Essence of Self-Defence (Three-in-One)

Book excerpt: All three of the works reproduced herein are about how to do practical martial arts, as a sport, for self-defence, or for combat. Published in the United Kingdom over a period of four decades, from 1905 to the 1940s, they are arranged in chronological order of their issue dates and have been presented in their original format. They should be viewed, not only as valuable time capsules, but as tangible references as to how self-defence methods developed during that time, because as wars came and went, necessity became the father of adaptation. This resulted in the deadlier applications, which arrived in England alongside recreational jujitsu and sport judo at the dawn of the 20th century, being synthesized more into styles for self-preservation and these then began to change back into methods for maiming and killing. This trend should not be so shocking though, because jujitsu had, following the opening up of Japan after 1868, been developed as a safe method for practicing the older martial arts of the samurai.