Most people know Bruce Lee as the star of Gung Fu* movies. Bruce Lee's main martial art teaching came from a man called Sifu Yip Man who was a renowed master and expert at a style of Gung Fu called Wing Chun. (Linda & Bleecker 1989) The learning of Wing Chun under Yip Man lasted for almost 3 years during which time Bruce Lee turned all of his energy into perfecting his technigues. After this time Bruce Lee left for America to continue his accademic studies. (Chun 1990) Next to wing chun Bruce Lee also learned Thai chi ch'uan, hung-gar, and chin-na (Little vol.2 1997). According to Danny Inosanto Bruce Lee also had some training in Western Boxing, fencing from his brother, he knew 12 sets of Tom Toy and exchanged techniques with a Cha Lee Fut stylist. (Bruce video 1995) Finnally we must not forget to mention the almost day-day street fights that Bruce Lee had to endure during his childhood in Hong-Kong!
What is Jeet Kune Do?
In Bruce Lee's words: "Jeet Kune Do is simple direct and non-classical" (Bruce Video 1995) Or in a more elaborated form, Jeet kune Do is a devastating amalgam of speed, power and deception. It is alive, fluid, continually, adapting. Sometimes it resembles Western boxing at other times it looks like Thai kickboxing or fencing, Judo, Fillipino Escrima and even Wrestling.(Inosanto 1980) The concept of Jeet Kune Do was born around 1964. When after disposing of yet another challanger (Bruce Lee being the first to teach Gung Fu to non-orientals made some enemies and had to face quite a few challenges from other Gung-Fu teachers)he found as his wife Linda Lee recalls that "the fight had lasted way too long and that it was his own lack of coordination that made it so and he felt inordinately winded afterwards" (Martial arts legends Dec. 1995) So he had to admitt that "I knew right than, I had to do something (about my fighting)" (Uyehara 1998)
