Jeet Kune Do

History and Philosophy

Jeet Kune Do - The Way of the Intercepting Fist

The name "Jeet Kune Do" refers to a specific technique, but also to a broader concept of combat. When an attack is made, such as a punch, the defender must react in some way, either by moving, redirecting the strike, or absorbing the impact. In most classical styles, defense and counterattack are completed as 2 different steps: block and then hit, move and then kick, etc. The idea of the "intercepting fist" is to complete both actions at once, striking in such a way that the attack is neutralized at the same time. This focus on both efficiency and effectiveness is one of the cornerstones of JKD philosophy.

Jeet Kune Do History

Jeet Kune Do isn't truly a martial art in the strictest sense. Bruce Lee coined the term as a way to refer to his philosophy of martial training but remained adamant that it was not a "style" or a "system"; in fact he often encouraged his students to employ a "style of no style". When we talk about training in Jeet Kune Do, we're generally referring to training that is consistent with the principles and concepts that Sijo Lee advocated while he was alive. We also tend to focus on two areas of combat during JKD training: kickboxing and trapping. While all ranges of combat are important, these two are where JKD flourishes.

The concepts of Jeet Kune Do arose from Bruce Lee's dissatisfaction with classical forms of martial arts. Having trained in Wing Chun and other kung fu styles, Lee realized that the formal elements and classical postures got in the way of combative efficiency more often than they helped. By trimming down the techniques to their bare essentials, he was able to maximize efficiency, even if it was not the "traditional" way of doing things. Lee also began studying different martial arts styles to see what they had to offer, again breaking the mold of tradition. At that time, students were discouraged from even talking to another instructor of the same style, let alone studying an entirely different system.

Unfortunately, Sijo Lee died in 1973. His teachings continued, however, through his students who had been his collaborators, test subjects, and friends. Among these were Dan Inosanto and Larry Hartsell. Guro Inosanto opened an academy in Southern California where he continued to spread the teachings of JKD, as well as researching and teaching Filipino martial arts. Similarly, Sifu Hartsell learned as much as possible about grappling and joint locking, and spread JKD through teaching in his school, seminars, and private instruction. In accordance with Lee's philosophy, these grappling and FMA techniques and principles have been incorporated into Jeet Kune Do.

At Martial Concepts Portland, our approach to Jeet Kune Do follows the model of these pioneers.

Absorb What is Useful

One of the most well-known quotes from Bruce Lee serves as a core principle for Jeet Kune Do philosophy and training. Sijo Lee said, "Absorb what is useful, reject what is not, and add to it what is inherently your own". As eclectic and complete martial artists, we should constantly be striving to take in knowledge from different sources. Looked at with a critical eye, new perspectives may provide unique insight into a particular technique or situation. From these perspectives, each individual should discover what is useful to him or her, and incorporate that into his or her own martial style. Things that are not useful should be discarded; there's no sense keeping something around that is truly useless. Students must be careful here, though, as it is far too easy to dismiss something as useless just because it is not immediately easy or understandable. Some techniques may only be appropriate for certain body-types, or in certain circumstances; that does not mean they are useless, just that they imply a certain context. While you shouldn't focus on these 'sometimes' techniques, they aren't necessarily bad to have in your repertoire. Finally, add to this understanding something of yourself. Your own personal experience, mindset, body-type, and preferences are what makes your martial style unique; embrace it. Without adding something of yourself into your martial arts, you'll always end up copying others and looking to them for answers. At some point, you've got to figure it out for yourself.

The Water Principle

One final concept to keep in mind when pursuing Jeet Kune Do is known as the "Water Principle". Bruce Lee famously said, "Empty your mind. Be formless, shapeless, like water. Now you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put it into a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow, or creep or drip or crash; be water my friend." As JKD practitioners, we should approach each situation without preconceptions and with an open mind. In combat, this can mean we don't get locked into a single strategy or range of fighting. If you end up fighting a boxer, don't box with them, try to work in kicking range or close to grappling/trapping. If you're fighting a grappler, stay off the floor and don't let yourself get pulled into their preferred type of fighting. As you get to higher levels of training, try not to plan your response for every eventuality. Approach the situation with an empty mind and let your training take over; sometimes it's interesting to see what comes out. Finally, water can flow or crash, it can be a soft mist or hard as ice. There are good times to crash explosively, but there are also times when it's best to retreat or draw someone into you. Without an open mind, you'll never tell the difference between the two.

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