Absolutely, in this section absolutely and actually to a point in keeping with his area of understanding and London at the time. However later and for much of the film, Bartitsu was the main focus with adjustment of course but as adjustment someone underpins the system it fits, American Bartitsu instructor, Tony Wolfe was a choreographer for it.
Well RDJ is a wing chung practictisoner ,but the other problem in the movie was that ,judo , jiu jitsu, or Bjj are wortless in a multiple attackers scenario , they had to use a stand up stricking art, no insult intented to the students of grappling arts , Prof. Lon Neidigh A.S.A.X.s Martial Arts.
Being of, shall we say, larger build, and having to walk with a stick, I find Bartitsu somewhat of a useful Martial Art to know, I have a ready defense tool in my hand, and it is not illegal to carry. .
I'll be honest, I didn't know this was a real art... I tried to learn the cane arts, using a cubed yard stick; broke the stupid thing after a few swings... Suffice it to say, looks like I may have a new hobby to study up...
Due to the bastardisation of the name to Baritsu by Arthur Conan Doyle many didn't realise. However the original art was created and had a main dojo in Soho, London with many instructors sent out to help adaption. There are good instructors and bad all over, but remember this is not simply a stick art so looking for the adaptive instructors are likely your best bet.
No in fact he and E. W. Barton-Wright both worked at Pearson magazine together and it was there where when Doyle was forced due to demand to bring Holmes back he got the idea to take one letter out of Bartitsu, call it Baritsu and call it a day.
Understandable but Doyle actually says it is a Japanese wrestling system to basically try and have it as a Holmes only style but it all came from his awareness of Bartitsu which at the time had a training centre in Soho.
