Can You Enter a Martial Arts Competition With Jeet Kune Do
Standing with my serial on the history of MMA (part three can be constitute hither: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/33398-rebirth-of-mod-pankration-the-origins-of-mma-part-three), this commodity will examine Bruce Lee'southward martial arts philosophy and contributions to the development of modern MMA combat.
The next article in my series looks at the ascension of Vale Tudo contests in Brazil and the work of the Gracie family in developing the art of Jiu-Jitsu, eventually leading to the cosmos of the UFC in 1993.
Lee equally a Historical Figure
Xxx-v years after his death, Lee remains a controversial human being, both every bit an actor and martial creative person. He is undoubtedly a cultural icon, responsible for bringing popularity to traditional martial arts and Chinese cinema in the West. He was named ane of the top 100 Most Important People of the Century past TIME magazine.
However, at that place are many critics who concord serious reservations near Lee's legitimacy equally a true martial artist, citing that he was an thespian start and foremost. While this might be true to an extent, Lee's accomplishments as a professional fighter have been well-documented, including many feats of strength that seem to defy the realm of possibility.
Therefore in this commodity I do not desire to dispute the authenticity of Lee's abilities and argue whether or not he was a existent fighter: I want to stick to the facts and examine what he practiced and believed regarding the essence of martial arts, peculiarly in relation to his "style" of Jeet Kune Do and its relationship to electric current MMA competition.
A Curt Martial Arts Biography
Lee began grooming in Wing Chun Kung Fu at the age of thirteen. Wing Chun is a Southern Chinese martial art that focuses on brusque-range combat, with an emphasis on aggression and practicality. Lee likewise trained in Western boxing and fencing. At 22, Lee received breezy training from Wally Jay in the Japanese art of Jujutsu, from which come up the styles of Judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He also expert Judo and catch-wrestling with Cistron Lebell.
He began teaching a modified form of Fly Chun when he came to America at the historic period of 19. In 1965, when Lee was 25 years erstwhile, Jeet Kune Do would be created. In a long and disputed lucifer with Wong Jack Man, Lee became convinced that traditional martial arts were also restrictive and formalistic to be employed effectively in a real combat situation.
He strove to develop a fighting system that focused on expediency and flexibility, and which would exist able to react to any evolution in a fight with speed and efficiency. He would phone call his new martial art Jeet Kune Do, and proclaimed it as the "way of no way."
Jeet Kune Do and Martial Philosophy
The phrase Jeet Kune Practice literally translates equally, "The Way of the Intercepting Fist." It refers to the process of countering your opponent'due south attacks with one of your own, and using whatever techniques that the state of affairs prompts. Lee understood that in a combat situation, certain forms or kata would exist too rigid and unresponsive to be used advantageously.
With Jeet Kune Do, the practitioner is able to utilise any motion or attack that volition enable to him to take advantage of the changing circumstances in a fight. Thus, there is greater liberty of movement and more than options available to those who adopt this philosophy of combat. JKD is supposed to be a response to traditional martial arts that are also narrowly-focused on pre-conceived configurations in gild to be truly constructive in a dynamic surroundings.
However, to even call JKD a mode is a misnomer and misunderstanding of its essence, and here it's just referred to as a "style" for grammatical convenience. Its emphasis is using solely what is useful for combat purposes, and discarding everything else. It doesn't matter where the techniques that you are using come from; it merely matters if they are effective and efficient in a alive combat state of affairs.
Lee himself said that JKD is merely a proper name, and is not to be compared to any other fashion, because JKD is the "fashion of no fashion." To set off JKD against Karate or Jiu-Jitsu every bit a distinct entity would be a mistake, since JKD is not a drove of certain techniques or movements: it is all possible combat maneuvers simultaneously, with the electric current situation determining the next action of the practitioner. The martial art developed by Bruce Lee is essentially "style-less."
