Style origins, history & profile
Lii-Kan Jitsu Profile
Lii-Kan Profile
Self-defense
The generic foundation art is Japanese Ju Jutsu with strong input from Kyusho (nerve points) and a variety of influences from other arts including Kung Fu (various), Filipino arts (Kali/Escrima/Silat), Katori (Traditional Japanese Weapons), and then some.
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A highly varied and multi-faceted activity requiring the fullest range of abilities: physically, mentally, and spiritually. E.g. the training includes meditation with a deep knowledge of breathing & energy development and channeling techniques known as Chi Kung.
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Our core Martial Arts system is what we call Shorinjitsu. The original version of which, is known vicariously as Shorinji Kempo Ju Jutswu, Shorinji Kan, and more recently Shorinji Kempo Karate. Shorinji Kempo is itself a combination of Ju Jutsu and Chinese Kung Fu. The Lii-Kan Jitsu system/school includes Shorinjitsu with modern-day Kyusho (Kyusho International), and strong influences from other Kung Fu styles and Philippino arts (Kali, Escrima). This is augmented with Chi Kung, NLP (+ other applied psychology systems), Parkour, Fitness & Strength training, security & risk management in general.
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Although our training utilizes friendly competition for learning & skill development, unlike 'combat sports' and other sports/games played for the fun of competition, self-defense is not a sport, but a science and art for learning 'Life Skills for Life.'
Training since 1982, teaching since 1987 (5 clubs).
Lii-Kan Jitsu profile
Origins and Lineage
Lii-Kan Jitsu is based on a core martial system that we call Shorinjitsu. The original system and forerunner of Shorinjitsu was created by the then Chief of the Japanese police force, Riuku Myura, using his practical job experience. He created the original system by combining Jiu Jitsu, he had first trained in, with Shorinji Kempo (Chinese Boxing) that was created by Doshin So. Shorinji Kempo is itself an amalgamation of Aiki Jiu Jitsu and various forms or aspects of 'kung fu' and, most likely, the Bubishi texts, handed down from White Crane Kung Fu and Shaolin Monk Boxing styles. It was called Shorinji Kempo Jiu Jitsu, and often referred to by its shorter nickname of Shorinji Kan (Chinese School). Later, his senior student and successor, a German named Mathew Komp, took the system with him to Australia, where it has since been renamed to Shorinji Kempo Karate.
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In his turn, Brian Graham brought the system with him from Australia to England where the Sammurai Jiu Jitsu Association was born. Brian Graham also held 2nd dan black belt in Judo, in part because Judo was the only legal form of self-defence in Australia, so with that influence, the style continued to evolve under his own tutorage. This now independent style and organisation was later renamed to 'The Jitsu Foundation' under the leadership of Peter Farah, one of Grahams most senior students. The organisation has since splintered/fractured into various factions as is often the case with martial arts organisations, especially ones that grow so large and so fast as the TJF did, plagued by politics, monetary rights/contract issues and technical degradation.
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The founder of Lii-Kan Jitsu, having trained with the TJF since 1983 and successfully set-up (1987) and taught two clubs in the U.K., moved to Finland and set up his third club there in 1995/6. The Lii-Kan JItsu style and club was created partly because of the geographical distance, and, also to distance and free themselves from the former organisation that was already starting to fall apart at that time, both politically and technically. With independence comes both freedom and responsibiity. The freedom to develop the style and club training in any direction preferred according to our own studies, training and experience, and, the responsibility to be self-reliant enough to carry through that development for the benefit of all club members.
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It's a shit load of hard work!
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But, this is how all the martial arts have evolved at some time during their formative years, and beyond if they were to survive.
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Unlike most traditional arts/schools, which have now become cultural antiques, Lii-Kan Jitsu is a progressive system that, is constantly developing and evolving to stay abreast of modern times and needs, just as all original martial arts were intended to do, if they were to survive.
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The school and style is today, independent and hence free from the disruptive politics of large organizations and associations, but also free to associate with those that are open and like-minded for mutual benefit.
Lii-Kan Jitsu Profile
Training Programmes
​We do not specialise/limit ourselves to one narrow skill area at the expense of other equally important skills for self-defence purposes. Instead, we seek to build a broad framework of techniques, skills and thier binding (integrative) principles that support the 'Law of Requisite Variety'. Derived from robotics, but also espoused by Ueshiba, the founder of Aikido, and others, this law that states that he who has (most) options still, will be the winner. In other words, we are all only as strong as our weakest link. We, therefore, seek to optimise our options and develop flexibility in our reactions and response capability which, allows us to respond more appropriately to different situations.
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Lii-Kan Jitsu does not use Kata, but, instead focuses on clear applications and the best usage of techniques in respect to both the situation and the targeting of vital points (Kusho) on the body. This helps to eliminate much of the confusion and time wastage suffered by many Kata based systems in just trying to remember the Kata and decode the true their meaning that has often been lost in time, translation and transmission. Instead, training is conducted in a workshop format and includes:-
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Technical Training
Break-falling, ground holds, throws, kicks, punches, unarmed defence against weapons, use of weapons training, Kyusho (nerve point methods for martial arts & health), Meditation & Bio-Energy Training (Chi Kung), NLP, Parkour (Fitness and mobility training), Criminology, Security, Conflict Intervention and Risk Management.
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Skills Training
Judo style wrestling, kick-boxing/kick-boxercise, stress management training, scenario training, various skill drills & pattern training, pre-set and traditional sparring, Chi Sau, Chi Kung & meditation, Parkour and fitness training/conditioning, Embus (demo training), out-door training (summer time ;-), socialising (Discussion forums, live chat/restaurants), reading and watching eTutorial videos etc.
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​Fitness, Strength & Mobility (Parkour) Training
Fitness and strength training is a necessary part of any sport or martial art, and each has its own traditions. Lii-Kan Jitsu is no exception and offers good fitness and strength training regimes as part of its normal training routines or, as separate context-based training sessions in their own right as part of the broader self-defense training program. This includes Parkour-based training regimes for a more 'Functional Fitness' and mobility development. We even work with some basic break-dancing to enhance our mobility on the gound.
This wide variety of technical and skills training keeps our programme fresh and comprehensive, whilst giving us a 'comparative advantage' against antagonists that are usually bigger and stronger than we are. The full techniques are often too dangerous for sporting competitions so, training is a co-operative and collaborative effort that includes friendly competition for the purpose of learning and skill development as safely as possible. Traditional martial arts are primarily designed for adults in a by-gone age and rarely appropriate in their original form and focus for modern day society and civi-street, even less so for children. For all these reasons, the programmes are further adapted for kids, for both their safety in training and the safety of others, in and out of school. This is why we developed the combined Parkour-Jitsu and Budolop programmes offered and taught by SeTs ry to local area schools..