batto-jutsu

Many classical schools are distinguished Iai-jutsu, the art of drawing a sword from its scabbard, but they prefer to call such art batto jutsu. The expression “batto-jutsu” is equivalent in meaning to iai-jutsu, but the very motive of a “swift attack” on the enemy sounds stronger in it. Combined with practice tameshi-giri, the art of testing the cutting power of a blade and the ability to use it, batto-jutsu is the essence of real combat.

The creation of a special school for training military personnel by Toyama Gakko in 1873 led to the formation of Toyama-ryu in 1925. Among the military items of this ryu there was also gunto soho, otherwise a way to handle an army sword. Gunto soho, or iai from Toyama-ryu, as he was even more often called, absorbed the experience of many kenshi(experienced swordsmen), especially those proficient in technique tachi-iai from Omori-ryu, that is, drawing (and using) the sword in a standing position. Iai from Cham-ryu includes seven techniques. All of them are effective methods of instantly killing the enemy.

Nakamura Taisaburo (born 1911) is an expert in the study martial arts Toyama-ryu schools; he is proficient in gunto soho, juken jutsu and takken jutsu (short sword art). He is also a leading teacher of classical Iaijutsu and modern disciplines such as Kendo and Judo. Thirty years of work culminated in the creation own school Nakamura-ryu, where the main subject is batto-jutsu.

Theory and technology

Nakamura deliberately chose the name to classify his own sword handling system jutsu in order to preserve the inherent dignity and military spirit of this system. Therefore the practical spirit predominates in his forms of teaching, and there is no special attempt to ennoble them by means of fanciful philosophical concepts. And yet, the very structure of education in this school is inherent in a positive spiritual charge.

Batto-jutsu from Nakamura-ryu draws this spiritual charge from what is usually called Eiji Happo, literally "the embodiment of the eight features of calligraphy ( shodo) in the hieroglyph hey - eternity." But there is also a deeper, Buddhist allegorical meaning to designate the number "eight", that is, "myriads"; therefore, the expression "eiji happo" also means "myriads of the hieroglyph eternity." This special meaning speaks about the infinite variety of forms of hieroglyphs that can come out from under the calligrapher’s brush, and in its application to Nakamura’s batto-jutsu it appears as happo-giri no tosen, otherwise “myriads of images (sword trajectories) for strikes.”

The practicality of the elements from Toyama-ryu prompted Nakamura to include them in the program of his own sword fighting school. As in the iai techniques of Toyama-ryu, Nakamura’s batto-jutsu also completely eliminated the position seiza(regular Japanese stance in a sitting position); all techniques were performed from a standing position. Nakamura expanded five standard kamae (fighting stances) modern kendo: chudan no kamae(middle pillar), gedan no kamae(low stand), jodan no kamae(high stand), Hasso no kamae(original stance) and waki no kamae(side stance) - up to eight, creating left and right variations of standard kendo positions such as jodan, hosso (happo) and waki no kamae. Eight striking techniques, called happo-giri, complete the entire arsenal of technical means of Nakamura’s batto-jutsu, as if literally fulfilling the requirements of the very expression “eiji happo”; but based on these basic techniques, the experienced teacher is free to improvise within the limits permitted by the Buddhist concept of the eight as a myriad.

Batto-jutsu, as Nakamura teaches, is not purely the art of killing; but on the other hand, it does not allow the follower of batto-jutsu to be killed when he has to face an opponent in battle. Nakamura's Battojutsu follows the classical concept boo, always interpreted as defensive. The purpose of the Nakamura system is to provide the means for seishin tanren, otherwise “spiritual hardening” of the individual. In the process of training, a follower of batto-jutsu from Nakamura-ryu improves both spiritually and physically, and thereby his own character is ennobled. He must put everything into his training kokoro(heart, mind, spirit, consciousness). Being the spiritual aspect of one's self, kokoro allows the student to prepare himself for the harsh discipline of classes. Kokoro frees his mind from distracting thoughts and allows him to concentrate his own energy on the subject of study. Seigan no kamae, a fighting starting stance reminiscent of chudan no kamae from kendo, but differing from the latter in that it primarily threatens the opponent’s eyes, is, according to Nakamura, “an expression of the soul [ kokoro] the state of the student." To such an experienced mentor as Nakamura, she speaks about the mental state and degree of mastery of the sword of its owner.

But no matter what spiritual perfection we achieve by practicing batto-jutsu from Nakamura-ryu, and no matter what level of skill in performing happo-giri we acquire, the lack of opportunity to test our skill in practice, Nakamura believes, turns the art itself into a meaningless exercise, a cycle on yourself. Therefore, he believes that frequent use of the practice tameshi-giri(checking the strength of the blow) is a necessary addition to batto-jutsu training. With sufficient practice in striking targets made of bamboo and rice straw, followers of batto-jutsu can evaluate their physical skill from a practical point of view; such practice reveals the degree of mastery of such necessary fundamentals as the correct choice kamae And ma-ay(combat distance) and the ability to concentrate the force of a sword strike with hand movements.

Iai-do currently

Nakamura is as traditional as he is practical in his views. He does not believe that any form of modern budo should be a martial art. Regarding iai-do systems in particular, Nakamura sees them only as disciplines serving the mind and body, whose adherents often use their skills to satisfy their own pride and amaze others. According to Nakamura, modern iai-do techniques are deliberately made artificial and meaningless from the point of view of real combat; iai-do is perfect according to the idea of tadasiy katati, otherwise the “correct form”, which is developed in accordance with seitei-gata, otherwise the standard form of sword drawing techniques created by the Zen Nihon Iai-do Renmei (All Japan Iai-do Federation). Nakamura reviews seitei-gata as concessions to the tastes of the modern public.

The practical combat aspect of the technique of drawing the sword, which is the basis of the very forms of jutsu, is lost due to the adaptation of such techniques to the requirements of iai-do. Starting to draw the sword from the seiza position, for example, “is not done like a medieval knight would do,” Nakamura notes, “for such a stance is not practical when the warrior is armed daisho[a combination of long and short swords]." Nakamura is also dissatisfied with the form of performing four technical actions when drawing a sword in the iai-do style. Nukitsuke(removing the sword from the sheath) usually occurs too slowly and in such a way that the required speed of movement is achieved after four-fifths of the length of the blade is removed from the sheath. "This is not at all Nuki(instant draw of the blade)," notes Nakamura. The slow drawing of the sword indicates bitches(weak point in defense) in the technique of a swordsman.

"Kiritsuke(sword strike) as most modern wrestlers do it is also ineffective, says Nakamura, "because they have no experience with tameshi-giri." Chiburui, otherwise “shaking off the blood” from the sword, which supposedly stained the blade after a quickly struck blow, is also not done effectively. "None of the knights did Chiburui the way the current representatives of Iai-do do it." You can truly clean a blade after wounding a person with it only by wiping it with a piece of cloth or a piece of paper, which a knight never forgot to do before sheathing his sword. The last movement buto, otherwise sheathing the sword, also did not escape Nakamura’s criticism, not only because the action itself follows an ineffectively carried out Chiburui, but also because of its quick execution only in order to show his own skill. In reality, the return of the sword to the sheath by the knight happened quite slowly, carefully, in the form zanshin(“vigilance”, maintained superiority over the enemy, characterized by complete uninterrupted concentration [attention] and expressed by mental attitude and physical form).

Modern followers of iai-do are also little familiar with the manners and customs of the medieval knight and behave, in Nakamura's opinion, too carefree. "I have carefully examined many hundreds of swords of modern swordsmen and have scarcely found one of them, anywhere koiguchi(the open end of the scabbard) was not damaged." The medieval knight assessed his skill and the skill of others by the condition koiguchi. Koiguchi should not be scratched, which happens when the sword is carelessly sheathed. And since koiguchi is integral part The sword is essentially part of the “living soul of the knight,” then damaging it or cutting it means inflicting a wound on one’s own soul.

