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Θεωρίες Jeet Kune Do:
Guiding Principles of Jeet Kune Do
Jeet Kune Do approaches effective self defense in a uniquely different
manner that sets it apart from most other martial arts. Some distinctive
principles are noted with a brief description.
* Non Telegraphic Movement- drawing the arm back before striking, stepping
before kicking or showing any obvious "build up" movement tells the opponent
what you're about to do. This gives them the opportunity to counter attack
you. In JKD you learn to punch and kick efficiently without telegraphing any
intentions.
* Strong Side Forward- We stress the use of our strongest and most
coordinated weapons (hand and Foot) out front, where they can do the most
damage. If you are right handed, you will be in a right lead fighting
stance. If you you left handed it's a left lead fighting stance. This in
turn makes the weaker weapons stronger, giving you two strong sides to use
for attack. We use the lead hand for 80% offense, 20% defense. The rear hand
is mostly used as a defensive tool, 80% defense and 20% offense.
* Longest weapon to the closest target- When attacking from a distance to
the nearest target JKD uses the lead hand for punching and the lead leg for
kicking. The rear tools are further away, take longer to get to the target
and can be timed and countered more easily.
* Non Classical Movement- We do not employ the use of set or fixed training
forms or patterns. They do not accurately represent realistic fighting
situations. We employ drills that keep the relationship between the
opponent's alive, fluid and mobile.
* Use of Broken Rhythm- Used while attacking or counter attacking, it allows
you to catch your opponent while they are motion set, thus making it harder
for them to defend or counter your attack. In attacking, there are a few
ways to break the rhythm within a series of movements after a rhythm has
already been established. For example, speed up suddenly, or slow down
suddenly, and or insert a brief pause or delay in the series of movements.
In counter attacking, you can hit on the half-beat to break an opponent's
rhythm and interrupt their attack. If you hit the opponent before he
completes the first and second strikes, you have broken the rhythm on the
one and a half beat, Control the rhythm, you can control the fight.
Rhythm example with a jab cross hook combination:
1. X-X-X 2. X-XX 3.XX-X 4. X-XX 5. X--X-X
* Adaptability- Fights are abstract and are constantly changing. One must be
able to adapt to these changing situations. You cannot be bound by fixed
techniques, a single system or method. You must be free to use whatever
works and to express yourself without limitations.
* Use Of Feints and False Attacks- Feints are actions that make an opponent
think an attack is being launched against them. The object is to divert
their attention from your final or intended point of attack. False attacks
are intentionally made to fall short of the target and to draw a defensive
reaction from the opponent. This will help you discover how they will react
to your movements and is a set up for other types of attacks, such as attack
by combination and progressive indirect attack.
* Interception- The words Jeet Kune Do translate to way of the intercepting
fist. It is least efficient to block first then hit. It's more efficient to
simultaneously parry and hit, or even better, intercept the attack. This is
best accomplished by controlling the distance so your opponent has to move
towards you to get to you. The mind-set of defend and hit must be changed to
think hitting.
* Centerline- Lopping and or grand movements are very telegraphic and easy
to defend against, There are some major targets located along the centerline
such as the eyes, nose, chin, throat, solar plexus, and groin. In
controlling the centerline, you also can control the balance, position and
leverage of an opponent and their ability to attack you.
* Alive Footwork- Good mobility is essential. It can put you in a position
to hit, or it can take you out of position from being hit. Distance, rhythm
and timing are controlled with footwork, which should always be alive fluid
and mobile
* Focus On Low Line Kicking- Kicking high to the head in street fights can
be dangerous. High kicks are slower, easier to defend more telegraphic and
you need to be very limber to execute them. Low line kicks to the groin,
knee and shin are quite effective and much more safer to execute. They are
faster, harder to defend, and less telegraphic and your balance is not as
compromised.
