Originally published in The Monograph, May 1994 (Dr. Ken Min, editor; Martial Arts Program, University of California, Berkeley)

With each passing year, the film legacy of Bruce Lee continually provides potent inspiration for an ever growing legion of fans. His electrifying screen presence, a result of his stunning array of fighting skills combined with his dynamic personality, never ceases to amaze an audience and cause it to enter a collective state of mesmerized awe. The potency of these cinematic statements regularly encourages viewers to pursue the study of the martial arts with renewed vigor. Not surprisingly, the ardent fan tends to focus a great deal of attention upon whatever else Lee contributed to the martial arts, specifically his philosophical thoughts. The zealous fan often becomes so enraptured with Lee's rather unique ideas that he foregoes the study of any other source of insight and consequently retards his overall development in the martial arts.

Lee's philosophy, so well documented in a myriad of books and magazine articles, is as compelling as the snapping power of his sidekicks. Entitled "Jeet Kune Do", this vast body of ideas immediately captures the interest of any enthusiast by its stinging refutation of many long-established martial arts traditions. Calling "ninety-nine percent of the whole business of Oriental self-defense...baloney" and "fancy jazz" that "doesn't work,"¹ Lee espouses simplicity and directness² in lieu of a reliance upon "flowery forms."³ Rather than "horsing around with unrealistic stances,"⁴ Jeet Kune Do is reduced to this maxim: "Punch when you have to punch; kick when you have to kick."⁵ This is the art of using any and all means to defeat an opponent as quickly as possible. To develop this "anything goes" attitude, the individual must not only test and practice every kind of technique that he can, but he must also disregard any thought concerning whether or not a particular technique conforms to the precepts of a particular "style". For example, the Karate practitioner blocks one way with "hard", linear movements while the Pa-Kua practitioner blocks with "softer", more circular movements. Each person blocks according to the precepts of his style and rarely, if at all, varies the manner of his blocking. As a result, each is limited to blocking in one, definite manner. "Jeet Kune Do," on the other hand, "utilizes all ways and is bound by none and, likewise, uses any techniques or means which serves its end. Efficiency is anything that scores."⁶

Even after nearly thirty years, Jeet Kune Do remains a magnet attracting both experienced and novice martial artists alike. Unfortunately, the lack of both enough accredited instructors and, of course, the originator creates a significant void of knowledgeable persons to fully explain this fascinating art to the multitude of eager fans. The number of instructors is not congruent with the number of potential students. Except for a select few who train under a handful of Bruce Lee's original students,7 the vast majority is left to study Lee's ideas on their own. Whereas everyone who takes the time to understand this man's thinking is enriched, there is always those individuals who readily accept the obvious generalizations but do not delve more deeply into the subtle practicalities.

An entire generation has been raised with the idea of open rebellion against authority being a vital part of attaining personal freedom. In the martial arts, this idea is exemplified in the philosophy of Bruce Lee, and, as a result, a horde of people hastens to embrace the notion of learning what amounts to the wisdom of several martial styles without committing themselves to the traditions of any single art. Consequently, a misguided individual traipses off on his own road, absorbing fragments of various styles, not appreciating the necessary and valuable commodities, particularly personal attention, offered by the established styles. Although it is difficult to pass judgment on how an individual perceives the "style of no-style", a strong point begs to be made clarifying the value of study in the traditional styles and schools.

Developed in the mid- to late-sixties, when society in general was undergoing major social and political upheavals, Jeet Kune Do retains that air of conflict between the new, innovative order clashing against the old, secure order. Everything about Jeet Kune Do bespeaks of innovative explications to the more standard patterns of thought and perception. Right away Lee describes classical forms as stifling to an individual's creativity, and blind adherence to these forms turns vital, alive human beings into static, limited automatons.⁸ In order to use the tools of combat in the most effective manner, Lee says, a student must look within himself rather than follow a prescribed formula to understand what works best (self-know-ledge).⁹ Instead of becoming conditioned, and thereby confined, "within the framework of a particular system,"¹⁰ the struggling practitioner should look through the rituals and routine and find the simplest movement to achieve his end (besting his opponent). In other words, the student needs to ask himself, "What does and what does not work?" In this manner, the student is not compromised by the supposed propaganda of the traditional styles. His learning is not confined to the techniques of one art and so, he does not rely on specific techniques in specific instances. He relies on a variety of attacks and defenses depending on what his opponent does. The student dares to gain understanding and knowledge on his terms in many arts at the cost of traversing unsure ground and becoming uncertain in his efforts. Reliance upon a set pattern, whether of conduct or thought, provides a convenient anchor for stability, but it also offers the dual temptation of becoming "slave to the pattern and" of taking "the pattern to be the real thing."¹¹ Each person must trust in his own powers of cognizance more than the absolute truth of others to gain mastery of an art.

