Beginning Jiu Jitsu - ryoi-shinto style

ames ("Jim" or "Seamus") G. Shortt is a well-known figure in the bodyguard business today - running the company IBA, International Bodyguard Association. What some people may not know is that Shortt has his background from ryoi-shinto ryu ju jitsu (he is graded 7. dan and holds the title of kyoshi). And as this book shows he also has done a great deal of in-depth research on the history and background of the art/arts.

IBA was founded by another ju jitsu legend, major Lucien Victor Ott in Paris in 1957. Major Ott was a veteran from the second World War, and he was given the mission to build a team of bodyguards for President Chales de Gaulle. Ott was an incredibly funny as well as interesting man, and we had the great pleasure of meeting him on a couple of occations while he was alive (he died i 1990).

This book show some of the many techniques and methodes found in the old, Japanes ju jitsu school of ryoi-shinto ryu.

More than anything else though, this book is an interesting and very thorough take on the development on ju jitsu from ancient times and onwards. Amongst other things it shows how ju jitsu has influenced, and continue to influence other martial arts.

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in ju jitsu, Japanese martial arts, history and tradition.

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