JKD101.com

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Shoulder Roll & Counter

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Last time we covered a counter drill for the Straight
Lead.

One partner performed the:

- In/Out Straight Lead

The other performed the:

- Out/In Straight Lead

I hope everyone has had some fun with this. Keep
working on it! It will definitely help your footwork
and speed.

This time, let’s add the rear hand.

You’ll need to do a Shoulder Roll for this one.

If you’re unfamiliar with this, here’s a brief description
from the right-side forward stance.

While in your fighting stance:

1.) Roll your lead shoulder towards your chin.

2.) Shift your weight to your rear leg.

3.) Rotate your torso counter-clockwise.

Nearly all your weight should be on your rear leg. The
front foot should be on the ball of your foot with the
heel raised.

Eyes *MUST* be looking at the opponent at all times.

This should all be done in one motion.

The idea is to deflect the opponent’s rear cross with
the shoulder.

The shoulder protects the chin.

Now for the drill….

I suggest doing this slow without gloves at first,
to get the motion down. This will also show you just
how small the fist actually is and how precise the
movement needs to be.

Then you should do it with boxing gloves at full
speed.

When doing the Shoulder Roll with boxing gloves,
you get used to seeing the larger glove coming at
you and have a bigger target to deflect. By working
with smaller MMA-type gloves, foam pads, or with
no gloves occasionally, this will keep you in check.

First, just practice doing the Shoulder Roll against
your opponent’s Rear Straight Punch or Cross.

You both should be in matching leads.

Try to make sure that the shoulder is deflecting the
punch.

Your opponent needs to be aiming for your chin
and not trying to miss you. *This is important.*

Now that you have this down, let’s do the counter.

After you deflect the punch with the Shoulder Roll,
you’re now going to immediately counter with your
own Rear Straight Punch or Cross.

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Here’s the sequence of moves:

1.) No. 1 initiates the drill with a Rear Straight
Punch.

2.) No. 2 Shoulder Rolls the Rear Straight Punch
of No. 1.

3.) No. 2 immediately counters with his/her own
Rear Straight Punch.

4.) No. 1 protects with his/her own Shoulder Roll.

=======================================

I suggest starting out with one person initiating the
drill and do it say… 5 times. Then switch and let the
other person start it.

You can also do it in 3’s. If you do it in 3’s, then the
opposite person will start the drill each time.

I know this is a simple drill, but for those of you
who have never done it, it’s a good starting place.

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You can also follow up with a Hook Punch after
the counter. Then you’ll have this sequence:

1.) No. 1 initiates the drill with a Rear Straight
Punch.

2.) No. 2 Shoulder Rolls the Rear Straight Punch
of No. 1.

3.) No. 2 immediately counters with his/her own
Rear Straight Punch.

4.) No. 1 protects with his/her own Shoulder Roll.

5.) No. 2 continues attack with a Front Hand
Hook Punch.

6.) No. 1 can either block the Hook Punch or
Bob & Weave under it.

=======================================

As always, be careful when training these drills.
Be aware and thoughtful of your partners.

Precision of movement is the key here.

Have fun!

_{Copyright 2003
Kip Brockett
All Rights Reserved}

_{(This article originally appeared in the JKD101 Newsletter: Vol. 1, Issue 4)}

Here is an interview with original Bruce Lee student Jerry Poteet.

In this interview, Mr. Poteet talks about Bruce Lee as a practical joker, waived training fees, class atmosphere, etc.

His wife Fran is also interviewed.

Check out this library of Jeet Kune Do articles. A very good collection from various sources.

Hellas Jeet Kune Do Library

They are a Progressive Fighting Systems (PFS/Paul Vunak) affiliate, but the articles cover many areas from OJKD to the “Concepts” method.

Here is an interview with Bob Wall on BlackBeltMag.com. It is entitled “Pulling No Punches“.

