jkd

 

 

ON RANGES AND DIFFERENT STYLES

There are limitless ways to attack in JKD. This is good because you never know how a fight will go. It may start with an opponent who is across the room, it may start from right in your face, or it might even start from behind you. For this reason you should not limit yourself to one range of combat. For example boxing has some of the best hand tools around, but my leg is longer than my arm, and a boxer is not trained to deal with kicks. If I can keep a boxer in such a range that I can kick him and he can't punch me I will have control. This is just an example of coarse. You must realize that no matter how good a kicker you are you can't, or probably won't be able to, keep it up forever. So you should learn how boxing skills work so you can:
1.) Use them
2.) Trap, parry or counter them
3.) avoid them
4.) exploit them

Let's say your opponent is Tae Kwon Do, and he has kept you at a distance to make best use of his kicking skills. Jeet Kune Do says not to be bound by anything, not even the ranges of combat that it teaches you. By that standard, kicking range does not only have to be kicking range. It can become grappling range if you can scoop his leg or time his attack and move in.
Be prepared for any attack no matter what style it is. Most of the time it will be against people who don't have any formal training for you to class them in, but that's okay! When it comes down to it, there is no Japanese way of fighting, or Chinese or Korean or American or African and so on. There is only combat. Learn how the human body works, learn to work your reflexes to pick up on different angles of attacks of all styles and learn to have an open mind. You can learn something from everybody and everything.

JEET KUNE DO ATTACKS

Jeet kune Do emphasizes that anything can and will happen in a real life confrontation. Because of this, you must be able to deal with any kind of offense, or any kind of defense. JKD attacks are usually very aggressive. A JKD practioner is always knocking down or sneaking around obstructions (your opponent's guard, or blocks.) to blow right threw his/her oponent.
Listed below are five different ways of attack. These are combative strategies, used for suggestion and consideration. Do not be bound by them, but do learn them. Train them until you understand them, then decide what works best for you. Do keep in mind though that your opponent should always be the one who dictates your next attack, by leaving openings, or showing strengths and weaknesses.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1.) SDA - Single Direct Attack -
A direct thrust. A Single Direct Attack is made into the line of engagement or an opposite
line by simply beating the opponent to the punch or catching his moment of vulnerability.

or SIA - Single Indirect Attack -
A direct thrust preceeded by a feint. Basically a fake thrown to a different area of
the body to force a deffence, thus creating an opening where you had originally intended to score.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2.) ABC - Attack By Combination -
Compound attacks, defined as a series of two or more attacking motions that flow naturally, and are
thrown at more than one target area. Utilizing both hands and/or feet either seperately or in combination.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3.) PIA - Progressive Indirect Attack -
The PIA is performed in a single forward motion without a withdrawl. In PIA, only the final blow is intended to score.

The most common PIA attacks have the following variations:

Low Line to High Line
High Line to Low Line
Inside Line to Outside Line
Outside Line to Inside Line
PIA attacks can also use the following combination attacks:
Hand - Hand, Hand - Foot, Hand - Hand - Foot. etc.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4.) HIA - Hand Imobilization Attack -
The HIA is performed by applying an immobilization on the opponent's arm.
The trapping keeps the opponent from moving that part of his body, offering
you a safety zone from which to strike.
HIA can be prepared by using any of the other four ways of attack.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

5.) ABD - Attack By Drawing -
ABD is an attack or counterattack initiated upon luring the opponent into a commitment
by leaving him an apparent opening or executing movements that he may try to counter.
ABD may make use of the previous four ways of attack.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mix it up! Be lively and unpredictable. Try new things. Remember, efficiency is whatever works

ON JKD OFFENSIVE TOOLS

Jeet Kune Do attacks in different ranges and has different tools for hand and foot striking as well as some grappling. In all ranges however it is important to keep attacking. In hand and foot techniques, try to work retraction speed. Do NOT leave your attack out there as you are creating an opening on yourself and won't be ready for a second attack. Always return to your stance and get ready to follow up with another attack or deal with your opponent's.
HAND TOOLS - JKD emphasizes power side forward. So if you are right handed you would put your right hand out as your lead hand. This is different than a lot of other arts. Most arts put the power hand back to generate more momentum for a big punch after its been set up. JKD relies on body mechanics and torqueing to generate power. We also use our best hand forward since it will be doing most of the work.
JKD hand strikes are done either with an open hand, for eye strikes etc., or a closed fist. In JKD we punch with the bottom three knuckles as they line up with your fore-arm when your wrist is straight thus offering better support. We use the closest weapon to the nearest target for speed and to avoid telegraphing. The elbow does not move back before the punch. It just launches straight out.
FOOT TOOLS - Most of the kicks done in JKD are done below the waist. Primarily to the knees, shins and groin. The heel of the foot is used as the striking surface for sidekicks, back kicks, front kicks and usually stop kicks although you can use the whole foot. The instep or top of the foot is used for scooping kicks and hook kicks, although the toes can be used in hook kicks to attack the groin of an opponent in a side stance.
GRAPPLING TOOLS - Although JKD is primarily a stand up art, there is some ground fighting techniques based on wrestling and Judo, but even the grappling is mostly on your feet. JKD grappling includes basic break falls, different body grips, restraints and holds, throws and takedowns, chokes, locks and submissions. A lot of martial artists are interested in the ground fighting which is good on it's own but remains only one range of fighting. However, I have found ground fighting to work with my JKD, and my JKD to work with my ground fighting quite complimentary.

