The philosophy, concept and training methods of Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do is a devastating combination of speed, power and deception. (Jeet Kune Do stands alone as the only non-classical form of Chinese Kung Fu). Jeet Kune Do is scientific streetfighting for self defense. There is no sport aspects, no set patterns nor forms. JKD is based on simplicity, economy of motion and intercepting emotional intent.

This is the philosophy of Jeet Kune Do, the Way of the Intercepting Fist.

While Bruce Lee analyzed many fighting styles, this does not mean he incorporated all of them into his arsenal. Which brings us back to the James Franciscus question: “What do you call this thing you do?” Arguments of whether or not JKD is a style aside, Jeet Kune Do is the name that Bruce Lee gave to the fighting techniques and strategies he was developing and employing. It was what he was doing - how he was most efficiently using arms, legs, body weight, tactics, and the laws of physics - to fight. True, there are philosophical principles that guide the physical side of JKD, but we must never forget that JKD is about doing, about action - very specific action.

For body mechanics and maximum generation of power, Bruce turned to boxers Edwin Haislet, Jack Dempsey, and Jim Dricsoll. Again, all three are heavily quoted in Bruce’s writings. JKD’s vertical-fist jab, proper alignment, striking surface, hip rotation, and kinetic chain sequence all come from boxing.

For our modern day purposes, Jeet Kune Do is the name we now use to describe those techniques and strategies that Bruce Lee developed and more important, employed, over his lifetime. Of course, he would have continued to improve on the JKD arsenal, modifying certain things, discarding others. But that is not for us to decide. As a further delineation and for historical purposes, to preserve Bruce Lee’s art and the contributions he made to the fighting arts, those techniques that originated from the source - Bruce Lee - now fall under the Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do name.

Our aim at the Tiga Martial Arts Academy is to preserve and promote the original training methods & applications of Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do. Jeet Kune Do the art and philosophy of Bruce Lee is one of the most effective empty hand fighting systems to date. JKD consists of correct byjong (stance), footwork, kicking in both attack and defence, western boxing punches, strikes with fingers, palms, forearms, fists, elbows, knees, head butts, standing grappling, ground grappling, body evasion, hand defences, sensitivity drills & applications. All these are the trade marks of the Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do practitioner.

• entering skills / closing the gap
• bridging drills / applications
• evasion drills / applications
• intercepting drills / applications
• stop kick drills / applications
• defensive drills / applications
• four corner drill
• five ways of attack
• grappling/ counter grappling

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE ART OF JEET KUNE DO WE WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU CHECK OUR LINKS PAGE FOR THE BRUCE LEE FOUNDATIONS WEBSITE.

Jeet Kune Do Terminology

The Jeet Kune Do training:

The front hand lead is one of the most versatile hand techniques in the Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do arsenal. It can be utilized in all ranges of fighting and thrown as a finger jab, hook, backfist, or just about any variation of a front hand strike. This article will deal with the straight lead, the most basic and premier example of the front hand lead.

The basic execution of the straight lead begins with the front hand moving towards the target followed by an explosive push step, then rotating the hips and shoulders while extending the arm and fist into the target.

The principle of the hand moving before the foot is crucial to the straight lead. By moving the hand before any other part of the body when initiating a straight lead, the practitioner greatly adds to his non-tele-graphic motion, since he is giving little or no indication that he is attacking. The fist is also halfway to its target before the opponent even perceives the attack. For example, the fencer who moves his foil first has a much greater chance of scoring a hit than one who always moves his body or feet first, because the foil is much harder to perceive than a larger body part. Bob Bremer, describes this as the hammer principle in that, like hitting a nail with a hammer, the hand and arm are slightly extended before anything else.

Moving your hand before any other part of your body sounds easy, but it is actually difficult to perform. You have to mentally program yourself to move the hand first, then follow-up with your whole body; you have to develop a "feel" for the order of the movements. Ted Wong teaches to strike with your knuckles or fingertips moving out first, then to "push off" with the second half or completion of the strike. Steve Golden has an excellent drill where you first punch or extend your fist outward without any footwork, then step forward while pulling your hand back as if pulling on a rope. This is to emphasize the separation of hand and feet. Start out slow, then gradually increase the speed and begin to combine the two motions.