* The Five Ways of Attack- Even though there are many martial arts systems,
styles and methods, there are basically only five ways fro you to attack or
be attacked. In JKD we classify them as:
1. SDA/SAA-Single Direct Attack/Single Angle Attack
2. ABC-Attack By Combination
3. ABD-Attack By Drawing
4. PID-Progressive Indirect Attack
5. HIA-Hand Immobilization Attack
Beats
Are measurements of time during an attack. For example, an opponent strikes
with a straight lead punch. When the fist is midway between its original
position and full extension, this is a half beat time. Then the punch
reaches full extension, this is one full beat of time. When the punch
withdraws midway between full extension and its original place in the
fighting stance, this is a half beat of time. If the opponent were to hit
with a full extension on two beats of time. In Jeet Kune Do, practitioners
prefer to counter on the half beats whenever possible.
Body Feel
refers to when a martial artist has implicit understanding of how his
movements affect his balance and knowing where his body is at all times.
While the concept sounds simple, it's actually something that a lot of
people fail to grasp because they don't have a good idea of where their body
is in relationship to themselves and their surroundings. For example, if a
person steps forward three inches with their front foot and six inches with
their rear foot and then four inches forward on their front foot and two
inches with their rear, his body feel is off because he is unaware that he
is off balance and not maintaining a uniform distance in his fighting
stance. In Tao of Jeet Kune Do, Bruce Lee described body feel as, harmonious
interplay of body and spirit, both inseparable.
Bridging the gap
Occurs when one opponent close the space between the fighting measure. The
gap is bridged when either one or the other opponent moves past the fighting
measure into striking distance
Brim of fire
Is the distance at which either opponent can strike without moving forward
because one has crossed the fighting measure
Cadence
Is the specific rhythm for a succession of movements in a technique or
combination
Classical technique
Is what Bruce Lee believed to be one of the problems with classical martial
arts. Because traditional students learn to attack in a predetermined
pattern rather than in a relationship to their opponent's movements, they
are limited to a combination of predetermined moves from their style.
Commitment
Refers to how much power a Jeet Kune Do practitioner puts into a technique.
Half commitment is like a boxing jab; it is a minor blow to set up major
blow. Full commitment as a major blow, which hits through the target but
does not overextend. Extension commitment requires the JKD practitioner to
throw everything he has at his target with no regard for recovery. This kind
of attack, such as a stop-kick, should be attempted only when he is
absolutely sure that he will hit the target with enough force to end the
fight. Note: More power techniques take longer to recover from. If you miss
with an overcommitted punch, you will probably be vulnerable to a
counterattack.
Critical distance line
Is between the fighting measure and the brim of fire line. At this distance,
either move back to intercept or move forward to build momentum and get the
most power from an attack. By doing this, a Jeet Kune Do practitioner gains
the necessary power to penetrate two inches.
Drawing
Refers to when a JKD stylist tricks an opponent into attacking by purposely
leaving some part of his body unprotected and open. This provokes the
opponent into thinking that he can launch a successful attack, one the JKD
stylist already has a specific counter in mind for.
Defensive movement patterns
Are predictable movements and footwork. In contrast, the Jeet Kune Do
martial artist wants to always be unpredictable.
Deception
Masks a technique's true intent. For example, a fighter tricks his opponent
into believing that he is attacking with a high hand strike but instead
launches a low kick. Two of the five ways of attack-the attack by drawing
and the progressive indirect attack- are based on deception.
Defensive movement patterns
Are predictable movements and footwork. In contrast, the fighter wants to
always be unpredictable.
Distracting hand
Uses the hands to focus the opponent's attention away from the intended
attack. There are three hand distracting methods: the Obstructing method,
the sound method, and the combination method. Using the obstructing method,
a JKD stylist throws his front hand up to the level of his opponent's eyes
while still in the fighting, mimicking a progressive indirect attack. This
trick's his adversary into thinking that he will attack with his hands;
instead he's going to bridge the gap and attack with a low kick. The sound
method, as the name implies, uses sound as a distraction, such as clapping
your hands before an attack. The third method combines the first two. For
example, a JKD practitioner might throw his front hand up and slap his thigh
for effect before attacking.
Delayed hit
Is also known as a broken time attack. To do it, begin a strike, take a
slight pause and then renew the attack
Double time
Is a term Bruce Lee borrowed from Fencing and means blocking an attack and a
kick and the launching your own counter kick. However, be wary because
double time is a passive defense. If an opponent feints a JKD practitioner
into block, he has successfully deceived the practitioner. This means the
opponent's hit will land before the JKD practitioner can muster a counter.
