| 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. Click here to get the complete e-book. |
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