5 comments about The Straight Lead: The Core of Bruce Lee's Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do.

1. Although I try to stay out of the unfortunate fracturing that has come to penetrate (and somewhat define) the "Jeet Kune Do" schools, Teri Tom apparently makes no such effort. I am always interested in new, insightful Jeet Kune Do books, and Tom's book seemed to promise an in-depth study of a very important and interesting aspect of JKD: the straight lead. And although the book does live up to it's promise of being in-depth, it is also extremely - almost nauseatingly - political. Tom lets fly subtle insults towards what I will call the non-Ted Wong school from literally the introduction to the very end of the last chapter. In regurgitating what she (and Wong) believes to be the exact method of Bruce Lee, she by definition goes against the freedom and individuality of the philosophy of Jeet Kune Do. In addition, her ignorance about other arts and the "stigma" of the non-Ted Wong school is almost embarrassing and immature. It really had no part in her book. However, I must respond to Ms. Tom by asking whose signature appears on Ted Wong's rank certificates besides Bruce Lee's?
   
   On the other hand, her book shows promise for a new direction of more in-depth, scholarly inquiries into the martial arts in general, and JKD in particular. In this context, will I purchase her next book? Very likely. Do I recommend this book to others? That depends. If this other person has little or no previous experience in JKD, then no, I would absolutely not recommend this book. If, however, this person has experience in either "school" of JKD and is well-aware of the schism and bias of Ms. Tom and can look past her obnoxious slights, then I would recommend this book as a tool and reference.



2. We should not forget that people naturally tend to pick what works for them best out of any system. All the more so is that the case with followers of Lee, who rightfully pride themselves on open-minded practicality. Teri Tom's book on the straight lead explores this tendency a bit, but in a way that could be misleading.
   
   Bruce's lead hand in his books remains notably higher and his elbow further out from the ribs than Ted's version of the guard stance shows. This is true of the guard stances of both his mother art, Wing Chun, and his Jun Fan period, as well as at least one of the styles that developed from his Jun Fan period and were carried on later, like Wing Chun Do. Lee encouraged people to do what works for them, but this will necessarily provoke idiosyncratic changes if only to compensate for differences in body types and the onset of aging.
   
   There will virtually always be some variation even among very loyal students, even those completely disinterested in any other styles. We should probably consider some of these divergences as idiosyncratic adaptations as much as variations. There can be confusion, though, when the adaptations themselves are portrayed as in any way the equivalence of or intention behind the source from which those adaptations sprung.
   
   The book in question, which touts the value of Tom's and perhaps especially Wong's collapsed and low-leverage front hand guard, seems to veer slightly into this territory. Thus, though this is a good book, some of it is too personalized, ironically rendering it vulnerable to the same criticism it levies against others as to their watering down of Lee's original ideas. This is a minor note in an otherwise generally good and interesting book, but it is worthy of note. I look forward to future books by Ms. Tom and Ted Wong, but hope they will not fall into a temptation it appears they got snagged by in this one.
   
   Another note: There is a mantra-like, near chanting of the idea in this text that because the straight lead is the simplest punch, it is the hardest to learn. Such a notion is not only inherently self-contradictory, but a bit uncomfortably "cute" in not recognizing its limitations. It isn't up to bearing the weight of deep knowledge or even utility that appears to be assigned it. At any rate, once or twice was more than enough.



3. First off I will say, I have no experience with JKD other than reading books by Bruce Lee. I do have experience with other martial arts though. But from what I could tell, everything presented in this book was excellent. It explained every step clearly, the pictures were very helpful, except in a few instances. It also backed up what it was saying with science. I have worked on my straight lead after reading this book, and I can say it definitely is better. Although still nowhere near perfect, I can say that I understand the concepts of the technique and their applications much better after reading this book. I also understand the history of straight punching and where the concepts derive from. I would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in JKD or even martial arts in general.



4. I bought this book with great anticipation, but was severely disappointed. Teri Tom studied with Ted Wong (no disrespect to Sifu Wong) for a few years and thinks she's an authority on JKD? Mmmm...
   
