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General
Jeet Kune Do (JKD) in Cantonese, means “The Way of the Intercepting Fist” and is the name Bruce Lee gave to his system of martial arts. Many people argue about the nature of JKD. Is it a style of martial arts like Jujitsu or is it a set of concepts to explore other martial arts. This is a question I have wrestled with for over two years.1
Most practitioners agree that JKD includes a base set of techniques created by Lee. These techniques are guided by common principles of totality, fluidity, simplicity, rhythm, timing, and distance. Most also agree that once the practitioner has a solid grip on the base, they should begin to develop their own personal expression. This includes adjusting techniques to work best for their physical and mental makeup or specializing in techniques based on interest. The controversy among the JKD community happens when people apply the concepts of JKD to other martial arts. In this post we will explore if JKD is a style by (1) looking at the base system, (2) creating a personal expression, (3) and applying JKD concepts to other martial arts.
Part 1: The Base System
JKD has a base system of techniques which all practitioners share in common. Dan Inosanto calls this base “Jun Fan Gung Fu,” but this term can be confusing, because Lee’s called his earlier style the “Jun Fan Method.” This base includes stance, footwork, kicking, punching, and trapping techniques.2
I’ve named my style jeet kune do – reason for my not sticking to Wing Chun because I sincerely feel that this style has more to offer regarding efficiency.
Scientific Method
Lee used the scientific method to create this base. The scientific method involves asking an essential question, doing research, creating a hypothesis, testing the hypothesis, and analyzing the results. Lee’s essential question was, “What is the most effective fighting system in the real world?”
Research of the Totality
Lee used a “discerning mind” to observe the totality of martial arts including Gung Fu, Karate, Western Boxing, Tae Kwon Do, and Fencing. He considered force and quickness and researched physical conditioning, physics, physiology, and kinesiology.3
What we are after in JKD is the root and not the branches. The root is the real knowledge; the branches are surface knowledge.
Hypothesis
He came up with a hypothesis that the most effective fighting techniques shared the common principles of fluidity, simplicity, rhythm, timing, and distance. Lee’s hypothesis was influenced by Taoism, Zen, the teachings of Jiddu Krishnamurt, and Western pragmatism.4
Testing
Lee tested his hypothesis through sparring and developed new kinds of protective equipment to make it as realistic as possible. Lee had an ability to analyze techniques to determine the most efficient motion. He criticized other martial arts for being too reliant on ritualized movement comparing this to learning to swim without actually going into water.5
I’ve lost faith in the Chinese classical arts – though I still call mine Chinese – because basically all styles are products of land swimming, even the Wing Chun school. So my line of training is more toward efficient street fighting with every goes, wearing head gear, gloves, chest guard, skin/knee guards, etc.
Analysis
Lee analyzed his results and came up with a base of techniques that were tied together by the common principles of fluidity, simplicity, rhythm, timing, and distance.
Fluidity
Lee would often say that JKD uses, “no way as way” which means the JKD practitioner should adapt to any combat situation with no predetermined fight plan. While the student does not need to use every possible technique, they must be flexible and in the moment.6
Simplicity
Simplicity meant that Lee didn’t include hundreds of techniques in the base system, but stripped out non-essential movements. Lee encouraged students to practice a few techniques until they became masterpieces. For example, the student didn’t need hundreds of punches but would develop the basic punch using different angles, positions, and distances.7
“It’s not how much, but how well that matters.”
Rhythm, Timing, and Distance
Lee believed that the body should move naturally and would often “feel” the best way to move while creating power. Lee stressed “economy of motion” by making the front leg and hand the primary weapons because they were closest to the target. He said intercepting an opponent’s attack was the highest form of defense and required proper rhythm, timing, and distance. Lee stressed the importance of mobility, body alignment, and coordination but thought footwork and distance was especially important.8
Influences
Lee wrote that JKD was a combination of fencing footwork, boxing movement, and Wing Chun trapping. Others observed that he used techniques from Tae Kwon Do, Kenpo Karate, and Northern Shaolin. However, this doesn’t mean that JKD was just an assortment of techniques from different styles. He would only modify his current techniques if they fit into the common principles and would study martial arts to know how to counter them.9
You can study kicking arts, punching arts, and arts that emphasize trapping or grappling; but if you don’t understand the common thread that runs through all combative arts then what you end up with is an eclectic assortment of various techniques from different disciplines strung loosely together to create a kind of generalized “chop suey”. And that’s not Jeet Kune Do.
