Japanese Physical Training E-Book

H. Irving Hancock

• Herausgeber: H. Irving Hancock
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2016

Beschreibung

Table of Contents

PREFACE

CHAPTER I.

The History of " jiu-Jitsu," with a Description of its First Principles

CHAPTER II

A Healthy Stomach the Basis of All Strength—What the Japanese Eat in Summer and in Winter

CHAPTER III.

Feats that Strengthen the Heart and Lungs—Work that Brings the Arms to a Condition of Magnificent

CHAPTER IV.
Exercises that Develop the Legs — The Incidental Benefit to the Arms


CHAPTER V.

The Value of Even Temper in Athletics—Some of the Feats that Require Good Nature


CHAPTER VI.

Water, Nature's Greatest Remedy

CHAPTER VII.

Fresh Air as a Vitaliser — The Use of Stimulants and of Narcotics

CHAPTER VIII.

Extreme Leanness and Obesity—Their Cures

CHAPTER IX.

Preliminary Feats of Attack and Defence
CHAPTER X.

Advanced Tricks of Combat

CHAPTER XI.

Things that the Student can Teach Himself—How Agility is Acquired

CHAPTER XII.

Closing Suggestions to American Students

Leseprobe

Japanese Physical Training

The system of exercise, diet, and general mode of living that has made the mikado’s people the healthiest, strongest, and happiest men and women in the world

H. IRVING HANCOCK

[1905]

Copyright 1903 by G.P. Putnam’s Sons (all rights reserved) - 1st Digital edition 2016 by David De Angelis

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PREFACE

CHAPTER I.

The History of " jiu-Jitsu," with a Description of its First Principles

CHAPTER II

A Healthy Stomach the Basis of All Strength—What the Japanese Eat in Summer and in Winter

CHAPTER III.

Feats that Strengthen the Heart and Lungs—Work that Brings the Arms to a Condition of Magnificent

CHAPTER IV.

Exercises that Develop the Legs — The Incidental Benefit to the Arms

CHAPTER V.

The Value of Even Temper in Athletics—Some of the Feats that Require Good Nature

CHAPTER VI.

Water, Nature's Greatest Remedy

CHAPTER VII.

Fresh Air as a Vitaliser — The Use of Stimulants and of Narcotics

CHAPTER VIII.

Extreme Leanness and Obesity—Their Cures

CHAPTER IX.

Preliminary Feats of Attack and Defence

CHAPTER X.

Advanced Tricks of Combat

CHAPTER XI.

Things that the Student can Teach Himself—How Agility is Acquired

CHAPTER XII.

Closing Suggestions to American Students

PREFACE

In presenting this volume to the public the author is aware that he is offering a decided novelty to readers who are familiar only with American systems of athletics. The Japanese system of physical training is so ancient that its origin dates before the time when the authentic history of these people began. Yet, while the Japanese have adapted from Western civilisation everything that they consider to be necessary to their national development, they have retained jiu-jitsu and all its underlying principles as the means by which the nation is to work for its physical well-being. They have done more, for, whereas Jiujitsu was taught at one time to the aristocratic classes only, it is taught now to all of the people of Dai Nippon who wish to acquire it. The value of jiu-jitsu is proven by the fact that the Japanese, while a diminutive race, possess the greatest endurance of any people on earth.

It may seem strange that the presentation of this science—for such it may be aptly termed —should come through an American. But the author has approached his task with no hesitancy. Something more than seven years ago he began his course of instruction in fiu-jitsu under Japanese friends in this country. Subsequently he studied in Nagasaki, under Inouye San, instructor of Jiujitsu in the police department of that °city. Still later the author took supplementary courses under native teachers in Yokohama and in Tokio. When Inouye San visited this country the author went once more under the tuition of that veteran, who is considered to be one of the best instructors in Japan.

There are in Japan, to-day, some six different systems of jiu-jitsu taught. In the main, the author has described the science as it is imparted by Inouye San, but some of the best work from the other schools has been included. The aim has been to give a perfect, composite whole of the essential principles of health and of the tricks of attack and defence that are needed by the perfect physical man or woman.

