Jeet Kune Do - The Journey or the Destination?
An article By
Java Bomani

I've always been a revolutionary; and my approach to just about everything has
always been dealt with from that perspective. Not intentionally -- it's just the way my
mind works. My thoughts are no longer those of a follower as it was when I was a
young sponge, but when I began to soak up knowledge and become my own man
things changed. Now, I'm a leader; five star General of my own skeletal infantry. It
wasn't always that way, but I have to face up to the realities of who I am. This in
large part explains my view of the Martial Arts & the totality of life. Asking "Why" is
why we have what is still one of the most complex and diverse fighting philosophy's
to date; Jeet Kune Do (In Cantonese: The Way of the Intercepting Fist).

This integrated American approach to fighting is rooted in a deeply philosophical
Chinese martial Art named Wing Chun, but is also enhanced with several other
fighting forms to become something anew; something wide-ranging. Just like
America -- where a neighborhood can have people from this race, and more from a
couple of others and create something new and beautiful; just like that JKD is a
stunning concept. One which wasn't welcomed by the martial art establishment who
like most old things became stagnate and stuck in it's drawn out archaic ways. The
very composition of the arts had become rigid and stubbornly inflexible. The most
respected practitioners looked down upon anyone who would make such a claim,
that thousands of years of traditional teaching could be rendered useless if a
scenario arose that the person wasn't prepared for, by callused systems that
seemed to care more about nationalism and tradition than improving on their art. A
totally revolutionary notion concocted by a young renegade thinker.

Coming up through the ranks in my martial arts training, one of the things I always
heard from instructors was, “there is always room to improve.” A simple punch --
the most basic technique, even used by angry toddlers, can always be faster,
harder, more deceptive, the fist can be tighter, pack more solidity, the arm can be
more ridged and on it goes. It's true; there is always room for improvement. I heard
so many instructors echo this sentiment over and over again, but when asked
about applying that theory to the style they teach -- then…  "This is all you'll ever
need." They even get offended when you suggest that you want to try and add
more to your arsenal then what they taught. How can any instructor feel dis-
respected by their student trying to better themselves? I can’t understand this.
Does the parent want the child to be what they are? No, they want the child to be
more, better than they are. Isn’t this the same thing? Rigidity is running amuck in
this world.

The founder of this new philosophical method to physical and martial arts was of
course the man who would come to be known as the greatest martial artist of the
20th century; the incomparable "Little Dragon" Bruce Lee. Bruce is not only my
favorite Martial Artist, he's also my favorite philosopher. I don't know what impact
taking philosophy in college had on his life, but from my point of view, it seems the
influence was considerable. I've heard the study of thought is one of the reasons
that he was led to question the aim of Martial Arts in his day. What were they trying
to accomplish? Were they in search of the ultimate truth or are they trying to
bolster their chosen art's national roots? Are the instructors letting their ego get in
the way? That, along with several real life confrontations shaped Bruce's new
opinion on combative thinking. Beginning with Wing Chun, which was the WAY he'd
acquired while in China. It worked well, but dynamic thinking led him to alter the
DNA of Wing Chun, which would later on down the road morph into a method he
called Jun Fan (Which is also Bruce’s Chinese name). Jun Fan was intended to be a
more combat ready form, with less traditional restrictions. He took the best of what
is a good system, (Wing Chun) and added other combat tested techniques from real
fighting, without regard for established influences and pre planned cookie cutter
patterns. Jun Fan eventually became Jeet Kune Do, when the gloves totally came
off -- or went on in another way. Bruce and his students were the first to put on
sparring equipment and fight for real, the aim was learning to fight by fighting, not
by imagination. Katas and useless techniques were cut out, others, such as
Western Boxing combinations from real boxing matches was added.

In Boxing, the contestants aren’t trying to out dance or style each other, they are
trying to dismiss their opponent into tomorrow with quick sharp combinations and
technique. Watching Muhammad Ali seemed to have a great effect on Bruce’s
thinking. Much of the footwork he incorporated into JKD came from scrutinizing Ali’
s light highly mobile movements and also from the art of Fencing, in which
directness is paramount. There is no round about; it’s all about simply and
effectively getting inside with great footwork and scoring your point. This is what
JKD practitioners are trying to accomplish. The goal is to simply and effectively
move in and deliver your weapons on the target. If he takes you down, no big deal
you’ve trained on the ground. In JKD all fixed forms of fighting were analyzed for
effectiveness from authentic battles in the ring, streets, and full contact matches.
Any technique found to be effective was included, it’s that simple. Ornamental
techniques and training methods that didn't fit the philosophy were simply frisbeed,
not held onto, bending the individual into the tradition. The whole focus became
winning in a real confrontation and practicing only techniques that supported this
single-minded goal toward the ultimate truth. Whose better at being you, than you?
The answer should be no one.

