Bruce Lee and his skill - statements by various people

[Knuckles&Knees]

Hey, when I get my knighthood you can call me sir, and lets face it "Knuckles & Knees" is a bit of a mouthful!

LOL. Yeah... I see your point.

Seriously, I hear you about feeling lost sometimes. Do you know what that tells me? That you have a good teacher. That may sound like a contradiction, but good JKD instruction raises more questions than it answers, because it encourages the individual to find their own path. If you ever walk into a JKD school where everyone moves the same, thinks the same, and follows blind a path dictated by their teacher - then walk out because you haven't found JKD. The study of JKD should be about problem solving and having to find the solutions for yourself, thats how you become a smart martial artist who can flow and adapt.

Just be patient and remember the best phrase that anyone ever said to me about martial arts: "Those that do, know. Those that don't do, don't know."

Thanks. That provides a bit of encouragement. I feel good about my teacher and school... really I do.

I'll try to keep your advice in mind for my future down the road.

[lucidmist]

Hey, when I get my knighthood you can call me sir, and lets face it "Knuckles & Knees" is a bit of a mouthful!

I see your point about fighting the boxer outside of the ring. My answer to that? Don't. We are good guys, just calm us down and buy us a beer

Seriously, I hear you about feeling lost sometimes. Do you know what that tells me? That you have a good teacher. That may sound like a contradiction, but good JKD instruction raises more questions than it answers, because it encourages the individual to find their own path. If you ever walk into a JKD school where everyone moves the same, thinks the same, and follows blind a path dictated by their teacher - then walk out because you haven't found JKD. The study of JKD should be about problem solving and having to find the solutions for yourself, thats how you become a smart martial artist who can flow and adapt.

Just be patient and remember the best phrase that anyone ever said to me about martial arts: "Those that do, know. Those that don't do, don't know."

This is why I thank God there are still people like you around in the martial arts community, Sir Michael Wright (your name does sound like a knight's).

Sadly, there are always black sheep around. When I was doing taiji, there were occasions where boxers joined the class. I guess they weren't there on their own accord (maybe their wives made them??), cos throughout the class, they were either di*cking around with the forms or just giggling. Of course, not saying all were like that. There were some who were really friendly, and were serious in it cos they believed it actually helped their boxing.

[Tom Yum]

Like I said... I feel a bit lost at times.

Just remember that the sun rises from the east, sets in the west and you're a man.

[Guest]

I feel a Michael Knight joke coming on!

Boxers moving into martial arts tend to be tough to deal with. Boxers don't take anything on faith, you either win, lose, or get better doing either. They see a great deal of our art as unnecessary nonsense, and want to be convinced otherwise. My approach to teaching has always been that you don't try to convince anyone of anything, you simply present the material and offer the student the luxury of choice. A lot of Boxers choose to go back to what they know, and thats cool.

[Knuckles&Knees]

Just remember that the sun rises from the east, sets in the west and you're a man.

You seem to be describing a directional path a body member of mine follows every morning. And yes, that's the only way I ever remember I'm a man.

[Liberty]

Hey Lucid:

Check this out:

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Bruce+Lee+-+Ted+Thomas+Interview&search=Search

[lucidmist]

I feel a Michael Knight joke coming on!

Boxers moving into martial arts tend to be tough to deal with. Boxers don't take anything on faith, you either win, lose, or get better doing either. They see a great deal of our art as unnecessary nonsense, and want to be convinced otherwise. My approach to teaching has always been that you don't try to convince anyone of anything, you simply present the material and offer the student the luxury of choice. A lot of Boxers choose to go back to what they know, and thats cool.

Lol.. I don't think Mikey could do anything outside KITT (I've seen the fight scenes, yeech!).

Surprisingly, I know many boxers who cross-train in other styles, even Ninjitsu. They believe that the other styles help them in their boxing.. but there's still a great number who think that "zen" theories or taoist teachings weaken their psychological edge in the ring.. these boxers are those who are more resistant to traditional martial arts.. but I can hardly blame them, given how tough ring fights can be, both physically and mentally.. though I do not completely agree with them.

[lucidmist]

Hey Lucid:

Check this out:

http://www.youtube.com/results?searc...&search=Search

Man, T-H-A-N-K-S! Interesting stuff, and finally, Longbeach demo in color.

[Liberty]

Man, T-H-A-N-K-S! Interesting stuff, and finally, Longbeach demo in color.

"acting unacting"

No problem. Have you seen this one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKFMCwC_iTQ

For me, it's one of the best ones so far. Due to it's clarity, so much is evident about Lee's ability to generate power not only from such a short distance, but from an absolute standstill. Yeah, some knuckle head will prove himself one by replying with whatever, negative, derogatory nonsense they can come up with. That's cool. Let em miss out on how much is in the clip about the human body's potential.

Lee strikes as if pulled (just as he wrote - that a strike should be practiced/delivered as if one has been pulled by something outside oneself, or words to that effect), the torque behind his delivery, and so much more for the more astute - all indicating a highly developed delivery system, not just some movie actor acting. By the way, it's the same seeming pull of his punches (by some outside force) on that heavy bag that so called Bruce Lee expert, Miller failed to see.

By the way, I have to disagree with you regarding your comments on Lee's choreography. Lee was / is untouchable in fight choreography.

In fact, almost every single movie critic since and now agree on that - do the research (not that it matters that much!)

Anyway, enjoy the clip.

