At Colosseum Martial Arts, we teach the art of Tsutsumi Jujutsu as taught by Shihan Hans De Jong, which has been passed on to him by his father Shihan Jan De Jong. In this article, we shall explore the differences between jujutsu and another popular martial art, kickboxing. We will focus particularly on the difference between their origins and the techniques being used in each discipline;

Origins

The origin of jujutsu can be traced back to feudal-era Japan. This martial art has been taught to warriors in order to deal with armoured opponents using short weapons, or no weapons. Over time, this has branched out into various schools, and has influenced more modern martial arts, such as aikido, hapkido, and judo.

Kickboxing, on the other hand, has more modern origins. Although it is closely related to Muay Thai, which has centuries-old history, it is actually a combination of many other forms of martial arts, including karate and Western boxing. In Japan, kickboxing began in the 1960s, while it became popular in the United States in the 1970s. The term is actually an anglicised term coined by Japanese boxing promoter Osamu Noguchi to introduce the hybrid martial art in 1958.

Techniques

There is also a marked difference in the techniques used by the two disciplines. In jujutsu, leverage is considered more important than strength. This originates from when opponents wore armour and striking, or trying to overpower larger opponents was not effective. Timing, body positioning and unbalancing, manipulation of joints and throwing however was just as effective with armour and with weapons. In it’s modern usage it is more practical and efficient when used by smaller individuals against bigger and stronger opponents. Proof of this is the variety of classes taught at Colosseum Martial Arts, which aren’t exclusively for men and those working in the areas of law enforcement. Classes for women and children are also taught here.

Meanwhile, kickboxing is more of a hybrid form of martial art. It combines a number of different disciplines that include boxing and kicking techniques from Muay Thai, as well as kicking techniques from karate and taekwondo. Where jujutsu is mainly about taking down an opponent by unbalancing them, kickboxing employs techniques that are more geared towards delivering powerful hits against one’s opponent.

Ready to Learn Tsutsumi Jujutsu?

No matter your size or level of fitness, you can learn the art of Tsutsumi Hozan Ryu Jujutsu at The Colosseum. We have classes for men, women, and children. Women’s classes include lessons on using leverage over strength, threat assessment, and the psychology of self defence. Meanwhile, children’s lessons are divided between the Kids Mini-Samurai and Kids Samurai Classes that will introduce children to jujutsu.

For more information on our classes, please send us an enquiry today.