Bruce Lee,  Jeet Kune Do (JKD)?

JKD is a way of fighting created by Bruce Lee, and is no more due to the death of Bruce Lee.  The concept of JKD is a custom designed way of fighting specifically developed by/for you…personally. No true JKD fighter is the same.

Bruce left a blue print set of guidelines to help a person create their own style. The blueprint consists of philosophy, principles, concepts, techniques and training methods. The original blueprint was called the 13 elements of Jun Fan, and is strictly adhered to by a group of original students who refer to themselves as the nucleus. Another group of followers are called the JKD concepts group headed up by another original student of Bruce named Dan Inosanto, the group I am rooted in.

Many believe that Dan was the chosen one to carry on in the absence of Bruce. Dan believed that the 13 Elements was a starting point and was meant to evolve and is not the end all but the beginning of one’s exploration.

The 13 Elements were 13 fighting styles that Bruce believed all students should know. However, one did not have to know the entire style, just some basic techniques and the main principle that made the style uniquely it’s own.

For example: Western Boxing. Boxers punch and no other strikes are allowed. The strikes are, jab, cross, hook, uppercut and over hand. They can be performed single or in combination. They compete against opponents same size and weight, fight in a ring using a time limit. If you know this you have the basic idea of what boxing is, (you will be educated) but not experienced, unless you have “boxed” first hand.

The style of Wing Chun for example, is a major component of the 13 elements. A Wing Chun man will best be utilized in a close confined area. He will use shuffling footwork, short straight direct punches, they will protect and occupy center line and try to control and trap their opponents limbs. It is easy to identify a Wing Chun man because he will have his hands open, similar to giving a karate chop. The closest hand will be in front of his nose with the other hand directly in front of it, and his feet will be ding toed with the front knee turned in, protecting the groin giving it’s unique characteristic.

Here are the original 13 Elements of Jun Fan:

Wing Chun, Northern Praying Mantis, Southern Praying Mantis, Choy Li Fut, Eagle Claw, Western Boxing, Savate, Muay Thai, Wrestling, Fencing, Aikido, Judo, Jiu Jitsu.. Myself and others have greatly expanded on this list.

Some of the philosophy behind the JKD is “using no way as way” or “Absorb what is useful, reject what is useless, and add in specifically what is your own.”

JKD is a science based on universal law, positive and negative energy, gravity, angles, time, space etc.  There are many books out there that will help in understanding JKD.

The Tao of Jeet Kune Do …Bruce Lee

Absorb what is useful….by Dan Inosanto.

JKD is a science that is helpful for the average man because it will educate him as to all the common denominators that make up movement and all fighting styles.  Many Black belts come to me, not to learn how to fight, but to learn the science behind all fighting and movement.

Today many young people are interested in fighting, this is known as “Self Preservation”

The Yang, the aggressive, the hard, the male, the positive energy, the fighting aspect.

The other half is “ Self Perfection” the Yin, the soft, the female, the negative energy,  this is the science the theory. Many young folks overlook “ Self Perfection” because all they want is to be a fighter. They lack the education, the theory, the universal law that governs all movement.

Jeet Kune Do is a wonderful way to learn the science behind movement and fighting without ever actually fighting. Many people have learned this science from me without ever stepping one foot inside my gym.

Music & Self defense?

Music is based on tone, beats, rests, all measured. .