This interview was conducted by noted Bruce Lee/Jeet Kune Do historian Paul Bax. In this interview, Bob Wall addresses many persistent stories that have followed him throughout his career.

To read the interview, please visit:

http://www.blackbeltmag.com/archives/564

If you’re anything like me, you watch with a careful eye the pre-fight workouts of MMA fighter, boxers, etc. I watch for obvious technical errors while they shadow box, hit the pads, and/or grapple.

Have you ever been fooled by this?

Last night I was watching a young kid who the announcers were bragging on his exceptional boxing skills. As I watched his pre-fight warm-up, I noticed 3 things that caught my attention.

1. When he threw fast combinations, his hands were down.
2. Every time he threw a shot, he exhaled making a “HAH” sound with his mouth open.
3. When he threw his right cross, he curved it down after hitting the pad.

Now the first thing I thought was if someone were fast enough, they may be able to take advantage of these mistakes. The kid was fast, so that may be why he was able to get away with these errors.

When the match started, I saw none of these errors in his performance. Well, maybe the first one a little bit, but nothing as pronounced as in the pre-fight warm-up.

What happened? Was he purposefully performing these mistakes to mislead? I don’t think so. He may have been playing to the camera a bit, though.

But his performance was exceptional. So the question that begs to be asked is:

Does technical perfection equal exceptional performance?

Obviously not…

So why spend so much time on technical mastery?

I’m sure we’ve all seen the guy who throws wild punches and is technically unsound both during his pre-fight warm-up AND during his fight. This same guy ends up knocking out most of his opponents through sheer agression and punching power. This is not what I’m talking about, though. This guy will eventually get owned by someone with technical skill and power.

What I’m talking about is the guy who only shows a few flaws in his training performance, but his fighting performance turns out to be exceptional.

Where do you find the balance between technical expertise and fighting performance? Or is there a difference in your mind?

Interesting questions, to say the least.

_{Copyright 2008
Kip Brockett
All Rights Reserved}

You can read it on forums around the net. Martial artists complaining and bitching about Mixed Martial Arts… constantly.

Some of the things I have read:

1. MMA is not realistic. There are rules, so it is not a “real” fight.
2. UFC fighters (or any other MMA organization for that matter) do not show a lot of technical skill.
3. You don’t want to go to the ground in a street fight, so the grappling seen in MMA is not realistic.
4. Training for sport is not the same as training for the “street”. Therefore training in a sport-type setting is a waste of time.

While some of these points are valid, taking them in the context they were presented is very short-sighted in my opinion.

Let’s look at some of the points presented above.

MMA is not realistic. There are rules, so it is not a “real” fight.

No shit Sherlock!

No one I know of has EVER claimed that MMA is a “real” fight. It has been claimed that it’s as close to a real fight as you can get with rules. It is also a one-on-one battle. You obviously don’t have to worry about his buddy kicking you while you’re on the ground, your opponent pulling a knife out, falling on a concrete floor, etc.

UFC fighters (or any other MMA organization for that matter) do not show a lot of technical skill.

This is just silly. Obviously there are varying degrees of skill presented, but to say that the majority of fighters do not exhibit a high level of skill shows ignorance on the part of those stating this. The level of UFC fighters has consistently risen since its inception. There was a short time when it seemed to be more spectacle than sport, but that was a loooong time ago.

You don’t want to go to the ground in a street fight, so the grappling seen in MMA is not realistic.

Not realistic? Again… another absurdity. While I agree that the ground is not the best place to be in a street fight, the reality is that sometimes you end up there. I would be willing to bet that the majority of MMA fighters have a much better understanding of grappling than many of these self-proclaimed “street fighters”.

Training for sport is not the same as training for the “street”. Therefore training in a sport-type setting is a waste of time.

As for the first sentence, I totally agree. But it falls apart in the second sentence.

The beauty of sports training is that you can train against a fully-resisting opponent. Something that you can’t always do when training techniques that maim or kill.

