On Health, Fitness & Jeet Kune Do

There was a recent post on the Wednesday Night Group’s JKD Talk Forum that strikes at the heart of self defense training.

You can read the full thread here: Jeet Kune Do Forum

Basically, the poster asks the questions:

1. Would you use extreme/deadly force if necessary?
2. If you think you have this warrior/killer instinct how do you know?

Addressing the first question, I believe that self preservation is hardwired into all living organisms.  At the very least, an organism will attempt to preserve itself long enough to pass on its genetic
material.

Nature has produced many creatures with elaborate methods of self preservation, but human beings seem to have the most variation compared to any other single species of animal.  The most basic form of this killer instinct is simply to eliminate a threat with bare hands and raw, adrenaline pumped rage.

In the case of humans, social conditioning frequently interferes with this instinct.  In fact, many of the dysfunctions, diseases, imbalances, etc., existing today are most likely due to (directly or
indirectly) emotional/spiritual issues stemming from social conditioning.

What’s my point?

Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, has that warrior/killer instinct to protect self and extensions of self (ie. loved ones. friends, country, god/s, race, etc.)  The real question is, will your social conditioning allow that hardwired instinct to express itself, or will it interfere in such a way that it will be completely suppressed, mutated, weakly expressed, or anything in between.

Regarding the second question, yes.  As for how do I know?  I just feel it.  I’m pretty passive in general, but I know that I would act immediately and with deadly force, if necessary, to preserve myself and loved ones.

As for self defense, training should include a degree of mental/spiritual/social conditioning that will ensure access to the warrior/killer instinct when/if ever it becomes necessary to draw upon.  The ability to harness our primal energy, “emotional content” as Bruce Lee might say, is key.

–
Nhan-Esteban Khuong, L.Ac.
www.SGVJeetKuneDo.com

When is the last time you took a moment to objectively listen to and evaluate that ever-present voice in your head?

We all have it. For some of us, it is louder and more obnoxious than for others. Sometimes the voice helps us make difficult decisions, but in general, it tends to be rather negative, cynical, and often cruelly chastising.

It’s called self talk, and for some reason the great majority of people tend to beat themselves up with it, and it is perhaps a student’s greatest challenge to advancement.

I see students punishing themselves far too often for making mistakes.  There are no mistakes!  There is always a better way of doing things, and we can always strive to be better.  Reminding and encouraging ourselves to excel is far more productive that convincing ourselves of how poorly we performed.

Martial arts, or any holistically engaging activity, can be used as a powerful tool to quiet and/or control self talk, but like most skills, turning the mental chatterbox into a trained and supportive ally takes time and diligence.

Focusing on a union of mind and body creates a certain synergy leading to ease of movement and physical expression. Bruce Lee saw the power of developing spiritual and mental strength, especially after that fateful day in 1970 when he injured his back, told he would never kick again, and subsequently bedridden for six months. Lee turned to books about philosophy, psychology, spirituality and personal growth. He also reinforced his mental/spiritual/emotional training via copious writing.

Reading and watching videos or listening to audios are also powerful ways to control mental chatter and retrain our self talk, just be certain that the material is engaging and positive. Follow up by practicing what you have learned, writing about it, and using positive language during self talk.

One thing that all martial artists and aspiring martial artists should remember is that the non-physical aspect of training is far more powerful than the physical. As Bruce Lee said, “JKD, ultimately is not a matter of petty techniques but of highly developed spirituality and physique.”

In Health,

–
Nhan-Esteban Khuong, L.Ac.
www.SGVJeetKuneDo.com

Bruce Lee passed away 35 years ago today and the Bruce Lee Foundation held a very special three day weekend event in honor of his memory and the incredible legacy he left behind.

It was a touching weekend to hear from and meet so many of the people whose lives Bruce Lee touched. We heard from many of his original students, close friends, and family, including Linda lee Cadwell (widow), Shannon Lee (daughter), Allen Joe, Jesse Glover, Ted Wong, George Lee and Taky Kimura.

The highlight of the celebration for me however, was the Sunday morning Instructor Summit, the first ever organized gathering of JKD students and instructors of all backgrounds. It was good to see that the interest in keeping Bruce Lee’s Martial Art legacy alive is still very strong.

