Jeet Kun Do
About Jeet Kun Do (sometimes spelled Jeet Kune Do) Bruce Lee stated that his concept isn’t adding more and more to form a system, but rather a winnowing out or refining; casting off what is useless. Click here to tell us about your club.
One of the basic concepts of Jeet Kun Do is that a fighter should do whatever is necessary to defend herself no matter where the techniques came from. It is referred to as the genesis of the modern state of hybrid Martial Arts.
This philosophy helps make this an ideal Martial Art for women.
Lee strived to create a Martial Art that was free and unbound. In a 1971 Black Belt Magazine article, Lee said, "Let it be understood once and for all that I have NOT invented a new style, composite or modification. I have in no way set Jeet Kune Do within a distinct form governed by laws that distinguish it from this style or that method. On the contrary, I hope to free my comrades from bondage to styles, patterns and doctrines".
Lee derived core concepts from Wing Chun, such as centerline control, vertical punching, trapping and forward pressure. He also incorporated the fluidity of European boxing and fencing stances.
JKD changes aspects of different styles to adapt to suit the abilities of the practitioner. Lee felt the dynamic property of Jeet Kune Do enabled the student to adapt to the constant changes of live combat. He believed that only in this situation could a practitioner deem a technique worthy of mastering.
Jeet Kun Do requires no memorization of solo forms or "kata". Lee felt that practicing forms without an opponent compared to learning to swim on dry land. He believed that combat was alive and dynamic, changing from millisecond to millisecond.
To drive his point home he once wrote an epitaph reading: "In memory of a once fluid man, crammed and distorted by the classical mess". In this example "classical mess" referred to classical Martial Arts. As you can imagine many instructors from traditional schools disagreed.
A Jeet Kun Do student is expected to learn various combat systems and to be effective in all of them. This idea of cross training is similar to the practice of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) in modern times. Many consider Jeet Kune Do to be the precursor of MMA.
Principles
Three Parts of JKD
- Efficiency - An attack that reaches it's mark
- Directness-Doing what comes naturally in a learned way
- Simplicity- Uncomplicated thinking, without ornamentation
Four Ranges of Combat
- Kicking
- Punching
- Trapping
- Grappling
Five Ways of Attack
- Single Angular/Direct Attack
- Hand/Foot Immobilization Attack
- Progressive Indirect Attack
- Attack by Combinations
- Attack by Drawing
Lee incorporated the centerline theory into Jeet Kun Do from Wing Chun. It refers to the imaginary line running down the center of one’s body, the ability to exploit, control and dominate your opponent’s.
Three Guidelines for Centerline
- The one who controls the centerline will control the fight.
- Protect and maintain your own centerline while you control and exploit your opponent’s.
- Control the centerline by occupying it.
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Do you have or attend a Jeet Kun Do class that deserves its own web page? Just create it here! Tell us all about it: where, when, who, etc. Why is it unique/significant/important. What are its principles? Are there some events you would like to share?
For more information on Jeet Kun Do please visit the
Bruce Lee Foundation website.
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