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MY FIRST JUN FAN JEET KUNE DO SEMINAR
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I first learned about Bruce LeeTM when I
saw his book being read by my classmate during our english subject,
I flipped the pages and saw this Chinese guys kicking and thrusting
his student backwards with such an attitude. He had class and so
much conviction that my classmates exclaim with excitement as Bruce
was flaunting his martial arts skills. Then I heard he had a
Filipino student by the name of Daniel Inosanto. Dan has contributed
so much to the popularity of our emtpy hand & sticking fighting
skills known as kali or arnis, that I decided to look for the next
person taught by Lee on his powerful art of Jun Fan Jeet Kune DoTM
(Bruce Lee’sTM Way of the Intercepting Fist).
With students of Lee living on the other side of the globe, with no
literature about them nor even a magazine article. I decided to
study at a nearby "JKD school". After getting the teacher's own
interpretation of the art, my hunger for the truth continued and
prevailed. It would be years later that the openness of the internet
would have widened the doors. Typing on search engines like google
would have opened more than a hundred filing cabinets of
information. After months of searching on the word Ted Wong, I met
Sifu Albert Grajales. Mr. Grajales had been studying with the Sigung
for years and was his trusted student and friend. He was so
accommodating on the phone (though the time difference was a lot).
He explained to me the importance of the basics, structure and
attending a seminar. That learning the art is not just through books
but to learn from the man who personally learned the art from Bruce
LeeTM. Through Albert, I found out that he was conducting a seminar in
Hong Kong! I called up long distance and even emailed the host to
confirm if it was him who was coming. It was really him who is
scheduled to go there. The next I had to worry about was the money,
I realized I didn't have it at that time, that I had to let go. Only
to find out that the Sifu (teacher) was going to Thailand and I had
a business conference to attend 2 days prior to that martial arts
seminar! Man, I thought the heavens have opened to this fan. I
called up the host in Thailand to wire the fee and prepared for my
first ever seminar.
With the schedules I had to squeeze in
upon arrival, I realized it was not an easy thing. My first trip
abroad in 13 years proved to be a nightmare for me. Much to the
consternation of my Indonesian and British pals living there, I
arrived late and left for Pattaya, site of the seminar. Thailand had
awesome infrastructure, that you could drive on the skyway for hours
connecting the north and the south unlike here where you stay on our
flyover here for eternity!
We arrived late at night and next day met the other participants,
British people, Thais and 2 foreigners. Then Ted Wong came and I was
in awe meeting him. He was the last private student, who studied for
more than five years with Bruce LeeTM. He was a contstant companion of
the actor, that he accompanied him in visiting his other school in
Oakland, even going to Hong Kong to assemble his circuit trainer
with another student. He had solid forearms like his late sifu with
an aura of authority and humility rolled into one. I had the feeling
that he could have been my father for being so approachable. We
didn't waste anytime, and after breakfast proceeded to the main
hall.
I thought this was a replica of the Olympics with so many foreign
nationals and an American even joined us. Before my imaginations
starts going nowhere, the Sifu asked me to stand in front of me for
a demonstration. At an instant he fired a 1-2 hook kick, hitting my
stomach and the gush of air sifted through my neck. He didn't hurt
me (he controlled his kicks), though I felt his leg was like warm
marble, that could tumble me whenever he wanted to. At his late
60's, he kicked with so much ease. I realized it was a
momentum-based art utilizing footwork. The art didn’t require you to
go full split, you just need to use momentum. It was something in
JKD that everyone contradicted and judged without seeing it for
real. A technique born out of simplicity, hard work and dedication
by Bruce LeeTM.
He started to punch a pad held by the
American student 6 feet away like a ghost floating on the carpet
floor! At that moment, I check out his rubber shoes if it had wheels
in it, it had none alright and I realized he's the real deal. Though
I wanted to act like those supporting actors in the Way of the
Dragon, shouting "teach me kung fu!", I calmed myself and asked the
sifu to autograph my fighting method books bought in Greenhills. He
flipped through the pages and then signed it. After that short
break, we were taught the basic stance, footwork and the leading
straight punch. I thought I was expected to do bridge 6 feet, I
wished I had bought skating shoes. After extensive teaching, he was
teaching the basic JKD principle of "hand before foot" movement. At
first it sounded so simple, but then again after lots of retries, I
realized it wasn't easy. I had to drop everything my ex-instructor
taught me, since this real art is more simple though you need to sit
down and analyze it. I realized that Bruce LeeTM acts differently off
the camera than what you see in the movies. I have to quit thinking
what I was taught before as opposed to what it really is. It is not
a flashy art consisting of the typical the high kicks flying or
showing off its gymnastic or ballet artistry. It is a simple art
that you are expected to finish the movement clean, with no reaction
from your opponent and be out of reach. Or your partner won’t even
be able to react at all. Non-telegraphic execution and explosive
movements designed to finish the fight. Fencing footwork played as
an integral part in the art, though Bruce simplified it that you
wouldn’t know where the art came from. While others were so
concentrated on perfecting the kicks and punches, Bruce concentrated
on how to gain distance on those holding on to their tools. Becoming
as simple as ABC but hard to do implement like Calculus. As Ted
Wong’s Hongkong representative (Lewis Luk) mentioned to me “The
reason why JFJKD is so difficult because it’s so simple.” I finally
got what he taught and start figuring out what to do next when I
come back home.