Nakamura offers sound, constructive advice that would instill a greater sense of responsibility in modern iai-do practitioners and encourage them to adhere to traditional, practical sword handling guidelines. “There needs to be a balance of old and new in all training,” says Nakamura, “but the slide into public spectacle, sports or competition, and the connection between kendo and iai-do must be stopped.” Many modern kendoists know nothing about real swordsmanship simply because " sinai[a bamboo training sword] is not a sword at all." Only a real blade will help you master kendo, "the way of the sword," Nakamura believes.

Keijo-jutsu

When the modern Japanese police force was created in 1874, it was intended to be responsible for maintaining civil law and order throughout Japan. The task of improving police methods of hand-to-hand combat has been a constant concern of police authorities since the end of the Meiji era. The sword was an integral part of the police equipment until the end of World War II, complemented by a revolver or pistol. But despite all the effectiveness of cold and firearms, such means were clearly not suitable for many common situations.

Therefore, a technical commission of seven people was convened, which was tasked with developing a more acceptable method of fighting applicable in armed hand-to-hand combat. Shimizu Takaji and Takayama Kenichi, two experts in classical bujutsu, demonstrated the techniques before a technical commission in 1927 jojutsu(the art of wielding a fighting stick). Their display was so impressive that the police authorities decided to borrow some of the techniques of jojutsu and introduce special training programs for Japanese police officers. The training of policemen in jōjutsu required supervision, and in 1931 Shimizu was invited to Tokyo as the police force's chief jōjutsu instructor. Under his technical leadership, it was created tokubetsu keibitai, a special police unit whose military personnel were specially trained in techniques using jo, a solid wooden stick of medium length.

Jojutsu, adapted to modern police needs, became officially known as keijo-jutsu, aka the art of wielding a police stick. This was a system created by Shimizu to pacify violent crowds or quell riots. The Allied ban on martial arts and principles in 1945 did not affect keijo-jutsu, since it was necessary for the training of Japanese police officers. But the calm within the country did not give rise to the use of keijo-jutsu, and therefore its role in police work was not as important as expected.

Theory and technology

Keijo-jutsu is based on the classical martial art of jojutsu, namely the teachings originating from the 17th century school of Shindo Muso-ryu. The defensive nature of classical jojutsu corresponded to the requirements for keijo-jutsu.

Used wisely, the stick proves to be the ideal weapon for subduing an aggressor. It offers more options than any other weapon. In law enforcement work, the scope of use of firearms or bladed weapons is very limited. The policeman must either decide to impose severe punishment by resorting to this kind of weapon, or put it away in its original place, thereby rendering it useless. And there is no guarantee that by resorting to firearms or bladed weapons you can avoid causing serious injuries; and if you rarely use this weapon, then there is no guarantee that the aggressor will be pacified. The very difficulty in determining how to use firearms or bladed weapons to cope with an aggressor reduces the effectiveness of such weapons. By using a stick as a weapon against an intruder, on the contrary, you can regulate the severity of the blow necessary to subdue him.

Keijo-jutsu techniques can be used with the calculation of whether it is necessary to dissuade the aggressor from further actions through a sufficient painful shock, or to immobilize him by breaking bones or injuring tissue; using anatomically vulnerabilities, called Kyusho, you can stun or knock out the aggressor. In skillful hands there is a stick ( jo) is capable of delivering cutting and stabbing blows, repelling the attack of the aggressor and neutralizing him; this applies to both unarmed and armed offenders. The ability to quickly manage a jo allows you to perform actions that are quite difficult to defend against, which forces the aggressor to reveal his vulnerabilities, which the owner of the jo can take advantage of.

Keijou currently

In modern Japanese society, police forces rely on keijo-jutsu as a primary means of resolving certain types of conflicts. In times of social unrest, when troublemakers threaten the safety of citizens, keijo-jutsu proves to be an ideal means of defense. Mass demonstrations, which had been an integral feature of Japanese urban life since the mid-sixties, provided an excellent opportunity to improve keijo-jutsu. Studying the techniques and tactical possibilities of keijo-jutsu is Shimizu's constant concern; in this he is skillfully assisted by leading specialists from the police Kuroda Ichitaro, Yoneno Kotero, Hiroi Tsuneji and Kaminoda Tsunemori. And in normal times, jo is a symbol of the authority and justice of the Japanese police. Police officers in all Japanese cities take jo with them when they go on duty.

Taiho-jutsu

Many pressing problems had to be resolved before Japanese forces could accomplish their important mission. It turned out that neither the formidable military techniques of classical bujutsu nor the spiritually oriented disciplines of classical budo could be used in their pure form to solve civilian problems. Since the last period of the Meiji era, the modern disciplines of kendo and judo have proven useful to the Japanese police primarily as a system of physical education. The police needed to develop their own hand-to-hand combat systems that would be better suited for self-defense purposes.

In 1924, the Tokyo Police Department convened a technical committee, which included highly ranked swordsmen representing kenjutsu, kendo and iai-do, as well as specialists in goshin jutsu(self-defense methods from jujutsu and judo).

The first group included Nakayama Hyakudo, Hiyama Yoshihitsu, Saimura Goro and Hotta Shitejiro; Nagaoka Shuichi, Mifune Kyuzo, Nakano Seizo, Sato Kinosuke and Kawakami Tadashi made up the second group. This committee developed a number of self-defense techniques based on defense without weapons, and recommended that all police officers be taught these techniques. The police department agreed and introduced the developed self-defense techniques into the police training system "with the recommendation that the methods themselves should undergo careful study and testing."

The ban imposed by the Allies on the practice of martial arts and ways forced the Japanese government to ask the occupation authorities for permission to allow the police forces to develop and use at least one system of self-defense. Having received permission, the Tokyo Police Department convened a new technical committee, headed by kendoist Saimura Goro; judoka Nagaoka Shuichi; Shimizu Takaji, twenty-fifth supreme master of the Shindo MUSO-ryu school; Otsuka Hidenori, founder of Wado-ryu; and Horiguchi Tsuneo, pistol specialist. The committee reviewed the techniques of classical kenjutsu, jujutsu and jojutsu and adapted some of them to the needs of the police; the committee also selected techniques from modern disciplines such as jujutsu, karate-jutsu, kendo and judo for inclusion in the proposed self-defense system; and further ideas were gleaned from the study of Western boxing. A system that incorporates the above elements and is called taiho-jutsu, was established in 1947, and Taiho-jutsu Kihon Kozo (Basics of Taiho-jutsu) was published as an official manual for police officers. Taihojutsu was revised in 1949, 1951, 1955, 1962 and 1968.

Theory and technology

The techniques developed by the first police technical committee were largely based on modified modern judo kihon, otherwise the basics of classical disciplines, such as stance, grip and body movement. Ten Type Techniques nage, otherwise throwing, were the basis of the taiho-jutsu system. Eight techniques were associated with idori, otherwise with positions where sitting positions were used; and six methods have also been developed hiki-tate, i.e. allowing to escort a resisting intruder. When performing these techniques, little care was taken for the safety of the offender himself, and in this form they existed until the end of the Second World War.

As for the use of taiho-jutsu in modern society, it is important to cause as little harm as possible to the offender. The aggressor must be rebuffed, pacified, without endangering either the policeman or the detainee; Killing or maiming should be avoided except in emergency situations. To solve such a delicate task, certain means available in the arsenal of hand-to-hand combat are used.

Taiho-jutsu fully recognizes tactics kobo-iti(choice between attack and defense), where the choice of defensive or offensive actions depends on the specific situation, which is expressed in the concept sen, otherwise initiatives in battle. Sen has three levels. The first, and most advantageous, appears to be sen-sen-no saki, otherwise the arrester will be able to control the actions of the offender even before he begins the attack. Saki, the second level of sen, allows the delayer to intervene in time with the attacking actions of the intruder in order to then gain control over them. Ato no saki, the third level of sen, is the arrester's ability to withstand and repel a surprise attack.

