In early days practitioners of the martial arts came from the strong athletic group of the community. They studied various methods of grappling, striking and bending of the joints. Knowledge was important but strength and natural athletic ability were paramount because little principle was understood at that time. It took strength and athletic ability to make the tricks work.

Dr. Kano realized that during certain periods of movement everyone, regardless of strength or ability, becomes helpless in various ways and that even a very weak person, by constant practice in a very limited area, can learn to take advantage of such weak moments, so that the weak person can easily defeat strength and athletic ability over and over. Dr. Kano further understood that even though one might study many variations, when it comes down to reality and the pressure of competition or self defense is upon us, we always use our favorite technique (Tokui Waza). Dr. Kano's theory was proven in 1886 in combat between Kodokan Judo and the best jujitsu schools of the day. Subsequently, Dr. Kano's concept of principle study was adopted by the Japanese police as their principal physical education system.

A short time later Master Ueshiba Morihei (a noted strong man and jujutsu expert) began to apply Dr. Kano's theories to his particular brand of jujitsu. He researched and subsequently developed his non-resistance art of Aikido. Both of these arts had as common ground brotherhood concepts as well as the quality of giving even the weakest student the ability to viably stand up to the strongest adversary with the confidence necessary to win. These pure art forms soon took the martial arts world by storm and have remained paramount ever since."*