Prevalent throughout Lee's explanations of Jeet Kune Do is the overwhelming criticism of accepting anything in the martial arts at face value. He questions the validity of everything including techniques, evolution, and philosophy.¹² To the person who loudly voices his displeasure with authoritarians who are seen as professing to know the only real truth, Lee's attitude is a god-send. Here is an art that provides ample reasons to look contemptuously upon the instruction in formal schools. But when the novice possessing a rebellious nature encounters these ideas, he more than likely will arrive at some rather coarse conclusions since there are few people available to offer more illuminating knowledge of Lee's vision. The matter is compounded further as Lee's screen image magnifies the impact of these ideas upon an impressionable student feverishly trying to emulate his idol. The desire to strike out on his own and pursue his own methods becomes even stronger within the student in order to avoid becoming entangled in the "classical mess"¹³

How often has an eager student become so utterly engrossed in Bruce Lee's method, "a sophisticated fighting style stripped to its essentials,"¹⁴ that he excludes all other impressions? The would-be pupil shuns any kind of lengthy commitment to any single style be-cause, he says, "that's what Bruce Lee did." Instead, this person undertakes "vagabond training", spending a few hours, days, or weeks learning bits and pieces of one martial art before moving on to another. As mentioned before, he becomes quite proficient in the rudiments of several arts which is supplemented with work on his own, but the student is only denying himself an indispensable education. He does not spend sufficient time learning and understanding the complete art rather than just a fraction. Additionally, without sufficient guidance, his form especially suffers because he does not have the benefit of an expert instructor to constantly correct imperfections. He catches on quickly that Lee was not concerned with "how good some particular form of combat looked, but how good it worked."¹⁵ Consequently, the student executes just enough to be effective not considering that minute refinements such as turning the hips over more when roundhouse kicking make the technique work better and much more effective.

This is not to say that studying several martial arts styles is superficial. It is only so when the study is undertaken without a resolute effort to comprehend the art in its totality. Spending a short time in the study of an art permits the participant to form an incomplete picture of what the art is. Every art offers some point of view on combat, personal conduct, and life. To ignore this aspect of a style and to concentrate solely on the accumulation of technique is to miss many of the beneficial qualities pertaining to attitude in everyday living like dedication, respect, etiquette. Also, a student taking this course of training usually rushes himself and does not spend enough time on the basics of simple punches, kicks, and throws. In his haste to learn, his form is sacrificed. Without this foundation of basics, the student experiences much difficulty when he attempts more advanced techniques. In fact, Daniel Lee, one of Bruce Lee's original students, says that it was probably better "to have gone through all that formal training in order to appreciate the simplicity of what Bruce had to offer,"¹⁶ meaning that the study of a traditional art enables the individual to discern with a practiced eye what is truly unique about Lee's teaching. Years of dedicated training in one art provides not only knowledge (information) but also understanding (the capacity to grasp the significance of information).

The popularity of following Bruce Lee's example is so common today that some of his ideas have been accepted as law by a great multitude of people. This is the very thing Lee believed was wrong with the classical martial arts since it led to a fixated fascination on the part of the students towards copying the instructor instead of discovering great truths in their own right. The knowledge of the instructor is not only eventually made into "a holy shrine [by his followers] but also a tomb in which they [bury] the founder's wisdom."¹⁷ Again, the average person immediately grasps the idea of disregarding all dependence upon any established art. Granted that this limited interpretation may be somewhat akin to what Lee intended, it is nevertheless lacking in two very important respects. First and foremost is the fact that Lee set a standard for philosophical inquiry that is more difficult to follow than most people realize. The second is the fallacy of narrowing Lee's entire life's work within a concise set of guidelines.