Fakes
Are done when a JKD practitioner wants his opponent to go in one direction
while he moves in the other.
Fighting measure
Is the distance a fighter wants to maintain between his opponent and
himself.
Focal point
Is the full beat between the opening and closing line of an attack.
Hyperextension
Is the farthest a strike or kick can extend.
Reaction time
Is the time gap between a stimulus and a response. For example, the reaction
time occurs between an attacker's oncoming punch (the stimulus) and the
defender's stop-hit (the response)
Single-choice reaction
Is what a fighter strives to have. It means that when someone tries to hit a
fighter with a jab, he simply hits back first with a stop hit. The fighter
has one basic response to a single stimulus.
8 Elements of JKD
Internal
Emptiness the art of Emptiness is the last level of training in JKD. This is
when you react naturally to your environment, without thinking.
Stillness the art of Stillness occurs when you are aware of your
surroundings and not charging your opponent blindly. You are not distracted
by anything.
Sinking the art of Sinking occurs when all of your energy is focused into
your middle, the center of your gravity. This enables your strikes to be
well grounded and most forceful.
Softness the art of Softness means your moves are "fluid" and concise. Your
strikes will be forceful without exerting unnecessary energy.
External
Technique the art of Technique is when you have mastered the movements of
JKD. They are second nature to you and you know when to apply the proper
technique in real life situation.
Timing the art of Timing is most essential and it fits hand and hand with
technique. Knowing when to apply the technique at the right time. Even if
your technique is the best, without proper timing the technique is useless,
and your distance, speed, and rhythm will be misjudged.
Angle Structure the art of the angle structure is accuracy. In order for
your angle structure to be effective your moves must not be sloppy and must
be well focused.
Power the art of Power will develop as your technique, timing, and angle
structure come together. Without technique, timing, and angle structure,
power is useless.
Jeet Kune Do Primer
Optimal function of the well timed stroke in descending order
(1) Before: Motion/attack “on preparation”
(2) During: Motion/attack “in flight”
(3) After: Motion/attack “on riposte”
Simple, Direct & Non-classical:
(1) Embraces simplicity over complexity (minimum v. maximum motions)
(2) Embraces directness over indirectness (straight line v. curved line)
(3) Embraces Non-classical (spontaneous/non-rhythmic) v. classical
(pre-arranged/rhythmic)
On guard Stance: Small phasic, bent knee stance:
(1) Facilitates stability
(2) Facilitates mobility
(3) Facilitates primary lead tool usage
(4) Facilitates aggressive defense “counter offense”
Footwork to control distance:
(1) Offensive Defense
(2) Defensive Offense
Strong Side Lead: Right Handed uses Right Lead & Left Handed uses Left
(1) More Agility
(2) More Power
(3) More Natural
Primary Lead Tool Usage: Front Hand and/or Foot
(1) Closer to Opponent
(2) Strong/Agile Side
(3) Easy to Initiate from On Guard
(4) Easy to Recover to On Guard
Aggressive Defense/Counter Offense: Optimal Function in Descending Order
(1) Step/Hit
(2) Evade/Hit
(3) Deflect/Hit
(4) Trap/Hit
(5) Grapple/Hit
Jeet Kune Do
1. Thought
a. understanding your opponent
1. rhythm 2. cadence 3. speed 4. technique
b. Timing your opponent
c. Correct assessment of the openings during
1. rhythm 2. footwork 3. defense 4. attack
2. Attack
1. Commit yourself to one of the five ways of attack
a. SAA b. ABC c. PIA d. ABD e IA
3.Close the distance
a. Feint and progress b. change line (in order to be safe to progress)
a. side step and enter b. offset center line c. follow in opponents
returning attack
d. draw opponent in to your distance
4. Entering
a. on an unprotected line
1. during a committed attack 2. on the open line
a. during the extension of a limb b. on the retraction of a limb
b. feint
1. to open line of attack 2. to cover up another attack
c. change line of attack
d. sudden alteration in angle of entry
e. attack a limb
1. to open a line of attack 2. to obtain a hold for a lock, takedown or
throw
3. to destroy
5. Follow-up
a. continue attack
1. alter angle of entry 2. on an exposed line
a. during committed attack b. because of an extended limb
c. because of a contracting limb
3. Attack a limb
a. in order to open a line of attack b. in order to obtain a hold for a
lock, throw or
takedown
b. Set up for a finish
1. hit and continue hitting 2. close distance tight 3. attempt to clinch
