Knowing when
The techniques we learn in our Northstar Ju Jitsu martial arts system are extremely effective. They have been developed by Sensei Andrew Dickinson after decades of experience training, competing and refining a system that, used to its full extent, can potentially inflict pain and injury.
This is why we introduce students, both kids and adults, very progressively through the syllabus and don't rush to introduce too many techniques too soon. In the adults' syllabus for instance, we don't learn to throw another person down until green belt, once students have developed a good basic understanding of personal space, getting away from an attacker and learning how to fall safely.
When we teach kids, we always remind them that using their martial arts for self-defence should be a last resort, if they are in serious danger of being physically hurt by another person, and that there is no-one around to intervene to help them.
Surrounding martial arts skills with this serious understanding is critical in developing mature, responsible martial artists and citizens.
