Hey Sifu Davis,

I just watched the interview with Tim Tackett and Bob Bremer that was just posted, and it piqued a question. Bruce was said by Dan Inosanto (I think) to have been a brawler that likes to bang, like a little Rocky Marciano. However, Ted Wong obviously tries to emulate what he sees Bruce does, right? And that is be very fast with good footwork in sparring. So my question is, how do you think Bruce fought? Tim and Bob were talking about how Bruce had to "know it all" to teach different styles of fighting suited to different people, but what do you think he used himself? Was his real fighting different than his sparring?

Next, from reading The Straight Lead, apparently there are a lot of different JKD footwork patterns that I do not know about, and Ted Wong emphasizes these and combining them with different punches. Now, it seems like there are infinite variations, so do you think it is necessary? I mean a punch is a punch, right? Do we need to know how to do every punch with every single footwork?

Thanks

Wei Lin

Hello Wei Lin!

It has become a rather well known fact that I do not agree with much of what the Wong camp teaches, as I feel that while it may be accurate as far as what Ted Wong remembers, I have seen so much more than what they present to be the truth! There are several footwork patterns that need to be trained in Jeet Kune Do, but the most important are (1) the push shuffle, (2) the pendulum shuffle, (3) the sidestep and (4) the lunge. Outside of those four patterns, anything else is pretty much secondary, and usually a variation of one of those four! It is up to the individual to decide how they need to train to best prepare for combat, as each of us is built differently, and has different levels of attribute development. What works best for YOU is the important thing!

As for the way Bruce Lee actually fought, forget all of the fancy footwork and dancing around, etc.! I was told that when it came time for a real fight, Bruce Lee was just brutal and very direct, some might even say savage! He had one goal in mind ... to DESTROY the opponent in front of him using the most DIRECT means possible! He definitely didn't play, but instead got the job done fast! Hope that is what you wanted to know!

Keep Blasting!
Sifu Lamar M. Davis II
Senior Instructor
Hardcore Jeet Kune Do
Sifu@HardcoreJKD.com
JKD@windstream.net
http://www.HardcoreJKD.com
Phone (205) 296-7070 (Incoming Only)

"Hit Hard, Hit Fast, Hit First - ALWAYS!"

"The REAL future of Jeet Kune Do belongs to US, the few, the proud, the HARDCORE! Now, what are we going to do with it?" _ Sifu Lamar M. Davis II

you, in a way, answered your own question with the statement about sparring. Sparring is way different from real life fighting. So if Ted is teaching the sparring way then it is not the correct way. I don't need to cha-cha to attack or evade. In sparring you can get away with certain things such as dropping your hands, lifting or sticking out the chin etc... because it is sparring and you are taking it easy on your training partner. If you do this in a real fight and get caught then it can be lights out for you.


Kent

Hello Kent,

You wrote: {{In sparring you can get away with certain things such as dropping your hands, lifting or sticking out the chin etc... because it is sparring and you are taking it easy on your training partner. If you do this in a real fight and get caught then it can be lights out for you.}}

That's what a lot of people teach as attack by drawing. How would you apply ABD in a real fight? Or is ABD something that you wouldn't use?

Regards,

John M. Drake

Hi John,

I think Kent is talking about lazy habits developed from sparring, as that is what I have taught the students in class (not to be lazy, but bad habits to be aware of). You know, what you have heard me describe as "Attack by Drawing without realizing you are doing it!" I'm sure you remember another of my sayings ... "You will fight like you train, so train seriously as if your life depended on it!"

Attack by Drawing should only be attempted in a real fight by someone of an extremely high skill level. Of course, I maintain my position that in a REAL FIGHT, there should be no time for ABD! The fight should be over in three seconds or less (My "Three Second Rule")!

Keep Blasting!
Sifu Lamar M. Davis II
Senior Instructor
Hardcore Jeet Kune Do
Sifu@HardcoreJKD.com
JKD@windstream.net
http://www.HardcoreJKD.com
Phone (205) 296-7070 (Incoming Only)

"Hit Hard, Hit Fast, Hit First - ALWAYS!"