4. Takedown
6. Finish
1. by combination of strikes
a. kicks and punches b. knees-elbows and head butts
2. By grappling
a. joint locks b. joint break c. choke d. slam into things
1.Throw 2. control and slam
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Jeet Kune Do Theories:
Five Ways of Attack in Jun Fan JKD
Attack on intention-when they are thinking about it
Attack on preparation- when they telegraph their intentions
Attack on delivery- intercepts the attack on the half beat with a stop hit
Attack on completion- intercepting it full extension
Attack on recovery- when they are recovering; response hitting
JKD`s Five Ways of Attack
SDA (Single Direct Attack)
A direct attack is composed of a single movement. The objective is to go to
the target by the most direct route. Although it is the simplest of the
attacks, it is the hardest to complete successfully because the speed and
timing. as well as the penetration of the opponent's defense must all he
perfect. A single direct attack is made into the line of engagement or into
the opposite line by simply beating the opponent to the punch, or by
catching him in a moment of vulnerability. When executing a single direct
attack, you lunge to hit the opponent before he can parry, without any
attempt to disguise the direction of the attack. Here, you would most likely
use your longest weapon to the closest target. When striking with the lead
hand, it is advisable to constantly vary the position of your head for added
protection against your opponent's counter. Keep the lead hand moving, as it
not only keeps your opponent on the edge, but also can be delivered faster
from motion than from a stationary position. Also, to minimize counters from
the opponent, you should at times feint before leading.
However, do not overdo the feinting or headwork. Remember simplicity. Such
an attack can also be thrown at an unexpected angle, sometimes preceded by a
feint. This is called a Single Angular Attack (SAA).
It is done by positioning your body in relation to the opponent so that an
opening results. The judgment of distance must be good. Sidestepping or some
kind of lateral movement is often used in this attack.
ABC (Attack By Combination)
ABC is a series of thrusts that follow each other naturally and arc
generally thrown to more than one line. ABC is generally composed of set-ups
to maneuver the opponent into such a position or create such an opening that
the final blow of the series will find a vulnerable spot. You want to make
sure that our attacks are aggressive enough to get your opponent to back
away, otherwise he may smother your attack combinations.
HIA (Hand Immobilization Attack)
HIA applies an immobilizing technique (trap) on the opponent's hand or leg,
or head (by grabbing the hair) as you crash the line of engagement.
Immobilization attacks can best he set up by using any of the other four
ways of attack, and traps can be performed in combination or singularly. You
use this when there is a barrier, such as the opponent's arm, that prevents
your weapon from scoring, or when you want the added protection of covering
a threatening weapon such as a nearby fist when slipping or countering.
Trapping keeps the opponent from moving that part of his body, offering you
a safety zone from which to strike. It can also be used to force an opening:
upon finding your opponent covered, you v would attack his hand with
sufficient force and vigor to turn it aside and make an opening for your
hand on the lunge Deflecting or trapping the hand while stepping forward,
also limits the possibility of a successful jam from the opponent.
Obstructing the leg as a preliminary step is likewise very effective.
PIA (Progressive Indirect Attack)
A PIA begins with a feint or an uncommitted thrust designed to misdirect the
opponent's reactions in order to open a line for the real attack which
follows instantly. The principal use of the PIA is to overcome an opponent
whose defense is strong enough and fast enough to deal with HIA and SDA. It
is also used to offer variation to one's pattern of attack. The distance has
to be closed up a good half by the feint. The feint should induce the
opponent to think you are going to h it him in a particular line;so it must
he long enough to provoke a reaction. When the opponent moves his hands or
arm to cover that line, another line will open and the real thrust strikes
there. The succession of feint and real attack in PIA is executed in a
single, forward motion. In this, it is distinctly unlike a SDA preceded by a
feint, which would he two separate movements.
