# P1 Exclusive: Hojutsu-Ryu, the martial art of shooting



## kwflatbed (Dec 29, 2004)

By Jeffrey Hall

At first glance, the concept of shooting as a "traditional" martial art seems ridiculous. After all, martial arts are steeped in centuries of tradition, mysticism, and superhuman feats of skill; how can shooting a firearm compare with this?
If you consider principles, rather than tools, shooting is clearly a martial art. Stance, balance, focus, execution, and follow-through are the same, whether the hit is from a reverse punch or a pistol. We must master each of these elements of the technique before we can fight effectively.

 
Jeff Hall (above, left), a retired Alaska State trooper, former soldier, and NRA instructor, is a life-long shooter and martial artist. He can be contacted at www.hojutsu.com.

As to tradition, at what point does learning a physical skill become a tradition? I'm fairly certain that the first warrior to train with a katana was only looking for a tool that would save his life; better swords and effective techniques evolved into the formalized training protocol that became the way of the sword, but it probably developed through trial and error.
Shooting has always been a martial art. Martial, or military, was the primary reason for technological advancement in firearms. We progressed from resin-wrapped bamboo tubes, to iron tubes, through a variety of ignition systems, to the sophisticated weapons of today. However, no amount of technology will ever replace dedicated training with professional instructors, and a lifetime of dedication to the shooting arts.
Firearms were introduced to Japan in the 1530's by the Portuguese. Although some purists disdained the new weapons, others embraced them. The samurai, after all, were in the war "business", and the addition of firearms added tactical and strategic advantages to those who used them. In the 1575 Battle of Nagashino, an army of peasant conscripts, armed with firearms, defeated the classically trained and armed army of Takeda Katsuyori. This victory assured the inclusion of the firearm in Japanese military culture. 
In typical Japanese fashion, a formalized, structured training discipline soon evolved. 
Hojutsu, or "fire art," is considered a koryu, or old tradition art, predating 1868. It usually translates as "the art of gunnery." Since most modern shooters think of gunnery as artillery or crew-served weapons, I took the liberty of changing gunnery to "shooting." Hojutsu-Ryu, then, is the "School of the Art of Shooting."
In 1999, I was teaching an NRA rifle class in Fairbanks, Alaska. In the evenings, I trained in the dojo of So-Shihan Charles Scott. Master Kyoshi Yamazaki was in town for a clinic, and I invited him to the range during a lunch break. After twenty minutes of training, Master Yamazaki was shooting tiny groups with a 1911 Colt. Master Yamazaki caused my internal light to come on regarding the similarity in firearms and other martial training; I then set out to make modern shooting a recognized martial art.
There were initially three reasons to do so: 
• to recognize the years of dedicated training it takes to master firearms, 
• to integrate other weapons (hands, feet, sticks, knives) into the warrior's gear bag, and 
• to strive for excellence in firearms training.

Full Article: http://www.policeone.com/police-pro...sive-Hojutsu-Ryu-the-martial-art-of-shooting/


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