Westcoast Nintai | Aiki Ju-Jitsu | Martial Arts

Nintai Aiki Ju-Jitsu

An Integrated Martial Art

Nintai Ryu Aiki Ju-Jitsu is a complete martial art, a discipline of body and spirit. Efficient and realistic combat form the foundation of the style. Dedicated practicioners of this martial art are able to physically control or neutralize one or more attackers.

Nintai Ryu Aiki Ju-Jitsu has its origins mainly, but not only, from traditional Japanese martial arts. It is influenced partly by the style of Grand Master Minoru Mochizuki. It is an innovative and integrated combination of traditional forms that applies to the modern world. It is ideal for self-defense, defense of a third-party, and for physical intervention.

Training is serious and intense but is practiced diligently and safely, and is very beneficial to one's physical and mental health. Practice permits learning martial techniques and strategies, but also instills respect, knowledge-sharing, and mental and physical improvement. Effective movement, use of the opponent's force, disbalancing and fluidity of motion in combination with proven techniques yields maximum efficiency.

We teach throws, takedowns and sutemis (sacrifice throws), joint locks and submissions on all mobile parts of the body, and strangulation techniques. We teach standing to ground transitions, ground fighting, pressure points, and striking using all natural body weapons. The combination of all these forms results in Nintai Aiki Ju-Jistu - an Integrated Martial Art

Founder / Director

Kyoshi Pascal Serei

Black belt in several martial arts, Master Pascal Serei, the youngest son of the Serei family, 8th dan Kyoshi, is a Personal Protection Specialist and specialist in combat strategies and techniques. He is passionate about martial arts, which he has practiced fervently since 1957. He holds ranks in several forms of martial arts and continues to evolve Nintai Aiki Ju-Jitsu through ongoing training and reflection on the 'Budo way'. He is always training to perfect his knowledge and he is happy to share that knowledge during the course he offers at the dojo and during international events.

· Started practicing martial arts in 1957
· Black belt in several martial arts
· Instructor in international seminars

Skills

Skills of Aiki Jiu Jitsu

The development of combat and self-defence skills is central to Nintai Ryu Aiki Ju-Jitsu. The whole body is considered a weapon in this martial art. We are not limited to just striking, or only submissions, or strictly grappling, or exclusively throws and takedowns. We use all tools in an integrated, effective, and fluid manner.

Below are demonstrations of the techniques in Nintai Aiki Ju-Jitsu (names are in Japanese). They are but a small sample but do show some of the elements of evading an attack, changing the intention of the attacker (atami), and utilizing the motion and energy of the attacker to execute a technique that will neutralize the situation.

We train to perfect individual techniqes and with progression students of Nintai Ryu Aiki Ju-Jitsu learn to connect them together as it becomes part of their reflex action and 'body memory'. Randori, or simulated attacks, is one of the main training tools/techniques we use. Note that all training is conducted under our code of ethics.

Aiki Skills

Robuse to Juji Gatame

Robuse is an extended arm takedown. It can be applied when an attacker reaches their arm towards you either as a strike or to grab you. You use the wrist as a key (lock) to rotate the arm and then apply pressure to the elbow and push down. The arm either hyper-extends, dislocates, or they go to the ground. There is an additional fancy transition here to flip the attacker and apply a Juji Gatame (a.k.a Arm Bar), which is a submission technique that is intended to force someone into compliance. If they choose to continue to assault you, then you have the option apply pressure to the arm without using much effort, just leverage and positioning in order to neutralize the attack.

Kata Ha Jime

Kata Ha Jime is Japanese for 'Shoulder Choke', and it is an effective and efficient technique to immediately submit or subdue an attacker. Marc is attacking with a knife and a shinogi (block) is used to divert the knife, then an ilimi (exit from the line of the attack) is used to get out of harm's way. The attacker's arm is raised and used as a leverage point to apply pressure to the choke which is sunk with one arm reaching around to grab the lapel of the gi (or jacket) of the attacker. There are many techniques that use the clothing of the attacker as a tool to neutralize the situation. In most cases parts of the attacker's body can be used instead of the clothing, for instance if they are wearing a t-shirt. The choke either cuts off air (when applied to the front of the neck on the trachea) or blood (when it is applied on the sides of the neck and constains the carotid arteries).

