Jeet Kune Do (JKD) is the martial art created by Bruce Lee (Li Jun Fan/Siou Lung). JKD or Way of the Intercepting Fist may be classified as a form of modern martial art. Although Jeet Kune Do is primarily inspired from Chinese gung fu, Western fencing and boxing it is more accurately, Bruce Lee's martial art. Lee felt that a real fight was unpredictable and that most classical styles emphasized dead patterns instead of live and spontaneous training. Lee also came to the conclusion the MA was Universal and that "unless there is a being with more than two arms and two legs, that there is only one style of fighting, the human style". So, Lee conceptualized martial art as a whole and embarked upon a scientific course. Not one that blended styles but one that was born of the idea of non-style, geometry and physics. One as he described as "simple, direct and non-classical". At the same time that Lee was creating his martial art he was also very much into philosophy. One source of philosophy was Zen. One of the primary tenants of Zen is detachment or more clearly, non-attachment. The tenant of non-attachment can be a paradox for most. However for Bruce Lee, it may have been the perfect vehicle of understanding (enlightenment) that he needed to create his Jeet Kune Do. While non-attachment is a mental state, non-engagement is its physical counterpart. In the sense of fighting attachment or engagement imputes struggle. So with non-engagement through the use of physical science, our goal is non-struggle or to fight with the least amount of struggle. JKD however is the way of the intercepting fist and seeks to end the fight as quickly as possible through striking. In JKD engagement is any touch reference other than the strike itself. So ours is a very aggressive form of non-engagement which is a paradox to most but the true vehicle of understanding and expressing JKD. JKD primarily emphasizes stepping and evading in order to strike without prior touch, secondarily deflecting in order to strike and lastly trapping & grappling in order to strike. For decades following Bruce Lee's death JKD was promoted as the concept of cross training and doing your own thing. This view of JKD gave birth to the creation of many freestyles and hybrids throughout the world. Not a bad thing but not JKD. Bruce Lee clearly researched the totality of martial art, which includes striking and grappling both standing up and on the ground. But because Lee found that the "height of cultivation lead to simplicity" and that non-engagement is the height of that simplicity. JKD is a scientific vehicle of expressing simplicity in the chaos of fighting. Although Lee is recognized as being an Action Superstar from Hong Kong, he was actually born in San Francisco and lived in Hong Kong until the age of 18. Around 1959 he returned to the U.S. and eventually attended the University of Washington in Seattle, where he majored in philosophy. There he began the journey of creating his own method of martial art. While in the States, Lee ran three schools of martial art, Seattle WA, Oakland CA and Los Angeles CA.
Bruce Lee Lineage Martial Arts
Although with distinctions, these periods of development include overlap and similarities.
In 1971 he returned to Hong Kong to make movies and in 1973 unexpectedly passed away. Around 1971, Bruce Lee closed his school of Jeet Kune Do, "for reasons both public and private". However, Lee gave permission to his three "assistant instructors", to carry on "in private" and teach a select and small group of individuals. Taky Kimura: Seattle, WA James Lee: Oakland, CA Dan Inosanto: Los Angeles, CA.
  My introduction to Bruce Lee and Jeet Kune Do began in 1975, when I read the compilation of his notes, which were condensed, edited and organized into the book, "Tao of Jeet Kune Do"
Like many other martial artists, I began integrating principles and techniques of Jeet Kune Do into "my martial art" from 1975-1986, based on my understanding of it, from books, magazines articles and Bruce Lee's movies.
In the fall of 1986 I moved from Michigan to California and began to actually train, in "BL Lineage MA"... This method was presented to me through the "Inosanto lineage" and was taught to me by my friend and training partner Louis Campos.
Ted Lucaylucay: In 1987 Sifu Ted Lucaylucay began to teach a small group of dedicated students at the Inosanto Academy in Marina Del Rey, CA. I was among this group of students and participated from 1987 to 1991. In 1991 I was awarded my Instructor's certificate in Jun Fan Gung Fu/Kickboxing & Kali and went on to become an Executive Officer of Sifu Ted's "LK/JA", Lucaylucay Kali/JKD Association. I subsequently trained with Lucaylucay on a private and semi-private basis until the passing of Sifu Ted in March of 1996.