Part 2: Personal Expression
Bruce said that each person must research their own truth. After years of learning the base system, Lee encouraged his students to evaluate which techniques worked best. They must discover their own strengths and weaknesses. In this way the practitioner becomes their own teacher. Every individual has a different personality, physical make up, psychology, coordination, flexibility, speed, and stamina. However, if this exploration is done prematurely, there is a chance that the practitioner might get lost in the process.10
Bruce emphasized that each person must research his own truth. Although one can copy the style of Rembrandt, one will not become Rembrandt. The artist must develop his own style and then pattern his strokes after his particular skills, even if he uses the same brush and canvas or ‘base system.’’
Role of the Instructor
After the instructor teaches the student the base, they should guide the student in developing their personal expression. At this “post-graduate” level, the instructor is limited in what they can do, because it is impossible to teach somebody to express themselves.11
The main thing is teaching a man to do his thing, just be himself. The individual is more important than the style. If a person is awkward he should not try to be agile. I’m against trying to impose a style on a man. This is an art, an expression of a man’s own self.
Absorb What is Useful
Bruce Lee would say, “Absorb What Is Useful, Reject What Is Useless, and Add What Is Essentially Your Own.” To “absorb” means to dive deep into a technique until you make it your own. Only then can you “reject what is useless” by modifying the technique to fit your personal expression. To “Add what is essentially your own,” is to add your own attitude, desire, and mental approach to training. This doesn’t involve assembling techniques from different martial arts.12
“Absorb what is useful, reject what is useless, and add what is essentially your own.”
Part 3: Concepts
Apply JKD concepts to other martial arts
The most controversial topic today is when practitioners apply JKD principals to other martial arts. This was started by Dan Inosanto and is called JKD Concepts. It has created a split where some students focus on the base techniques (Jun Fan Gung Fu) while others focus on the principles (Concepts).13
The Case for Concepts
When Dan Inosanto studied other martial arts, he often applied the JKD philosophy of problem solving and research to help understand them better and determine which techniques were effective. Other practitioners used this approach and said that Lee would have likely continued to evolve JKD by researching more styles. Richard Bustillo added cross-training in shoot wrestling and Silat to help the student develop their personal expression.14
So I give them a base system, and later on I add experiences and cross-training to that so they can develop themselves and find their personal expression in martial arts. A good instructor will always help students find their own way and help them discover the methods that fit their natural ability.
Criticism of Concepts
Some criticize the Concepts approach by saying it dilutes the JKD base by mixing in techniques from different disciplines. They say the focus on liberation has confused practitioners to mix in different styles and call it JKD. They also argue that Lee researched martial arts not to accumulate techniques but to absorb effective principles. Critics say practitioners can get lost in never ending research of other styles and Concepts became an umbrella term to practice four or five different styles and call it JKD.15
It pains me to see that Jeet Kune Do has degenerated in the public’s mind to mean just “martial arts,” a generic term to be applied to practically anything, rather than the name of the most precise, scientific fighting system ever created.
Bridging the Gap
Although there are significant differences between the two groups they do share much in common. Both agree on the base techniques and common principles of JKD. There may even be some agreement on applying JKD principles to other styles in order to analyze, improve, or train a physical attribute from that style. Also, part of this controversy may be due to a misunderstanding of what Inosanto was actually doing. Inosanto said that when he used JKD concepts to study other arts he wasn’t doing JKD but exploring the other arts. One way to think about it is that some are JKD practitioners while others are martial art practitioners who use JKD principles in their training.16
Part 4: Conclusion
Is Jeet Kune Do a Style?
At first Lee saw JKD as a style but stopped calling it that after six months. In the 1960’s, “style” was often seen as a negative term because it was so closed. Today, styles are more open and take ideas from other arts. Although the term “style” was limiting, Lee knew there had to be some structure in order to teach the student. I believe Jeet Kune do is an open style. It has a base, but also the ability for the individual to personally express themselves. Each individual has different strengths, weaknesses, agility, speed, stamina, and flexibility. Personal expression could include using certain techniques from the base system but not others. It could also include modifying techniques to fit their individual body characteristics.17
Original Students
This post refers to many quotes of Bruce Lee’s original students. Here is a list of students referenced in this post.
