JEET KUNE DO = The Way Of The Intercepting Fist

Jeet Kune Do is the form of martial art created by the legendary Bruce Lee. During his years of training, Bruce came to realise that no one martial art has all the answers to all combat situations, as he said "Everything works, but nothing works all the time", so JKD is really about using the art that works for that moment in time and then moving on (adapting to the situation). 

Because of the way he was built, his emotional make up and so on, Bruce originally researched and drew from 26 forms of combat which he found suited him on a personal level and were very effective forms of combat. He chose arts that could be used in the Kicking, Punching, Trapping and Grappling ranges. he also developed his body and senses to their ultimate potential, in order to be as effective as possible in any given situation (Combat or otherwise).

Sometimes Bruce would only use a principle from a combat form, like coining the phrase "Stop Hit" from western fencing. This was to become a cornerstone of JKD philosophy, intercepting an opponent just as he is about to strike you. He also adopted steps, terms and the strong side forward stance from fencing.

Bruce Lee was a student of Philosophy and studied the human condition in order to better understand himself, he was also an amazing example of self motivation, which is the driving force in any martial artists training. he knew that you must not only concentrate on the physical side of combat, the emotional side is every bit as important. he said that in combat, you must sometimes learn to step through the door way of insanity...and come back again. A JKD practitioner is all about cultivating attributes, both physical and emotional.

Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do is the term used when describing the art and techniques Bruce taught when he was alive (Lee Jun Fan being his Chinese name) Jeet Kune Do Concepts is used to describe the way Bruce's art has evolved and been added to or changed since his death, by the instructors Bruce left behind. His friend and highest ranked instructor Danny Inosanto added elements from the art of Kali because he found that they complimented the way Bruce viewed his combat training and could only add to the effectiveness of JKD. Many other JKD teachers have done this over the years because they thought Bruce would want his art to always be evolving.

What Is HSIU LUNG TAO? Well the literal translation is Little Dragons Way, however it's more than just a name!

Hsiu Lung Tao is a street defence orientated martial art based on the late (great) Bruce Lees Jeet Kune Do concepts. The art began its roots in the late seventies founded by Sifu John Carrigan and John's top student and training partner Martin Sterling. Martin has now sadly passed away.

As well as holding several other black belts, John is also a fully qualified JKD instructor under Sifu Richard Bustillo and has nearly 40 years of martial arts training behind him.

The aim of the HLT Curriculum is to help a person grow as a martial artist by exposing them to various ideas and training methods, producing a well rounded knowledgeable practitioner capable of handling themselves in the appropriate manner should the need arise. HLT is a Jeet Kune Do concept art which adheres to Bruce Lee's philosophy of combat, but it also draws from John's experiences throughout the years, not only from martial arts and fighting, but also from, Philosophy and Psychology, areas John has studied in depth and put to great use in his every day life and teachings. 

Hsiu Lung Tao consists of certain elements and concepts taken from many martial arts, such as Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do, Western Boxing,Thai Boxing, Kali-Eskrima, Pencak Silat, Fencing, Savate Jujitsu, Aikido and several more, but Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do is the over riding art which all of the other arts play a part in. HLT training is organised into Phases (five in all), and once you reach phase five (Black Sash or Black Sash Instructor) you then have enough tools and experience to live in the moment and create your own Jeet Kune Do. 

Adapt like a shadow. Respond like an echo. Reflect like a mirror. Flow like water and strike like lightning.

Would Bruce Lee at his peak be able to contend with today's top MMA fighters?
 

A question often asked. Bruce in the early 70s would be limited by any rules based fight. He realised this training with Judo maestro Gene LeBell. Bruce would "play nice" and Gene would simply grab him or pick him up. Bruce knew he couldn't defeat or control Gene without really hurting him first. He'd have to deploy strikes to eyes/throat/groin to defeat the larger skilled opponent. Having said that, there was no MMA scene at the time, so the question was largely academic - Bruce had no reason or incentive to develop his fighting style "for the ring". If he had, who knows?!  What do the experts think?

