Hello all -- I'm basically a newbie, although I studied kenpo and judo for a few years back in my late teens, and a little aikido since then. I'd like to get back into studying something, and so far one of the more appealing styles to me is traditional Nihon JJ. I'd like to hear other people's opinions about its practicality as a self-defensive MA. I recently made the mistake of posting a similar question to another board and got treated to a ****ing match by some BJJ guys who basically dismissed all other MA styles as "useless". Bearing in mind that I don't care whether or not BJJ is superior in MMA competition, can any of you speak from experience as to whether Nihon JJ can be an effective style for real-world self-defense? Thanks!
From what I've seen Nihon is technically sound and has a good range of combative skills. The thing to do is find a school that actually includes sparring methods in their classes to hone your reflexes and actually have you experience a non-compliant partner. Obviously I don't expect a beginner to 'fight' its just a training tool that should come into play once your confidant. Just becareful not to fall into the trap I have seen so many times: 'We can't spar in our art because its just TOO dangerous.' Good luck Col
Freeform has it spot on - training method is WAY more important than style. To summarise..... The HOW not the WHAT The ARTIST not the ART