The great appeal of Bruce Lee, aside from his incomparable skill, is his practical approach to the martial arts. He emphasizes that the martial arts are about combat, and he ex-plains in his own fashion how to best utilize the hands and feet to destroy an opponent. Of course, he says, there is much more involved (i.e. health, amusement, self-improvement, peace of mind),¹⁸ but the bottom line is combat. With the foundation laid, the enthusiastic student takes this lead and embarks upon the study of these ideas in Lee's wake. For what-ever reason, he seeks to attain mastery according to what he believes are Lee's concepts and studies this art and that art while never devoting a significant amount of time to any particular style as he strains to become a fighter in the mold of Bruce Lee. The great tragedy is that Bruce Lee did not do this himself or encourage others to either. Proficiency always comes from within and not without.¹⁹ If someone jumps around from style to style, he is completely missing the point.

In some ways, this description could be used for any hard-working martial artist who is eager to learn everything he possibly can. The difference is that the novice Lee supporter has no formal instructor to enlighten him to the full spectrum of knowledge in that art. Like Bruce Lee, he attempts to piece together his own working art and philosophy. The problem confronting most people is that they do not fully realize the extent to which Lee pushed himself to attain the level of skill and knowledge he did. Usually, someone believes that just following a basic outline of Jeet Kune Do is enough to become as adept as Lee. This person does not understand that Lee's philosophy is the result of many years of personal travail in seeking answers to his own demanding questions. Lee's method may not work the same way for someone else since he stressed the importance of each person being unique and requiring different training routines.²⁰ Ed Parker, a contemporary of Lee's, points out how Lee

used to use an analogy about a sculptor, how he has to chip away the unessentials to find the essential truth. If a guy doesn't have the natural talents Bruce had, he can chip away all day and he isn't going to find what Bruce had.²¹

Parker's statement highlights the fact that each person must find his own path to excellence.

Another point many people do not realize is the enormous work and effort Lee exerted to develop his skills. Yet, "hard-working" is not nearly adequate to describe Lee's fierce intensity. "Fanatic" is more appropriate to explain the prodigious surplus of energy he expended, morning to night, sharpening his skills.²² His wife, Linda, recalls

the many nights [she] awoke in the small hours of the morning and found [her] husband, his restless mind and energies still burning so fiercely that he could not sleep, busy at his stretching exercises, striving to drive his body and muscles towards new goals that only he could perceive...²³

Clearly this describes a man consumed with a burning passion for the martial arts and who was going to utilize every opportunity to explore new horizons of knowledge and skill.

It is doubtful that would-be Jeet Kune Do aficionados expend this kind of effort consistently which is unfortunate since it is an important requirement to offset the absence of a formal instructor. The instructor provides information to assist the student in becoming better and more effective. Without this information, the student is forced to spend many more hours by himself, experimenting with different body movements and exercises to generate power and control. With an instructor, perhaps he can learn the means to power and control in a fraction of the time.

Not everyone possesses the inclination to take such extreme measure when seeking excellence. More so than the philosophy, the desire, or intense vitality, is what propelled Lee to reach such heights of accomplishment. The philosophy helped to focus his methods, but the desire fueled his effort. The average beginner is not likely to grasp this fact, though. He is more interested in gaining the "ability to express the utmost with the minimum"²⁴ which he translates as "not needing to know very much in order to vanquish the enemy". Searching, experimenting, discarding, and studying is what is required in Jeet Kune Do, as with any other art, and that encompasses the same dedication as was exhibited by Lee. If the student does not invest the required effort, he is condemned to mediocrity. In the martial arts, mediocrity can be construed to mean ineffectiveness.

Even if the student does spend many hours per day perfecting his skills and struggling to master a throw or joint-lock or block-kick combination, he may still fall far short of his expectation. He measures his progress against the example of Bruce Lee, never once forgetting how unique the man's abilities truly were. And, undaunted, the student works towards developing the same skills through an analysis of Lee's philosophy which causes an endless variety of problems. Ed Parker comments that Lee's

problem as a teacher, was that he could pass on his ideas, but not his talent, and you needed both for his philosophy to work.²⁵

Whereas Parker's statement is refuted by Lee's personal students who remember him tailoring individual workouts so every student excelled in his own way and at his own pace,²⁶ it now proves prophetic since Lee's absence leads to confusion in the interpretation of his philosophy. Since he cannot clarify his philosophy, it becomes a great temptation to narrow his body of work into a convenient grouping of absolutes thereby bastardizing his intentions.