ABD (Attack By Drawing)
This is a counterattack initiated by luring an opponent into committing to a
move. You must induce the opponent to step forward in tempo into the "within
distance" area, for instance, by leaving an apparent opening. Then you time
his attack, and nail him while he is stepping forward, or merely shifting
his weight forward, or when he shows any sign of heaviness, mentally or
physically. The success of this attack largely depends on concealing your
real intentions. Or you could execute movements that he may try to time and
counter in some manner such as a jam which you can predict with some
moderate certainty. His commitment will not allow him to change his position
or guard swiftly enough to deal successfully with your offense after his
technique is parried.
Centerline Theory
In Jeet Kune Do, there are many imaginary lines that a fighter should be
aware of. The most commonly used tactic is a Straight Line, this being for
defense or offense .
The reason why the straight line is favored in JKD is because it is the
shortest distance between two points and you reach your opponent much
faster. The Basic Line or straight line is the most common line.
Wherever you look, that should be your target, allowing you to reach your
opponent faster and with more power. By being in a JKD By-Jong (fighting
stance) or front lead, this allows you to be one step further and closer to
the target. By being an orthodox fighter, the attacks will come from the
rear, which might be a straight line, but not always the shortest line
between A and B. Using the shortest distance will also be non-telegraphic
and this will offer you the advantage of the inside center line.
You will be able to hit him by blocking his attack, but he cannot hit you
because you have the advantage of his inside centerline, which is the line
between the Blocking Line and the Center Line. By taking the inside
centerline, this will give a big target area on which you can strike your
opponent and cause much more damage. Meanwhile, all of your vital organs are
on the centerline, which is a good reason that your rear hand should always
protect your centerline. Another line called the Mother Line goes from the
top of your head, passing through your body, down to the floor.
It's the core axis of rotation. It is in you. The Mother Line is the attack
line. It's the target area; you take advantage of it while executing the
techniques. Next is the Self Center Line. This is a vertical line painted
down the center of your face to your feet, dividing your body into two equal
parts.
The Self Center Line moves with you, no matter what angle you turn. It is
painted down the middle. When you move, it moves. This is the line you
follow during practice when no opponent is present and it is mainly used to
help you execute techniques correctly. All blocks and attacks should be in
reference to the Self Center Line. You are protecting your Self Centerline,
while trying to target your opponent's Line.
A Center Line Plane allows the core of your Mother Line to be connected with
the core of your opponent's Mother Line, no matter which way either opponent
moves, shifts or circles. The Center Line Plane always connects the two
fighters. The outside curve line is called a Blocking Line. This line goes
from the outside from any blocking motion and connects to the Center Line. A
Jeet Kune Do fighter or practitioner takes advantage of the area inside the
Center Line.
The Power Of Interception
Jeet Kune Do, as most of us know, translates as 'The Way of the Intercepting
Fist'. It seemed appropriate to provide an article about interception
itself.
The interception of an attack can be a very useful tool. It can add power to
your attack without additional effort. It may require little preparation,
giving the element of surprise. It also, can be extremely frustrating to
your rival, helping to win the bout psychologically as well as physically.
There are many different types of interception. An interception does not
have to be executed only with the fist.
You can intercept a punch with a kick, a kick with a punch, or a kick with a
kick etc. Some do not even involve a strike from both sides. You can cut off
an attack by simply moving into a position that will jam them, leaving no
opportunity for them to land the attack. Alternatively, if he were to simply
step one way or the other, you could intercept their motion with a blow,
causing him to walk into it.
There are also different times during the adversaries' attack in which an
interception may take place. It can occur before, during, or after their
attack or movement. Before, or while the opponent is in preparation, you can
read their intentions and strike before they can initiate. During their
movement, there may be several opportunities to intercept.
You could strike from the materialization of their movement all the way up
to their full commitment. After, or upon completion, the interception takes
place as they recover and before they can launch another attack.
