Kumite Ryu Jujitsu
Kumite Ryu Jujitsu (Japanese: 組手流 柔術), literally meaning "Sparring Style," is more often called "The School of Survival." It is a self-defense style of Jujitsu characterized by fierce fighting and grappling. It was founded by 10th Dan Soke Lil' John Davis.
Bloodline
Kumite Ryu is descended from the Jujitsu "Bloodline" beginning in 1955.
Vee Jitsu
Florendo M. Visitaction—better known as "Professor Vee"—was born in the Philippines in 1910. He began training in Arnis (Filipino stick fighting) at age ten and continued to practice Filipino martial arts throughout his life. He joined the U.S. Army during World War II and became intrigued by the officers' hand-to-hand combat course, which represented a combination of styles from different countries. The idea of integrating techniques from a variety of martial arts appealed greatly to him.
In 1955, after devoting many years to the study of different fighting styles, Professor Vee founded Vee Jitsu, also called "Vee Arnis Jitsu," "Vee Jitsu Te," and "Vee Jitsu Ryu"—Professor Vee was fond of changing the name. It is a unique style of Jujitsu with a no-holds-barred approach to street fighting that inegrated techniques from many different styles. A critical aspect of Vee Jitsu was the "Te" system—a variety of brief two-person forms enabling effective response to various attack scenarios.
In 1966, the American Judo and Jujitsu Federation gave him the title of Professor and awarded him a 10th Dan in his own art.
Professor Vee died on January 4th, 1999.
Sanuces Ryu Jujitsu
Doctor Moses Powell was born in 1941. He is a member of the Black Belt Hall of Fame and the World Karate Hall of Fame, and was the first martial artist invited to demonstrate his skills before the United Nations. He attributed much of his success to his primary teacher, Professor Vee. He was an expert in Vee Jitsu, to the point that Professor Vee once said to him, "You have surpassed me."
In 1959, Doctor Powell founded Sanuces Ryu Jujitsu, a style stressing the simplicity of survival and the practicality of street applications—it has been called the "eye-to-eye" style of Jujitsu. The mentality of his art is epitomized by the Sanuces Ryu Creed: "A man or woman of The Martial Arts thinks at all times. They possess speed, form, power, technique, and gracefulness. They move like the roar of thunder and strike like the speed of lightning. That is a man or woman of the martial arts, sir."
Moses Powell died on January 22nd, 2005.
The School of Survival
Soke Lil' John Davis is the founder of Kumite Ryu, in which he is a 10th Dan. He is also a 9th Dan in Sanuces Ryu, which he studied directly under the late Doctor Moses Powell. He has extensive experience in Judo, Aikido, Karate, and Arnis. He has been employed as a bodyguard and has an extensive background of real-life experience. He has 40 years of martial arts training and is a member of the World Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He is a Technical Advisor and member of the Board of Directors of the New York Martial Arts Center.
Soke founded Kumite Ryu (which he dubbed "The School of Survival") as the successor art to Sanuces Ryu and Vee Jitsu. It contains the "Te" forms and broad range of integrated techniques found in Vee Jitsu, as well as the simplicity and survival mentality of Sanuces Ryu. Kumite Ryu's simple mission is elegantly stated in the Kumite Ryu Creed: "As we walk, we walk in peace, and fear shall not prevail. We are not the aggressors, but if we are attacked, we will fight with those who fight with us. And if we must fight, we will fight to survive, sir."
Style
Kumite Ryu has been influenced by other styles, the most prominent among them being its mother art, Sanuces Ryu Jujutsu, and its predecessor, Vee Jitsu. As a result, it makes use of both "hard" and "soft" techniques. Kumite Ryu is, above all things, a practical art, intended for self-defense on the street. Its techniques flow smoothly, combining power, simplicity, and grace. The art is characterized by its practical applicability to the street through a systematic approach to blocks, strikes, holds, grapples, locks, falls, and kicks, and by its "follow-through" style. Kumite Ryu students are expected to constantly hone body and mind by perfecting their form and using their knowledge of technique in new ways to face unexpected situations. While Kumite Ryu is generally a hand-to-hand art (as one is not usually expected to be carrying martial arts weapons on the street), Kumite Ryu also includes techniques in the use of (among other weapons) the Jō (杖), Bō (棒), Tantō (短刀), and Nunchaku (ヌンチャク).
Dojos
This is a drastically incomplete list of Kumite Ryu dojos, and is in need of contribution.
- Harlem, NY under Shihan Malik Shabazz
- Sarasota, FL under Shihan Greg Alexandrea