For when my time is demanded of me, my learners pay for their worth. Time means a lot to me because you see I am also a learner and am often lost in the joy of forever developing.
Unfortunately, now in boxing people are only allowed to punch. In judo, people are only allowed to throw. I do not despise these kinds of martial arts. What I mean is, we now find rigid forms which create differences among clans. And the world of martial art is shattered as a result.
The other weakness is, when clans are formed, the people of a clan will hold their kind of martial art as the only truth, and do not dare to reform or improve it. Thus they are confined in their own tiny world. Their students become machines which imitate martial art forms.
As a matter of fact, they each have their strong points and weak points. They all need self-evaluation and improvement. They are too narrow-minded. They can only see their strong points, but not their weak points and other’s strong points. A man confined in thought and scope will not be able to speak freely. Therefore, if he wants to seek for truth, he should not be confined by the dead forms.
The successful martial artist
The successful martial artist will be one who is able to:
1. Possess fluid speed—tenseness tightens and slows reaction time.
2. Possess confidence-plus—at all times.
3. Sock it—everything there, as soon as the opening is there.
4. Puzzle the opponent—never do the same thing twice. Whenever the opponent gets set to hit, move. Each combatant has his own gears (speed, etc.).
Qualities
1. Natural instinctive primitiveness
2. The technique should be a natural blending with stillness and sudden (as well as violent) destructiveness.
A quality martial artist is always ready for any move and trains oneself invincible.
A little learning is a dangerous thing.
Don’t ever telegraph your move—that’s just common sense in martial art.
Timing! A good martial artist keeps his eyes open.
When the opponent advances, one intercepts!
Anger blinds!
Controlled balance of speed of changing of both firing posture and delivery with speed and power!
Talking tactics
Pretend inferiority and encourage his arrogance (technique of deception—action—once or twice—down!). Arrogance corrupts.
If you are among those who are unable to understand the dangers inherent in combat then, like them, you also are either unsure or simply unable to understand the advantageous ways of fighting.
All martial art is simply an honest expression of one’s body—with a lot of deception in between.
Retaliation to a bluff
I never met a conceited man whom I did not find inwardly embarrassed.
The ultimate in disposing one’s skill is to be without ascertainable shape. Not only that emptiness can never be confined, but also the fact that gentleness cannot be snapped—action—and the most penetrating weapons cannot pry in nor can the wise lay plans against you.
A man with a weapon is the one at a disadvantage
The man who pulls a knife on you is at a disadvantage. He will clearly lose the fight. The reason is very simple. Psychologically, he only has one weapon. His thinking is therefore limited to the use of that single weapon. You, on the other hand, are thinking about all your weapons: your hands, elbows, knees, feet, head. You’re thinking 360 degrees around him. Maybe you’re considering some form of escape, like running. He’s only got a lousy knife. Now he might throw it at you. Let him. You still have a chance to avoid it, block it, or he may miss you. You’ve got all the advantages when you think about it.
Against a man with a club
He’s holding something with two hands. I mean, what’s he going to do: swing, thrust, jab? He’s got a problem. What’s he going to do with his feet? He’ll be off-balance if he holds the staff and tries to kick you. That’s his disadvantage.
On martial art and success
In the beginning, I had no intention whatsoever that what I was practicing, and what I’m still practicing now, would lead to this. But martial art has a very, very deep meaning as far as my life is concerned because, as an actor, as a martial artist, as a human being, all these I have learned from martial art.
Use karate, judo, aikido, or any style to build your counter-offensive. It will be interesting!
On sparring
Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, I work on my legs. Every Thursday and Saturday I work on my punch. On Wednesdays and Sundays, I have sparring sessions.
The best way to learn how to swim is to actually get into the water and swim; the best way to learn jeet kune do is to spar. Only in free sparring can a practitioner begin to learn broken rhythm and the exact timing and correct judgment of distance.
In sparring the mind must be quiet and calm; the attention concentrated, and the energy lowered. Besides, straightening the head and body, hollowing the chest, raising the back, lowering the shoulders and elbows, loosening the waist, setting right the sacrum, and keeping the waist, legs, hands, and other parts of the body in perfect harmony are all important. The postures must be natural, capable of stretching and drawing as intended without any awkward strength, and responding immediately after sensing.
Pointers on sparring
• Requires individuality rather than imitative repetition
• Efficiency is anything that scores (in primary freedom one utilizes all ways and is bound by none, and likewise any technique or means which serves its end).
• Simplicity of expression rather than complexity of form
• Turn your sparring into play—but play seriously.
• Don’t take your sparring too seriously.
• Totality rather than partiality
• Dissolves like a thawing ice (it has form) into water (formless and capable to fit in with anything—nothingness cannot be confined . . .)
• When you have no form, you can be all form. When you have no style, you can fit in with any style
• In sparring there is no answer; truth has no future, it must be understood from moment to moment. You see, to that which is static, fixed, dead, there can be a way, a definite path but not to that which is moving and living. There is no conviction or method, but perception, a pliable and choiceless awareness.
• To have a choiceless awareness, one should have the totality, or emptiness—all lines, all angles.
• If one is isolated, he is frozen and paralyzed. To be alive is to be related. Action is our relationship with our opponent.
• Action is not a matter of right and wrong. It is only when action is partial, not total, that there is right and wrong.
Economy of motion
In kicking and striking, especially when launched from the ready position, eliminate all unnecessary motions and muscle contractions which slow and fatigue you without accomplishing any useful purpose. Much energy is wasted by the unrelaxed opposing muscles in resisting the movement—learn