Police officers study two types of taiho-jutsu: toshu, otherwise unarmed struggle, and with the use keibo, a small wooden club. Particular attention is paid to racks, especially kamae, i.e. positions when the detainee is preparing to confront the offender. Fourteen kihon-waza, otherwise basic defense techniques, supplemented by sixteen oyo-waza, otherwise applied techniques; mastery of all techniques allows the policeman to successfully act in all ordinary hand-to-hand combats. In addition, the police officer is introduced to six techniques, including seijo, otherwise hand binding; soken, otherwise search; And hiki-tate oyobi, methods of detention that allow escorting a resisting offender. Using this entire arsenal of tools, the police officer must be able to maintain the necessary ma-ayo, otherwise the required combat distance; he learns to take a position such that he is close enough to the intruder to control his actions, but at the same time maintains a distance from him that does not allow the intruder to attack him.

But taiho-jutsu techniques alone are not enough. Every Japanese police officer must be able to maintain heijōshin, i.e. peace of mind, which is expressed in a relaxed posture, a calm breathing rhythm and confidence in all actions. By practicing taiho-jutsu, a police officer learns to overcome the fear of an intruder. Assessment of the situation and the ability to correctly use practical knowledge are a consequence of deep mastery of the subject of study. Among the many factors in assessing a hand-to-hand combat situation are: 1) the behavior of the offender (offensive or defensive), 2) the number of offenders, 3) the use of weapons and 4) the capabilities of the offender or offenders. Part of the taiho-jutsu learning process includes practical training with and without weapons. Students, wearing protective equipment, engage in combat with each other, and the results of each battle are then discussed in detail.

Taiho-jutsu at present

Taiho-jutsu is constantly being studied so that adjustments can be made to it in the future. Big changes in the social environment of Japan they demanded that the police, in turn, change and improve the taiho-jutsu system. Although the emphasis on arresting troublemakers remained exclusively, harsher measures had to be introduced to enable the police to counter the violent activities of some radical elements. Taiho-jutsu was also adapted to the needs of police officers wearing heavy protective equipment (helmet, bulletproof vest, gloves and knee pads).

Kaybo Soho

Kaybo Soho is a police method of use keibo(police short wooden baton) in hand-to-hand combat. Skillful handling of keibo is an important part of the training of all Japanese police officers.

Keibo became part of the Japanese police equipment in 1946, during the Allied occupation of Japan. Special techniques for using keibo appeared after the creation of taiho-jutsu the following year. The first keibo was a hard wooden club about half a meter long; it was tapered at one end so that the handle was clearly visible. This configuration turned out to be unsuccessful. As a weapon, it turned out to be too short, easily broke at the neck of the handle and was difficult to grab at the other end, sliding along it with your hand. The constant-thickness Keibo, approximately sixty centimeters long, was introduced into service in 1949, but such a weapon turned out to be too heavy. Finally, in 1956, the short stick of the US Navy Coast Guard was adapted for the Japanese keibo. Shimizu Takaji, the most prominent authority on stick and baton fighting techniques, headed a technical commission to study the capabilities of keibo as a weapon and proposed formalizing the most effective methods. This commission conducted constant study of techniques for handling keibo throughout the sixties.

Theory and technology

The defensive concept that defines law enforcement is at the core of keibo soho. Shimizu endowed the keibo soho with many of the defensive features characteristic of the jojutsu of the Shindo Muso-ryu, where he was the supreme instructor at that time; police officers were trained to use keibo in the event of an unauthorized attack by an intruder in order to subdue him by influencing Kyusho(vital organs). But modern techniques of keibo soho are closer jutte-jutsu(the art of handling a metal pipe with a spike at one end) from Ikaku-ryu, a 17th-century school of martial arts; Shimizu is also the supreme teacher of this ryu. The techniques themselves include striking, lunging, guarding, blocking and covering. All keibo techniques must be carried out in combination with the basic methods of body control taught in taiho-jutsu; It is important to be able to choose a position, dodge blows and maintain the desired ma-ai.

Keibo soho now

Since the keibo is a mandatory attribute in a police officer's equipment, Shimizu is constantly studying the capabilities of such weapons. Keibo turns out to be the single most useful tool in the hands of a police officer to subdue a violator. But the desire of radical elements to increasingly resort to violent actions using various, fairly large-sized improvised means necessitates the development of new techniques for handling keibo for police officers who are designed to resolve such situations.

Tokushu keibo soho

The most recent developments in the field of martial arts for the needs of the police use weapons called tokushu keibo, otherwise with a special police baton. It is a retractable tube made of a metal alloy; and because of the speed of extension to its entire length from the folded position, it is also called tabi-dasi jutte, otherwise "retractable tube". Tokushu keibo appeared in 1961, after which for five years numerous technical commissions studied its capabilities. Significant contributions to the development of these weapons were made by police martial arts instructors Shimizu Takaji, Kuroda Ichitaro and Kaminoda Tsunemori.

In 1966, the creation of a number of standard techniques for tokushu keibo was announced, and the system itself using these special weapons was called tokushu keibo soho. Tokushu keibo was issued to police officers performing special tasks. The technique was revised the following year, and these improved techniques are now being thoroughly tested.

Theory and technology

The basic techniques of tokushu keibo soho are based on the ideas of the Ikaku-ryu school. A metal tube with a spike at the end, jutte, is special weapon of this school. Jutte should be used defensively, protecting against unprovoked attack, and this is the defensive approach used by tokushu keibo in modern police work.

All forms of using tokushu keibo require its owner to master the basics of control own body, including both posture and stance, as well as turns. Through kihon renshu, learning the basics, the owner of tokushu keibo improves his reactions by performing prescribed actions that allow him to evade the intruder’s attack and successfully counterattack with his telescopic tube. Must be fluent kote-uchi, otherwise a blow to the attacking or armed hand of the aggressor. Other techniques related to hitting, lunging, blocking, defending and covering, allowing you to neutralize the attacking actions of the enemy, are the main ones when using tokushu keibo. Five methods of handling tokushu keibo are recognized as standard, although various variations of them are also practiced. Because these techniques are quite tricky to perform, they are only allowed to be used by specially trained personnel.

Tokushu Keibo Soho currently

Essentially, the tokushu keibo can be used in the same way as a regular wooden keibo, but the strength of the telescopic tube design makes it have a wider range of applications. Despite its high cost, it is in many ways superior to the wooden keibo. The smaller size of such a tube when folded makes it easier to carry, and it is more difficult for an aggressor to notice and grab it during a scuffle with the police; she also hides easily.

The injuries caused by a blow from a tokushu keibo are less severe than those caused by a wooden keibo, which may be due to the tubular design of such a baton, but its effectiveness is more effective.

Hojo-jutsu

While working on the police technical commission in 1927, Shimizu Takaji included techniques from classical bujutsu, called hojo-jutsu. Shimizu, assisted by Takayama Kenichi, demonstrated the art of subduing and immobilizing an aggressor using a tying rope. The great interest of the police authorities in this unfamiliar form of martial art prompted Shimizu to take the initiative to adapt some of the techniques for the needs of the police when dealing with prisoners.

The development of hojo-jutsu as a method of police training continued until 1931, when Shimizu became an instructor in hojo-jutsu for the Tokyo police. Shimizu organized formal training in hojo-jutsu techniques for all patrol police officers. His basic ideas were guided until the defeat of Japan in World War II. The subsequent ban on practicing martial arts and principles did not affect hojo-jutsu, since this art was an important component in the training of Japanese police officers. Special research carried out by Shimizu himself in 1949, 1951, 1955, 1962 and 1968 led to some changes in the original methods of hojo-jutsu and made them even more suitable for use in modern situations.