The objective of the Summit was to discuss the Bruce Lee Foundation’s (BLF) role in Jeet Kune Do. This was an exciting occasion mainly due to the fact that the Jeet Kune Do community is so loosely organized without any real universally accepted guiding authority.
Although the task of centralizing JKD without stepping on toes is virtually impossible, it appears that the BLF is prepared to step up to the plate. Here are a few of the results of the JKD Instructor’s Summit, as I understood them (in no particular order):

1. The BLF will consult all willing first generation JKD students in order to compile a fundamental JKD manual to serve as a basic and universal guide.
2. The BLF will announce JKD seminars and events held by first generation instructors
3. The BLF will list JKD instructors and their lineages so that those seeking instruction may have easier access.

Keep in mind that these are only preliminary decisions and that this chapter in JKD history has only just begun.

I’ll post more updates as they become available.

In health.

–
Nhan-Esteban Khuong, L.Ac.
www.SGVJeetKuneDo.com

Here’s a great short clip of original Bruce Lee student, Bob Bremer demonstrating some gap bridging skills using the hammer principle.

Enjoy!

–
Nhan-Esteban Khuong, L.Ac.
www.SGVJeetKuneDo.com

The shovel hook is one of those punches that gets very little publicity in the world of pugilism, yet is extraordinarily useful.

I generally don’t teach the shovel hook until later on in training due to its tendency to throw the balance and guard off when executed by a novice. Once incorporated into the arsenal of short range punches, however, it is highly deceptive and powerful.

Having said this, it seems that there is a bit of variation along with some confusion about how the shovel hook is executed.

The two main variations I’ve seen from boxers are essentially hybrid hook/uppercuts. One being more of an uppercut that is thrown into the body rather than upwards towards the face, and the other being simply a hooking punch that is thrown at a 45 degree angle towards the face.

These two variations seem to be the predominant modern versions of the shovel, although there do appear to be more.

In Jeet Kune Do, Bruce Lee seemed to have preferred the mechanics of the classic shovel hook as described by old time boxing champion Jack Dempsey. In fact, the description of the shovel found in the Tao of Jeet Kune Do is nearly identical to Dempsey’s except for the right stancer’s modification.

So, for the record, the JKD shovel hook is thrown with the elbow starting tight against the body and in front of the hip.  The fist then travels in a 45 degree angle, generally toward the solar plexus or chin, landing on the bottom three knuckles. Most of the power is actually being generated from a deep shoveling/upward thrusting of the punching side hip. It really is more of a straight punch than a hook as the shoulder whirl is not emphasized, the elbow is not necessarily fixed, and the body weight is kept in the lead side.

Hope this helps,

–
Nhan-Esteban Khuong, L.Ac.
www.SGVJeetKuneDo.com

Here are a couple of rare interviews with Bob Bremer, an original Bruce Lee student.


–
Nhan-Esteban Khuong, L.Ac.
www.SGVJeetKuneDo.com

Ted Wong was Bruce Lee’s Last private student and one of only two living people to receive ranks in Jeet Kune Do directly from the founder.

Sifu Wong has been relatively low key over the years, maintaining a small number of private students in the traditional “Backyard” style of training that Bruce Lee preferred, generally only being publicly available at his occasional seminars around the world.

There are a few other important original students avidly promoting the preservation of Bruce Lee’s philosophy and martial way such as Tachy Kimura and Jerry Poteet, but it is important to note that Ted Wong had access to the latest stage of Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do. Considering how quickly Bruce Lee was evolving, the training that Ted Wong received is critical to understanding JKD

Here is a rare glimpse at Sifu Ted Wong and Bruce Lee’s Jeet Kune Do. For anyone interested learning JKD, refer to this previous article Recognizing Authentic Jeet Kune Do

–
Nhan-Esteban Khuong, L.Ac.
www.SGVJeetKuneDo.com

“I’m doing the low carb thing.”

The “low fat” era came and went (although I’m still not sure if there is any real understanding of the importance of fats among dieters) and we are now on the tail end of the “low carb” trend that was popularized by Dr. Robert Atkins and many others that were hot on his trail.

