CONCEPTS AND PRINCIPLES OF JEET KUNE DO.
In the process of attack, there are four basic methods that you will use often:
- leading
- feinting
- drawing
- in-fighting
Leading
The master of attack must know the value of a straight lead. He must know what is liable to happen
on any lead. He realizes that for every lead, there is an opening and for every opening, a counter and for every counter, a parry or a counter-time. These
things he understands, but he also knows how and when to lead with comparative safety.
Leading with the forward hand, guarding with the rear hand, while moving to the side, makes negligible any opening that ordinarily results from a straight
forward lead with the hand.
 |
Feinting
Feinting is characteristic of the expert fighter. It requires using the eyes, the hands, the body
and the legs in a single effort to deceive an opponent. These movements are really decoys and if the opponent attempts to adjust his defense, the expert
takes advantage of the openings created. Feinting is also used to ascertain what the opponent's reaction will be to each movement.
Feinting creates only momentary openings. To be able to take advantage of these openings means instant reflex action or foreknowledge of what openings
will be created by certain feints. Such familiarity is presupposed by practice, for only through the actual practicing of many feints against many kinds
of opponents may a general reaction tendency be determined. If an opening is created by a certain feint, that opening should not be used until a clean,
sure blow will result. A good fighter knows what openings will result before he feints and makes use of his knowledge by initiating his follow-up action
almost before the opening results. Whenever two fighters of equal speed, strength and skill are matched, the one who is the master of the feint will be
the winner.
The essential elements in feinting are rapidity, change, deception and precision, followed by clean crisp blows. Feints used too often in the same way
will enable the opponent to time them for a counterattack, thus defeating their very purpose.
Feints against the unskilled art not as necessary as against the skilled. Many different combinations of feints should be practiced until they are natural
movements.
Drawing
Drawing is closely allied to feinting. Whereas in feinting an opening is created, in draw ing some
part of the body is left unprotected in order that a particular blow will be led by the opponent, this developing the opportunity to use a specific counter.
Feinting is only a part of drawing. Drawing uses the method of strategy and the method of crowding or forcing. Being able to advance while apparently
open to attack, but ready to counter if successful, is a phase of fighting that few ever develop. Many fighters refuse to lead. Then, to be able to draw
or force a lead becomes very important.
In-fighting
This is the art of fighting at close range. Not only does it take skill to get in close, but it
takes skill to stay there. To get inside, it is necessary to slip, bob and weave, draw and feint.
Because of the many variables, fighting is a careful game. It should be readily understood that each hit must be painstakingly and patiently prepared.
Yet, it is generally fatal to start a bout with a set plan. Stay actively aware, but ever flexible.
RANGES OF JKD.
JKD falls in four basic ranges. If you are going against a very tall person, his punching range may be your kicking
range. Understanding the distance where your tools are effective is extremely important.
|
Kicking
|
|
Punching
|
|
Trapping
|
|
Grappling |
Human beings possess natural weapons, such as elbows and knees. Each type of weapon is particularly suited for use at a certain distance from the opponent.
These distances have been broken down into the ranges of combat. The ranges are important to know so that you can be sure that you are practicing in each
range. It should also be clear that there is overlap in these ranges. The reason for breaking a fight up into these "ranges" is so for training purposes.
In a real fight you will have a great advantage when you can flow seamlessy in and out of the different ranges and apply the appropriate and most effective
tools for each one. You have, by training method, to ingrain in your muscle memory the most economical motions to deal with every possible angle of attack
and range. There are various ways to consider ranges considering the system, the principal considers those four primary ranges in unarmed combat:
KICKING RANGE
It is the range at which your foot can touch your opponent and your hand can not touch him, but his hand cannot touch you. There are many kicks that you can
use, however there are also kicks that can be thrown at closer ranges. We usually try to be just outside of kicking range when we fight: this will allow us
to work for intercepting the opponent applying destructions techniques and afford us the opportunity to do a preliminary analysis and time our action.
PUNCHING RANGE
It is the range at which you can reach your opponent with the lead hand but not with the elbow. In this range most straight punches and long hooks are thrown
from, but many other punches can be thrown at closer ranges.
TRAPPING RANGE
In this range all of your striking tools may be brought into play, here you can immobilize or bypass the opponent's defenses using hand or foot trapping.