ON ENERGY AND SENSITIVITY

In order to understand your opponents attack or defense you must first understand a few things about it. You must understand A.) The directional flow of his movements, whether it is up, down, straight in or crossing from your left side to your right side. B.) The degree of force or pressure in any attack or defense. Then you must gain your own C.) Sensitivity. Understanding the directional flow of movement as well as the type of energy applied to that movement allows you to control your opponents movement by flowing with his/her force in order to control them.

OFFENSIVE ENERGY FLOW AND ATTACKING ENERGIES

Every attack has a natural energy to it. If you go against this path, you are opposing that energy and fighting it, and wasting energy that could be used attacking.

Always go with the energy of an attack. Flowing, with the energy allows for a smooth flow of energy with your opponent, which in turn will allow you to flow from attack to trap to attack without having to stop and start over again.

The direction of your opponent's attack in relation to your centerline will determine what type of parry you should use in order to flow with the energy of his attack instead of against it. Defensive energy must match the attacking energy flow path.

SUGGESTED STANCES

The Open Bi-Jong stance is where most of your JKD tools work from. The waist is on a forty five degree pivot, with the legs bent, and the feet angled slightly forward to protect the groin and allow a full range of motion in any direction. The reason the knees are bent is because for a few reasons. First of all, a straight leg is easier to break, and second so you have more spring in your step to leap into an aggressive attack. For the latter reason the back heel is also raised, so you can push off the balls of your rear foot.

The shoulders are in line with the waist on a forty five, but can turn straight on for greater reach when punching. The hands are just off the center of your body. The lead floats at about chest height, with the forearm slightly extended and the elbow protecting the ribs. The rear hand hovers around chin height slightly back from the lead hand, but also with the elbow against the body, protecting the ribs. The lead shoulder is raised just a little, and the chin is slightly tucked behind it. This stance is done with whichever side is your power hand being forward since most of your hitting is done with this hand. Not as complex as it sounds. It's easy and comfortable too! This stance can also be modified when in trapping range, or when using a weapon.

Simplicity is the key
The key to Jeet Kune Do's effectiveness lies in it's simplicity. It's not about mastering technique, after technique, after technique to add to your arsenal. You learn about as many ideas, attacks, and defenses as you can, so you can learn how to deal with them. Then you discard what is useless to you and retain what you can use. It is pointless to know 500 different defenses to the same attack, when only a few or one will do.
Bruce Lee described this by likening it to a sculptor chiseling away at a slab of stone. He does not add to the sculpture to make it better, rather he hacks away the inessentials, until the truth is revealed.
It must be contact reflexes. Train yourself to the point where you don't have to think about which
move to use because your body reacts without that thought. Its not flashy, and it takes repetition and hard work. A good instructor will teach new moves, combos and ideas every class, but will hammer the important aspects of the basics in, so they stick, then train the same basics in new ways.

JEET KUNE DO PRINCIPALS

Jeet Kune Do shares a lot of its principals with other arts. Those who study Wing Chun will see a lot of things taken directly from it. It has borrowed a lot things from other arts such as footwork from both fencing and boxing, grappling from Judo and so on, but has a lot of unique perspectives of its own. Jeet Kune Do also emphasizes being physically fit, but most of all, the number one rule of Jeet Kune Do is to use whatever works best.

ECONOMY OF MOTION

Economy of motion means that you use no wasted movement. You should make only the motions that are effective and necessary. Do not over extend, or follow through to far after a punch. It will leave you open. If you are able to retract quicker you can attack again quicker, or be ready to defend.

CENTER LINE THEORY

The center line refers to an imaginary line running down the center of ones body. The idea is to exploit, control and dominate your opponent's centerline. All attacks, defenses and footwork are designed to preserve your own center line and open your opponent's. Three basic rules are:

The one who controls the center line will control the fight.
Protect and maintain your own centerline while you control and exploit your opponent's.
Control the center line by occupying it.

THEORY OF FACING

The idea is to always face your opponent's center line. This does not mean that you have to be facing face to face. If you use some footwork or maybe trapping hands, you may end up facing his right or left side, or even better his back. Now you are facing your opponent's central line, but he is not facing yours!

IMMOVABLE ELBOW THEORY

This is the idea that you WILL NOT compromise the space between your arms and your body when somebody is pressing an attack. If they successfully pin your arms against you then you have lost a lot of options. So when in trapping always keep about six inches between your elbow and your body and never let it collapse.

YOUR OPPONENT DICTATES YOUR ACTIONS

Not all the time. But, don't go into a situation thinking, "I'm gonna do this, and then this, and finish him with this.", because it will never happen right. Respond to what your opponent does. If he keeps moving in, either move back, change your line of attack (e.g. sidestepping) or stop him in his tracks but it will be different each time.

DON'T PLAY NICE

A lot of arts say no hitting the groin or throat because it hurts, or there is a potential for injury. JKD is not a sport. IF you NEED to use it, use it, and don't hold back, especially if you find yourself in a dangerous situation.

HOWEVER, in training always respect your partner and wear the appropriate equipment.

BE SIMPLE

It's great to know a lot of techniques that are difficult or to know many that flow together, because you never know when you will need them. BUT, it is always best to use simple techniques and the lesser the number of techniques the better. Why dance around and tire yourself out just to look good, when a few simple jabs will do?

BE HEALTHY

Exercise and eat right. You know the drill. Just be healthy and happy, it will improve more than just your martial arts!