Theory and technology

Classical bujutsu from the 17th century, hojo-jutsu from Itatsu-ryu, forms the basis of modern police hojo-jutsu. Since classical art is distinguished by the fact that it is a separate, complete form of martial arts system, then hojo-jutsu constitutes only the final phase of action in the classical martial art torite, the art of capturing and subduing an attacker; the attacker, before being tied up, must be subdued under his authority. In modern police work, a policeman can achieve with taiho-jutsu what the Edo policeman did with torite; the use of keijo-jutsu, keibo soho or tokushu keibo soho methods can also precede hojo-jutsu techniques.

Modern hojo-jutsu as used by the police includes five kijonov, or the basics, of handling a binding rope; these are three steps tote-nawa (Hoshu-Nawa), otherwise binding from the front, and four techniques inti-nava (goso-nava), otherwise binding from behind. One who uses hojo-jutsu must not lose control of his opponent while he is tying him up. The tying itself must happen quickly, and to achieve the required manual dexterity, you need to practice a lot. Numerous methods of binding provide varying degrees of control over an opponent. For example, there are methods that limit the movement of the arms without depriving them of full mobility, which allows eating, etc. Some methods enable the prisoner to move on his own feet, but he is not able to run; other methods completely immobilize the arrested person. Some knots will cause pain to the victim if the arrested person tries to escape, while other knots will cause the victim to lose consciousness if he tries to escape. A trained policeman is also capable of subduing and tying up several people on his own.

Hojo-jutsu at present

It may seem strange to some that such a primitive method as tying a detainee with an ordinary rope is still used in police work. But in our time of mass arrests of violent demonstrators, an ordinary tying rope turns out to be not only more economical than steel handcuffs and other means of detention, but also makes it possible to arrest hundreds of people at the same time as a more convenient means when the need arises. Shimizu and his assistant Kaminoda Tsunemori are constantly studying the possibility of using hojo-jutsu in modern police work.

Toshu somehow

Japan's defeat in World War II led to the complete elimination of its armed forces, and at the same time deprived it of the opportunity to start a new war. In the years following the Allied occupation of the country, it became obvious that no state would take its rightful place in the international community unless it had some form of national defense. And in 1954, the Self-Defense Forces were created, which remain to this day the basis of the Japanese armed forces.

Every military department needs a viable form of hand-to-hand combat training. The fact that we live in the so-called nuclear age does not at all exclude the possibility that a soldier will have to engage in hand-to-hand combat with the enemy. And that means he must be able to do this. The Japanese method of conducting tactical combat by each soldier individually is called toshu somehow.

System toshu somehow was developed in 1952 under the technical direction of Maj. Chiba Sanshu, then a captain. Chiba - specialist in various types hand-to-hand combat, especially classical jujutsu, he is also versed in modern disciplines such as Japanese kempo, judo, karate-jutsu and aikijutsu, and is trained in Western boxing and wrestling. By synthesizing these various systems, he developed the toshu kakuto.

Theory and technology

Toshu kakuto - a purely martial art intended for self-defense - is not, however, devoid of offensive elements in accordance with the concept kobo-iti, and it is the appropriateness of offensive or defensive actions in a given situation that determines their choice.

Some changes made to classical and modern disciplines have made the very use of toshu kakuto effective in modern combat. Today's soldier must be able to fight while wearing a bulky uniform and possibly being loaded down with equipment. therefore his movements must be simple and uncomplicated to be effective, since his very mobility may be limited by the weight of his clothing and equipment. All techniques must take into account possible surprises lurking in the environment. Therefore, Toshu Kakuto must have an arsenal of means to quickly dispatch the enemy, which may be required when neutralizing a sentry.

Since the methods of punching and kicking in toshu kakuto must take into account the fact that the enemy may also be heavily loaded, the effectiveness of strikes on vital organs should be as high as possible. Punching is done with a vertical fist, rather than an inward fist, which is typical for many karate-type systems. The first method of striking not only provides a more dense blow, but also better protects the hand from damage. Kicks are thrown with the heel in a lunge. In this way, a more dense blow is achieved and the leg is protected; use, as in karate, to kick the toe or lift the foot can damage it, even if boots are worn.

Hojo-jutsu

From history

Hojo-jutsu - martial art binding of suspects and criminals, which existed in Japan from the beginning of the 14th to the second half of the 19th centuries. Currently, Japanese police are allowed to use rope along with handcuffs if the particular officer is proficient in the technique.

Hojo-jutsu means "the art of grasping with a rope": ho (also: tori) - to catch, seize, arrest; jo (also: nawa) - rope; jutsu - art. As you can see, the second name, which has the same meaning, is torinawa jutsu or torinawa-jutsu.

The main purpose of hojo-jutsu was to capture a suspect, enemy or criminal and immobilize him so that he could not resist or escape. Hojo-jutsu experienced its greatest flourishing during the feudal historical period of Japan, when it became necessary to capture an enemy who could possess valuable information, or who could be used to exchange for someone captured by the opposing side. Of course, there were other reasons for tying someone up, and one - not the least - reason was the need to immobilize a person suspected of committing a crime in order to bring him to trial or for interrogation...

A variety of knots were used for tying - from simple fastening knots to ones that tighten even more tightly when a person tries to untie. A single prisoner was contacted separately, and special units used for several people tied together with one long rope. Often, a cord attached to the sheath of a samurai's sword was used to tie up a "random" captive...

From teaching methods

...Ordinary tying in the general case allows the bound person to feel the ropes with his hands and try to loosen them, loosen them in order to further free himself. The use of special restraint techniques allows the harness to be interconnected, so that loosening one rope causes tension on the other, and ultimately does nothing for the person trying to untie.

Special methods of restricting mobility are not the only way to protect yourself from attempts by a tied person to free yourself. Another effective method reducing activity, if not completely immobilizing the arms and torso of a person - the use of sliding loops around the neck, interconnected in a rope block with the elbows and wrists, so that any attempt to move the arms causes tightening of these loops. Adding leg binding to such harnesses completely immobilizes the person...

Fragments of the methodology for performing one of the hojo-jutsu techniques

Education

Instructor - Alexander Borisovich Laskin, 2nd dan jiu-jitsu (25 years of experience), 2nd dan of hojo-jutsu (16 years of experience).

The training is divided into three stages, each consisting of four two-hour sessions. After studying all the material and successfully passing the certification exams, admission to certification for 1st dan in hojo-jutsu is possible.

Each stage is completed in a separate seminar. Between seminars, students must practice independently, improving the skills learned in class. At the end of each seminar, certification can be carried out for those who have successfully mastered the material.

Program of the first seminar

• history of hojo-jutsu;
• basic safety when working with rope;
• preparing the rope for work;
• preparation - securing a short rope to the body;
• ritual with a rope - in hands, on the body;
• preparing loops (with a knot with one hand, with two hands - a palm, a sea knot, with a rope folded in half);
• theory of applying single and double harnesses - turns: parallel, with intersection;
• the practice of applying single and double harnesses to the arms - in parallel, with intersection;
• basic options for binding limbs, their differences - theory and practice;
• basic knots, fixing rope tails after tying;
• basic options for full binding;
• physiology of hand binding - front, back, in various positions;
• physiology of leg binding in various positions;
• safety when handling the rope for yourself and uke;
• tying hands and feet in the positions described above, in various ways, including the most effective for a particular situation.

Program of the second seminar

• technique of tying with a short rope, previously secured to the body or from a skein. Several options;
• basic elements of long rope bondage;
• principles of fastening the rope on the neck, forearms, wrists, ankles;
• tying the wrists and ankles, securing the rope to them;
• technique of tying with a short rope, previously secured to the body or from a skein. Uke in control position, lying down, standing;
• one-handed tying;
• achievement high speed tying with a short rope;
• long rope tying technique. Association basic elements into a full bondage move.

Program of the third seminar

• the principle and feasibility of using special methods of limiting mobility in a harness. Long rope tying techniques using these methods;
• ceremonial binding;
• tying up for escort;
• binding for the purpose of complete immobilization;
• a full cycle - from tying uke with a short rope in the control position to tying with a long rope for escort.

