My new favourite book is called Jiu Jitsu Complete by Kiyose Nakae. Let’s take a look.

Background

I found this book at the auction of the estate of Alex Mahler. I didn’t know Alex well, but he was a valued contributor at Academie Duello, creating armour pieces for dozens of fighters, teaching others how to craft leather, and just being an awesome person. And he had a lot of weapons, armour and books that went up for sale and auction last Friday.

The book itself was first published in 1958, so it is more recent than the Barton-Wright. The author was a New York instructor who was trained from boyhood in Japan.

The book is divided into eight “sessions” which can be used as lesson plans. But the table of contents at the start collects the techniques into Throws, Holds, Combination Tricks, Breaking Tricks, Practical Applications and “Arts for Emergencies” (which is one lesson on Resuscitation).

Illustrations

As you’ll see in the examples below, the illustrations are excellent. They feature men in suits, and are line drawings traced from photographs. In many other martial arts books, especially of this time, the illustrations are either cartoons or black-and-white pictures.

I love these visual instructions for their clarity and the wardrobe of the characters.

Punch/Grab Defence Options

I teach the back-heel throw (what in this volume is called a Sweeping Calf Throw, “F” in the illustration) from the inside slip, and remind my students that there are other follow-ups. I love this diagram to show three options:

Oh, It’s Called Spooning!

The second throw in the foregoing image, “E” is not properly named in many texts, at least not in English.

I’ve been looking for a good name for the reverse of the back-heel throw. This book has finally solved the mystery: Spooning Ankle Throw.

If you have a better English name for this move, please let me know. I’ve used “Silat Sweep”, “Reverse Throw” and “Back Throw” and none of them encapsulate it. From now on, I’m calling it Spooning until I get other feedback.

Here’s the page explaining one variant of the Spooning Ankle Throw:

New Tricks

You never know when you’ll find a great, simple new trick from jujitsu or any art.

Here’s one new thing I learned, among the other gems in this great book:

The pen is mightier!

Getting a Copy

Here is a link to read it online or download a PDF: Jiu Jitsu Complete.