• Dana White, owner of the UFC

• Gary Puckering, trained in Kenpo Karate, Jiu Jitsu, Northern Shaolin Kung Fu and kickboxing

Other worthy contenders

Krav Maga

Krav Maga is a military self-defense system developed for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Israeli security forces (Shin Bet and Mossad) that consists of a combination of techniques sourced from boxing, wrestling, aikido, judo, along with realistic fight training. Krav Maga is known for its focus on real-world situations and its extreme efficiency and brutal counter-attacks. It was derived from the street-fighting experience of Hungarian-Israeli martial artist Imi Lichtenfeld, who made use of his training as a boxer and wrestler as a means of defending the Jewish quarter against fascist groups in Bratislava, Czechoslovakia in the mid-to-late 1930s. In the late-1940s, following his migration to Israel, he began to provide lessons on combat training to what was to become the IDF.

From the outset, the original concept of Krav Maga was to take the most simple and practical techniques of other fighting styles (originally European boxing, wrestling and street fighting) and to make them rapidly teachable to military conscripts. As a result, Krav Maga has built on its original base in Western boxing, wrestling and street fighting.

Krav Maga has a philosophy emphasising aggression, and simultaneous defensive and offensive maneuvers. Krav Maga has been used by the Israel Defense Forces' special forces units, the security apparatus, and by regular infantry units. Closely related variations have been developed and adopted by Israeli law enforcement and intelligence organizations. There are several organizations teaching variations of Krav Maga internationally such as the British SAS and the US Marine Corps.

It's not great fun to train, will get you banned in any MMA arena, but it is brutally effective.

Brazilian Jiu-jitsu

The Gracie Brothers created the UFC to show off their ground/submission game, and very effective is it, when your opponent gets close. This hybrid mixes Jiu-jitsu’s standing throws and strikes with ground fighting, which emphasizes joint manipulation and overall control of the opponent, the goal to submit or choke-out an opponent.
Once on the ground, the first thing Brazilian jiu-jitsu teaches is to seize a limb and break it at a joint: kneebars for snapping knees or ankles, armbars for snapping elbows and wrists, chokeholds and the use of the powerful legs to immobilize the attacker’s torso while the defender ends the fight with fists or elbows to the face.

Great for 1-on-1 fighting, with no weapons. Not recommended if you're attacked with a weapon or are against multiple assailants. You might have the greatest triangle choke, but if his mate is kicking you in the head, or he's stabbing you in the thigh - not so good.

Western Boxing

Bruce was a big boxing fan. His brother, the fencer, showed him the benefit on leading with the strongest side. This is akin to a right handed boxer adopting a southpaw stance, which Bruce employed. Boxers throw punches faster, harder and more accurately than any other trained fighter on the planet. At the time of writing McGregor vs Mayweather is imminent. A good MMA fighter against a brilliant boxer in a boxing rules fight!!? Surely just a massive payday for McGregor, 'cause he's got no chance.
Boxers train on average for 4 years to do just that: punch properly. They are not allowed to kick, so their hands are all they have. Consider that Rocky Marciano knocked out Rex Layne with an off-balance, out-of-reach right hand, covered with a 16-ounce leather glove. This punch knocked Layne’s mouthpiece 10 feet across the ring, out of clenched jaws, and sheared off four of his teeth at the gumline.
Boxers also toughen their bodies religiously, every day, to strengthen their muscles for endurance and durability. They don’t look as hulkingly large as bodybuilders, but their muscles are as powerful and hard as a farmer’s.
They punch, block, bob and weave going forward, and punch, block, bob and weave going backward. They are drilled relentlessly with the maxim, “Always protect yourself”. The hands stay on both sides of the head, the posture crouched so that the whole body is ready for explosive power, and that the front of the torso is protected by the forearms.
Your target is the side of the chin, which will wrench the attacker’s head sideways and shut off his brain by pinching the spinal cord in the neck. His strength and rage do not matter. He will black out instantaneously.