Shoshin Ryu – Jujutsu Scottsdale AZ

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

The Scottsdale dojo is led by Sensei S.C., one of the founders of the national Shoshin Ryu organization, 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.

Training in iai, jujutsu, karate-jutsu, aikijutsu, nitan bo, tanto-jutsu, and zazen for the purpose of personal growth and self-defense comprise the majority of the curriculum.

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.

In a few words the dojo training is about:

• Learning how to hurt others and how not to hurt others – this gives us options and flexibility.
• Learning how to not be hurt by others – in both the physical and emotional sense.
• Learning how to be responsible for one’s own happiness/ harmony – we each chose how we wish to lead our life.

The curriculum is based on Tosa no Musho Jikiden Eishin Ryu (The Heart to Heart Transmission of the teaching of Eishin) and Shoshin Ryu (Truthful Heart Tradition). Eishin Ryu gives the Kokoro (heart/mind/spirit) teachings, classical Heiho (strategy) & Iai (sword arts). While Shoshin Ryu gives us the self defense applications with modern realism as well as various other weapons training (knife, sticks). Zazen (seated mediation) is in the Rinzai tradition and helps one become calmer, have better insight and find harmony.

The Shoshin AZ dojo serves 3 major groups

1. Personal student. A small group of dedicated martial arts practitioners and/or Zen practitioners who have a balanced training focused on both in dojo and at home training. That is, they train in dojo but also have a strong personal practice outside the dojo. Each student is trained as a direct student of Sensei S.C. The expectations and commitment is high – the support and caring for the student are exceptional as well.
2. Uchi Deshi. These are students who live at the dojo and train 8-10 hrs per day. Their commitment to training is total.
3. Guests. These are practitioners who come for short stay either as part of specific Gasshuku (intensive training) or as individual doing a personal gasshuku.

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.