AMFED INSTRUCTION

The policies of the AFJ state that the physical techniques of Jujutsu make up only 25% of the material contents of the art of Jujutsu. The majority of its content, at a whopping 75% of material, is either not a physical technique or is entirely a non-physical corpus of knowledge. The policies further state that, of the physical techniques that make up only 25% of the contents of the art of Jujutsu, most schools, clubs and training groups only practice and learn less than 18% of the physical techniques. The average well rounded practitioner only learns about 12% of these physical technqiues himself because the schools, clubs and training groups that he frequents practice and learn less than 18% themselves (no given student gets taught everything that they knew collectively.) Practitioners whom are not as well rounded clock in at maybe 7% (as surprising as this seems.)
The policies further state that, for the most part, the important Jujutsu techniques (as part of the 25% in question) such as Stepping, Walking, Running and Jumping techniques don't really get any real coverage. There are quite a number of classes of technqiues that suffer the same lack of coverage (for example, the techniques of the Jujutsu art of escape and evasion.) From some perspectives this drives the percentile numbers down very sharply. Much lower than we already quoted here.
The policies of the AFJ further state that, the way things tend to go, there is usually visible deterioration in the percentile numbers over time unless some outside influence occurs that increases the number of techniques within the group (such as contact with a Japanese seminar instructor, for example.) There is less than 18% of the physical techniques commonly being recognised and practiced. That means there is a whopping 82% of the art of Jujutsu that goes unheard and unrecognised. Of this 82% of material, only 7% of it is actually physical technique. As we stated earlier, 75% of the material composition of the art of Jujutsu is either not a physical technique or is entirely a non-physical corpus of knowledge.

The American Federation of Jujutsu has produced and provides a proliferation of instructional material that is either directly translated from Japanese language materials, or is based upon such translation material re-written into our own languages. One very well known example of this is seen in the Library Collection of Shihan Weymouth, which provides a stunning volume of pre-modern and classical texts, handbooks scrolls and scroll sets. Then there are the AFJ Newsletters, Teachings articles and other literature.
The policies of the AFJ that discuss the ratio of 25% physical technique to 75% vast majority of other material is stated in full accord with the actual tenets of the art of Jujutsu itself. These tenets state that: "...the physical techniques alone are otherwise empty and worthless..." and this was an expression of the fact we are about to discuss. The tenets (and our policies in reflection of those tenets) teach that the corpus of physical techniques (25% of the entire art) will not provide one iota of the 75% majority that yet remains. While in an ironic twist, the 75% material will provide you the techniques, complete with a full explanation and description. You need the 75% majority material or you really cannot understand the techniques themselves,
As result of these recognitions, provided by the most legitimate of sources and materials, we admit that we are not the least bit pre-occupied with the physical techniques. We are preoccupied with the 75% majority that is hidden behind them. Being that we are not pre-occupied with the physical techniques, and seeing why we are not preoccupied with them, perhaps you can better understand now the nature of the position we will cite, here in this article. The policies of the AFJ state that a person should hold to the same percentiles described: 75% of what you do in the practices and training for the art of Jujutsu is not a physical technqiue. While 25% of the sum total is a physical technique. We should be doing tcchniques only 25% of the time... and there is what we should be doing 75% of the time. This fact is the basis of our approach.

This is chiefly how we here at the AFJ approach the subject (which is exactly why we explained it.) The proliferation of AFJ teaching literature is one of the main ways that we inform, educate and offer training to the membership. Likewise, that is how we qualify the membership for the Rank advancements they are afforded through the AFJ Ranking systems. The AFJ instructional literature is of an absolutely authentic and bonafide order. The explanations and descriptions of the learned Chief Instructors within the AFJ that translated, or separately wrote up the materials based upon translations, all offer an expert commentary on the subject matter. Often they cross reference material for further clarity.

The level of instruction afforded is quite high (we believe that it is higher than usual). The quality of instruction is generally superb. But we cannot take the credit for this... it was the Japanese Masters who wrote the basis of our material (we only translated it!) How you will interpret and implement this instruction, we cannot say. Every person and every group is different, how they will employ what they have learned is according to their own good sensibilities. And that is how things should be.