Can you simulate these techniques in sports training? Of course you can! And that’s exactly what you should be doing if your focus is on effective self-defense.

The JKD Lead Punch: 101 Ways to Mastery

The problem is, these people feel so threatened by MMA that they lash back at every opportunity. Instead of taking the good from MMA and adopting it to enhance their own training, all they can do is make excuses about their training and bitch about the quality and effectiveness of MMA/NHB.

On the other hand, I do see a lot of MMAers that mistakenly think that since they perform well within the confines of the sport, that naturally they can defend themselves in the street. While this may be true in the majority of cases, it could also lead to a rude awakening against a skilled “reality-based” practitioner.

My point in all of this is that the bitching should stop! Take advantage of the many positives that MMA training can afford the martial artist who focuses on self-defense. Adopt some of the training methods used in MMA. As long as you keep your focus on self-defense, you will be able to reap the benefits of both methods.

Two stellar examples of using sport training as a way of enhancing your self-defense training are:

- Straight Blast Gym - (Look at their weapons training and the ISR Matrix.)
- Senshido - Richard Dimitri has one the best programs out there for dealing with violence.

I know that MMA is in the forefront of martial arts these days. Hell, you can’t turn on the TV without some kind of MMA event being presented. Many feel threatened by this. Personally, I see this as a good thing. Get over it! Learn from it!

AND STOP YOUR BITCHING!!!

_{Copyright 2008
Kip Brockett
All Rights Reserved}

Here’s another short instructional clip that follows up on the “Cross/Low Hook/Hook Combination” drill.

In this one, I’m showing how to add variation to the previous drill. It’s a very short clip, but can make all the difference in the world if applied correctly.

Again, you may have to turn the volume up. Even then, it’s hard to hear. The next vids I make will have a better audio track, I promise.

Some things to enhance the “Cross/Low Hook/Hook Combination” drill:

1. Vary the intensity & power of the strikes.
2. Combine the intensity changes with broken rhythm.
3. Add different set-ups before the strikes.

I was not very clear in the video as to the different set-ups, so here are a few basic ideas:

1. Feint a Straight Lead.
2. Fake a Straight Lead.
3. Do a “Stutter Step”.

Play with the rhythm on these. For instance:

- Feint a straight lead
- Pause
- Follow up with the Cross/Low Hook/Hook drill

Another variation:

- Feint a straight lead
- Immediately follow up with the Cross/Low Hook/Hook drill

This should give you plenty of ideas and variations to train. Just remember to practice good form & technique and you can rack up some reps very quickly.

I would suggest that after you play with several variations, choose 2 that you feel most comfortable. Then begin the journey of training them until they are second nature.

Good luck in your quest!

Here is another short instructional clip I made at the same time as the “JKD Beginning Stance Drill”. Again, you may have to turn the volume up a bit to hear me.

I didn’t go into a lot of detail in this clip. It’s more of a demo with a few variations to train.

There are a couple of points I’d like to make:

1. When throwing the Cross, notice that I step out with the right foot. This opens up my stance and allows my left hip more room to swing. Think of my right hip as the hinge and my left hip as the edge of a door slamming shut.
2. When training the punches one at a time, make sure to ALWAYS bring the striking hand back up to the head. This is a habit you need to train constantly. And remember, you are at close range at this point and protecting your head is key.
3. When training the punches in combination and there is no pause between them, keep it as tight as possible and ALWAYS bring the striking hand back up to the head when finished. Again, look at where you are and the danger involved at this distance.
4. Notice how I always step when throwing the hooks? Sometimes it’s only a small step. This does several things…

- Helps add power into the strikes.
- Helps set up my distance to the target.
- Helps to set up the follow-up strike.
- Creates angles.

Something I didn’t go over in this vid is to keep moving AFTER you throw the combination. After you have your basic mechanics down, try not to pull straight back or be lazy after your execution. Use head movement and retreat at an angle.

