Tao of Jeet Kune Do
by Bruce Lee
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Book Reviews of Tao of Jeet Kune Do
Book Review: A few comments
Summary: 5 Stars
One thing that struck me right away about Lee's approach in this book (as well as most of his others) is how he spends as much or maybe even more time discussing strategy and other advanced principles rather than specific techniques. This is because Lee expected those who read his books to at least have mastered the basics of blocking, punching, and kicking before trying to learn the more advanced technical and strategy principles.
For example, although the chapter on "Tools," in which he discusses the techniques, is 40 pages long, the chapter on "Qualities" is 38 pages, in which he discusses various principles like speed, power, timing, and so on, and the "Attack" chapter is 36 pages, which is 74 pages right there, and doesn't include the other similar chapters in the book.
There is so much material here that it's hard to summarize, but I enjoyed many things about it, such as the little technical tips like, "The essence of any hook is that the striker raises his elbow at the last possible moment when swinging, to attack strategies, such as "Do not hurl yourself at your oponent, but gain and maintain distance in a calm and precise manner." And also "Nothing bothers an adversary more than variety in both attack and defense."
The cover says that the book has sold over 750,000 copies in 9 languages, an interesting statistic. (I'm surprised it's not over a million). In addition to Lee's thoughts and notes on technique and advanced strategy, there is even an extensive illustration of grappling and ground techniques and holds and locks, an interesting technique area by itself that has gotten more attention in recent years. Bruce shows that he was ahead of his time in integrating this with JDK decades ago.
Lee also makes the important point that in JKD there is almost no, if any, direct attack--they are all indirect after a feint or as a counter-punch or technique--but that requires the ability to draw out an opponent, out-maneuver him, and a scientific approach.
Another nice technical point he makes is, "In all hand techniques, the hand moves first, proceding the foot. Keep this in mind--hand before foot--always."
I find this interesting in that in tai chi and some kung fu, the foot is expected to be just as fast as the hand and to move in synchrony with it--as difficult or as impossible as that may seem.
Bruce Lee only wrote six books, but if there's a bible of JDK this is it, and is probably essential reading for any JKD or any other martial artist interested in Lee and his ideas and what made him so great.
Book Review: Defense via Streamlined Interception +++
Summary: 5 Stars
Perhaps an approach to summing-up Jeet Kune Do [JKD] would be "defense via streamlined interception". Bruce Lee explored many Eastern, Western [and other] older and newer Arts of self-defense, found what was useful via theory and action, and creatively developed it into "defense via streamlined interception". This MOST-PRIMARY JKD neo-classic, "Tao of Jeet Kune Do", introduces an approach to JKD. This JKD seems in direct contrast to the on-screen movement of Bruce Lee that is wild, complex or convoluted. Yet, even on-screen we get to see some actual JKD.
Way before it was generally popular, Bruce Lee developed Jeet Kune Do from Western-and-Eastern, "kickboxing"-and-"grappling" and newer-and-older self-defense Arts -- as this unique work shows. Bruce Lee was a philosophy follower as well -- exploring and using wisdom from Eastern and Western philosophies -- especially in Jeet Kune do. "Tao of Jeet Kune Do" seems both technically spot-on and metaphysically informative -- with rare usage of sharply consistant strategy [defense via streamlined interception].
I feel that my own quiet modest path has gone in a direction much like Jeet Kune Do. My own quiet modest [very small] Kenpo Art is an offspring of a "Kenpo Jiu-Jitsu" Art [which blended Kosho Ryu Kempo with some Jiujitsu, Aikido, Judo and Arnis -- in Hawaii]. Yet, later, I have become inspired to blend-in quite a bit of Fencing, Savate and Boxing [old-and-new] as well as quite a bit of Tibetan White Crane, Isshinryu Karate, Shotokan Karate and Kenpo Karate, followed by Jiu Jitsu Complete [Kitoryu Jujutsu and Kodokan Judo].
All along I have tried to "keep-it-simple-stupid" -- ending-up with only a few Kata with only a few moves in each -- to guide all movement -- closely following a certain simple strategy. It seems very difficult [but very necessary] to keep streamlining -- while getting angles sufficient to counter versus likely attacks. It would seem far easier to just throw together a bunch of moves, Kata or Arts in an attempt to have a huge hoard of movements versus most any attacks -- but, most surely, losing way more than is gained -- due to complex, cluttered and convoluted lack-of-streamlining [therefore slowed ackward reaction]. So, I have to deeply admire Bruce Lee, Jeet Kune Do and "Tao of Jeet Kune Do" +++
Book Review: Belongs in Every Serious Martial Artist's Library!
Summary: 5 Stars
This book could almost be called the New Testament of martial arts. Truly one of the seminal works of all martial arts writings. There is an initial chapter about zen, jeet kune do and the philosophical approach to his art, while the remainder of the book focuses on techniques, strategy and mechanics of training and fighting. This book was also influential in writing my book, The Way of the Martial Artist: Achieving Success in Martial Arts an in Life!