   I've studied Jun Fan and JKD for 19 years, with direct students of Bruce Lee from Seattle, Oakland, and L.A. eras. Ms. Tom has A LOT to learn.
   This book covers good, basic information about stance and the straight lead, although it is incomplete. It's all stuff I've seen for years in Black Belt and Inside Kung Fu magazines. Nothing new except for the notes on Bruce's research from his books.
   
   Although Tom claims JKD is not modified Wing Chun, sorry... that's what it is. The JKD stance is a Wing Chun right-facing forward stance with a raised heel and forward attack weight. Nothing more. See the book "Advanced Wing Chun" by William Cheung on page 21 for the proof. The JKD stance has all of the triangulation, loaded hip, and internal alignment of the WC stance. Of course if you asked her, she wouldn't have any idea of what you're asking about. You cannot fully understand JKD unless you have the Wing Chun principals! That's why Bruce could make other things work - he used the WC principals to improve and integrate other techniques. This is also why there aren't many great JKD fighters... they don't have any understanding of the WC attributes that made JKD work for Bruce Lee. Pat Strong and James Demile (both Seattle students) told me how Bruce Lee came back to Seattle after moving to Oakland to show them how he modified his stance. He MODIFIED the WC stance, he DID NOT invent a new one based on boxing and fencing as Tom indicates. That's absurd.
   
   Tom also claims Bruce abandoned Wing Chun. He didn't... it abandoned him. Bruce didn't finish his WC training. When he went back to Yip Man years later, he was refused because he had disrespected traditional martial arts openly. So Bruce had to integrate other things into his art to make up for the shortcomings he never learned. This is documented and common knowledge.
   
   The straight lead is also a plain ol' traditional Wing Chun punch (Chun Chuie). Bruce did not invent either the JKD stance or straight lead by combining boxing and fencing. They have existed for a hundreds of years before he was born within Wing Chun. He had notes on boxing in books. I have notes on different religions in my books. It doesn't mean I practice all of them. They are REFERENCES. Bruce didn't need books on WC because he studied it for years under Yip Man and knew it. There also weren't any WC books available at that time. That's why Teri Tom finds so many boxing books and notes at her disposal. But she takes this as being all Bruce was interested in. Is this what she considers research?
   
   Teri also failed to include some of the mechanical principals in describing the lead punch. She left out the immovable elbow, hammer principal, final power (fa-jing), penetration, back/shoulder sealing and unity, sinking weight, small arc (cam) principal, non-intention... I can go on. Her footwork is also an incomplete mess... no spring energy, hip loading, critical edge, start speed, short arc, tilted hip... I can rip this book apart page-by-page, but space is limited here. She even mistakes low-line hooks for a Straight Blast in one of the Bruce documentary films. C'mon, you don't know what a straight blast is? (page 179) She also doesn't understand falling step power, stating to land the punch BEFORE your foot hits the ground. The power comes up from the ground when you contact it through the locked knee.
   
   Even her "interview" with Ted Wong is skewed. She blatantly asks questions that point into the direction of her beliefs. They are clearly manipulative in nature.
   
   This book basically contains beginner info written by a beginner. Nothing replaces a good instructor, especially a bad book. Her knowledge of Wing Chun is so superficial that she makes bad comparisons between WC and JKD. How can you criticize and art you barely have any knowledge of? Teri Tom needs to take the blinders off and gain a little humility.



