Goshin Martial Arts Grande Prairie

Many of the concepts of the Goshin Martial Arts system date back to the Edo-period. Our Jujitsu techniques come from Goshinkan-Ryu Jiu-Jitsu and the styles Sensei Lintott studied, as well as styles he helped put together: Shindo-Ryu Ju-Jitsu; Inukshuk Bushido Kai. The system itself is made up of Suntetsujutsu, Yawara Jutsu, Atemi-Waza Jutsu (pressure points), Kansetsuwaza (joint locking), Taihojutsu (arresting art), Osae waza (holding technique), Nage waza (throwing technique), Shime waza (neck restraints), Arnis De Cadena & Balintawak Cuentada Eskrima (single & double stick, edged weapons).

Some early Edo-period dojo's, especially those founded by warriors with practical combat experience, showed a very pragmatic and effective approach to self-defense. They included techniques suitable both for combat on the battlefield and for peacetime situations. In these more pragmatic jujutsu schools, the main part of the curriculum was jujutsu but instruction was also given in the use of various weapons. At the end of the Edo-period some jujutsu schools shifted their focus from combative systems for warriors to peacetime fighting systems. A new type of jujutsu appeared - the so called “commoner’s yawara.”

This style of jujutsu was developed for, common people, usually those with little or no martial arts training. It had limited application and focused mainly on unarmed fighting. This was very logical because commoners were not allowed to possess the weapons that the samurai needed to be familiar with. Commoners also had no use for techniques that could only be mastered with years of rigorous training since martial arts training was not part of their daily routine. Techniques were limited to ordinary self-defense situations such as street fighting. Because the techniques were for the most part defensive in nature, these fighting arts were also referred to as “goshinjutsu” (art of self-defense).