Boxing/Kickboxing: Ted emphasized modern western boxing that was influenced by Panantukan as taught by his father "Lucky" Lucaylucay, Richard Bustillio and his own research and development. He liked to refer to his boxing as blade awareness boxing. In the last few years before his death, Ted primarily emphasized the Panantukan aspects with me. I feel that this was a process of refinement towards further alignment of the three areas that we trained in. Ted emphasized kicking that he learned from Jun Fan Kickboxing. Very direct and powerful, but with a snap. Like most Ted also incorporated the Muay Thai hook kick, but was not fond of using the Thai pads like the Thais do (holding both pads together allowing for a broad point of impact). Ted preferred instead to use one Thai pad and one focus mitt. He preferred a smaller target for accuracy and used the focus mitt as a brace to absorbe the shock. Ted was also highly influenced and fond of the kicks of Savate which he felt was like fencing with the feet. Like most, Ted also included the use of elbows and knees, but they seemed to have their place and were not over emphasized. Although the term Sikaran was used and we did learn some classical kicks from the source, the term was used to describe kicking in general.
Gung Fu: Ted empahsized classical wing chun techniques, drills and strategy including chi sao. Ted also taught the basic trapping routes from Jun Fan Gung Fu. When I look at Ted's empty hand sets, I see a high influence of wing chun combined with mano mano. In the last few years before his death I began to get more interested in Bruce LeeTM and Jeet Kune Do again. Although Ted would never clearly define a physical Jeet Kune Do, he did share with me what he called the earlier training methods. This was in reference to training in Dan Inosanto's backyard when they still called what they did Jeet Kune Do, however Ted was more comfortable with calling this Chinese Gung Fu/Kickboxing or Jun Fan Gung Fu/Kickboxing. In his personal style,Ted preferred the orthodox boxing lead vs. strong side lead and also preferred the horizontal fist to the verticle fist, for the lead straight punch. However in Jun Fan Gung Fu/Kickboxing he taught the strong side lead and verticle fist, lead straight punch.
Ted Wong: In 1991 I had the pleasure of meeting one of Bruce Lee's private students, Ted Wong. Sifu Ted Wong attended the Grand Opening of a small gym that I opened in Canoga Park, California.
Between that time and 1994, I asked Sifu Ted Wong, on numerous occasions, to accept me as a student... He politely told me that he really wasn't accepting any new students but that he would keep me in mind.
In 1996, After the unexpected passing of my teacher and dear friend Ted Lucaylucay, I went through a period of confusion and lack of clear direction in regards to my martial art.
In the winter of 1997 I phoned Sifu Ted Wong and invited him to lunch. I hadn't seen him for at least 3 years. We met at the "Golden City" restaurant in L.A. Chinatown and we talked about many things... We talked about loyalty and dedication to one's teacher and to one's chosen method of martial art. He then invited me to go across the street to my gym and he proceeded to share with me, the "Latter Stage" of Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do.
I trained privately with Ted at his house in Montery Park whenever his and my schedule would permit it. I asked to train with him full time and he said he did not have the time. Ted visited many times to my Club at Alpine Park Rec. Ctr. in LA Chinatown, to teach workshops to me and my students and continued to do so after my move to Thailand.
In December of 2001 I moved to Thailand and Ted wrote a letter for me to give to the Thailand Ministry of Education saying that I had his permission to teach Jeet Kune Do. Before I left, Ted told me that although it is important to have an instructor, that the the art itself would teach you. He was very right. Ted came to see us in Thailand in 2003 and again in 2007. He enjoyed himself very much! I continued to travel from Thailand to the USA every year and always made it a priority to train and spend time with Ted. In 2007 during his trip to Thailand, Ted told me that he was happy with my progress and thanked me for preserving and perpetuating Bruce Lee's martial art. He said, he was surprised that I hung in there so long and that he respected my perseverance and ability. The last time I saw Ted was in August of 2009 for training at the Park and of course Dim Sum! The last time I spoke to him was on the phone sometime during the spring of 2010. Ted had agreed to help us with a project in Thailand, An "MMA Reality Based TV Show". He was also due to visit us in Singapore for a seminar.
Both Ted Lucaylucay and Ted Wong have influenced me greatly and have helped me to better understand Bruce Lee's Martial Art and the science, art and philosophy of martial arts in general.
I miss them both profoundly...
- Mark Stewart
Carrying the Jeet Kune Do Torch
In 1973 Bruce Lee passed away and Dan Inosanto was convinced by many to keep JKD alive. What to do? At first Inosanto continued teaching Jeet Kune Do and offered Kali (Philippine weaponry) as a separate subject. As time went on, the two arts were aligned and were referred to as Kali/JKD. These methods were blended and/or taught separately at different periods of time by Inosanto and his graduates.
|
Jeet Kune Do 截拳道 "Way of the Intercepting Fist," Is a fighting system and life philosophy founded by Bruce Lee in 1967 with direct, non classical, and straight forward movements.
International Jeet Kune Do
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)