The Jitsu Foundation

The Jitsu Foundation or TJF is a national-level association of sports clubs headquartered in the United Kingdom, but also has affiliated organisations in other countries around the world (Australia, Canada, Cyprus, the Netherlands, New Zealand, South Africa, USA, Argentina). Focusing on standing throws and locks using weakening strikes to assist, the style taught within the association is known as Shorinji Kan Jiu Jitsu (少林寺完柔術).

Style

Shorinji Kan Jiu Jitsu is taught as a self-defence system which acknowledges that situations may include multiple armed or unarmed opponents, rather than a single "one on one" officiated match. Joint locks and throws, complemented by weakening strikes, are employed to deal with attackers in an efficient way. In most cases, a practising pair will include an Uke and a Tori in which the Uke launches an attack and the Tori defends. The style includes some treatment of groundwork (newaza) however to a far lesser degree than some sports-based styles of jujutsu. Much of the competition focus of styles such as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Judo is ignored in favour of maintaining awareness of the complete surroundings with all possible threats considered. The commonly held prescriptions of "clean fighting" are disregarded in the Jitsu Foundation and the use of all advantages available (including groin strikes, hair pulling, spinal locks, eye rakes, and to a small extent nerve points) is encouraged - although in competitions such as the Randori Nationals, these are not employed. The style has adopted the name 'jitsu', a shortened version of 'jiu jitsu,' or 'jujutsu.'