[Knuckles&Knees]

"acting unacting"

No problem. Have you seen this one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKFMCwC_iTQ

For me, it's one of the best ones so far. Due to it's clarity, so much is evident about Lee's ability to generate power not only from such a short distance, but from an absolute standstill. Yeah, some knuckle head will prove himself one by replying with whatever, negative, derogatory nonsense they can come up with. That's cool. Let em miss out on how much is in the clip about the human body's potential.

Lee strikes as if pulled (just as he wrote - that a strike should be practiced/delivered as if one has been pulled by something outside oneself, or words to that effect), the torque behind his delivery, and so much more for the more astute - all indicating a highly developed delivery system, not just some movie actor acting. By the way, it's the same seeming pull of his punches (by some outside force) on that heavy bag that so called Bruce Lee expert, Miller failed to see.

By the way, I have to disagree with you regarding your comments on Lee's choreography. Lee was / is untouchable in fight choreography.

In fact, almost every single movie critic since and now agree on that - do the research (not that it matters that much!)

Anyway, enjoy the clip.

I agree, Liberty, he surely did have some astounding power.

[lucidmist]

"acting unacting"

No problem. Have you seen this one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKFMCwC_iTQ

For me, it's one of the best ones so far. Due to it's clarity, so much is evident about Lee's ability to generate power not only from such a short distance, but from an absolute standstill. Yeah, some knuckle head will prove himself one by replying with whatever, negative, derogatory nonsense they can come up with. That's cool. Let em miss out on how much is in the clip about the human body's potential.

Lee strikes as if pulled (just as he wrote - that a strike should be practiced/delivered as if one has been pulled by something outside oneself, or words to that effect), the torque behind his delivery, and so much more for the more astute - all indicating a highly developed delivery system, not just some movie actor acting. By the way, it's the same seeming pull of his punches (by some outside force) on that heavy bag that so called Bruce Lee expert, Miller failed to see.

By the way, I have to disagree with you regarding your comments on Lee's choreography. Lee was / is untouchable in fight choreography.

In fact, almost every single movie critic since and now agree on that - do the research (not that it matters that much!)

Anyway, enjoy the clip.

Yo man, thanks again!

Well, plenty of people degrade him as if they knew more, or are better than he was. Heh.. dreamers.

Ok... for the fight scenes, I really didn't like the scenes where Bruce or Norris did kicks directly into the camera. Don't know, I thought those were redundant. Also, in group fight scenes, the thugs almost always attack one at a time. And in instances where Bruce handled guys facing him, someone behind would, instead of striking the back of his head or body, try to grab his shoulders and get struck intead. Heh, unless my back is to the wall, I've never had someone attack me from behind by grabbing my shoulders, instead of choking my neck or striking my head with a helmet or back with a stool. Also, the thugs in Bruce's movies seem to freeze everytime he does a running flying kick. Lol.. they just stand there and let him fly-kick with a running start. But hey, not slamming, these are just the bits I find corny. And it doesn't undermine his fighting prowess, just that I suppose he needed those parts in to make things more interesting. If he did it like a real fight, all the scenes would probably be too short.

[Liberty]

Good points, Lucid; I stand corrected. Good job.

Lucid, Knuckles:

Here's another cool 5 clips (connected to this one) - but for the tragedy, the opening of the first clip would've been an awesome team up - WOW!

Also, either the first or the second clip has a piece of rare footage which, but for some pictures, I've never seen. Lee is wearing a stripped shirt and jabs at someone with lightning speed. Keep your eyes peeled or you'll miss it! There's still more out there! Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9L5HMSroh4

P.S. Try not to fall in love with Shannon's beauty - what a doll - God bless her, and keep her safe.

[lucidmist]

Good points, Lucid; I stand corrected. Good job.

Lucid, Knuckles:

Here's another cool 5 clips (connected to this one) - but for the tragedy, the opening of the first clip would've been an awesome team up - WOW!

Also, either the first or the second clip has a piece of rare footage which, but for some pictures, I've never seen. Lee is wearing a stripped shirt and jabs at someone with lightning speed. Keep your eyes peeled or you'll miss it! There's still more out there! Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9L5HMSroh4

P.S. Try not to fall in love with Shannon's beauty - what a doll - God bless her, and keep her safe.

Hey man, nah, I'm not much of a film critic, but everyone has different tastes I guess, and those just didn't sit well with me.

Thanks for the clips! Interesting stuff.. but too bad, they always recycle the same demonstration clips.. I wonder if there are more.

[herrickdaube]

re:

I have been reading martial art forums for a while now, and I don't pretend to know much more than anyone else who reads Black Belt.
Questions: is jkd the same as mma? Or is it mma but out of an unorthodox stance? If jkd is not the same as mma, then how is it different or better?
Sorry if these seem like naive questions, but this issue is pressing on my mind alot more than if Bruce got beat-up by some Chinatown guy in 1963 or 1964 San Fran. I don't mean to sound flippant, but jkd today is the reality, and the past is gone. The real question is not whether jkd can beat kung-fu or tae-kwon do, but what is its relation to mma, the current craze.

[g-bells]

I have been reading martial art forums for a while now, and I don't pretend to know much more than anyone else who reads Black Belt.
Questions: is jkd the same as mma? Or is it mma but out of an unorthodox stance? If jkd is not the same as mma, then how is it different or better?
Sorry if these seem like naive questions, but this issue is pressing on my mind alot more than if Bruce got beat-up by some Chinatown guy in 1963 or 1964 San Fran. I don't mean to sound flippant, but jkd today is the reality, and the past is gone. The real question is not whether jkd can beat kung-fu or tae-kwon do, but what is its relation to mma, the current craze.

you can ask ten jkd'ers and get ten different answers