After the first seminar, at least 3 months must pass before the second, and at least six months after the second before the third.

Short video clips

Hojo-jutsu is a technique of tying up an opponent. In the past, the highest skill in this form was considered to be to overcome the enemy and tie him up in such a way that his weapon remained with him, but he could not use it. For a samurai this was a mortal disgrace, requiring the commission of seppuku. To be completely precise, hojo-jutsu is a kind of borderline technique between kobudo and hand-to-hand combat. The fact is that the essence of the technique is precisely to bind the enemy. For the same enemy, it was first necessary to knock him down and, using a painful hold, immobilize him. In fact, this is nothing more than jiu-jitsu in its purest form. And yet, in hojo-jutsu there is one section that allows this technique to be classified as working with weapons. It is about using a rope to block an opponent's attack and perform a counterattack. The rope itself, of course, is not capable of performing a blocking function since it does not have the necessary rigidity for this. However, it has strength, which is enough to catch the enemy’s weapon or hand in a kind of loop, block it or change the trajectory of movement away from the point of impact. You can also stretch the rope and deflect the blow. In this case, the hojo works like a trampoline net, initially slowing down the attacking movement and then pushing it back. Moreover, the strength of the hands is quite enough to beat off even very swipe foot or baton. It is clear that such a technique is completely useless against a blow from a sword or any other weapon with a well-sharpened cutting edge. And yet this does not mean that the hojo-jutsu technique is useless in this case. There is another very small, but very effective section. This is a striking technique. Yes, yes, this is not a typo, it’s the striking technique! In practice, this section consists of just one technique of snapping the end of the rope. Probably few boys in childhood did not jokingly snap a rope. Some did it better, some worse. Village shepherds and circus performers who engage in horseback riding do this especially skillfully. The technique, frankly speaking, is not complicated, although it does require perseverance and patience to practice. But despite this, it can be successfully used in a real fight. Depending on what material the whip is made of, it can cause serious injury to the enemy, including broken bones and penetrating wounds. Moreover, it is not at all necessary that it be some kind of durable and heavy material. If a person has developed the appropriate skill, then an ordinary silk cord may well be suitable for this. As a matter of fact, Japanese warriors in the past most often used the silk cord from the sageo sword in hojo-jutsu, with the help of which the scabbard was fixed to the belt. Although, in principle, even an ordinary twisted strip of fabric or chain could be suitable for this. There was no special rope or cord for this. And there were reasons for that. As already mentioned, the hojo-jutsu technique was often used in the final stage of a fight, if it was necessary to take the enemy alive. At the initial stage, warriors could fight with swords, spears or other weapons or hand-to-hand combat. After the enemy was defeated and immobilized using painful fixation, he could be tied up. But with what? They did not carry unnecessary things with them, especially if the samurai was preparing for a fight. Therefore, they used those that were always at hand; the warrior almost never parted with his own sword, so a suitable strong cord was always at hand. During battles, samurai wore light and fairly durable armor. In ordinary life, they wore a kimono with wide sleeves and special hakama skirt pants, which could only be worn by people of the noble class. The sleeves of the kimono interfered with the fight, so if it did not arise suddenly, then before the fight they were tied with a special long narrow strip of fabric running crosswise across the back. It was also often used for bondage. Currently, during training, ordinary belts from sportswear for practicing martial arts (dogi). This is due only to considerations of the partner’s safety. Even a wide and fairly rigid belt, which in itself is not always easy to tie tightly, often leaves marks and bruises on the body. What can we say about a thin silk cord! And of course, the section using rope to set blocks is initially studied. Moreover, at first the attack must be unarmed, and only as you master the technique can you move on to weapons. When people first begin to get acquainted with the technique of hojo-jutsu, they tie a knot at the end of the belt. This makes it easier to hold it while performing the technique. It gives, so to speak, an additional point of support for the hand. In principle, this is permissible, but only at a certain stage, since in battle, and even immediately after it, there is no time to tie knots.

The Japanese school of traditional orientation, which was created in 1938 - 1941 by master Okuyama Yoshiji-Ryuho (1906-1987),* a doctor by profession.

From the age of 20, he studied Daito-ryu aiki-jutsu under the guidance of Matsuda Hozaku, one of Takeda Sokaku's students. In 1938, having already had 12 years of experience in this form, Okuyama took a 5-day seminar with Takeda himself. It is interesting to note that the great martial artist charged each of the seminar students a fee of 50 yen, which was a significant amount at that time. Suffice it to say that the police received a monthly salary of 25 to 30 yen. The old masters (Takeda was already 80 years old) valued their work dearly! It was after this seminar that Okuyama decided to start “free swimming.”

He became convinced that he had the knowledge needed to teach independently. The fact is that in parallel with aiki-jutsu, Okuyama studied 7 more martial arts (hence, by the way, the name of his school - “eight rays”). They were: bo-jutsu (pole work); ken-jutsu (fencing with a samurai sword); kusari-kama-jutsu (working with a sickle on a chain); kyu-jutsu (archery); shuriken-jutsu (throwing sharp objects); Yari-jutsu (work with a spear), as well as Okinawan karate.

In the spring of 1939, immediately after the seminar, Okuyama opened his own dojo in Tokyo, where he began teaching his system, which he called “Goshin-bugei”. But three years later he gave it the final name "Hakko-ryu". The school program consists of three large sections:

– Yawara, or fighting techniques with bare hands and with various objects in the hands (mainly with everyday items - a cane, an umbrella, a fan, a chair, a cloak, a scarf);

– Koho-shiatsu, a complex of therapeutic techniques of finger acupuncture (pressure with fingers on biologically active points of the body);

– Koho-goshin-taiso, or complexes gymnastic exercises for general strengthening of the body, as well as for the treatment of certain diseases.

Hakko-ryu hand-to-hand combat techniques include a variety of painful grips and arm locks, followed by throws or holds, choking techniques, as well as a wide range of shock and paralyzing point strikes (atemi-waza). Unlike Aiki-do, in Hakko-ryu, attack and defense are carried out in straight lines, in the frontal plane. The Hakko-ryu school has a number of kata and dan grades, but excludes the initial grades (kyu).

The philosophy of Hakko-ryu, which is in many ways similar to the theory of Aikido, is based on the idea of ​​the unity of man with the Universe, which allows the accumulation of “cosmic” energy “ki” in the body. There are three sources of energy in a person: the highest, mental, directing the work of the brain and generating intellect; middle - determining the physical functions of the body, and lower - determining the connection with the earth and living nature. In this interpretation, the head corresponds to Heaven, and the legs to Earth; Actually, man as a whole is considered in the aspect of the interaction of the forces of Heaven and Earth.

Among Okuyama's most famous students are his son Toshio (the current head of the school), Nakano Michiomi (founder of Shorinji-ken-po), Terazawa Kozan, Mimurodo Hizamitsu, Kosen Yasuoka, as well as two Frenchmen: Roland Maroto (who began promoting Hakko- ryu in France) and Thierry Rieserr-Nadal (commissioner of the Hakko-ryu school in Europe and founder of Denshokan-budo). The school's Hombu dojo is located in Omiya, one of the suburbs of Tokyo.

The uniform of Okuyama's followers consists of black trousers (hakama) and a white jacket (haori). The interest of Japanese youth in this “purely national” type of martial art indicates a growing interest in the country in Japanese spiritual values ​​and their opposition to Western and Chinese ones. However, in Europe the emphasis of this school on old traditions is perceived rather as exotic.

(Energy Connection Path)

Korean martial art, created by master Choi (or Choi) Yong Sol (1904 - 1987). Since childhood, he studied "taekkyon", an ancient Korean martial art that left an indelible imprint on most Korean systems. This is expressed in lightning-fast strikes with the feet on the middle and upper levels of the opponent’s body.. In addition to taekkyon, Choi Yongsol managed to get acquainted in his homeland with “yusul”, the Korean “soft” technique of throws, painful levers, pinpoint strikes with fingers vulnerable points.