When I came back home, I had to really get some partners and study
what I just learned. People here had different interpretations on
what Jun Fan Jeet Kune DoTM should look like. Some even thought that
it had to be exactly like in the Lee movies. One thing I learned
though, Bruce is one guy who breezed through real life opponents on
a fighting philosophy based on sound structure and footwork. It had
a true line on speed and power that can be taught as opposed to what
naysayers speculated it could be. Sifu Ted Wong has gone all the way
to Asia to prove Bruce LeeTM's art really does exist and a living
proof of what Jun Fan Jeet Kune DoTM is... a truly applicable, simple
and functional art.
The author, Joel A.
Ramos, had been attending seminars with Sifu Ted Wong in Southeast
Asia for the past years. He received a certificate from Sifu Albert
Grajales to teach a small group here as a representative of the Jun
Fan Jeet Kune Do Philippine Chapter. He teaches a small group in
Makati and down south and can be reached through joelramosjkd@gmail.com
The author would like to thank Albert Grajales of Puerto Rico and
Mark Stewart of Thailand for providing some of the photographs in
this article.
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TO CHANGE IS CHANGE WITH THE CHANGELESS
STATE
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Jeet Kune DoTM is not easy to learn
Principles of JKD
Simple, Direct and Non Classical
No Way as Way, No Limitation as Limitation
-
It may be easy to misinterpret his slogan
-
Many give a wrong interpretation
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Any way can be done wrong
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If you believe that there is one method to
do things- you limit yourself
Example: I asked you to do something, you do it
this way.
Next 10 years, you do that
without change
Many martial arts just follow the past patterns
they did 50 years ago, they did it the same.
Bruce LeeTM thinks it is not correct.
For every way of doing things, there are ways to
improve. Otherwise, we live 300 years ago, no improvement, no
progression.
It applies to martial arts, it needs to be
improved or refined.
There is a refined way of doing things in Bruce
LeeTM’s point of view.
You are not limited to one method – No Way As
Way.
If you limit to one way of doing things, you
limit yourself
July 1967, the birth of the name Jeet Kune DoTM.
JKD uses three words to represent JKD: Non
classical, simple, direct
Simplicity – Not too many techniques in JKD.
He researched on many different kinds of martial
arts. He wanted to find which martial arts suit his philosophy.
But none of these martial arts improvised. Man has two hands, two
feet – most effective way.
Bruce researched all martial arts, oriental,
western martial arts, east/western philosophy.
He investigated western boxing & fencing. It is
very close to his principles and philosophies. Boxing and fencing
has close relationships with his principles and philosophy. That’s
why in 1967, he already found something different from what he
learned from the past. That’s why he named it Jeet Kune DoTM.
JKD name came from western fencing. It is very
similar to fencing. Like western fencing without the sword.
Attacking, offensive, advancing – it came from
fencing.
Hand techniques are similar to boxing.
There are scientific principles in JKD.
Technique based on scientific principles- physics.
Many principles in physics are in jkd. This what
makes it scientific.
Simplicity doesn’t mean we add things into it.
JKD concepts went into different directions away
from jkd.
-seek out new things
-add
-no structure
Daily decrease, not daily increase
First you learned something, but not essential,
throw away the unessential. Throw away and simplify.
First use jkd principles , how to refine it –
simplify
Refinement means seeks simplicity. We have to
understand the scientific principles, how to apply, then you will
understand how to simplify.
Second. Directness – How to be direct.
Complicated 5 movements is not direct. Trap,
trap, trap then punch
Single leg take downs – that’s direct
You don’t even block, it wastes time.
If you block, you waste one movement. You loose
an opportunity.
JKD is the most difficult to learn. The
techniques are like a watch. Just learn how to look at the watch,
it has two or three needles. Very simple to read time.
But when you look at the mechanical principles at
the back of the watch, how to make it work, you know how complicated
it is. JKD is that.
Many people think jkd is simple, if you look at
the back of the watch, its complicated.
When you understand all the mechanics at the back
of the watch, it is simple.
Once you understand how jkd moves, you know how
simple it is.
JKD takes time to learn. Bruce LeeTM has said,
only 1 out of 10 thousand can learn the art.
Third. Non Classical
If you change, change for the best. Change to
keep up with the times.
He used a phrase to explain jkd. To change with
change is the changeless state.
First Example: 40 years ago, I started working.
I earn US$ 2.10/hour. At that time, you can buy a house, a car.
Today, that can’t bring you to Mcdonald’s
Now, you earn 30USD/hour. You buy a house –
change. But if you earn
2.10, there’s no change.
Second Example: You load a boat, the water
floats from one direction. When the force
you use is the same spot, you stay.
Same here in this society, the knowledge you
gained is true. You have to keep changing.
You are just changing with the developing society
and trends. You are changing the way the martial arts is.
JKD is physics, hand speed then power, how to use
applications.
JKD concepts is still looking for the old
technology of martial arts.
JKD is not just martial arts, its philosophy.
Nuts and bolts of the structure, it will affect
the way you understand jkd.
If you don’t
understand, you lose your direction.
-Lecture by Ted Wong and transcribed by Joel Ramos
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