Bob Bremer
Bremer was an original student who trained at Lee’s Los Angeles Chinatown School.18
Cass Magda
A JKD student privately taught by Dan Inosanto.19
Chris Kent
Although Kent was not an original student of Lee, he was the youngest member of Inosanto’s backyard JKD class and became his personal assistant.20
Dan Inosanto
Inosanto was one of Lee’s best friends and received the highest rank from Lee in Jeet Kune Do. He also ran the Los Angeles Chinatown school.21
Dan Lee
The first student admitted into the Los Angeles Chinatown school in 1967.22
Jerry Poteet
The second student admitted to Chinatown school. One of five that trained twice a week at Bruce’s house for two years.23
Joe Hyams
Joe Hyams was a private student and author of martial arts books.24
Larry Hartsell
Hartsell was a member of the Los Angeles Chinatown school and worked out privately at Lee’s Bel Air home.25
Pete Jacobs
Jacobs was a student at the Los Angeles Chinatown school and used to train at Lee’s home.26
Richard Bustillo
Richard Bustillo was a Hawaiian born student and friend who trained privately with Lee. He was known as the “Iron Man of JKD.”27
Tim Tackett
Trained in Inosanto’s backyard.28
Ted Wong
Began training in 1967 in Lee’s Los Angeles Chinatown school. He personally trained with Lee for 122 sessions.29
Resources:
Jeet Kune Do Conversations, Jose M. Fraguas, Unique Publications, 2001. Excellent interviews of many of Bruce Lee’s first generation of students.
Letters of the Dragon: The Original 1958-1973 Correspondence, John Little, Editor, Tuttle Publishing, 1998, 2016. Volume 5 of the Bruce Lee Library, commissioned by the Bruce Lee Estate. Letters to friends, family, and business associates. Put together by John Little, Bruce Lee historian.
Words of the Dragon: Interviews, 1958-1973, John Little, Editor, Tuttle Publishing, 1997, 2017. Volume 1 of the Bruce Lee Library, commissioned by the Bruce Lee Estate. Interview transcripts of Bruce Lee on a variety of topics including philosophy, martial arts, and his personal life. Put together by John Little, Bruce Lee historian.
AI Narration provided by elevenlabs.io. Bruce Lee quotes read by AI.
Footnotes:
1. Conversations, page 227.
2. Conversations, Richard Bustillo page 37, Larry Hartsell, page 57, Dan Inosanto page 91.
3. Conversations, Richard Bustillo pages 37, 127-128.
4. Conversations, Tim Tackett, page 281.
5. Conversations, Chris Kent, page 128.
6. Conversations, Jerry Poteet, page 226.
7. Conversations, Dan Inosanto, page 91, Dan Lee, page 175, Jerry Poteet, page 223-224.
8. Conversations, Ted Wong, page 294, 296-297, 299.
9. Conversations, Joe Hyams, page 73, Pete Jacobs, page 111, Chris Kent, pages 125-126, Cass Magda, page 197, Jerry Poteet, page 225, Tim Tackett, page 281, Ted Wong, pages 299-300.
10. Conversations, Bob Bremer, page 27, Dan Inosanto, page 93, Dan Lee, page 175, Ted Wong, page 298.
11. Conversations, Richard Bustillo, page 37, Larry Hartsell, page 57, Dan Inosanto pages 94-95, Tim Tackett, page 283, 285, 287.
12. Conversations, Cass Magda, page 204, Jerry Poteet, page 221.
13. Conversations, Bob Bremer, page 27, Cass Magda, page 196.
14. Conversations, Bob Bremer, pages 21, 27, Richard Bustillo, pages 37, 41, Dan Inosanto, pages 93-94, Cass Magda, page 196).
15. Conversations, Pete Jacobs, page 111, Cass Magda, page 198, Tim Tackett, page 282, Ted Wong, page 295, 298, 300.
16. Conversations, Dan Inosanto, pages 93-94, Chris Kent, page 125, Cass Magda, page 199, Tim Tackett, page 282, 284.
17. Conversations, Larry Hartsell, page 57, Dan Inosanto, page 92, Chris Kent, 127-128, Ted Wong, page 295.
18. Conversations, page 21.
19. Conversation, page 193.
20. Conversations, page 121.
21. Conversations, page 83.
22. Conversations, page 167.
23. Conversations, page 217.
24. Conversation, page 65.
25. Conversations, page 47.
26. Conversations, page 101.
27. Conversations, page 33.
28. Conversations, page 277.
29. Conversations, page 291.
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