In 1919, at the age of 15, he came to Japan, to the northern island of Hokkaido, and there became an apprentice to the famous aiki-jutsu master Daito-ryu (see article), named Takeda Sokaku. Takeda, although an amazing fighter and belonged to an ancient noble family, was poor. So he made a living by teaching and conducting seminars. Takeda was not one of the philanthropists - he tore three skins from his students for each new technique and drove three sweats out of them during training. But he also had no prejudices against people of other nationalities, and therefore honestly taught the young Korean, who paid well for his tuition (Yong Sol was the son of a wealthy fishing owner).

Choi Yong Sol remained in Japan until the spring of 1946. Thus, he lived in a foreign land for about 27 years, and returned to his homeland as a mature man. There he began teaching his system, which was a synthesis of Daito-ryu aiki-jutsu with traditional Korean kick fighting techniques. Takeda Sokaku believed that kicks in real combat were too risky and ineffective. The student could not contradict his mentor, but how could the Korean forget the crushing power of Taekkyon’s elusive legs? “The leg is five times stronger than the hand, and twice as long and quick; the hand has an advantage over the foot in maneuverability, and it can also grab,” as the Korean masters said. Choi Yongsol was confident in the first (in the leg technique), but did not forget about the second: it was for the art of grabbing followed by a throw or painful lock that he came to the harsh Japanese master.

Master Choi called the first versions of this system “Yukwonsul”, then “Hosinsul”, and even later “Bisul”, until he settled on the final version of “Hapkido” in 1948. “Hap” means to connect, unite; "Ki" - energy, or force; “Before” is the way. All together denotes the path of connected kicks and hand grabs, the path of combining one’s strength with the strength of the enemy, the path of merging the energy of the body with the energy of the Universe.

The hieroglyphs representing these three words are the same ones that make up the name of the world famous Japanese "Aikido". For the uninitiated, the difference here is only in pronunciation, but for followers it is not a matter of name at all. Aikido is a purely defensive system, with the goal of unbalancing the opponent with the help of a detailed technique of movement and painful holds. There are no kicks in it; punches are used to a limited extent, mainly to disorient the enemy and throw him off balance before making a grab. Morihei Ueshiba himself said that during the five years that he spent with master Takeda Sokaku, the teacher taught him no more than a hundred hours! Ueshiba mastered 15 basic aiki-jutsu holds and, combining them with movement techniques from ken-jutsu (Japanese sword fencing), created an original combat system.

The founder of Aikido was truly an outstanding martial artist. However, the Hapkidoin consider him a dropout who dared-. to distort the meaning of aikijutsu. Firstly, he received too little knowledge from the teacher. Secondly, he considered the technique he was studying from the perspective of a fencer (in addition to the sword, he was excellent at wielding a spear, halberd, pole and club). Choi Yongsol underwent a course of training to a much greater extent than Ueshiba, and approached the technique he studied from a hand-to-hand position. The result is obvious: hapkido, unlike aikido, includes an extensive section of foot techniques in both defense and attack; assault counts here the best way protection; painful grips and bends are carried out sharply, with the aim of breaking the joint; throws are much shorter and faster, since in a battle with several opponents who know how to fight, you can’t get “stuck” on just one. The principle of water (fluidity, softness, pliability, which turns into enormous force, pressure, destruction) teaches how to properly penetrate the enemy’s defenses.

In other words, Ueshiba simply took a piece from the aiki-jutsu of the Daito-ryu style, while Choi Yongsol creatively developed this system as a whole.

In Korea, Choi Yong Seol had a total of several hundred students. However, he himself considered only a few to continue his work. Simply learning the basic technique and options for using it in a fight was not enough for this. It is necessary, the master founder believed, to deeply understand the philosophy that formed the basis of hapkido. This is the traditional Korean school of “kido” (the path of energy), which allows a person to understand the mechanism of the circulation of the energy “ki” (or “qi”), which is present in everything and controls everything. Thanks to this knowledge, a person must learn to place himself in the center of the energy cycle, concentrate it within himself and direct it in the right direction...

The philosophy of hapkido is associated with the symbolism of the eight trigrams, widely known in the Far East. It is believed that the eight trigrams (ba-gua in Chinese) denote not only “movement to the eight cardinal directions,” but also (through a long associative series) all the phenomena and patterns of the constantly changing macro- and microcosm.

Penetration into the essence of this philosophy allows us to understand the mechanism of the circulation of energy “ki” (Chinese “qi”), that same cosmic energy that is present in everything and controls everything. Thanks to this knowledge, a person must learn to place himself in the center of the energy cycle, concentrate it within himself and direct it in the right direction. Naturally, such a person must have certain qualities, the development of which is facilitated by strict observance of the following ten commandments of hapkido:

1. Anyone who practices hapkido must remember that all nature around him is energy;

2. He must adhere to the path of concentrating the energy of heaven and earth in his body;

3. Following this path, he must develop his energetic abilities;

4. In battle, the energy of nature must be used in eight directions;

5. For those who practice Hapkido, there is only self-defense;

6. A follower of Hapkido is equally concerned about the welfare of his country and all mankind;

7. A follower of Hapkido respects order and social morality;

8. Anyone who practices hapkido respects the personality of others and is modest in his behavior;

9. When practicing Hapkido, strive to do the best in everything you have to do;

10. When practicing Hapkido, respect all other martial arts.

The Hapkido training system is designed in such a way that all basic technique is given up to the first dan. Then its accuracy is verified. For the second dan they take the same technique, only for a while, i.e. much faster. The third dan involves working in non-standard conditions, sitting, jumping off a wall, blindfolded, etc. Along with this, there is work with weapons - a stick, a stick, a sword, a knife, a belt. After receiving the third dan, the main work is psychotraining.

The training begins with sharp movements - kicks and punches, and ends with fine finger work on the points and nuances of energy management. This sequence is due to the fact that hapkido is used to train special forces personnel of the Korean army and police, where cadets must receive specific combat skills from the very first lessons. Year daily workouts 3 – 4 hours a day allows you to pass the first dan exam and win quick victories in fights with karatekas of the third or fourth dan level. In hapkido, it is believed that a fight that lasts more than a few seconds turns into a chaotic exchange of blows and loses all meaning. You don't need to fight with the enemy, you need to beat him!

Like Aikido, Hapkido is a non-competitive martial art. Therefore, its demonstration is carried out in the form demonstration performances. An eyewitness described one of them as follows: “The demonstration began with kicks. They are almost the same as in taekwondo, but more powerful. Strikes are performed, as a rule, from a turn: both upper ones, to the opponent’s head, and lower ones, such as a sweeping sweep. In jumping kicks, they usually kick with both legs at once, directing them both in one direction and in different directions. For example, one of the speakers showed the following trick: while jumping, he made a turn around a vertical axis and cross twine I broke two boards at once, which were held by the guys sitting on the shoulders of their partners!

Then they showed techniques for defending against blows and grabs. The pattern of these techniques is similar to aikido, but they are performed more rigidly and “broken”, without smooth transitions. This fragmentation is emphasized by the breathing style - the execution of each technique is accompanied by a series of “sa” cries.

The opponent is held back after the throw and finished off with a blow from the edge of the palm. A fairly typical action is breaking out the opponent’s arm during a painful hold.

Kicks were also used here, but, unlike the previous part of the demonstration, these were mainly kicks to the knee or under the knee, performed before starting to walk around the enemy from the side. In response to the enemy's kicks, the attacking limb was grabbed and a kick to the armpit like " spear hand."

More complex things followed. In particular, a fight between one fighter and two opponents at once. Here there was no longer enough time to hold the enemy after a throw, but there were no “pure” aikido escapes (when the enemy seems to fall into the void) either. Any defensive combination necessarily ended with a counterattack.