The reader will find much of interest in a careful inspection of the two Japanese models who have posed for the illustrations in this book. The smaller of the two models weighs but one hundred and twenty pounds, yet he is a giant in miniature. His strength excels that of an American athlete of one hundred and seventy-five pounds. This the author is able to state after witnessing actual tests. The secret of such surprising strength is one that is easily mastered by him who will give time and resolution to its acquirement.

There is no need for any man, woman, or child who possesses ordinary health to become a weakling. In Japan weakness or long illnesses are considered to be the misfortunes of only the very aged. An eminent American authority on physical training has declared that "weakness is a crime." The Japanese look upon lack of strength as being a freak or an eccentricity.

In taking up this exhilarating, life-giving work there is one danger against which the reader must be warned. Americans are impetuous, impatient. Some will want to master the whole science in a week. In Japan the full course in Jiujitsu requires four years' time.

Many an American reader will skip swiftly over the parts of the book that describe the best diet, the right use of bathing, the wearing of proper clothing, deep breathing, and the necessity for oft-repeated practice in the resistant exercises. These latter are the muscular foundation upon which success in the tricks of combat must rest.

At times the author has taken pupils in Jiujitsu from among his friends. Almost invariably these pupils have listened impatiently to the fundamental instructions, and have wanted to pass at once to the advanced feats of combat. This is a grave mistake. The foundation must be laid first, and then the superstructure may be built by degrees. There is no danger in /jujitsu if each step of the work is taken up thoroughly in its order. In this volume each step is given in sequence.

But there is danger in jiu-jitsu when the advanced work is taken up before the preliminary tasks are mastered. During more than seven years of practice at jiu-jitsu the author has been injured but once in combat. That was when an apt young woman pupil wished to hasten on at once to the advanced feats. The author threw his pupil without injury, and then invited her to make the attack in the manner shown. She took a different style of attack, however, and the only way in which the author could have prevented defeat would have been by inflicting an injury that would have weakened his pupil seriously for a long time to come. He preferred to accept defeat, and the result to him was lacerated ligaments of the right leg. Had the pupil been thoroughly grounded in the preliminary work she would have understood how to accomplish the throw without injury.

In the hands of the ignorant, Jiu-jitsu may be made dangerous. With those who will study each step in the sequence given in this volume, and who do not try to advance any more rapidly than is warranted by complete mastery of each successive phase of the science, there is no danger, and perfect physical development will come slowly, but with a certainty that must make for happiness.

H. IRVING HANCOCK.

NEW YORK, Oct. 23, 1903.

CHAPTER I - THE HISTORY OF "JIU-JITSU," WITH A DESCRIPTION OF ITS FIRST PRINCIPLES

THERE are in vogue to-day many systems of physical training—most of them excellent. At first thought there would seem to be no need of a new volume on the subject.

But the author wishes to present the system that from personal experience he believes to be the most wonderful of all in building up the perfect, healthy body—a body that is capable of undergoing a strain that would seem incredible to a Caucasian. Certainly there is no hardier race in the world than the Japanese. Throughout the campaign of the Allies in China, in 'goo, the Japanese repeatedly proved their ability to outmarch our troops by fifty per cent.—and this despite the fact that our American soldiers ranked second in point of endurance.

What enabled the little men from Dai Nippon to outstrip so easily the big, sturdy fellows of the American regiments? Even newly appointed graduates of West Point—where the physical training is so superb—marvelled enviously at the endurance of the little brown men.

The Japanese call their system of physical training jiu-jitsu. Literally interpreted, this means "muscle-breaking." The term is not wholly an apt one, as the reader will discover farther on.

From the earliest periods of antiquity that are recorded, even in the legendary "history" of Japan, there existed a minor class of nobles who corresponded very closely with the knights of feudal Europe. These men, who were known as the samurai, were the fighting men of the Empire. Each of the samurai carried two swords—his most precious possessions. Com moners were not allowed any other weapons than sticks or stones.

Naturally the caste of the samurai was rigidly preserved. Any member of the caste, man or woman, might marry with propriety into a family of the superior nobility. Any one who married beneath his caste was summarily degraded.

Samurai rank went by heredity. Every son of a samurai, unless he disgraced himself, kept his caste and took up the profession of arms. The comparatively few weaklings among these people retained their caste but did not marry.

In battle the samurai carried no weight other than their swords and the clothing they wore. The commoners, who went along as camp-followers, bore all the baggage. It was considered utterly undignified for a samurai to perform any toil outside of that connected with fighting, or with learning and preparing to fight. As a sequence it came about that the samurai spent much of their otherwise idle time in athletic exercises.

