A phrase often uttered in the JKD community, but seldom properly understood is the one that says that Jeet Kune Do is a style without a style, that you have to find what works for you and cultivate it, etc etc.
It is true, the intention of Bruce Lee for those that train Jeet Kune Do, is to develop themselves, not be stuck in fixed routines and forms because a classical martial art asks that you do so in order to progress.
What Bruce Lee was after is that there is no fixed method of training, and for each individual the training methods may need to change. If your overweight, you need to include more exercises and a lifestyle that helps you reduce that weight. If you're weak, you need to do strength training, if you are not flexible, you need to stretch. Find the weak points, work on them. If you are poor at kicking, find out why that is, and work on it, same with anything else. When you work on these basics, first, then you can start to look deeper at individual techniques. Perhaps your straight punch is great, but you struggle with the hook, so work on the hook! Get all the basics right first and get those to a decent level of proficiency.
Once all that is dealt with (and maintained), you'll start to find what works well. We are al built slightly different, taller/shorter etc.. Both the tall and the short person should be able to kick and punch, etc well (the basics), but when it comes to a fight, both will find different tactics that work better. A taller person may find they can keep their opponent at bay because of their longer reach. A shorter person may find he'll fight better in close range (when faced with a tall opponent) as it can neutralise the longer range tools of the opponent, whilst retaining more options themselves. Tactics and personal attributes will determine someones 'style' in JKD in the long run, not the searching for techiques or even arts to 'blend' into JKD.
So two JKD persons, two different styles, both JKD. Think Tyson and Ali, two boxers, two very different fighting styles. Both box, no adding of anything else, but cultivating their strenghts and making boxing their own.
In Jeet Kune Do, the following are the very basics every person needs to be working on and get good at, that can be trained on your own with minimum to no equipment, outside of regular class.
Ideally, if you have the space, invest in a heavy bag or a BOB (Century BOB), or both, as minimum training equipment on your own, which will enhance your training a lot.
- Basic mobility (not as in footwork, but in moving all your joints through every direction of movement they are naturally capable of to loosen them up. ) For example: In which directions can you move your head?? (turn left, right, up down, tilt left and right (ear to the shoulder), and combinations of these! (try it, ear to the shoulder, and then in that position nod yes, then no)) You can do more than you think, work on that!
- Basic fitness (strength (body weight), endurance (jog, cycle etc), flexibility (stretch) )
- The on guard stance
- Footwork (learning to move in all 4 directions whilst maintaining the guard)
- Basic techniques(your basic kicks and punches, all from guard (and returning!! Don't let your limbs hang out there, on guard, on guard, on guard!!) Both static (at first) and with footwork.
- Elusive lead (5 lines of attack to various target areas)
Then comes refinment of all the above + method and tactics, for this you ideally need a partner (class time training). This is acchieved through a mix of drills, and (controlled) sparring. The list is not complete, but it gives you an idea of how this differs from individual training above.
- Timing & rhythm
- Basic trapping and sensitivity drills. (If you are lucky enough to own a wooden dummy (mook jong) you could also train some of this individually, but they can be expensive).
- bobbing/weaving, slipping , parrying.
- Sensitive Aura ( e.g. distance judgement, vision and hearing, 'sixt sense' etc.)
- 5 ways of Attack
So you can see, many things to work on, in your own way, your own approach, catering to your own needs and wishes, whilst not seeking for solutions outside of the art. Lastly I'd also like to emphasise to learn to relax, not just physical , but mental. Take a moment and just 'breathe', just be, no thought, no distraction. Mindfulness.WALK ON!
