Jujutsu in London

[CyberSlave]

Hi everyone,

I'm hoping that someone here could offer me some advise, I haven't done any Martial Arts in about 4 years, and decided that I'd like to get back into it, because I really used to enjoy it and it's a good way to keep fit and learn defence.

I've been thiking I'd like to try Jujutsu, I live in Harrow in North West London. Does anyone know of any decent classes in my surrounding area or have any suggestions of a good place for me to start looking?

Any advice would be most appreciated.

Thanks

[MarkF]

Why not try some judo first? It does have everything you mentioned you would like to get out of it, it is a martial art made up of jujutsu technique (done safely, but at full-speed, all out practice are the main differences), and good dojo are usually the ones closest to you.

I'm not familiar with the layout in London but you have one of the western world's oldest budo schools, the "Budokwai." It is mainly a judo dojo, but it has a history second to none and teachers from whom you would find only the finest instruction.

Generally, when people mention jujutsu (without being more spefific of the ryu or style of jujutsu) it is mostly judo, it is just taught a bit differently.

Take a look at http://www.budokwai.org and http://www.kanosociety.org . They both are good places to start (online), be it koryu jujutsu, gendai styles of jujutsu or Kodokan Judo, the history of the jujutsu of judo can be found there. The British Judo Association should help you find a dojo if the Budokwai isn't close enough to you (it doesn't have to be the Budokwai, it is the first one that comes to mind when I think of judo in the UK).
******

The true reason is to find out just how interested you are again and if this is what you really want to do. With your reasons for returning to training, most traditional, or Koryu styles wouldn't accept you anyway. In the mean time, you will get in some training. Even if you decide to leave the judo dojo after the obligatory two years or so, you will have sound basics built in, and when all else fails, your judo will help a lot, whatever the situation (or you may like it so much you may stay). Some old school jujutsu actually require some study of a more mainstream style to be considered, and if you still want to get into jujutsu after an amount of time, well, it can't hurt.


I hope this helps some.


Mark

[Mike Williams]

Hi Jay,

Not to downgrade anything that Mark has just said, but good luck finding any judo clubs near Harrow that teach adults. If you find any, please let me know.

If you're prepared to travel into town, there are loads of options including the Budokwai for judo, numerous gendai jujutsu clubs, bujinkan, BJJ, allsorts!

I think Monkeyboy has already made a couple of suggestions for more local places to check out. I believe there is aikido in Harrow, there is also MMA/Vale Tudo.

Or you could pop along to my jujutsu club. It's WJJF, so it's not terribly traditional, but it might suit you. We train in Acton on Mondays and Wednesdays - if you're interested, I will PM you the details.

Cheers,

Mike

[CyberSlave]

Hi there,

Thank you so much for your replies, and information. This will come in useful when I look into Jujutsu classes, but for now I have decided to take up Systema. I'm sure at some point I will give Jujutsu a try though cos it is something I'd like to learn.

Once again thank you.

J