In order to utilize interception as a tactic, it is necessary to train
certain attributes. First are your Single Direct Attacks (or S.D.A.'s), for
obvious reasons. The faster, more precise, and more powerful your technique,
the better chance you will have in pulling it off. Next, and equally
important, is mental awareness. Your mind must be sharp in order to pick up
on their movement and react accordingly.
Additionally, work to control your emotions is needed so that fear,
self-doubt, and you ego do not cloud your senses and hinder your
performance.
Two other attributes that need specific attention are timing and distance.
Surely, they are both important anyway, but without them, interception
becomes impossible. Proper timing can be responsible for some of the most
devastating attacks. You can use the momentum from your movement combined
with theirs, timing it so that they collide head on into your strike. While
the correct distance enables you to strike the target cleanly allowing for
more power and penetration.
Here are some examples of interceptions:
1. -The opponent begins to throw a front kick from the rear leg.
-You intercept his kick with a sidekick to the attacking leg as it
approaches your position. This is commonly called a stop kick or Jeet Tek in
JKD. Depending on your distance and timing, you can attack just about any
part of their leg, from the thigh down to the top of their foot.
2. -The opponent throws a jab at your head.
-Drop and Step forward to the outside of their lead leg letting his jab pass
over your shoulder. As it does, strike to their open rib cage. This is also
called a slip.
3. - The opponent begins to step to his left.
- Throw a hook with your right hand, timing it so that they walk into the
punch. Strike them before they complete the step, they will take a much
greater impact if their feet have not yet settled on the ground.
Intercepting is almost an art in itself. It takes a lot of practice to
perfect but is well worth the effort in the end. Once you are able to
utilize interceptions effectively, you will gain a new level of control in
both, sparring sessions, or on the street. Interception is a tool for the
superior fighter.
Jun Fan JKD Sectoring Concepts
Sectoring concepts develops the center lines or your defense and offensive
concepts of moving into punching range for follow-ups.
This is the break down of some of the concepts: for a single punch
1. A Spilt sector; Parry outside of the arm and strike inside to the head or
body
2. Inside parry and hit sector; inside arms attacking center line head or
body
3. Outside parry and hit sector; hitting over the arm to the head or body
with the same
hand.
4. Pak Sao and hit sector; slap block with rear hand and hit with lead hand
5. Cutting sector; cut off attacking angle of the punch, using your punch to
counter and strike at the same time, coming from a slightly different angle.
6. Guild and hit sector; Intercepting early to guide the attack into a
different angle.
7. Inside Pak Sao sector; Slap block with lead hand and counter with the
rear hand
8. Cup Sao sector; Circling attacking angle or punch out and away from you
by moving the center line or the body off line.
9. Lop Sao sector; Grab or grabbing control of the attacking hand.
10. Intercepting or stop hitting; you stop the attack at it's fulcrum or
leverage points
You must develop sectoring principles into basic follow-ups, which are Head
butts, Knees, Elbows, Kicking concepts if they evade out of your punching
range, Throwing tactics, Joint locking tactics, Develop counter takedown
tactics, grappling/counter grappling.
When working inside center line, (between their arms) sometimes instead of
striking develop monitoring or checking the attackers opposite hand or
follow-up with a straight blast (which is a number of punches up their
center line)
Next Phase you want to develop sectoring combinations using the basic 1-2
combination or Jab and Cross from boxing.
Next Phase work on developing the tactics from sectoring countering
sectoring.
The essence of physical fitness, the spring board from which all novices
must move to a state of readiness to study the martial arts, is perfection
of breathing.
Understanding the philosophy of Jeet Kune Do
1) Absorb What Is Useful
2) Reject What Is Useless
3) Add What Is Specifically Your Own
4) Man, the Creating Individual
1. Absorb what is useful:
"The idea of absorbing what is useful does not mean choosing, collecting,
compiling, accumulating or assembling techniques from different styles of
martial arts thinking to yourself, "I'll take the best from all the styles
and put it together to form a new style." To do this is to miss the point.
