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.

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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.

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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 a YouTube video of Lamar Davis II performing the Burning Step Side Kick and the famous 1 Inch Punch. This is from a seminar that he conducted at the Jeet Kune Do Academy of Martial Arts in Clifton Park, New York. Circa 2006.

The JKD Lead Punch: 101 Ways to Mastery

This is a video clip by my friend Peter Easterlind of Coastal Dragon Gung Fu in Marblehead, MA.

Here is a short description from Peter:

In this clip we try to illustrate how to break down the roll of seung chi sao into two separate halves of the whole (think yin/yang) and demonstrate how to feel as though you are turning a gear between your arms. It helps to greatly enhance your ability to hold structure when in the early stages of learning.

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}

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Counter Drill

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I’m only going to go over 1 drill in this section.

We’ll break it down into several smaller sections,
though.

Ultimately, this will be done in partners, but we’ll
start with each person’s part first.

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1.) Straight Lead with a fast In/Out footwork.
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This has to be fast. You should immediately pull back
out after the punch.

Make sure this isn’t a half-assed punch, either. You
can’t be pulling back as you punch. You won’t have any
sting at all if you do.

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2.) Slip Back with Parry (Push Stepping Back) &
immediately Push Step forward with Straight Lead.
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You’ll have to slip the head back a bit (not too much!)
while stepping back and parrying. Try not to slip the
head back too much, because it will through you off
balance and slow down the return movement.

Depending on the distance, how deep the opponent
punches, and your reaction time, you could simply slip
the head back without the footwork. But for this drill,
try to use the footwork.

You should practice both these moves individually before
you attempt the partner drill. Make sure your form is
good and that your footwork is explosive.

When doing this in partners, I suggest doing it in 2
different ways.

1.) With small foam “karate” pads. (Or 4 oz. MMA gloves)

2.) With boxing gloves & headgear.

The reason I suggest this is because boxing gloves can
be a bit cumbersome and tend to block vision.

If you use the “karate” pads, you can work more on
speed. You have to really work with your partner with
these pads on. You don’t want to go all-out!

When using the boxing gloves & headgear, you can let
loose more. Now you can really try and hit.

Remember to train safely, though. Keep your partner’s
safety in mind, always! There are times to train hard
and let loose, but it should be agreed upon before-hand
with your partner. No egos, OK???

As from the individual breakdown, one partner initiates
with the In/Out Straight Lead. The second partner
makes him miss by slipping back and immediately
countering with his own Push Step Straight Lead.

The biggest mistake made in this drill is for the partner
that starts it with the In/Out Straight Lead. If he/she
doesn’t pull out fast enough, they *will* get tagged.

So start off slow and then build speed.

Move around with this. Add your footwork. Make it
challenging.

And above all…. have fun!

_{Copyright 2003
Kip Brockett
All Rights Reserved}

_{(This article originally appeared in the JKD101 Newsletter: Vol. 1, Issue 3)}

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Fancy Footwork ‘Which Way is Best?’

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We’ve all heard that footwork is “everything” in JKD.
Right?

But what kind of footwork?

Obviously there are many types. Footwork that’s,

- smooth & dance-like
- explosive
- plodding
- bouncing & Muhammad Ali-like

just to name a few.

One of my all-time favorite boxers is Sugar Ray Robinson.
He had the best footwork, by far, of any boxer I’ve seen,
in my opinion.

He bounced and used rhythm when on the outside, gliding
in and out with that lightning jab.

But on the inside, he settled down and delivered powerful
punches.

He had a combination of footwork that served his style
of boxing well.

I’d like to examine 2 well-known JKD personalities and
the styles of footwork they use. They’re very different in
their approach and movement, which makes for a great
comparison and contrast.

Ted Wong, Bruce Lee’s last major private student and
considered by many to teach the purest strain of JKD
as taught by Bruce Lee before his death.

And Joe Lewis, the heavyweight kickboxing champion
and owner of Joe Lewis Karate Systems, who was also a
private student of Bruce Lee.

First, let’s look at Ted Wong.

Ted Wong’s footwork is smooth as silk, almost
dance-like. Although there is explosiveness and speed
involved, there is an obvious lack of ‘jerky-ness’ to his
movements.

He has some of the best footwork I’ve ever seen. It is,
quite frankly, a beautiful thing to watch.

At nearly 65 years of age, he moves with the grace and
speed of someone a third of his age, but who has also
spent 30 or more years honing his skills.

Joe Lewis’s footwork, on the other hand, is explosive.
Almost the complete opposite of Ted Wong’s footwork.

The emphasis is the blast of power to quickly bridge the
gap with power and ferocity.

The power in Joe Lewis’s movements are clearly evident.

Joe Lewis is a heavyweight, but his movements are
quick as a lightweight. Of course, with heavyweight
power!

Which is the best way to train?

Well… I don’t know.

I don’t like the “this is better than that” type of
approach to martial arts.

It may be more appropriate to say, “this is better for
me than that.” At least, as it pertains to each
individual’s goals, body type, personal style, etc.

In my own training, being an avid student of Ted
Wong, I try to emulate his footwork. I work on the
smoothness of movement that he exhibits.

I also incorporate the explosiveness and many of the
drills that Joe Lewis teaches.

I don’t have the same body type or fighting style that
either of these gentlemen have, so I try to adapt their
teachings to fit me.

I strive to find the balance that Sugar Ray Robinson
possessed. But always with Kip Brockett in mind!

_{Copyright 2003
Kip Brockett
All Rights Reserved}

_{(This article originally appeared in the JKD101 Newsletter: Vol. 1, Issue 3)}