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RLSamsel
22nd January 2014, 18:12
Is anyone familiar with this dojo?

http://www.tntjujitsu.com/

It has been many years since I studied with a genuine Classical Japanese Ju Jutsu school and I am looking to restart my training along with my children. I don't want to make the mistake of joining a school that is only pretending to be teaching a traditional ryu.

Thanks in advance.

Roger Samsel

pgsmith
23rd January 2014, 16:41
Hello Roger,
I am not personally familiar with that dojo or their instructor. However, judging from the information available on their web site, it appears that they teach their instuctor's take on what traditional jujutsu should be. They do not list any Japanese koryu affiliation. The only affiliation they list is the USJJF, and anyone that desires can register with them.
Their art may be very effective, and they may teach in a traditional manner. They aren't a koryu school though, if that's what you're looking for. My advice would be to go and visit their school, and see if you like it. As an old Japanese instructor once told me, the hardest part of learning any classical art is going to the dojo regularly. So, find a dojo that really appeals to you, and half the battle is already done! :)

RLSamsel
23rd January 2014, 20:46
Paul,

I actually did go there last night and participated in the training. It very much appealed to me and I definitely plan to go back. The techniques demonstrated and practiced seemed (to me) effective and practical and the entire experience was very positive. The atmosphere of the dojo and the interaction among the students was exactly what I has hoping for. The head instructor has rank (sandan I think) in jujutsu and a couple of other arts. He is a policeman and places strong emphasis on practical self-defense. I have a wife and three daughters, and so "practical self defense" is high on my list of priorities. The emphasis on Japanese tradition was present, but less perspicuous than what I have experienced in the past.

In my previous training ("Classical Martial Arts of Japan" in the late 80's and early 90's), the emphasis on exact adherence to the tradition and performance of the techniques precisely as spelled out by the ryu were strongly emphasized. A lot of time was spent explaining how a technique would have been performed by a Samurai wearing armour and carrying a katana and a wakizashi. Besides sangaku ryu aikijujutsu and yamate ryu aikijujutsu, the school also had classes in Aikido, Kenjutsu (itto tenshin ryu), Iado, and Shotokan. Many years later, I found this forum and discovered that the lineage of the school and ryu I previously studied are suspect and are held in very low esteem here. I am not qualified to hold an oppinion on those issues, but can only say that I believe the jujutsu I studied was sound and effective. The one time in my life when I had a need for it, I was not dissappointed.

I know I wrote that I want to study a "traditional ryu." I suppose what I really mean by that is I do NOT want BJJ, Gracie JJ, or MMA and I do not want a sport or competition style. I want a dojo that teaches a genuine Japanese / Nihon jujutsu style that is effective, practical, and that has an environment that is "right" for my children. My initial impression of this school is that it DOES fit that description.

Kind Regards,

Roger Samsel