We are not saying "collect what you like" or, put together the best," but
"ABSORB" what is "USEFUL". It is an individual investigation. To "ABSORB"
means to "get into" the technique, training method and art you are
interested in until you develop a "feel" for it. Until you experience
"being" in it and "becoming" it you don't really understand it. For example,
looking at the Malaysian art of Bersilat, trying out a few of their
techniques, then saying to your self, "I like their elbow technique, I think
I'll add it to my style" is a step that is self-delusional. To understand
those techniques you need to go into the Malaysian art and train like they
do, feel it, experience it for awhile, both in the doing and the receiving,
until you've got a grasp on it. You must become a Bersilat man in order to
truly understand Bersilat techniques, attitudes, training methods, etc...
Once you have "absorbed "; that experience and knowledge gained is yours,
not just something you've parroted from another style. Only now can you
start throwing away what doesn't suit you personally, so you can reject what
is useless.
2. Reject what is useless:
How do we know what is useless? What we think we see is sometimes not what
we really see. For example, a karate man, kick boxer, kung fu man and Savate
man were watching for the first time, a Thai Boxer throw a roundhouse kick
against a heavy bag. They might immediately dismiss the idea that the kick
had anything to offer them because they already feel they know that kick,
but do they? If they investigated further, they might be in for a rude
awakening. Anyone who has spent some time training in Muay Thai would
realize that although it may look like the same kick, it is in fact not the
same and it takes a great deal of training to perfect and maintain it. Not
being able to perform a technique successfully is another reason for
rejecting what you think is useful when it might not be. We should question
ourselves. Why does that technique from that style work for them? Why
doesn't it work sometimes? The important thing about rejecting what is
useless is that you don't reject anything until you know why you are
rejecting it! You could be throwing away a real jewel because of your own
lack of understanding. Possibly your timing or distance is off; or your
coordination needs improvement. Would you reject batting in baseball just
because the times you tried it you struck out? Most of the time it's your
own fault that the technique doesn't work, so before you reject anything
make sure you've investigated why it doesn't work for you.
3. Add what is specifically your own.
To "add what is specifically your own" doesn't mean to add anything for the
sake of being different or to make ourselves or style unique and different
from everyone else. It is understanding the principle at the core that
really counts. By knowing ourselves and understanding the root motions we
can then modify to our personal preferences. For example, how many of us
still drive the way we were taught in driving school? It is because of our
experience in driving that we can add our personal modifications or cheat
(as the case may be); like driving with one hand while operating the radio
buttons with the other, or turning the wheel by palming it instead of using
both hands in the accepted driving school manner! How do we know ourselves?
We must experience a great deal before we can decide what our personal
preferences are in technique. We must look at martial arts with eyes that
can see what is functional from the perspective of combative structure.
Economy of motion, simplicity, and directness are some indicators here. To
be able to discern what is functional requires understanding the principle
in practical application-action. Sparring helps in this regard and no wonder
Lee referred to it as the "lifeblood" of JKD.
4. Man, the creating individual:
Man, the creating individual is more important than any established style or
system. Does this mean you should create your own style? In order to
understand this we must distinguish between style and "personal style" All
boxers basically use the same methods and "style" but the personal style of
Ali is quite different from Frazier. European boxers have a different
movement look than American boxers. When we are creating our own style it is
an investigation into what is the best way to get more power, more speed,
and more efficiency for ourselves as individuals. Who created style, then?
An individual or group did. So what becomes more important, the style or the
individual? This last statement in this saying is about freedom, the freedom
not to be bound by any method, style or philosophy that limits our personal
growth outside of that entity. The key to all this boils down to the common
denominator called experience. The JKD man actively seeks experience because
only by experiencing can he arrive at any sort of self-knowledge,
self-understanding, or self- realization. It is good to seek knowledge of
techniques and training methods, but if you stop here then you become just a
collector creating a mosaic of techniques and methods that do not function
or fit together in a fighting structure. Knowledge of itself has no
understanding. Understanding comes from individual experience with that
knowledge.
I think Trevarian best sums it up by saying, "Do not fall into the error of
the artisan who boasts of 20 years in experience in his craft while in fact
he has had only one year of experience...20 times."
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