Bruce Lee was hesitant to apply the term "style" to his philosophy because it would only hinder what he was trying to do.²⁷ He felt that this reference would give people the impression that his "style" was something new and different from other styles complete "with its own rigid [regulations]."²⁸ On the contrary, Lee described Jeet Kune Do as possessing "everything but is in itself possessed by nothing."²⁹ He wanted Jeet Kune Do to be thought of as a tool to assist his brethren in the martial arts to become more free in their thinking and look to all martial arts to improve their skills and abilities and yet, not be held captive to "pat-terns and doctrines."³⁰ Above all, Lee decided that the main drawback of accepting the precepts of any style as "gospel truth"³¹ only "interfere[s] with our natural growth and obstruct[s] the way to genuine understanding."³² He believed that self-expression was far more important than repeating prearranged movements.

Unfortunately, this is exactly what so many people actually do with Jeet Kune Do. The misguided student takes a few of Lee's ideas as commandments and holds to them in all circumstances. Rather than becoming liberated and expanding his capabilities, the student substitutes the confines of the classical arts for the restrictions of his skewed interpretation of Jeet Kune Do. His progress is likely to be retarded since he cannot rely upon an instructor to immediately point out flaws in his offensive and defensive tactics that will surely be exploited by experienced adversaries. He must correct all imperfections in his skills on his own accord. If he does not possess these acute powers of observation, he can never become as accomplished as he might wish.

Such misunderstanding can easily be avoided if the student researches Lee's thoughts more carefully and not with a superficial approach. For example, when Lee describes the problems with classical styles, he is not saying to ignore the traditions and formalities just be-cause he disputes their usefulness and says as much. He encourages everyone to contemplate and understand for themselves as to what is and what is not beneficial to their training.³³ Lee's hand-picked successor, Dan Inosanto, notes that Lee once told him that "if it doesn't work for you, throw it away. But you should drill on it first. Know the rules, follow the rules, dissolve the rules."³⁴ In other words, the student ought to learn the how and why of a technique to discover if it improves his effectiveness as a fighter and not form a snap judgment out of prejudice, the ultimate form of paralysis. As for disregarding classical instruction altogether, Lee responds that you should "not deny the classical approach simply as reaction, for you will have created another pattern and trapped yourself there," and "seeking the opposite of a system is to enter another conditioning."³⁵

What Lee's philosophy boils down to is that proficiency in combat comes about through self-knowledge.³⁶ Exposing strengths and weaknesses in order to improve specific skills is the basis of martial arts in general. Confidence and a growing feeling of self-worth can then emerge as an individual masters more and more techniques in the art. The enthusiast becomes accomplished at movements he has practiced over and over again until he can perform them perfectly. But he has also developed into a bit of a robot. He no longer experiments on his own, trying different techniques or combinations but has fallen into a rut of repeating the same preferences. When the opponent throws a roundhouse kick, he always counters with a back-kick. He has accepted the actions as perfect and has subjugated his spontaneity. The harm in this development is that when confronted with an unorthodox opponent, he tries the same routines. If these routines do not prove effective, the limited fighter is at a loss to improvise and succumbs to the superiority of his antagonist.³⁷

Applying set guidelines to Jeet Kune Do limits its application and usefulness. A pattern or rule offers a strict definition of what Jeet Kune Do is or is not. But stating a rule is not applicable in this instance because "'Jeet Kune Do' is merely a convenient name"³⁸ for a tool that helps one gain self-knowledge and, hence, liberation from constricting ideologies. The person is free to explore on his own without having to concern himself with whether or not a technique fits within the structural framework of a system. Jeet Kune Do is simply a tool, "a label to be used as a boat to get one across; once across, it is to be discarded and not carried on one's back."³⁹

Naturally, if one chooses to embark upon his own path, he does indeed develop some unique characteristics especially in rhythm by throwing kicks and punches at odd moments. He finds it easy to confuse stylists who are used to sparring with people who have a particular rhythm.⁴⁰ But once he has someone confused, does he possess the skills necessary to follow-up his advantage? The question returns to ask if the individual has spent the necessary time on the basics of footwork, speed, power, and form not to mention if he has trained with intelligence by correcting the flaws in his technique. It cannot be overemphasized: the philosophy, like any other tool, is only as useful as the person using it. A person who rigidly adheres to the doctrines of his style is as capable so far as that doctrine permits. But his skill is still much better and much more effective than someone who is not a diligent in his training and does not have a firm grasp of very many techniques.