Jeet Kune Do is the art of no art. There is no set curriculum as he calls it, "the formless form". In constrast, traditional martial arts systems are rich and rigid in form and specific technique backed by thoroughly developed concepts and principles.
Bruce Lee never seemed to find any practical value or purpose in kata, often referring to it as meaningless drill. I believe he may not have truly delved deeply enough into it to understand that while no one in their right mind would jump into a green-belt kata in the middle of a street self-defense situation, the individual movements learned through kata can be applied at will to deal with an attacker. The founder of Aikido even said that kata should be practiced so that it could be forgotten. The goal of all martial arts, including Jeet Kune Do is to mature to a point where movement is spontaneous. Forethought becomes reaction, form becomes formlessness and your actions are dictated by your opponent's responses.
Regardless of whether you approach this goal through a rigid, forms-based system of martial arts or through Bruce Lee's formless system, the principles and analytical approach that he presents provide a wealth of technical detail and are enough to keep you busy learning, practicing and interpreting his writing for a lifetime!
I highly recommend this book. To omit it from your martial arts studies is a serious error no matter what style you study. Open your mind; clear your mind and then fill it with the contents of this book.
Enjoy!
Kevin Brett is the CEO of Kevin Brett Studios, Inc. and the author of The Way of the Martial Artist: Achieving Success in Martial Arts and in Life!
The Way of the Martial Artist: Achieving Success in Martial Arts and in Life!
Book Review: 7 problems with "The Art of Jeet Kune Do" by Bruce Lee
Summary: 1 Stars
1 The book is poorly illustrated, badly organized and full of especially foolish ideas when it comes to self defense and fighting in general. 2 Lee says traditional martial arts are too restricting, yet what he suggests instead, "Jeet Kune Do," is even more restricting than most traditional martial arts. 3 He discounts all the credentials of all of the past martial arts instructors, ignoring all of their accomplishments, skills, and fighters. He essentially is saying "I am smarter than all of the other martial artists ever born put together." 4 His material is not new but borrowed from modern boxing, French kickboxing, and Wing Chun. Ironically, any 3 of these arts are a superior form of hand to hand fighting to Bruce's "Jeet Kune Do." 5 The problem with using Wing Chun as an example of a traditional Chinese martial art is that Wing Chun was designed to have a very fast learning curve and has only 3 forms. Most kung fu systems have at least a dozen forms offering an extremely wide variety of grappling, striking, defense and weapon techniques. 6 Bruce Lee's grasp of modern boxing is clearly inaccurate. He depicts all boxers as fighting left handed, with their right foot forward. It's common knowledge that most boxers are right handed and lead with their left foot. He is clearly misrepresenting the art of boxing. It follows then that much else of what he discusses is most likely intentionally misrepresented. 7 Bruce Lee's credentials are? He was in some movies and charged outrageous rates (not something to look for in a source of martial arts instruction.) Claims have been made about how he was the world's greatest fighter, but there's literally no evidence to support this. Even his own accounts of his "fights" differ greatly, and neutral outside witnesses often state that he was not victorious in his various private matches. Bruce Lee was in no position to call himself a martial arts master, least bit in a position to offer the martial arts world a new way of thinking. His new way of thinking? He suggests that you open your mind to his views when he himself was not willing to open his mind to even the most simple orthodox fighting standards.Book Review: Bruce Lee could hit twice as hard as a man twice his size.
Summary: 5 Stars
The principle of acquiring speed:
"Speed in fighting depends not just on your hands and feet in swiftness, but other attributes such as nontelegraphic moves and awareness. Speed in fighting is to hit your foe without yourself being hit. This can only be done by hours of practice and being completely fit. Speed in fighting is not good without power that goes with it." Bruce Lee
A good fighter is one who can hit is opponent quicker, harder, without much perception, and yet avoid being hit. Within this sentence is the heart of speed training aspiration, the ability to hit with power, to strike effortlessly like water, and to become as evasive as a cat. Power and speed go hand in hand. Speed relies on economy of motion and learning speed should be done by experimenting with the finger jab and lead punch. The more hours you spend in speed hitting, the faster your hands will go. You must take your solitary training seriously. The leading straight is the backbone of JKD and is the main offensive weapon. Put some zip into the punch by snapping it just before impact, keep your hand loose and tighten it just before impact. The punch will have more power, if you put your hip into it by rotating on the ball of the lead foot and keeping the rear leg foot heel off the ground; giving a push like a spring.
Trusting the hand before the body incorporates the principles nontelegraphic aspects of fencing. By initiating your punch without tensing your shoulders the movement is not given away to the opponent. The punch should make contact and the hand snapping back when your body edges forward. Practice on perfecting the thrust punch during practice against someone, who will try to slap your punch, pull the punch a few inches before contact, too avoid injury. Move the principles of nontelegraphic punches into light sparring, practice opening and closing gaps and striking from any hand position using the principles of thrusting the punch.