Jiu-Jitsu, unlike other martial arts, did not evolve from one source or root; instead it has multiple roots and has traveled through many Asian countries before its final development in Japan.
Buddhist religious and moral values did not encourage the use of weapons so they were forced to develop an empty hand system of self-defense. These Monks were men of great wisdom who possessed a perfect knowledge of the human body. Consequently, they applied laws of physics such as leverage, momentum, balance, center of gravity, friction, weight transmission and manipulation of the human anatomy’s vital points in order to create a scientific art of self-defense.
In 230 BC the techniques of Jiu-Jitsu arrived in Japan where the wrestling sport called Chikara Kurabe was developed. The techniques of this art later served as the base of contemporary Jiu-Jitsu. From 230 BC onward, many different schools of Jiu-Jitsu were formed. Empty hand Jiu-Jitsu techniques were incorporated as part of the samurai warrior's training during the Heian period (ca. 784 AC).
The increased immigration of westerners into Japan during the Meiji period caused Jiu-Jitsu masters, who were very secretive with regard to their techniques, to worry about the possibility of westerners, generally bigger and stronger than the Japanese, learning Jiu-Jitsu. As they felt that it would be virtually impossible to hide the Jiu-Jitsu techniques from Westerners, the Japanese decided to break Jiu-Jitsu down into several styles with limited effectiveness in a real fight.
The arts of Karate, Judo and Aikido were developed from Jiu-Jitsu. These styles were transformed into sports in order to keep secret the most lethal and street effective techniques
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