Kote Kudaki

Kote Kudaki is Japanese for 'Wrist Break'. This is a very, very quick, efficient, effective, and possibly brutal technique. One has to be very careful when practicing this with a partner not to do it too fast or too hard. It embodies the essence of Ju-Jitsu which is: minimum effort, with maximum impact (this is why it is often referred to as the 'gentle art'). The wrist is used as a pivot lock when the attacker grabs you or reaches towards you. You rotate your body with the wrist lock in place and then use the other free hand to apply pressure to the elbow joint making an 'S-shape' with their arm. The biomechanics of the arm and its joints make this technique work. With the elbow joint and wrist joint in positions of pressure, you tilt your body forward which then puts even more pressure on these joints. If the attacker does not submit to your response then you have the option to apply pressure on the wrist and elbow in order to neutralize the attack.

Harai O Goshi

Harai O Goshi is Japanese for 'Sweeping Hip Throw'. This techique is in the family of various projections that we master. The idea here is to time your response in synchronization with the attacker such that you are utilizing their forward motion to put them off balance and take them to the ground. You use your body positioning by first evading the attack, and placing your body and your hip such that you take their weight and then sweep their lower body resulting in them completely losing their balance and falling to the ground. This technique is most effective when it is performed 'in motion' with good timing. Normally, we would follow the person to the ground, control them, strike them, or neutralize them with a submission. Of course, the first and often best option is to get out of the conflict by leaving the situation.

Hiki Otoshi

Hiki Otoshi is Japanese for 'drop or take down by arm pull'. In this case there are elements of Kyoku Nage which is Japanese for 'Breath Throw' or more practically stated - a throw that is completely harmonized with the attacker's motion. The lead arm of the attacker which is extended as either a grab or punch is channelled and then reversed using a sort of 'whip-like' motion. If timed well, the attacker will not know what hit them as their force will be reversed and they will be sent flying. In this case it looks surreal how the attacker is reversed but this family of techniques which embodies the Aiki (or 'harmony') side of Nintai Aiki Ju-Jitsu works amazingly well. It just takes a lot of practice to effectively execute this technique. It is all about timin, positioning, and using 'Aiki' in your self defence.

Gyaku Kote Gaeshi

Gyaku Kote Gaeshi is Japanese for 'turn out wrist throw'. This is a techique that utilizes the torsion on the wrist to force the attacker to the ground. Notice the first thing that is done here is to get out of the line of attack, secondly shinogi (block or channel) the strike, then use an atami (strike to attacker to change their intentions) and then the technique is executed. The attacker in this example rolls with the pressure on the wrist. In this case, since we are training, the attacker (Steve) knows that he must roll forward in order to not hurt his wrist. In reality, the Gyaku Kote Gaeshi will be executed at full force and speed and the attacker will 'follow the pain' and go to the ground where he will be neutralized. When training we have to be conscious of the force of the techniques so that we do not hurt our partners.

Kata Guruma

Kata Guruma is Japanese for 'shoulder wheel throw'. This is a very suprising technique because you immediately change levels on someone. It is particularly useful when the attacker is larger than you as you take their centre of gravity by getting low and close to them. One of the keys is to make sure you pull their attacking arm forward as you enter. This causes them to continue to move forward and lose their balance as you then use your shoulders and a 'windmill-like' motion to throw them. If executed properly a small person can throw a very larger person and evade the attack.

Ippon Seoi Nage

Ippon Seoi Nage is Japanese for 'one shoulder throw'. You may have seen this executed in Judo competitions or in movies. It is a common technique that is used frequently. The key is to synchronize or harmonize with the movement and positioning of the attacker. When combined with other techniques such as atamis or body escape / positioning it can be a very effective way to get an attacker to the ground very quickly and efficiently. Imagine if someone were to swing something at you - this is a great technique for 'entering the attack' and then using the force of their swing to throw them.