01
Releases & escapes
Grabs, holds, strangles and restraints. The first material every student learns and the most likely to be needed.
Self-defence
Not sport.
Not sport.
Not theory.
Self-defence.
Forty-five years of continuous development have gone into the TJK self-defence syllabus. It is the reason the association exists, and it is the core of what we teach in Tewkesbury.
One simple
philosophy.
"We empower students to take control & stay safe." Everything in the syllabus is judged against that.
Most martial arts teach self-defence as an afterthought — a seminar bolted onto a sport curriculum. TJK works the other way round. The self-defence syllabus came first, and the sport side developed as a way to pressure-test it.
That syllabus has been built, updated and expanded over more than forty-five years of continuous development by Sensei Ross Iannoccaro, head of Taijutsu Kai. It draws on traditional Japanese Jujutsu, on modern grappling and striking, and on the restraint and control methods used by police and armed forces around the world.
What it produces is a set of responses that hold up when someone is genuinely trying to hurt you: techniques based on leverage and position rather than size, taught in scenarios rather than in isolation, and drilled until they happen without thinking.
It is also taught with a clear head about the law. Reasonable force, when you can act, and when you should walk away are all part of the material — because self-defence that lands you in court has not defended you from very much.
What the
syllabus covers.
Progressive material, graded from white belt upward. Nobody starts on knife defence.
02
Strikes & blocks
Effective, powerful striking — and just as importantly, how to absorb and deflect one without freezing.
03
Throws & takedowns
Putting someone on the ground from a standing confrontation, safely and without going down with them.
04
Restraints & control
Locks, pins and come-alongs used by police and armed forces — controlling a situation without escalating it.
05
Ground defence
What to do underneath someone: protect, create space, get up. Not sport grappling — getting out.
06
Weapon & knife defence
Senior material, taught honestly: what is realistic, what is not, and why distance and escape come first.
07
Personal protection
Awareness, positioning, de-escalation and the legal framework around defending yourself in the UK.
How it's taught
Slowly, then
Slowly, then
with resistance.
Every technique starts static and cooperative so you can learn the shape of it. Then the pace comes up. Then your partner stops helping. Then it goes into a scenario.
That progression is what separates self-defence that works from self-defence that only works in the dojo — and it's why the sport side of the club matters even to members who never compete. Pressure-testing is the quality control.
- Static drilling to learn the mechanics
- Increasing pace and realistic reactions
- Resistance, then full scenarios
- Graded, so difficulty matches your level
★★★★★I wish I had taken this up sooner! Have been at the club since the start of this year. Really professionally run, making sure you go through the basics before you start taking on anything more. Lessons are well structured and informative. Everyone at the club is really welcoming and friendly, there are no egos and they all just want to help you improve. I managed to train twice a week but wish I could train more. Would highly recommend.
Josh LewisFacebook
★★★★★While looking for a martial arts club I found TJK classes, since there was a free trial I decided to give it a go to see what is all about. In summary, it was a great find — training sessions which are very high quality are led by approachable and passionate instructors, who are keen on sharing their expertise while making sure their students thrive. As a complete beginner, I never feel out of place or that I don't know enough. Welcoming and friendly members will make you feel part of the club from day one.
Luka WoFacebook
★★★★★Very high quality instruction.
Welcoming, safe environment for beginners.
Good, engaging mix of self defence and sport.
Great physical conditioning, but with a focus on technique over strength.Darren RehoFacebook
★★★★★I train with TJK Tewkesbury whenever I can on top of my usual main class (TJK Chosen Hill). It's a great addition as the style of training is slightly different. It allows me to push myself and really test the skills under a little extra pressure with friendly grappling and sparring sessions. Everyone there shows huge respect for each other and help each other out whenever possible, no matter what level they might be. If you're nervous about stepping in for your first lesson, don't worry, within minutes you'll be welcomed by everyone and will feel a lot more at ease. Then you'll wonder why you didn't start years ago.
Dave HumphriesFacebook
★★★★★Jen and Mark are both hugely talented jujutsu practitioners who live and breathe Japanese jujutsu. Their understanding of the art is exceptional and their attention to the smallest details make them tremendously effective teachers. I learn something new every time I have the opportunity to train with them.
Ian Connor
★★★★★I cannot recommend Mark and Jen enough as teachers. I have been training with them now for 5 months and they have provided me with so much support and insight in to my practice. You won't regret it if you give it a go. I promise!
Ellie Kim