Jeet Kune Do
Jeet Kune Do
Jeet Kune Do (sometimes spelt as Jeet Kun Do) or JKD, which can be translated as ? The Way of the Intercepting Fist? is a martial art developed by Bruce Lee. Bruce Lee foundation refers to Jeet Kune Do practiced by Bruce Lee as ?Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do?. Jun Fan was Brice Lee?s Chinese name.
The method employed by Bruce Lee to develop Jeet Kine Do was to cast off what was useless and non essential till he is left with what he considered essential combat techniques. As he described, it was similar to the way a sculptor create a sculpture from block of stone. This went on throughout his lifetime and the system was refined throughout that time.
He claimed that he wanted to free the practitioners of martial arts from laws created by various styles and methods inherent in traditional martial arts and emphasized that he has not created a new style. He believed classical martial arts with their pre arranged patterns of combat cramped the fluidity of combat with disastrous results. In other words his conception of Jeet Kune Do was highly dynamic. Techniques to be used are to be selected based their applicability to achieve success in a fight and on their efficiency, directness, simplicity.
Main fighting concepts of Jeet Kune Do, like use of centerline, punches delivered vertically, and use of forward pressure, were borrowed from Wing Chun, but he consciously adapted western fencing and boxing stances because they are more flexible according to him. In fact Jeet Kune Do combatant is expected to do whatever is necessary in order to mount a defense regardless of the source of the techniques used.
In addition to that Lee also emphasized the need to change the techniques that were borrowed to suit the fighter. The practitioner is the one to decide which technique to use and how to use them according to the requirements of the live combat situation. In light of that it is clear why he compared the solo training (called ?Kata?) used in many traditional martial arts styles to learning to swim on dry land.
These views made him highly controversial then. Even now traditional practitioners disagree with his ideas. On the other hand recent development of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) and similar practices were based on theories similar to his
Based on above ideas he incorporated several principles into Jeet Kune Do that he believed were universally applicable in combat.
Intercepting was one such principle. It was based on the notion that strong offense is essential to a strong defense. Intercepting goes beyond physical aspects, it also includes intercepting verbal and non verbal movements that the opponent makes. In practice instead of simply blocking, a Jeet Kune Do practitioner will make an attack using the same movement used for the block, called a stop kick or a stop punch. Or they will make simultaneous attacks with the block.
Flexibility and fluidly of movement, or being like water, is another such principle advocated by Lee. This was applied to the training method themselves since Jeet Kune Do do not practice traditional methods of training but make use of flexible methods.
Economy of motion is also an important principle of Jeet Kune Do which aims to make the best use of time and movement
Jet Kune Do practitioner are expected to learn the four ?ranges of combat? equally. Ranges are kicking, punching, trapping and grappling. They are expected to learn the various techniques developed by martial arts systems for these purposes.
Jeet Kune Do also has Five Ways Of Attack; Single Angular Attack or Single Direct Attack, Hand Immobilization Attack, Progressive Indirect Attack, Attack By Combinations, and Attack By Drawing
After Brice Lee?s death the Jeet Kune Do has splintered into branches. Original Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do branch concentrates on Jeet Kune Do as left by Bruce Lee and allows each student to explore further. The Jeet Kune Do Concepts branch has focused on further development of the art, using the dynamic ideas of Lee. Final Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do branch teaches the art as left by Lee, as a fully developed system.