All this was shown by young people, first and second dan holders. Then they were replaced by a teacher, a man about 35 years old, with a 6th dan. He seemed to be doing the same thing, but his movements were much more reminiscent of aikido techniques in their softness, smoothness and energy. They explained to me that the same defenses performed by masters of hap-kido and aikido are indeed very similar. The differences in the technique of both directions are more noticeable in the initial stages of training, since hapkido begins with a hard technique and only a long time later comes to a soft one, whereas in aikido there is no rigidity initially.

After the teacher’s speech, work began with weapons, or more precisely, with everyday objects used as weapons. Among them were short “tanbon” sticks, similar in size and shape to ordinary relay sticks, but made of hard wood. At the end of each stick there is a hole through which a rope loop is threaded. The wand is held with a loop forward and they try to catch the enemy’s hand in it, and only then carry out a technique based on a similar grip. These sticks are not used as poking weapons.

But for poking strikes on nerve centers and bones, you can effectively use chopsticks, a regular pencil, or a fountain pen. Methods of using these items in self-defense were also shown. Working with a cane that has a rounded end like a hook (handle) fits well into the hapkido technique. The interesting thing is that there are no rough grips with this hook. Instead, I saw many ingenious locks, where the stick emphasized the direction of movement, and the hook served to strengthen the grip, but nothing more. The teacher also showed how to protect himself from kicks with a folded belt. He not only blocked blows with it, but also managed to catch his opponent’s leg in a loop formed by a folded belt and throw him to the ground with a sharp jerk.

Naturally, the demonstration was accompanied by certain rituals. Among them were the obligatory bows to the Korean flag and the portrait of Choi Yong Seol, the cry of “hapki!” before the start of each fight and after it, a picture stance, which was taken after the technique by the one who “defeated” the conditional opponent.”

Hapkido adherents consider their style ideal, harmoniously combining hard and soft, external work with internal work. I would like to draw special attention to this, because there is a very widespread opinion that hapkido is just a Korean version of Daito-ryu aiki-jutsu.

Whereas in fact, Choi Yongsol tried to create a universal pan-Korean martial art. And if taekwondo, which was finally formed several years later, began to spread in breadth (with the active support of the state), then hapkido on Korean soil went in depth.

As with many other forms of martial arts, there is no single organizational structure for Hapkido. Only in South Korea there are 4 of them: the International Federation (headed by Myung Jaenam), the All-Korean Association (led by Hwang Dokkyu), the Hapkido Association of the New Village movement, and the Society of Path and Energy (Kidohwe).

Hapkidoins from different countries are united by 2 main organizations. This is the already named “International Hapkido Federation”, headed by Myung Jaenam, and headquartered in the Republic of Korea, and the “World Hapkido Federation”, headed by Myung Gwangsik and center in the USA. The gradation according to the degree of mastery of the technique is the same in them: this is a white belt (beginner), blue (moving forward), red (advanced along the path), black. Holders of a black belt are awarded the degree of “dan”, and starting from the 5th dan, it is honorary in nature and is not associated with technical achievements.

In recent years, other international or regional Hapkido organizations have emerged.

The significance of hapkido in the history of Korean martial arts is that it preserves and develops those traditions that were discarded when taekwondo was created. Elements of Hapkido techniques can be found in such modern schools as Hwarangdo and Guksul, and Hwejeong Musul, created by Myung Jaeok (brother of Myung Jae-nam) and Sinmudo, developed by Chi Hanjae, simply take their origins from it...

This is what Myung Jaenam, who represents the second generation of Choi Yongsol’s students, tells about his path in hapkido: “Following the same path for forty years, I headed the hapkido organization, lived to see gray hairs, and now I want to look back at my past at one glance.

Just as a sprout turns into a gigantic tree under the rains and winds, so I followed my chosen path, despite difficulties and encountering many joys. I decided to study martial arts at the age of ten, and began to do so under the guidance of my grandfather. Even then, when I thought about martial arts, I thought about hapkido. A Korean proverb says that in ten years even mountains and waters change their appearance. So by the time I was twenty-one, I had learned the basics of hapkido.

After that, I began, on the one hand, to tirelessly promote this art, and on the other, to further improve its technique. Thanks to my dedication to Hapkido, at the age of 32, I was able to register the Hapkido Association with the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Korea. This was in 1969. And in 1981, when I was forty-four years old, in my thirty-fifth year of training in hapkido, I was able to create the International Hapkido Association. Now our association has 700 specialized centers in Korea, branches in 45 countries and more than a million members”...

HWARANDO

(The Path of Blooming Youth)

Traditional Korean martial art and education system, opened to the general public in 1960 by the Lee brothers.

The origins of Hwarangdo should be sought in the 6th century AD, when there were three states on the Korean Peninsula - Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla. In 540, Chin Hong became king of Silla. He set as his goal the comprehensive strengthening of the state and the unification of the other two around it. It is clear that to achieve this goal, military power was required. Meanwhile, the Silla State was the smallest of the three kingdoms. In the 37th year of his reign, the king came up with the idea that the missing number of soldiers could be replaced high quality training the main striking force of the army.

He summoned the Buddhist monk Wongva-na Bops and instructed him to form, train and educate a detachment of selected warriors. This detachment was called “Hwarang” (blooming youth), as it consisted of 500 young men aged 14–15, taken from. the best noble families. From morning to evening, the young men trained in military affairs, practiced meditation, and also sang songs (endowed, as was then believed, with “magical powers”), recited poetry, indulged in military dances, studied the history of their country and Buddhist doctrine. The education of the “blooming youth” was carried out in accordance with the “Five Commandments” (sesok o re), formulated by their supreme mentor Wo-ngwan:

– Il sa kun e chun – Loyalty to the sovereign;

– E sa chin ehyo – Respect for parents;

– Sam kyo ye sin – Sincerity with friends;

– Sa im zhong mu tae – Bravery in front of the enemy;

– O sal san u tak – Legibility in killing.

Severe daily training and thoughtful moral education made the Hwarang the best warriors of their time. From now on, in all battles, it was they who decided the outcome of the battles in favor of the Silla army, delivering the decisive blow... Gradually, the size of the Hwarang corps increased to 5 thousand people. This military-religious organization played main role in the process of unification of the three kingdoms around Silla, which ended in 668 with the creation of the state of Tonghil Silla (United Silla). The kingdom lasted until 976, when it was replaced by the state of Koryo. There, the hwarangs were still in the foreground, both in the army and in the apparatus public administration.

But in 1392, power passed into the hands of the commander Sun Gyo Yi, who founded the new Li dynasty. From now on, the country's domestic and foreign policy began to be determined not by Buddhists, but by Confucians. The Buddhist clergy was persecuted, and the hwarang corps was dissolved. Training according to their program was banned everywhere, and the Hwarans themselves were asked to resign from all their positions. Thus ended the 750-year-old brilliant history of the Hwarans, these knights without fear or reproach. Some of them left their homeland, emigrating to Japan or China. Others moved to remote provinces, to the most remote mountain villages. Still others took refuge in provincial Buddhist monasteries.

However, the tradition of military education of the Hwarans was not interrupted. It was passed on from teachers to a small number of carefully selected, repeatedly tested students. In old age, they found successors for themselves and, thus, the art of the Hwarans has survived to this day. In 1940, the 57th Grand Master of Hwarang-do, the Buddhist monk Suam Dosa, took two boys, brothers Ju Ban Lee and Ju Sang Lee, into his care. After 20 years of training at the Seo Gwangsa and Yang Miam monasteries, he commissioned them to open the first public school, Hwarangdo, in Seoul. In 1968, Master Ju Ban Li was awarded the “Order of the Lion” - highest award, awarded in South Korea for achievements in the field of culture. And the next year, Master Suam Dosa officially proclaimed Ju Ban Li as his successor, the 58th great master of Hwarang-do, counting from the very first - monk Wongwan Bops.

