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Jiu-Jitsu ("soft art" in Japanese; also ju-jitsu, ju-jutsu, ju-jitsu, or jui-jitsu) is one of the oldest forms of Japanese martial arts which history goes back many centuries to the past. It is a forefather of many martial arts – Judo, Aikido, Karate, Sambo. There is the legend about the founder of Jiu-Jitsu Okayama Sirobei who saw how a subtle tree branch bent under snow then threw off the snow and eventually stood erect back whereas thick branches were being broken by heavy snow. Gentleness defeats evil", - he exclaimed.
Jiu-jitsu exponents utilize the following different skill sets (sometimes in combination, sometimes not) to tackle an aggressor: blocking, joint lock techniques, strikes, throws and sweeps, as well as ground fighting/grappling skills.
Because Jiu-jitsu contains so many facets, it has become the foundation for a variety of styles and derivations today. As each instructor incorporated new techniques and tactics into what was taught to him originally, he could codify and create his own ryu (school). Some of these schools modified the source material so much that they no longer considered themselves a style of Jiu-jitsu. And the other way around: some new styles quite far from Jiu-jitsu are identified themselves as Jiu-jitsu.
Circa 1600 AD there were over 2000 ryu (schools) of Jiu-jitsu in Japan and there were common features that are characterized of most of them. The technical characteristics varied from school to school.
Some schools went on to diverge into present day Karate, and Aiki styles. The last Japanese divergence occurred in 1905 where a number of Jiu-jitsu schools joined the Kodokan. The syllabi of those schools were unified under Jigoro Kano to form Jiu-Do (or Judo).
Modern Judo is the classic example of a sport, which was derived from Jiu-jitsu. Another layer removed, some popular arts had instructors who studied one of these Jiu-jitsu-derivatives and later made their own derivative succeed in competition. This created an extensive family of martial arts and sports which can trace their lineage to Jiu-jitsu in some part. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has dominated the TV grappling competitions, as the rules of such competitions favor that style of grappling.
The way an opponent is dealt with is also dependent on the philosophy of the teacher with regard to combat. This translates also in different styles or schools of Jiu-jitsu.
There is one more serious reason of the diversity of Jiu-jitsu schools - every conceivable technique, including biting, hairpulling, eyegouging etc. is allowed in the old Jiu-jitsu (unlike for instance Judo, which does not place emphasis on punching or kicking tactics, or Karate, which does not heavily emphasize grappling and throwing). So, Jiu-jitsu practitioners have an unlimited choice of techniques (assuming they are proficient).
A Japanese based martial system formulated in modern times (post Tokugawa) that is only partially influenced by traditional Nihon Jiu-jitsu, is correctly referred to as Goshin Jiu-jitsu. (Goshin means self defense.) Goshin Jiu-jitsu is usually formulated outside Japan and may include influences from other martial traditions. All Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu styles in general, although derived originally from Judo have evolved independently for many years, and could be considered examples of Goshin Jiu-jitsu.
After the transplantation of traditional Japanese Jiu-jitsu to the West, many of these more traditional styles underwent a process of adaptation at the hands of Western practitioners, molding the arts of Jiu-jitsu to suit western culture in its myriad varieties. There are today many distinctly westernized styles of Jiu-jitsu that stick to their Japanese roots to varying degrees. There are also a number of relatively new martial systems identifying themselves as Jiu-jitsu.
Throw techniques and physical impact on human joints are the major particular features of this combative sport (which brings this form closer to Sambo including its applied version – martial Sambo). The important part of the sport is strike technique which main functions are to stop an opponent, prepare a moment for a throw, move off his/her balance and execute choke or submission. The special part of Jiu-Jitsu deals with sticks and plain weapon. This substantial part of martial arts is called "Kobudo".
Jiu-jitsu resembles Judo: the participants wear kimono, they start from standing and use Judo throws and takedowns. Instead of striving for a pin, once both opponents are on the ground they use a variety of chokes, joint locks and submissions, gaining points and advantages for advancing their position on their opponent. For instance, you would receive points for mounting someone where you are in an obviously superior position. Jiu-Jitsu employs no strikes or kicks. In any fight, it is vital to know how to defend and control your attacker from the ground, where the most fights end up anyway.
Training 'accidents' often happened in feudal Japan. It was not uncommon for samurai to die in the >dojo (training room). Judo came about because the Japanese government required the dissolution of the Samurai class. It was no longer considered suitable for martial arts training in modern Japan to result in fatalities, so Jigoro Kano was commissioned to devise an alternative training system. He devised a system without many of the dangerous techniques known to result in serious training injuries. Judo was the result of many systems of Jiu-jitsu combined. Those systems whose instructors were not in favor of Kano's amalgamation remained aloof from it. However, many school joined Kano, bringing their techniques with them into Judo's fold. Others chose to develop their systems for the modern world such as Karate and Aikido.
