“Ju-Jitsu is only a ‘means’ ”
Robert Clark

Ju-Jitsu, the ancient martial art of the Samurai, is certainly the art of knowing how to defend oneself, but it is also a way to know oneself and to know others. It is a means by which the modern man is able to confront himself, both within and without, a way that slowly filters the most profound part of our personality and manifests itself every time its presence is necessary, whether it be in the moment of danger or in those moments that it becomes indispensable to transmit certain fundamentals to the next man. Through the expressiveness of movements and the search for technical perfection we learn to know ourselves and our physical limitations that cannot be separated from those that are mental. In fact, based on the principle that Ju-Jitsu is, above all, a psychomotor discipline, until we learn to manage our bodies we will have neither the stability nor the balance, much less the mental capacity, to react to an aggressor. For this reason, it is necessary that each one of us learn from ourselves through this “medium,” these concepts that form the basics for healthy individual growth.

Ju-Jitsu, in fact, is practiced in a collective context, exchanging the roles of attack and defense, therefore, perceiving at a psychological and physical level both the passive action of the aggression and the active, forming thus an absolutely personal and complete journey.

Therefore, it is essential to gain confidence in all aspects: those positive, negative or limiting, and learn to dominate them. For example: the fear of hurting oneself, the fear of falling or even the fear of being together with others

Our instinctive aggressiveness, for example, if channeled at the right moment in the right direction, transforms into a positive form of reactive energy, effective in dangerous situations, but all of this must be discovered, analyzed and completely managed.

Ju-Jitsu is much more. It is also a mirror for recognizing our assets and our defects. It gives you that humility to be able to learn from everything and everyone, because from everything and everyone we continuously learn. But, the “means” is also a great occasion to socialize. In fact, one creates strong ties that go beyond one’s tatami, and sometimes, even beyond one’s city or country, creating true friendships that at times last for years even if the meetings between the parties occur rarely or only during workshop contests, but always with profound respect and admiration from both parties.

It is definitely not easy to achieve important results and objectives because just like life that puts before us everyday new obstacles to overcome, so Ju-Jitsu constantly presents us with the score, stimulating us to better ourselves, interacting with it and instinctively pouring into everyday life that positive spirit that allows us to best confront our days.