I didn’t demo this because the focus of this instructional is on the execution of the strikes as opposed to retreating or clearing after they are thrown. We’ll save that for another time!

_{Copyright 2008
Kip Brockett
All Rights Reserved}

This is my first attempt at a short video instructional for this site. You may have to turn up the volume to hear me. (I’ll make sure to speak up, use a microphone, or use a voice-over for the next one!)

This is a drill I use for ALL my new students. I know many will think this is too static, but I think it’s important to get the feel of a 50/50 stance in stillness first. You can’t get that feel from moving when you first learn this stance.

In regards to the alignment of this stance…

• The alignment presented in this instructional is more prevalent in Ted Wong’s camp than in any other.
• The “heel/toe” alignment is also widely practiced in JKD. To do this drill with this alignment, simply start with the feet about hip width apart. (See Dwight Woods JKD Stance for the “heel/toe” alignment)

I suggest working the stance in a variety of ways after you get the basics down. Here are a few ideas:

1. Step backwards, instead of forwards.
2. “Split” your feet. One steps forward. One steps backward, simultaneously.
3. Work on your speed in getting to your stance.
4. ALWAYS… ALWAYS… CHECK YOUR ALIGNMENT!

I hope this helps some of you that are just starting out. I know this is very basic, but this is a drill I continually come back to and practice. It’s amazing how small little errors can creep in!

_{Copyright 2008
Kip Brockett
All Rights Reserved}

It’s a fact that Bruce Lee had an interest in grappling and was training it to some extent. But should it be a part of Jeet Kune Do?

We have the late Larry Hartsell who is famous for the 33 formal grappling techniques. ( Click Here to read Larry Hartsell’s article on Jeet Kune Do grappling with excerpts from Bruce Lee’s notes. ) But this was very limited. Almost no extended groundwork. As far as I know, Bruce Lee never taught grappling as part of his curriculum.

Since Lee never had the chance to develop this part of his system, should it be included?

I think most serious JKDers will agree that training grappling is important. After that, the paths split. Some believe wrestling favors the JKD mindset. Some believe arts like Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu provide a better groundfighting base.

I guess it comes down to your own views of Jeet Kune Do as to whether grappling should be included. Is JKD the actual art & philosophy that Bruce Lee taught in his lifetime? Or is it a concept that governs your choice of fighting tools & arts?

Personally, I belong to the former group. But I also see the value and necessity of training grappling. I just believe it should be kept separate from the art of JKD. My main argument for this is because Bruce Lee didn’t have the chance to develop this aspect of his art.

Given time, with the interest Bruce Lee showed in grappling, I’m sure we would be seeing much more of it. But that didn’t happen.

There are many great grappling systems that can fit with the stand-up art of JKD. In a future article, I would like to examine some of them and exactly how well they integrate within the art.

If we were to take the grappling techniques that Bruce Lee actually trained and put them in JKD, would this be acceptable?

I don’t think so. Compared to the grappling systems that we see today, this would be an inadequate addition. As stated before, I don’t think Bruce Lee had the chance to develop this aspect of his fighting art to the fullest extent. Other people and systems have done this, though. So it shouldn’t be hard to adapt this to your preferences.

I am going to follow this article up with an examination of different grappling arts and how they can fit within the Jeet Kune Do structure. I welcome any questions or comments on this subject, as it is one that interests me greatly.

Let me wrap this up by saying that, in my opinion, grappling should NOT be a part of Jeet Kune Do. I am more of a traditionalist when it comes to this art. I believe that in order for it to be called JKD, it should follow the teachings and guidelines set forth by the founder. Since Bruce Lee didn’t have the chance to flesh out this aspect of his art, there is no way we can know where he would have gone with his grappling.

I also believe that every serious JKDer MUST train grappling. If for nothing else but to learn to deal with it.

_{Copyright 2008
Kip Brockett
All Rights Reserved}