Lee heavily emphasized physical workout as an integral component of the martial artists' lifestyle. He believed that strength and endurance preparation was largely neglected in the martial arts globe of the day. Proper nutrition was also ane of his focuses. Lee would spend several hours each day working on his physique and conditioning in order to get a stronger and more than durable competitor.
His grooming program can be described every bit a "total body fettle" regime, and Lee would but do functional exercises that gave him directly gainsay benefits. He stressed the importance of cross-training, cardiovascular piece of work, strengthening the intestinal muscles, and speed-building exercises. He normally weighed between 135-145 pounds, though at one betoken he reached 160 pounds due to heavy lifting.
Lee paid shut attention to the ground game, and practiced wrestling and Jujutsu. Yet he realized that fans would rather see a hit lucifer instead of grappling, and lamented the fact that submission arts may never reach the popularity of traditional styles in movies. He wanted to put on a show for the audience, but unlike nearly of his contemporaries, he knew that to be a actually dangerous and complete fighter, one had to have a solid grasp of ground-fighting techniques.
Legacy and Connection to MMA
Bruce Lee's influence on MMA can be felt to this mean solar day. His emphasis on only using techniques that are beneficial in a real fight coincides with the preparation regimes of current MMA combatants. Fighters of today focus on whatever methods volition bring them success in the cage, and not on whether or not a move corresponds to a certain grade or style. To win, you need to be unrestricted in your movements and attacks, and this is a lesson Lee taught over 20 years earlier the commencement UFC was held in 1993.
Interestingly enough, the early UFC events were advertised as a competition between styles, to decide which i was the all-time in a one-on-one combat state of affairs. The UFC was in part created by Rorion Gracie, who wanted to advertise Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu as the supreme combat fine art. At that fourth dimension, near fighters in the striking arts were unfamiliar with the ground game, which enabled Royce Gracie to win several UFC tournaments with submissions.
The sport has evolved since then, and competitors have realized that y'all need to be well-rounded at in all facets of combat if y'all want to be truly successful. Otherwise, one-dimensional fighters will lose to those who are ameliorate-rounded than them or stronger in the aspect that they specialize in.
At that place are a few current MMA fighters who have trained in Jeet Kune Do and even utilize it to complement their other skills. Jerome Le Imprint and Ben Saunders are two of the more prominent fighters who claim a background in JKD. They both fight in a southpaw stance, even though they're right-handed, because Lee taught that it is best to fight with your strong manus forward.
He understood the "martial" aspect of combat arts better than most, and tailored JKD to be as powerful as any fighting organization could be. He later would regret the progress of JKD though, citing that information technology had turned into an actual "style," which was the complete contrary of his intentions.
I wonder what Lee would have thought nearly MMA if he had lived to his twenty-four hour period. He has received many compliments from those inside the concern. UFC president Dana White has called Lee "the father of mixed martial arts."
Randy Couture, the only 5-time UFC champion in history, had this to say: "I think a lot of the martial arts schools across the country are moving away from the traditional martial arts programs to more than of a mixed martial arts curriculum. I retrieve Bruce Lee would be very proud of the movement and what'due south happening. Information technology's kind of all nigh what'southward constructive and not getting caught upwardly in one particular way or another" (David Mayeda, "Fighting for Acceptance" p.9).
There tin can exist little doubt that Bruce Lee was a pioneer and a man well alee of his time. His "style" and focus on practicality and effectiveness lies at the centre of the goal of true MMA competition: to determine who the better fighter is, and not what is the best mode.
Lee'southward whole approach to the martial arts and life itself is encapsulated by a phrase he once said: "Empty your mind. Be formless, shapeless, like water. Now you lot put water into a loving cup, information technology becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle, it becomes the canteen. You put it into a teapot, it becomes the teapot. At present, water tin can flow, or it can crash! Be h2o, my friend."
Await for my next article in this serial which details Vale Tudo in the xxthursdaycentury and the development of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu past the Gracie family.
Source: https://bleacherreport.com/articles/36944-bruce-lee-and-jeet-kune-do-the-origins-of-mma-part-four