In the 70s, Hwarangdo expanded beyond Korea. The Lee brothers carried out many demonstration performances in different states of America, thanks to which this art gained considerable popularity in the United States. They also moved the headquarters of their organization there from Korea. There is now a European Hwarando Union, headed by the German Klaus Wachsmann. This union includes Germany, Denmark and Poland.

In modern Hwarangdo, there are two sections of training - My sul (the art of combat) and In sul (the art of healing). In turn, the first section has four groups techniques:

– Ve gon, or punches and kicks, blocks, grabs, throws, painful levers and twisting, suffocation, pressure on painful points. In other words, this hand-to-hand combat;

– Mue gong, or the technique of working with 108 types of traditional Korean weapons, grouped into 20 main categories. The most popular among them are the pole, knife and sword;

– Ne gon, or techniques for accumulating internal energy and controlling it through breathing and meditative exercises;

– Shin gon, or work with consciousness. This includes the technique of hypnosis, entering a trance, when-. advanced psychodiagnostics, as well as the art of camouflage and covert penetration (un sim bop), dating back to the “sulsa” - secret spies, the elite of the ancient Hwarans.

The In Sul section includes herbal medicine, chiropractic care, acupuncture (acupuncture) and acupressure (therapeutic acupressure).

It is considered equally important, along with the above sections, to study Korean history, customs, literature, philosophy, since for a better understanding of any traditional system of one or another people requires knowledge of the conditions of its emergence and development.

In full accordance with the principles of Hwarang-Do, the Lee brothers opened a school in the United States for children of Korean descent, where they are on a full board basis, combining study in the American curriculum with Hwarang-Do classes within the sections indicated here, as well as the study of the Korean language and Korean culture.

HOJO-JUTSU

This is the art of tying up the enemy, which was mandatory in the samurai military training program. They were taught to bind captives in such a way that any movement when trying to free themselves from the bonds would cause them pain. The highest luxury for a samurai (and the greatest shame for his enemy) was to tie up the enemy so that he would follow the winner on his own feet, and his sword would remain with him! In combat situations, thin silk cords were used that cut deeply into the body. During training, flat cotton belts are used, which do not give the full effect of tying, but protect the partner from necrosis of the limbs.

Another area of ​​hojo-jutsu is the use of rope as a blocking and restraining device against both armed and unarmed opponents.

MUGEN-RYU HEIHO

No less ancient history than a pole or staff, a short club (jo) is also a natural help for an unarmed person at all times. The noble comrades of Robin Hood, Russian heroes, and Vietnamese rebels loved to play with the club. The iron club gradually turned into a club and a mace. In Japan, until the 17th century. the club and stake remained the weapons of the common people.
fighting techniques with an ordinary meter stick are attributed to the samurai Muso Gonnosuke. Previously, Muso studied the bo technique of the Tenshin-Shoden-Katori-Shinto-ryu and Kashima-Shinto-ryu schools. Having mastered all the secrets of bo-jutsu, he set off to wander from province to province with his simple weapon. In duels with opponents armed with halberds and swords, he did not know defeat. Proud, Muso sent a challenge to Miyamoto Musashi, the greatest swordsman of the era. He lost the fight, but the generous Musashi gave the defeated man life. Beside himself with grief, Muso retired to the southern island of Kyushu and there he lived for many years as a hermit in the depths of the mountains until the very night when, as expected, insight (satori) descended on him. The next morning, Muso, following divine recommendations, cut a stick from a beech tree and began to learn movements that were something between bo-jutsu and ken-jutsu - “the art of the club.” With the help of jo-jutsu it was convenient to strike pain points. In addition, the size of the stick provided more space for juggling manipulations.
As a result, replacing the rokushaku-bo with a shorter, lighter and, therefore, more convenient model - jo (120 - 125 cm, diameter 2.5 cm), or club, Muso Gonnosuke created a new type of stick fencing - jo-jutsu and founded the Shindo-Muso-ryu school, famous for its 64 fighting techniques, which formed its basis.
Since then, schools of jo-jutsu began to multiply, but they were all esoteric in nature, and in modern and recent times they existed under the Kendo Federation. In 1955, the independent All-Japan Jo-do Federation (Zen-Nihon-Jo-Jutsu-Renmei) arose, but to this day much in jo technique remains a mystery, such as, for example, 64 secret techniques of the Shindo-Muso-ryu school, which originates from the legendary Muso.

It is interesting to note that all jo training is carried out without protectors, and strikes (with the exception of the most dangerous ones) are delivered with full force. Such a training method not only cultivates courage, but also provides excellent “filling” of the body, developing muscle armor and dulling painful sensations. Meanwhile, in kenjutsu, and later in kendo, when working with swords made of heavy wood (bokken) and even bamboo (sinai), not to mention real steel ones, protectors on the body, helmet and visor were mandatory.
One of the auxiliary subjects studied in most schools of Japanese martial arts was the art of repelling arrows (yadome-jutsu) with a sword or with bare hands. The samurai cavalry never used hand shields, which interfered with the use of a sword or halberd and were generally considered an unnecessary luxury. Sometimes a helmet removed from the head acted as a shield, but more often the samurai relied on sleight of hand. Speed, eye and detachment of the “spirit-mind” were the key to success. Much also depended on correct stance, which makes it possible to reach the arrow and hit it in flight, some ten to twelve centimeters from the body. The most difficult moment was the moment of delivering a parrying blow (zanshin). Each new arrow, fired by a different shooter and from a different distance, carried an element of surprise and excluded the possibility of a successful “mechanical” repetition. While parrying one arrow, you had to simultaneously fix your gaze on the second, third, fourth, instantly determine the degree of danger and react only to the one flying at the head or chest. Arrows could be repelled with one or two swords, which was considered a relatively simple matter, or with a hand in a plate armlet. The pinnacle of skill was the ability to intercept an arrow on the fly. In the knightly epic there is a mention of samurai who remained safe and sound in the rain of arrows.

When mastering the Yadome technique in schools, soft rag or cotton balls were put on the arrows. The training, where one performer was fired upon by several archers, was reminiscent of playing ping-pong at enormous speeds. The quality of yadome and generally the speed of reaction characterized the class of skill, the degree of perfection of a virtuoso of the martial arts of bugeisha. In battle, the samurai wanted to take the enemy alive, he had to master hojo-jutsu - the art of binding, a necessary application to jujutsu, which was mandatory in the samurai military training program. Having knocked the weapon out of the enemy’s hands and carried out a throw followed by a hold, one should immediately remove a coil of rope from the belt with one hand and wrap the victim in such a way that any movement when trying to free himself from the bonds would cause pain. In the thick of the battle, under the points of swords and spears directed from all sides, this was not easy to do. It is believed that the strict rules of hojo-jutsu were first introduced by the Takenouchi-ryu school, but almost every school of jujutsu could boast of its own original methodology.

Hojo-jutsu was studied with great diligence by Tokugawa era law enforcement officers, government overseers, and me-tsuke detectives. Masters of the art of tying invented such intricate combinations that sea knots would look like childish pranks in comparison. All possible options for tying separately arms and legs, arms and neck, legs and neck, etc. were developed in detail. The methods and “drawings” varied depending on the gender and age of the victim, her social status, clothing and hairstyle. To transport the prisoner under his own power, the end of the rope was attached to such places that the slightest attempt to escape caused excruciating pain. If there was no long rope, a cord from a large sword was used - sageo. The class of hojo-jutsu technique was determined by the degree of skill and speed.
The highest luxury for a samurai (and the greatest shame for his enemy) was to tie up the enemy so that he would follow the winner on his own feet, and his sword would remain with him. In combat situations, thin silk cords were used that cut deeply into the body. During training, flat cotton belts are used, which do not give the full effect of tying, but protect the partner from necrosis of the limbs.
Another area of ​​application of hojo-jutsu is the use of rope as a blocking and restraining means when working against armed and unarmed opponents.