He started Jujitsu training after prolonged periods of bullying in school; after a few months he noticed a change in himself. “We all begin martial arts training with the idea of learning the art of defense but somewhere down the line, your mind undergoes a radical transformation. You get more confident and it shows,” he says, adding, “You forget that you are there because you were afraid of others. You slowly begin to feel powerful — not in your body, but in your mind.”
He definitely knows what he is talking about; having been a senior instructor for the British Ju-Jitsu Association for years, he has seen a lot of young boys and girls in Great Britain develop into mature adults for whom fear holds no meaning.
“It is a very powerful combat system. True jujitsu is achieving the maximum effect with the minimum effort. It is basically an unarmed sport but in some cases, arms can be used — in the higher belts, but very rarely. Conventional Jujitsu can be dangerous, or maybe even fatal if its fundamental techniques are be applied. So, rules have been formulated to keep it as safe as possible,” explains Baj.
Jujitsu was the first Japanese martial art to be widely recognized in the West. Until the 1950s, it was the popular choice of law enforcement and military organizations everywhere. Thus in the public eye, Jujitsu lost out as a martial arts sport to karate, kung fu and tae kwon do. But it is as a sport that Jujitsu has been thrust back into our lives again. With the emergence of the incredibly popular UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) using many Jujitsu techniques, this martial art form is gaining in popularity by the day. But the chokes and joint locks seen in UFC are just a scratch on the surface of the traditional Jujitsu fighting technique.
Jujitsu, translated as “the art of flexible adaptation,” is an external combat style. The basic techniques of attacks includes throws, locks, hitting and striking, thrusting and punching, pinning and immobilizing, strangling and joint-locking, with strong emphasis on throws, locks and defensive techniques. Baj believes that the three main points of Jujitsu are suppleness, flexibility and reflex. “If you have these three, then you don’t need anything more. This sport does not require you to be macho,” he clarifies.
Jujitsu is a devastatingly effective self-defense system. While the actual number of techniques may be relatively small (50), the variations and flexibility within the system is limited only by the practitioner’s ability to understand and apply the techniques. Take for example, a person is attacked from the rear; his next move may decide if he is to live or die. If he tries to struggle and run, he may not even make it more than five yards. But if he were to apply a one point shoulder throw Jujitsu technique, he would only have to carry out the following steps:
• Move in close to the attacker.
• Get beneath their attacking arm.
• Turn his back to them while holding their arm.
Sink and turn to toss them over.
The method may seem a little difficult at first, but with regular practice, it becomes a cakewalk.
Baj feels that Jujitsu is now undergoing a rebirth, as people re-discover the numerous benefits, both practical and personal, of this dynamic and effective Combat Art. So passionate is he about teaching Jujitsu here in Riyadh, that he does not charge. He feels he needs to spread the awareness of the benefits of keeping a fit body and fitter mind through this ancient Japanese art.
– Baj Bharj can be contacted at 0506215982