"The REAL future of Jeet Kune Do belongs to US, the few, the proud, the HARDCORE! Now, what are we going to do with it?" _ Sifu Lamar M. Davis II

Hello Lamar,

Yes I definitely remember you saying that the worst kind of ABD is when you don't realize you're doing it. I guess what threw me off was Kent's description of sticking your chin out. That to me seems more like a purposeful action than something that can happen by being lazy. (I think of Roy Jones Jr. taunting his opponents by sticking his head out and having his hands behind his back.) But maybe Kent was describing something else, like someone forgetting to tuck their chin or something.

Anyway, this has me curious. You've mentioned a couple of reasons why someone would not use ABD in a street fight (you need to be rather skilled to pull it off, and the fight should be over before you get a chance to use it anyway) but are there any reasons TO use ABD in the street? Or is this mainly a category of attack that we more need to be aware of rather than actually use?

Regards,

John M. Drake

Hi John!

I think it is something that we need to be aware of, in order to keep someone from being able to use it against us! I can and have used it in street situations, but I still advise against it unless you are very SURE of yourself and your abilities, as the timing it takes to pull it off effectively has to be pretty much perfection!

As I have gotten older, and seen more actual conflicts take place (working as Head of Security for a rough nightclub for over a year opened my eyes to many things), I have reached a decision that there is no time for "play" such as ABD in a REAL fight! This is good in a way, as I tend to take the hardline approach to all self defense situations now, where at one time I may have thought about just toying with someone for a while before taking them out! Not anymore! I say get it over and done with as fast as humanly possible! Eliminate the threat and go home safe and unharmed!

By the way, good to see you posting on the forum more! I hope you will continue to do so!

Keep Blasting!
Sifu Lamar M. Davis II
Senior Instructor
Hardcore Jeet Kune Do
Sifu@HardcoreJKD.com
JKD@windstream.net
http://www.HardcoreJKD.com
Phone (205) 296-7070 (Incoming Only)

"Hit Hard, Hit Fast, Hit First - ALWAYS!"

"The REAL future of Jeet Kune Do belongs to US, the few, the proud, the HARDCORE! Now, what are we going to do with it?" _ Sifu Lamar M. Davis II

I did in fact mean developing lazy habits. Also I am not a fish and if you dangle a so-called opening (worm) I am not going to rush in to get it. I used this trick when wrestling. I would develope a "wide" stance and let my leg get out in front of me. Guys would shoot in all the time. I would then sprawl and then work from there. Some wised up so I had to use other means; still there were some that did not learn.

Here is an example of training wrong. I was watching a sports show while eating last night and they were showing knockouts. One fighter (boxer) kept dropping his hands and sticking out his chin (yes literally sticking it out there) before he would attack. He did this twice times but the thrid time he got knocked out. When asked about it later he admitted to doing this when sparring/training and even made the statement that his sparring partners never told him this nor would they attack him as they would in a real match. His quote " No one never told me I was doing it and my sparring buddy takes it easy so as not to hurt me by accident". See what "playing" gets you.

If I notice a tell I will let my classmate know it and I expect the same from them.

Kent

Well that was unfortunate. I wonder if his sparring partners just sucked or if they were being "nice"? Sparring parters I've had usually "tell" me about openings like that with their fists. [;)] I remember one guy named Chris (started training before I did and stopped before I moved away). He "taught" me that I couldn't just blindly throw combinations and hope something landed. He let me enter a couple times trying to throw a "jab-cross-hook", then he started counter punching over my cross. Definitely a painful lesson.

Regards,

John M. Drake

Thanks. I'll try to make sure and post every so often.

Regards,

John M. Drake

Thanks Sifu Davis, that is exactly what I wanted to know.

To everyone else here, there is some great discussion going on!

Wei Lin