So, when the determined Jeet Kune Do stylist faces the skilled judoist, he feels confident because there is so much more he practices and can work with (kicks, punches, joint-locks, throws, etc.). Yet should his kick or other attack prove ineffectual because a quirk in his form does not allow it to generate enough force, the judoist is able to quickly grab hold and launch the would-be Jeet Kune Do expert through space. Much depends on the attitude of the individuals, but the point remains that attention to every detail cannot be avoided if one expects to become proficient. The study of several martial arts increases knowledge but the student must still pursue that study intensely if he expects to use his knowledge successfully in a physical encounter. Light perusal of an art only "leads to ornamentation" and not usefulness.⁴¹

The end result of this analysis is that hard work and detailed study coupled with intelligence are required to achieve proficiency in the manner that Bruce Lee did. The fact that some individuals do not fully consider these to be necessities only hinders their overall martial development. Without intelligent study, the interested student misses the point of Lee's thinking, and without intelligent training, the student cannot make the gains on his own to reach the same heights as Lee. It is rare to find an individual who has been able to become an accomplished martial artist with very little formal instruction. The effort and intense dedication is beyond what most people are willing to sacrifice. Besides, trying to learn the principles of Jeet Kune Do "through the accumulation of many different styles" is "like a singer trying to improve his voice by accumulating many songs."⁴²

One last point many novices choose to ignore is that in the time since Lee first expressed his ideas, the martial arts have expanded dramatically. Schools proliferate around the world, providing instruction to many more people than before. People raised watching his films and being influenced by his ideas are now instructors applying some of Lee's methods to their training and their classes. Potential students have the opportunity to learn many, many different styles covering the wide spectrum of traditional, practical self-defense, and sport instruction. The martial arts now offer a seemingly endless variety of styles.

No longer is the prospective student forced to choose stiff, unrealistic styles for his training. Now he can join many more dynamic, practical styles that present much broader curriculums. In many instances, the head instructor, and even the governing body at times, is more willing to change certain aspects of the art in order to upgrade and improve the methods. For example, full-contact sparring is more widely used in place of form training to sharpen combat skills enabling the student to gain valuable practical experience. Confronted outside the training hall, the student is less likely to panic since he has squared off against a physically aggressive person many times before.

In fact, the immense popularity of Taekwondo especially in the past few years can be primarily attributed to its appeal from both a self-defense and sport aspect. As is already well-known, the added dimension of sport Taekwondo allows an exciting release for all ranks and heightens the enjoyment of participation. The student has the opportunity of putting his hard work to use and testing himself against another similarly ranked opponent in a controlled situation. For those desiring a more practical self-defense approach, Taekwondo benefits from the sport training techniques in sparring to allow students to suit up with protective gear and fully apply their knowledge in a full-contact situation. The chance to face a moving body is invaluable in preparing a person to act prudently in an actual menacing encounter. Even with this dual aspect, Taekwondo remains always a martial art stressing respect, discipline, and personal growth. The sport aspect even requires participants to demonstrate proper etiquette before, during, and after their matches. Taekwondo is a far cry from being labeled a "static" or "unrealistic" martial art.

Taekwondo is able to flourish because the practitioners are able to add their own innovations to the curriculum and the art greatly benefits from their input as a result. The Taekwondo instructor often encourages his students to try new combinations and experiment with new techniques so the student does not always rely on a set, repetitive pattern. Clearly, this demonstrates how important change and modification are to the growth and popularity of a martial art. The pseudo-martial artist can no longer use the excuse that traditional styles are too restrictive. Certainly, a particular style stresses a certain philosophy but that only limits the student if he is blind to learning anything to complement his knowledge. Adhering to the context of the art, the student only needs to spend extra time outside the class to work on his own format of using his skills to best effect should the need arise.

