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Bartitsu

What is Bartitsu?

Bartitsu is a martial art and self-defense system that was developed in England during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It was created by Edward William Barton-Wright, an English engineer and railway manager who had spent time in Japan and studied jujitsu. Bartitsu is notable for being one of the first martial arts that integrated techniques from multiple disciplines, including:

  1. Jujitsu: Japanese grappling and submission techniques.
  2. Boxing: Western pugilism, focusing on punches and footwork.
  3. Savate: A French form of kickboxing that includes both hand and foot strikes.
  4. Cane Fighting: The use of a walking stick or cane as a weapon, drawing from traditional European stick-fighting techniques.

Bartitsu gained some popularity in the early 1900s and was famously referenced by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in his Sherlock Holmes stories, where Holmes is described as being proficient in "baritsu," a misspelling of Bartitsu.

Despite its initial popularity, Bartitsu fell into obscurity after Barton-Wright's school closed in 1902. However, it has experienced a revival in recent years, with martial arts enthusiasts and historians rediscovering and reconstructing the techniques and principles of this eclectic and historically significant martial art.

Related Article: Bartitsu: An Elegant Fusion of Martial Arts for Self-Defense

I wanted to get to the most essential aspect of my being, and look around for a while. I wanted to explore what I am in my most basic self. I wanted to chip away at all of the nonsense I have acquired through my twenty-nine years on this earth. I wanted to find truth. Thoreau went to the woods. I went to the mats. Jiu Jitsu has peeled the veil of daily life, and has shown me what lies beyond the curtain. We willingly accept the chains that circumstance forces upon us, and we grow to find comfort in them. We attach various fetters of day-to-day living to our being, and we do so with a smile. We accept these constraints for they come in the way of comfort. We accept conformity for it appears the path of least resistance. We strive toward the middle, and we run from ourselves.
Chris Matakas

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Other Glossary terms

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Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is a full-contact combat sport that allows a wide variety of fighting techniques and skills from a mixture of other combat sports to be used in competition.
M
Metsubushi
Metsubushi, often translated as "eye closers" or "eye blinders," are tools or techniques used in traditional Japanese martial arts, particularly ninjutsu, to temporarily blind or disorient an opponent.
M
Uechi-Ryu
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U
Pull-up Bars
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P
Shaolin Monks
Shaolin monks are Buddhist monks associated with the Shaolin Temple, a historic monastery located in the Henan province of China.
S
Taekwondo
Taekwondo is a Korean martial art that emphasizes head-height kicks, jumping and spinning kicks, and fast kicking techniques.
T
Horse Stance
The Horse Stance, also known as "Kiba Dachi" in Japanese, is a fundamental stance used in many martial arts, including American Kenpo.
H
Katame-Waza
Katame-Waza refers to the grappling or groundwork techniques in Judo.
K
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D
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B
Qwan Ki Do
Qwan Ki Do is a Vietnamese martial art that combines various techniques and philosophies from traditional Vietnamese and Chinese martial arts.
Q
Choice Reaction Time (CRT)
Choice Reaction Time (CRT) is a measure of the time it takes for an individual to respond to one of several stimuli by selecting the appropriate response from multiple options.
C
Jogo do Pau
Jogo do Pau is a traditional Portuguese martial art that involves the use of a wooden staff, typically around 1.5 to 2 meters (5 to 6.5 feet) in length.
J
Daoshu
Daoshu (刀术), also known as Broadsword Technique or Swordsmanship, is a traditional Chinese martial art focused on the use of the dao (刀), a single-edged Chinese broadsword.
D
Bogu
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B
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