Today it seems that a great number of people still look to JKD as a magic pill, the
ultimate martial arts training destination. I used to feel the same way, which is why I
was so diligent in my search of nearby townships and counties for an instructor that
taught authentic JKD. ‘Hey! It’s good enough for Bruce, its good enough for me.’
But why did he turn his back on Jeet Kune Do? Why did he close his schools when
they seemed to be doing so well? That question resounded in the spider web
covered halls of my head when I heard it. What's the answer? Obviously I wasn't
there, so all I have is opinion; the opinion of an observant outsider. There are
several people who were there and could tell you better than I can, so all I have is
opinion. When they write their experiences down and tell the world why Bruce
seemed to step away from the schools and teaching the martial philosophy he
created, I'm sure to read it, but being the revolutionary I am, I still look at what's
said as their opinion and maybe a little bit of revisionist history. It's human nature
that things look rosier over time. Don't get it wrong; I respectfully listen to people
whose knowledge of the past is so valuable and authoritative, on subjects not too
many people are privy to, I'm a captive audience. Their input to what is, and what
isn't Jeet Kune Do is unquestioned, but I still believe JKD is Bruce's way, without
being his way and anybody that comes to it must find himself or herself inside the
philosophy; not try to be him.

Brandon Lee- from the Jeet Kune Do Instruction Video

“When people ask me the question, in interviews generally, what my style is? I usually
say, ‘well my father created the art of Jeet Kune Do while he was alive and I have been
trained in that…’ because it’s simple to say that. However I actually truly feel that it’s a
little bit too simply to say that, because Jeet Kune Do is my father’s very personal
expression of the martial arts. He intended to kill a lot of sacred cows. So I always feel a
little bit silly, saying that I practice Jeet Kune Do, although I certainly have been
trained in it. It would be more accurate to say that I practice my own interpretation of
Jeet Kune Do, just as frankly everyone that practices Jeet Kune Do does, because that’
s what it was intended to be.”     

Isn't that what Bruce said? Use what he has scientifically analyzed as a foundation,
but you must find your way within it. By all accounts I saw and read; this is what he
was trying to pass on to the world. Again I must state, I'm not claiming to be an
authority, I'm merely the president of self -- with my own personal secret service
team that protects me. That's all I'm claiming responsibility for. However, as
someone who has seen just about everything there is to see on Bruce Lee, I've
arrived at the opinion; JKD is Bruce Lee's way. I believe in the techniques, I've
used them, in real fights, tournaments and sparring. I still use and practice them
when I train. How good I become is inconsequential, because winning or losing isn’
t the point. If combat came down to strength, then the strongest would win. Skill,
the most skillful would be victorious, but in real battles, no one is guaranteed
anything, no matter how strong or skillful. Training just minimizes the chances of
being caught with a lucky shot, by a novice; but it’s never impossible.  

I love JKD. If Bruce was alive today, are you telling me he wouldn't have been
influenced by the dominance of Mike Tyson, Roy Jones Jr., the Gracie Family and
Brazilian Jui Jitsu in the Octagon? You can bet he would've incorporated
something from these into his way, because the way ever increases… and
decreases. Tyson was the most devastating puncher we've seen in our lifetime. A
few guys have reputations as harder hitters, but the way Mike threw blows with full
conviction and flawless technique became the standard for Harry Potter type
magical and fistical, pugilistic bedtime stories. Roy Jones Jr. avoids shots and
comes back with his own machine gun combos like no one else in boxing. His
method much of the time is so flawless and unconventional that his matches often
look like the other guy isn’t even trying. Sure, he’s blessed with the speed of the
Roadrunner, most of us couldn’t even imagine being that fast, but there is plenty
anyone could learn from watching him closely.

The Gracie family has shown the world how important ground fighting is. The way
Brazilian Jui Jitsu applies ground fighting is so scientific it’s astounding. Other
ground fighting systems such as Sambo, Judo throws, and traditional Greco Roman
wrestling, are all good, but if you want to see how effective a system they are, just
watch any of the full contact matches going on these days. But the more telling
matches to watch is the first few Ultimate Fighting Championship matches, where
guys who had years of experience were taken down and dispatched like they never
took a lesson in their lives by fighters that train exclusively on the ground. They
sucked the opponent into their way and had full advantage of men who brought a
fingernail file to a gun fight, when it came to ground fighting. Sure… these guys had
thrown thousands, maybe even a million punches into a heavy bag; kicked it who
knows how many times, so hard it buckled and had to be replaced, but they never
trained to fight on the ground. Maybe they thought they had, but what they went up
against was a scientific, time tested approach to ground fighting. They weren’t
ready. I heard someone say, “It’s like taking a person who can’t swim and tossing
them in the water.” That’s the best analogy I’ve heard.

Bruce was an accomplished grappler but I'm sure he would've added things from
the best of other styles, because that’s what he did. Jeet Kune Do wasn’t finished,
it’s never complete. I don't think he would reject any technique from anyone
without first analyzing it for effectiveness, unless he would've become rigid in his
old age, but that’s not what the philosopher does. A Black belt or master, who can't
learn from a White belt, is no Black belt or master in mind. The Shaolin monks
created styles from watching the movements of a simple Grasshopper and other
insects that had to fight for their lives. There’s so much to learn and learn from. We
came to the martial arts to learn, that shouldn’t ever end. If one comes to the point
where they can’t, they have succeeded at becoming a statue. I don’t believe Bruce
wanted his students to be him. I think he wanted them to be more, to find their own
way from JKD; the goal shouldn’t be to copy him. Use it, but then discover yourself.
If the schools are closed then you’ll have to find your way. That’s why I say, JKD isn’
t the destination… it’s the journey. As a martial artist going forward, not claiming
mastery over anything, especially myself, with a significant amount to learn, I go
forth -- with the philosophy of my favorite philosopher ringing in my ears and
coming out of my mouth, “Here I am as a human being, how can I express myself
totally and completely?” That’s the riddle, whose answer I will forever seek.

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