Miyama Ryu Jujutsu

[Zapatista]

Okay, so as I posted in the "Getting Started In The Martial Arts" forum, I'm looking into taking Jujutsu at the community college I go to. I looked at the course listing and they said it was "Miyama Ryu" Jujutsu. I have not heard of the Miyama school and I tried googleing it and nothing helpful came up, so I'm asking the people on here. What is special (if anything) about the Miyama school of Jujutsu? There is a local dojo that teaches Danzan Ryu, would that be better than the Miyama Ryu? (of course, cost is always a factor though) Also, would Miyama Ryu Jujutsu be able to transfer to MMA competitions if I so decided to enter them? Thanks for your time.

[Zapatista]

Nevermind. I "google"ed it again and came up with the official website. Miyama Ryu Jujutsu is a combat version of jujutsu and isn't geared towards sports at all, so I'm not doing it.

[SubGrappler]

You're in Chicago- take a look at Carlson Gracie's Academy

[Zapatista]

You're in Chicago- take a look at Carlson Gracie's Academy

There is a place close to me that offers it but the problem is I don't have a way to pay for it now because my hours have been cut back at work and I still have school. By the time I'm able to afford it (probably late spring early summer) I'll be moving in a couple months so it isn't worth it. Thanks for the suggestion though.

[SubGrappler]

Where are you moving too? Start looking for an academy there now so you dont have to at the last minute.

[Sho-ju]

The shihan looks a little young..doesn't he?

[Zapatista]

Where are you moving too? Start looking for an academy there now so you dont have to at the last minute.

I'm moving to Dekalb, Illinois (hopefull) to attend Northern Illinois University. I've been looking for dojos for jujutsu/jiu-jitsu/judo and basically any other dojos but I haven't found much up there and it's too far to drive to Chicago just to take a class,so I don't know. They offer a Tae Kwon Do/Hapkido martial arts club so I might get into TKD while up there.

[Daisho]

Miyama Ryu is a style in transition these days. From an early time it was centered in battlefield combat. Kenjutsu and Jujutsu for the most part, Judo to build the basics of control, and Aikido for unarmed vs armed combat.

Now it seems most of Miyama Ryu has jumped onto the self-defense "street-fight" craze. They dropped Kenjutsu almost entirely, replacing it with Jojutsu, which they believe to have more applications in street-fighting. The JJ has even changed to a more MMA style, in the dropping of ground-strike after a throw/takedown, to more complicated joint/choke manipulation.

My sensei had left the home dojo to pursue being a zen buddhist monk. Upon return he started up training, in the same way he was originally trained. All of our students observe zazen to begin and end class, and the zen-mind (or Buddha-mind) is as much a part of the technique as the footwork/strike is.

We're also closely affiliated with the local Buddhist center, and a mixed denomination Zendo. I do not know which teacher runs the dojo near your school, but it seems right now at least, there are two distinct Miyama Ryu philosophies floating out there.

[bushido_man96]

They dropped Kenjutsu almost entirely, replacing it with Jojutsu, which they believe to have more applications in street-fighting.

I think that this is probably the way to go, as learning to use a stick is more applicable today than learning to use a sword.

[Daisho]

i agree bushido, but aside from the rewritting of miyama ryu history (to make it some hardcore street-fighter system), the style was once based on the combat system of the samurai.

It is taught at some Buddhist centers/zendos as a zen-warrior discipline. there's no doubt that jojutsu is amuch more practical martial art for typical self-defense, but this whole self-defense kick is rather new for Miyama Ryu. Before Shihan passed on I remember a writting that was sent to the dojos reminding us a samurai's goal was not to survive battle, but to strike down his enemy. the style was never about teaching women how to fight off a rapist. It was about training the mind and body in the warrior tradition.

Having the ability to give no ground with a bokken, is more about life then it is swordplay.