Shoshin Ryu – Jujutsu Belchertown MA

Shoshin Ryu is a Japanese based system of Jujutsu in Belchertown MA. It is both bujutsu (a school emphasizing effective martial arts techniques ) and budo (a school emphasizing personal character development).

The Belchertown dojo is led by Sensei Jared Lauziere and is part of a broader system of 14 Shoshin Ryu schools across the USA. Our dojo offers classes for adults and children in a supportive, non-competitive environment.

While most martial arts list themselves as either budo, bujutsu or modern budo (modern sports school), Shoshin has found that certain skills gained from bujutsu and budo complement and enhance the skills of each other.

In some Budo systems, skills gained no longer have any martial reality. Keeping the bujutsu aspect in place and alive allows the individual appropriate feedback with a technique. You either blocked the punch or you got hit. Keeping the budo aspect alive aids in keeping the practitioner from being simply a fighter. It moves the student toward one who is skilled in Jujutsu with one who seeks harmony in life.

Shoshin Ryu, therefore, is a classical art incorporating traditional methods of martial training while bridging that emphasis with current applications, science and strategies for dealing with real world self defense today. Shoshin Ryu places a strong emphasis on instilling and improving personal excellence within each practitioner.

The waza (techniques) of Shoshin Ryu are both empty-hand and utensil (weapon) based. They are taught as kihon waza (basic techniques), in kata (forms), and as goshinjutsu (specific self-defense applications). The waza are motions that are naturally effective, efficient and work with the physical laws of science. They include information ranging from how to use Newton’s third law of motion to give you a more powerful punch to how to breathe more efficiently in the same manner as was taught to bugeisha some 550 years ago.

Shoshin Ryu waza include the following elements:

• • Atemi Waza (striking techniques): with all parts of the body
  • Nage Waza (throwing techniques): including hip throws, leg sweeps, projections, and sacrifices
  • Kansetsu Waza (joint locking techniques): of fingers, wrists, shoulders, knees, and ankles
  • Shime Waza (choking techniques)
  • Kyusho Waza (pressure point techniques): attacking nerves
  • Ne Waza (ground work techniques)
  • Ukemi (falling skills): to front, back or side, with use as countering an attack or as a method of escape
  • Heiho (strategy); the means or strategy to utilize the waza effectively

There are also mental techniques taught within the Shoshin Ryu curriculum which help to better focus and utilize the physical techniques. These include, among others, such concepts as mushin, mizu no kokoro (mind like still water), isshin (One heart, one mind), and zanshin (remaining spirit). These techniques lead to such traits as fearlessness, compassion, open-mindedness, clarity/depth of vision and inner peace. These concepts allow for spontaneous, intuitive, and yet appropriate responses to attacks.

Shoshin Ryu is a dynamic art that offers its practitioners a wide range of techniques and methods to defend themselves both physically and mentally. It changes to fit the challenges of the times and yet carries with it the essence of previous generations.

The practitioners of Shoshin Ryu do not seek to demonstrate their effective skills, but grow strong by building their understanding of the truthfulness that lies within their own hearts. Shoshin Ryu, the Truthful Heart Tradition, is a tradition that lies within the hearts, minds and spirit of its practitioners.

Seek its meaning for yourself, with your own training of the kata and waza of Shoshin Ryu.