Jiu-jitsu was not meant for use in sporting contest, but for practical use in the Samurai world (which ended circa 1890). Techniques like hairpulling and eye poking were and are not considered conventionally acceptable to use in sport, thus they are not included in Judo competitions or randori. Judo did, however, preserve the more lethal, dangerous techniques in its kata. The kata were intended to be practiced by students of all grades, but now are mostly practiced formally as complete set-routines for performance, kata competition, and grading, rather than as individual self-defense techniques in class. However, Judo retained the full set of choking and strangling techniques for its sporting form, and all manner of elbow locks. Even Judo's pinning techniques have pain-generating, spine-and-rib-squeezing and smothering aspects. A submission induced by a legal pin is considered a fully legitimate way to win. It should also be noted that Kano viewed the safe sport-fighting aspect of Judo an important part of learning how to actually control an opponent's body in a real fight. Kano always considered Judo to be a form of, and a development of, Jiu-jitsu.
Jiu-jitsu differs from Judo in a number of ways. In some circumstances. In both systems, kuzushi (the art of breaking balance) is essential in order to use as little energy as possible during a fight. A Judo technique starts with gripping of your opponent followed by off-balancing an opponent, fitting into the space created, and then applying the technique. In contrast, kuzushi is attained in Jiu-jitsu by blocking, parrying or deflecting an opponent's attack in order to create the space required to apply a throwing technique. Jiu-jitsuka generate kuzushi by striking one's opponent along his weak line. Other methods of generating kuzushi include grabbing, twisting, or poking areas of the body known as atemi points or pressure points (areas of the body where nerves venture close to the surface of the skin).
At the present time there are two the most widespread Jiu-Jitsu modifications (particularly among women). The first is "BJJ", standing for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Built around the concept of "going to the ground" and using only what works, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has built a huge worldwide following. Participants are wearing a kimono. Throws, chokes, submissions like ankle locks and arm bars are all legal. This type of Jiu-Jitsu is very technical, there are many different ways to tie up and control another person's limbs with grips on their kimono, using those grips then to gain leverage and sweep or reverse, submit and dominate. The second form derived from Jiu-Jitsu is submission wrestling. This is practiced without a kimono, favoring wrestling takedowns to deliver your opponents to the mats. On the ground, often a larger variety of ankle locks like knee bars and toeholds are allowed, neck cranks, submissions, scissors, sweeps and reversals are all kosher. The judging system is generally in favor of the person in the match that tries the greatest number of submissions and is obviously more aggressive. Without the kimono on, the two players can enjoy moving quickly from move to move and slipping out of positions more easily. This creates a very fast, exciting fight to watch.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu employs no strikes or kicks. Typical competitions in this Jiu-jitsu form are divided into several belt categories and weight categories within each belt group. The belt ranks are the following: white, blue, violet, brown and black. At the beginning of a contest, opponents wearing Judo kimonos stand facing each other on tatami (soft wrestling mat). On the signal "fight!" the opponents try move to the ground using Judo-like throws, takedowns, sweeps, reversals or simply jump on top of the standing opponent and put legs around the opponent’s body in order to perform "passing guard" (special firm hold). Finding themselves on the ground they wrestle but it’s allowed rising at any moment. Rounds in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu last 10 minutes for white belt category and 12 minutes – for the rest of categories. Judges don’t stop fights and don’t pull contestants apart even there is no visible moves. In Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu a strategy of expectancy is very important an appropriate moment for starting attack. That’s why experienced contestants don’t rush with moves but wait until an opponent is tired or makes a mistake and then take opportunity for attacking.
In BJJ preference is done for style efficiency rather than a spectacular as it takes place in Judo and Sambo. For instance, a weaker wrestler might try to exhaust an opponent by a long hold and then more likely execute a final move (choke or submission). A fight is stopped though if one of opponents gives up announcing about that by knocking tatami or a body (opponent’s or own) by a hand. If nobody won in such unconditional way during the scheduled time the opponent is counted to be a winner who scored more points. Draw might also happen.
Women who actively participate in Jiu-Jitsu often participate in submission wrestling (see the photo), mixed martial arts and "no holds barred" fighting as well (see the photos and the site "Fighters Girls"). The example – beautiful Shannon Logan. Due to shortage of combative women sometimes training and competitions are organized with men who according to Logan are grappling with women to their full potential, so after the matches she "felt like she had gotten hit by a truck!" 
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Women in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu episodes
Photos from the site Grapplers Quest
BJJ fighters in submision wrestling
Photos from the site Fighters Girls
Shannon Logan in sparring
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