I still hear the occasional “I’m on a low carb diet”, and advertising still uses this angle to catch the unwary shopper.

All the fluff aside, carbohydrates are a very important part of good nutrition.  Most of the micronutrients in our diets, including vitamins, minerals, and other healthful compounds, come from carbohydrate sources.

What is the standard picture that comes to mind when you think of carbs?  Rice, bread, pasta, potatoes?  These are all common answers, because they are common foods in the average American diet.  Yet, it’s hard to imagine an abundance of micronutrients coming from these refined starchy carbohydrates.  In fact, it’s hard to see these nutrients coming from any starchy carbohydrates (with a few exceptions) regardless of whether they are whole or refined.

Again, referring to ancient man’s diet, we see that grains were not a significant part.  Wheat, corn, rice, and potatoes did not come into existence in the human diet in any appreciable amount until industrial farming and agricultural domestication was established.  Ancient man’s carbohydrates came from a variety of wild grains, tubers, vegetables, nuts, berries, and fruits.

The modern American, will be hard pressed to find nutrient dense wild plant product sources, but we can at least make the healthiest choices of what we have available.

So what carbs should you be including?

Rich colorful fruits and vegetables along with small amounts of whole grains and legumes with the occasional tuber.  Plant sources should be fresh and local, thereby giving them  more time in the sun and opportunity to ripen naturally (as opposed to imported fruits and vegetables that are harvested early and never really mature).  One major caveat with whole grains is the high rate of subclinical gluten sensitivity that seems to be the cause of so many health issues.

The most effective way to determine if you have subclinical gluten sensitivity is to remove it from your diet for at least three months.  Any health changes will be obvious.

Gluten aside, some people seem to do well on a diet high in starchy carbohydrates, however they are the minority.  Most of us would benefit from keeping grains to a minimum and seeking our carbohydrates from colorful vegetables.  If possible foods should be eaten raw to benefit maximally from their life sustaining properties.

Nutrition really is a bit of an art that requires a careful awareness of self in order to truly master.  In the spirit of Jeet Kune Do, there is no set way.

Bruce Lee talked about “honestly expressing oneself” as a powerful path to achievement and realization.  The most important part of learning Jeet Kune Do is listening to your body in order to understand how to fully use it for “honest expression,” and the same holds true for health and nutrition.  The human body is always honestly expressing itself through vitality and/or disease on all levels, including the physical, mental, and spiritual.

Listen to your body.

In Health,
–
Nhan-Esteban Khuong, L.Ac.
www.SGVJeetKuneDo.com

Jeet Kune Do Nutrition Plan Part I
Jeet Kune Do Nutrition Plan Part II

In “Enter the Dragon”, Bruce Lee states one of his more well known quotes when O’Hara breaks a pine board as a warning of his martial prowess, “Boards don’t hit back.”

Was Bruce Lee mistaken?

You decide!

–

Nhan-Esteban Khuong, L.Ac.
www.SGVJeetKuneDo.com

The one inch punch concept has been around for some time, however it was Bruce Lee’s presentation that seems to have made it so popular.

This is one of those techniques that has achieved “secret weapon” status via multiple sources including, but not limited to:

- Bruce Lee’s super stardom and deification

- Showbiz

- The Chinese (and most Asian cultures) cultural tendency to harbor “secret this-and-that”

- The human desire for something greater

All the hype aside, Bruce Lee’s one inch punch is an excellent example of Jeet Kune Do biomechanics at their best. It is the synergistic culmination of optimal body angles, leverage, timing, coordination, speed, strength, and control at a very short distance.

It’s important to keep in mind however, that the punching speed in Bruce Lee’s demonstrations is significantly lower than would be used in actual application, for the safety of the volunteer. Furthermore, his technique is quite different from the “traditional” version in his use of the power line and the lead hand.

Here is an excellent video presentation on the one inch punch produced by a San Francisco film student as a school project.

Enjoy!

–
Nhan-Esteban Khuong, L.Ac.
www.SGVJeetKuneDo.com