Techniques used include punches, kicks, elbows, knees, headbutts, shoulder butts.
GRAPPLING RANGE
It often overlaps with trapping range and can be subdivided into standing grappling and ground fighting. Standing grappling includes joint locks and wrenches,
trips, throws, takedowns, chokes and naturally strikes. Ground fighting includes joint locks, chokes, pinning, body positioning and control and striking.
 |
FOOTWORK OF JKD.
The foot work in JKD is important for you to control your range: Emphasizing the "ranges of combat" and agility in footwork,
students are taught to confidently and with ease "flow" from long distance, "kicking- range", to "Punching Range", to "Trapping & Grappling Range".
It is said that Bruce Lee used to watch hours of film footage of boxing "greats" like Mohammed Ali. He focused on how he moved and maneuvered.
Footwork is one of the most important attributes of a martial artist. Your footwork gets you into offensive range and gets you back out to defensive range.
It enables you to move in all directions.
Footwork can also be practiced with your punching and kicking techniques. Always remember to never cross your feet, stay in a good balanced
stance, and stay on your side to present a smaller target to your opponent. Never stand on a squared stance such as a horse stance, you are presenting too
much of a target. The late great Bruce Lee called this a dead-man’s stance for good reason. If you work hard on your stance and footwork, you can expect an
improvement in your sparring. This applies to Jeet Kune Do, Muay Thai Kickboxing, and Boxing.
| Step & slide: forward, back, left and right
|
| Slide & step: forward, back
|
| Step - slide & slide – step: forward, back
|
| Slide – step & step – slide: forward, back |
THE FIVE WAYS OF ATTACK.
S.A.A - SIMPLE ANGLE ATTACK
In SAA you simply strike the opponent. Classical examples are the jab and the lead kick. This is the most simple yet the most advanced of the ways of attack.
Simple Angle Attack (S.A.A.)
(Check The Eight Basis Blocking Positions):
- Leading With The Right, Guarding With The Left, While Moving To The Right.
- Leading Right Stop Kick (Groin, Knee, Shin)
- Broken Timing Angle Attack (B.T.A.A.)
A.B.C - ATTACK BY COMBINATION
A.B.C is a logical extension of SAA. It is a series of attacks launched in succession. You may have so punches and kicks combinations.
Attack by combination (A.B.C)
(Tight Boundaries - Broken Rythm - Surprise Opponent - Speed):
a) The One-Two (O-N-E- Two)
b) The O-N-E Two - Hook
c) R-Body - R-Jaw - L-Jaw
d) R-Jaw - Hook-Jaw - L-Jaw
e) The Straight High/Low
H.I.A - HAND IMMOBILIZATION ATTACK
In H.I.A, you trap one or more limb or the head or the body of the opponent as you attack, with the goal of preventing his defense or counterattack. A good
example are trapping techniques.
Hand immobilizing attack (H.I.A)
(Close Own Boundaries While Closing Distance - Watch Out For Stop Hit Or Kick)
- Ready To Angle Strike When Opponent Opens Or Backs Up
- Use Front Before Immobilize.
A.B.D - ATTACK BY DRAWING
In A.B.D you intentionally leave an opening in your defense, so you entice your opponent to use an attack that you are prepared to counter.
Attack by drawing (A.B.D)
(Awareness - Balance To Attack)
a) By Exposing
b) By Forcing
c) By Feinting
P.I.A - PROGRESSIVE INDIRECT ATTACK
P.I.A is often considered the most sophisticated of the five. Here your attack starts towards one target and changes course mid-flight to connect with an
unguarded target. The first attack never back-tracks but it progresses indirectly to the second target.
Progressive indirect attack (P.I.A.)
(Moving Out Of Line Whenever Possible - Boundaries Close Accordingly)
I. High To Low
(a) R STR To Low R Thrust
(b) R STR To R Groin Toe Kick
(c) R STR To L STR (Or Kick)
(d) L STR To R Groin Toe Kick
II. Low To High
(a) R STR To High R STR (Or Hook)
(b) R Groin Kick To High R STR
(c) R Groin Kick To High Hook Kick
(d) L STR To R High STR
III. Left/Right Or Right Left
(a) R STR To R Hook
(b) L THR To R STR
(c) Snap Back & L Cross's Opponent's R
(d) Opponent Cross Hand Block (L. Cross)
|