Of course sword-play came first of all — scientific combat with long and short bamboo swords. Running, leaping, and wrestling also took up much of the time of the Japanese knights. Of course the active outdoor life, combined with frugal, sensible diet, made these samurai powerful men.

But there was yet vastly more to come in the physical development of these little men. One bright fellow discovered that by pressing thumb or fingers against certain muscles or nerves momentary paralysis could be produced. He also discovered that by employing the hardened edge of his hand to strike a piece of bamboo at a certain angle of impact he could break the stick. If he could paralyse his own nerves and muscles, why not another's? If he could break a stick by a sharp blow with the edge of his hand, why could he not train himself in the same way to break the arm of a dangerous antagonist? And that was the beginning of the creation of the science of Jujitsu.

If it were possible to verify the guess, it would be interesting to speculate as to how the originator of /jujitsu made his first discovery. It is as likely as not that he started from an accidental bumping of his "funny-bone "— a mishap so familiar to children. That may have set him to wondering if there were not in the body other nerves and muscles that could be attacked. Probably one of the first additional discoveries was that very severe pain may be inflicted upon the upper arm. Take a point about midway between the elbow and the shoulder, of some one else's arm. Employ the grip in such a way that the fingers dig into the muscles behind the middle of the bone. The thumb's tip should press into the muscles over the front of the bone. Without in any way relaxing the grip, both fingers and thumb should be vigorously pressed over the parallel lines of muscles and nerves. Any experimenter can readily find on his own arm the exact locations of these muscles and nerves, and a little practice with a friend will teach him rapidly how to seize an antagonist's arm and to render that arm momentarily helpless.

This is the starting-point of a study of /jujitsu. Any one, with a little investigation, may find points in the arms and legs at which very similar grips may be taken. Many of these will be described later on. Once the student has thoroughly caught the idea he may teach himself much. Both for purposes of self-defence and of increasing muscular strength it is necessary for the beginner to seek, at every possible opportunity, for parts of the body that are vulnerable to pain and paralysis when a proper grip is taken. The essential idea in this work may be gained from the arm trick just described. The student should familiarise himself so thoroughly with every vulnerable locality that he can seize it rapidly and unerringly.

It is a principle of jiu-jitsu that a weaker man should be able to attack a stronger opponent, and to defeat him by the aid of the latter's own greater strength. A little practice with the arm pinch will convince any investigator that when his arm has been seized while in a relaxed muscular state the pain of his opponent's attack will increase as the one on the defensive raises his arm and tautens his muscles. When the student is suddenly' attacked, and realises that he is sure to be worsted, it is better to surrender at once and thus escape additional pain. In very few of the Japanese tricks does the pain last after the opponents have separated.

Tricks of self-defence or of attack that maim or cause enduring pain are employed only when severely threatened safety is at stake. Small wonder that the Japanese regard our boxing as brutal, and that they consider their own the only gentlemanly method of fighting!

Of late years there has been much discussion as to the relative values, for defensive purposes, of Jiujitsu as compared with English or American boxing. Very likely a Japanese who entered the ring with a skilled American pugilist would be defeated—that is, if the little brown man donned the gloves and were compelled to fight according to ring rules. The American boxer would be much more easily vanquished if he were compelled to enter the arena and fight in accordance with Jiujitsu rules. The samurai method is not adapted to combat with clenched fists encased in padded gloves. The Japanese work must be done with the bare, and, usually, open hand. If a six-foot American boxer were to don gloves and enter into combat with a Japanese descendant of the samurai several inches shorter and of much less weight, and if each were to fight according to his own tactics, there could be but one result. If each were equally skilled in his own kind of work the "undersized " Japanese would be the victor.

As soon as the principle of the arm pinch is understood and has been applied, through investigation, to all parts of the body it is well for the student to take up the next important step in the system. Press the extended fingers of either hand together. Whether the thumb is raised or is pressed against the forefinger is a matter of no importance. Strike the lower edge of the hand against the knee, giving the outer side of the little finger as much of the work as the edge of the palm receives. It is important not to forget the exercise of the little finger, as, in a blow improperly struck with the edge of the hand, the little finger might be broken [...]