Jujutsu also known as jujitsu or Jiu-Jitsu, is a Japanese martial art and a method of close
combat for defeating an armed and armored opponent in which one uses either a short wepon or
none.
"Jū" can be translated to mean "gentle, soft, supple, flexible, pliable, or yielding". "Jutsu"
can be translated to mean "art" or "technique" and represents manipulating the opponent's force
against themselves rather than confronting it with one's own force. Because striking against
an armored opponent proved ineffective, practitioners learned that the most efficient methods
for neutralizing an enemy took the form of pins, joint locks, and throws. These techniques were
developed around the principle of using an attacker's energy against him, rather than directly
opposing it.
There are many variations of the art, which leads to a diversity of approaches. Jujutsu schools
may utilize all forms of grappling techniques to some degree (i.e. throwing, trapping, joint
locks, holds, gouging, biting, disengagements, striking, and kicking). Jujutsu is practiced in
both traditional and modern sports forms.