Jujutsu (also spelled jiu-jitsu) is one of the martial arts practiced by Japan's samurai warriors. The founding of its various schools (ryu in Japanese) have been traced back to the eighth to the 16th century. Because the warriors donned armor before entering the battlefield, kicks and punches had little effect. Therefore, chokes and joint locks were the only techniques that could attack unprotected targets like the neck, wrists and ankles. Weapons were at one time stressed in jujutsu, but most modern training focuses on empty-hand combat.

Since its creation, jujutsu has spawned a number of martial arts, including judo, aikido and possibly hapkido and kuk sool. It's categorized mostly as a system of self-defense, although competitions—especially in Brazilian jiu-jitsu—have recently become popular.


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