Probably the 1st English book to record the use of pressure points in self-defence. This historic work was a breakthrough in its day & remains a classic. Until the publication of 'Tricks of Self-Defence, A Useful Book for Everybody', in about 1910, most of the English books on jujitsu and connected martial arts dealt more with the systems in question. These were often quite complicated & took time to master. W. H. Collingridge's concept was to publish a practical, illustrated textbook for the everyday person, outlining the effective applications that anyone can easily pick up for self-defence. The result was this book, which graphically outlines 33 'Standing Positions', and 9 'Ground Tricks'. All of these require little space to practise and notably some use arm or wrist grappling, while applying pressure to nerve points. In these respects, 'Tricks of Self-Defence, A Useful Book for Everybody', is considered to be the 1st of its kind in English to record Japanese techniques of applied practical self-defence.

Sir Edwin Hartley Cameron Leather (1919-2005) was born in Canada. He is remembered as having been a self-defence expert, successful author, politician and Governor of Bermuda. Despite his endorsement of violent acts against other human beings, as described in his book, Combat Without Weapons, Sir Edwin was a freemason and Anglican lay reader. How he wrestled with the two opposites of aggression v. faith can only be conjectured, but his book was innovative at the time. Historically, the basis for the killing and maiming methods he proposes came about when Edward William Barton-Wright founded his Bartitsu School of Arms in London in 1898. In 1900, Barton-Wright invited S. K. Uyenishi, to teach jujitsu and his methods proved so successful that he began teaching extreme versions to army officers. Following the sowing of these first seeds, jujitsu self-defence techniques spread throughout Britain and abroad, And the rest is now history.

The traditions of karate have transformed in diversity, as its popularity has spread worldwide. The work of Seihin Yamanouchi, in relating karate and Okinawan Te to dance, was a crucial element in this process. His influence on bringing these connections to the surface of the martial-art scene in Okinawa and mainland Japan was profound and quietly took hold among certain teachers. Regarding these, the most obvious name is Seikichi Uehara. He established Motobu-ryu in 1947, which was based on udun-di, the type of Te formerly taught to Okinawan royalty. In the 1970s, he began a series of community demonstrations, with the theme 'Dance & Martial Arts', that served to both show the connections of these two elements, while beginning to unscrew the locked doors of Te. Other directly influenced parties were: Tatsuo Shimabuku of Isshin-ryu karate, Seitoku Higa of the Bugeikan & Eizo Shimabuku, of Shorin-ryu. Clearly then, the soul of Seihin Yamanouchi and his book remain as an eternal testament to this research.

All three of the works reproduced herein are about how to do practical martial arts, as a sport, for self-defence, or for combat. Published in the United Kingdom over a period of four decades, from 1905 to the 1940s, they are arranged in chronological order of their issue dates and have been presented in their original format. They should be viewed, not only as valuable time capsules, but as tangible references as to how self-defence methods developed during that time, because as wars came and went, necessity became the father of adaptation. This resulted in the deadlier applications, which arrived in England alongside recreational jujitsu and sport judo at the dawn of the 20th century, being synthesized more into styles for self-preservation and these then began to change back into methods for maiming and killing. This trend should not be so shocking though, because jujitsu had, following the opening up of Japan after 1868, been developed as a safe method for practicing the older martial arts of the samurai.

Mystery and intrigue surrounds much of the life of the founder and practitioner of Ju-Jutsu, the self-styled "professor", S. K. (Sada Kazu) Uyenishi. However, he was one of the first and probably the most influential jujitsu and judo experts to demonstrate, teach and compete in these arts outside of Japan. From the shadowy "Baritsu" exponents in the stories of Sherlock Holmes, to Inspector Clouseau's sidekick Cato of Pink Panther notoriety and James Bond's Odd Job, he of the stage name "Raku" has provided the entertainment industry with many stereotypes. Sada Kazu Uyenishi even influenced the seeming erratic, yet expertly controlled, screen pranks of the masterful Charlie Chaplin; but who was S. K. Uyenishi in real life? Find out more about him and his uniquely 'soft' style of Ju-jutsu, from reading this authentic presentation of his book.