So, formal instruction in a classical art offers much more today than when Bruce Lee first raised the protest against the "classical mess". Lee's philosophy does provide a great deal to reflect upon and consider but not at the expense of studying under an eclectic instructor who instills the full glory of the martial arts within a student. A martial art cannot be fully explained through writing as Lee's must for most persons. "Martial arts knowledge, like religion, must be experienced in order to be known."⁴³ The student must learn and experience his techniques thoroughly and not be content with limited interpretations. Once learned, the student can then further refine his skills to perfection using his acquired knowledge intelligently for best effect. In the great desire to follow Bruce Lee, the admirer is tempted to overlook the advantages of a structured school with its excellent instruction in the basics simply because he is mesmerized by a superb performance and powerful philosophy. To zealously echo Lee's criticism is to demonstrate a shallow understanding of the target of that criticism. Today, the constantly changing face of the martial arts offers superb instruction in various styles that are far from stagnate and confining as some novices may believe. Most importantly, without thoughtful study, Jeet Kune Do offers a point of view that can greatly confuse the eager beginning student and hinder his overall progress in the martial arts.

 
Notes

¹Felix Dennis and Roger Hutchinson, The Wisdom of Bruce Lee (New York: Pinnacle Books, Inc., 1976), p. 28.

²Bruce Lee, The Tao of Jeet Kune Do (Burbank: Ohara Publications, Inc., 1976), p. 12.

³Lee, p. 14.

⁴Dennis, p. 27.

⁵Lee, p. 160.

⁶Ibid, p. 24.

⁷Dan Inosanto, Jeet Kune Do: The Art and Philosophy of Bruce Lee (Los Angeles: Know Now Publishing Company, 1980), pp. 10-11.

⁸Lee, p. 22.

⁹Editors of Black Belt Magazine, The Legendary Bruce Lee (Burbank: Ohara Publications, Inc., 1986), p. 67.

¹⁰Lee, p. 16.

¹¹Ibid, p. 22.

¹²Editors, p. 143.

¹³Alex Ben Block, The Legend of Bruce Lee (New York: Dell Publishing Co., Inc., 1974), p. 41.

¹⁴Editors, p. 46.

¹⁵Inosanto, p. 63.

¹⁶Editors, p. 145.

¹⁷Ibid, p. 65.

¹⁸Linda Lee, Bruce Lee: The Man Only I Knew (New York: Warner Books, Inc., 1975), p. 81.

¹⁹Ibid, p. 83.

²⁰Editors, p. 52.

²¹Block, p. 48.

²²Editors, p. 150.

²³Linda Lee, p. 158.

²⁴Editors, p. 46.

²⁵Dennis, p. 76.

²⁶Editors, pp. 117, 118, 146.
Linda Lee, p. 84.

²⁷Linda Lee, p. 74.

²⁸Editors, p. 66.

²⁹Ibid

³⁰ "

³¹ " p. 64.

³² " p. 65.

³³ " p. 67.

³⁴ " p. 143.

³⁵Lee, p. 25.

³⁶Editors, p. 67.

³⁷Lee, p. 17.

³⁸Editors, p. 66.

³⁹Ibid, p. 69.

⁴⁰Lee, p. 62.

⁴¹Ibid, p. 24.

⁴²Inosanto, p. 145.

⁴³Ibid, p. 97.

 
Works Cited

Block, Alex Ben, The Legend of Bruce Lee. New York: Dell Publishing Co., 1974

Dennis, Felix, and Hutchinson, Roger. The Wisdom of Bruce Lee. New York: Pinnacle Books, Inc., 1976.

Editors of Black Belt Magazine. The Legendary Bruce Lee. Burbank: Ohara Publications, Inc., 1986.

Inosanto, Dan. Jeet Kune Do: The Art and Philosophy of Bruce Lee. Los Angeles: Know Now Publishing Company, 1980.

Lee, Bruce. The Tao of Jeet Kune Do. Burbank: Ohara Publications, Inc., 1976.

Lee, Linda. Bruce Lee: The Man Only I Knew. New York: Warner Books, Inc., 1975.