5. I HAVE HAD THE "STRIGHT LEAD" SINCE ITS PUBLICATION AND HAVE READ THE BOOK MORE THAN SEVEN TIMES. IT IS THROUGH THE UNTIRING EFFORTS OF TERI TOM AND THE TRUE TEACHINGS OF JFJKD ARE SAVED FROM EXTINCTION. THE BOOK IS WELL RESEARCHED AND WRITTEN, USING BRUCELEE'S OWN NOTES AND REFERENCE MATERIALS.THE STRIGHT LEAD IS MUCH MORE THAN JUST A MERE "JAB" IT IS A KNOCK OUT PUNCH THAT STANDS ALONE ABOVE ALL OTHER TECHNIQUES IN JFJKD. IT IS SIMPLE, DIRECT AND IN YOUR FACE. THE MECHANICS OF THIS PUNCH ARE QUITE SIMPLE, BUT HARD TO ACHIEVE WITHOUT DEDICATED PRACTICE. IT WILL THE AVERAGE MARTIAL ARTIST 3 TO 6 MONTHS TO GET A GRIP ON IT, HENCE THE REASON MANY WHO PRACTICE JKD JUST DON'T GET IT. MOST PEOPLE KNOW THAT THE MOST POWERFULL KICKS IN MARTIAL ARTS ARE THE "FLYING KICKS" OR "JUMP KICKS". THIS IS BECAUSE OF THE LAWS OF PHYSICS OF MASS AND ACCELERATION. IF THE BODY MOVES FORWARD AND GRAVITY PULLS DOWNWARD THIS CREATES POWER. THE STRIGHT LEAD IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF MODERN SCIENCE AND ART COMBINED. ONE CAN SAY THAT "FLYING PUNCHES" HAVE THE POWER TO K.O. THE OPPONENT BECAUSE OF THE FORWARD MOMEMTUM AND POWER OF THE PUSH OFF FOOTWORK.THERE ARE MANY WHO CLAIM TO BE ABLE TO DO THE STRIGHT LEAD, BUT I HAVE YET TO SEE IT IN PRINT OR ON VIDEO. IT IS HARD FOR SOME TO MAKE A CHANGE AFTER REPEATING THE SAME MISTAKE FOR OVER 30 YEARS. JUST ADMIT YOU HAVE BEEN MIS-GUIDED, IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT, IT HAPPENED TO ME BUT I WAS OPEN TO CHANGE AND FINALLY SAW THE LIGHT. I UNDERSTAND THE MECHANICS OF THE STRIGHT LEAD, AND THE FOOTWORK, IT WILL TAKE YOU SOME TIME....IF YOU PRACTICE, YOU WILL GET IT! BRUCE LEE ONLY LEFT A ROADMAP TO JKD IN HIS NOTES.TERI TOM LEAVES A GPS SYSTEM. HOW MUCH SIMPLER CAN IT GET.DR. RICK LENGYELJFJKD INSTRUCTOR UNDER BILL MATTUCCISTUDENT OF TED WONG

5 comments about Jeet Kune Do: Hardcore Training & Strategies Guide.

1. A great look at not only classic JKD techniques but also new ones developed by Larry Hartsell. Being an original student of Bruce Lee Larry has the rare ability to absorb what is useful and transmit that to his students. The drills found this book are very helpful and will help those of us with some expirince get better that much faster. For the Newbies it will give you an inside look at what JKD is about.



2. For those of you who know Mr. Hartsell, he needs no introduction, but he's one of the Lee's original inner circle of JKD students and is also an excellent grappler. So he combines the best of outfighting and infighting techniques in his personal approach. I've never had the chance to train with Mr. Hartsell myself, but I had the opportunity to buy the Wisconsin summer camp training tape featuring him, Danny Innosanto, Paul de Thouars, and Sirisute a few years ago, and it was excellent. So when I saw this book I thought I would check it out.
   
   Mr. Hartsell is no longer a young man and has been doing martial arts for probably 40 years (like me). I like guys like that since after four decades one knows what works and what doesn't, and one can distill the essence of one's art down to the most effective and essential and practical principles. It's fun to do the fancy stuff and moves and combos, and I sometimes show off a little bit too during my workouts and teaching. But when pressed, I resort to simple techniques which will work in almost any situation, but which require a good foundation in the basics.
   
   Mr. Hartsell has done the same in this book about JKD. He is old and wise now in the ways of the fistic arts. As someone once said, "old age and trickery beats youth and strength." Mr. Hartsell presents the main aspects of JKD, from basic techniques to trapping and energy drills, wooden dummy, JKD sparrying, and basic and advanced strategies and tactics. As I said, one thing that impressed me was that he didn't try to write an exhaustive presentation of JKD, but rather has set down the most important concepts and techniques.
   
   One controversial area of JKD and Wing Chun is trapping. As you may know, Lee during his last years decided trapping wasn't as effective as claimed and got away from it, and I even heard he stopped teaching it as part of the standard curriculum, a major change from the early days when trapping was part of the original "Chinatown curriculum." However, Hartsell addresses that issue too. There is a time and place for everything, and many things in the martial arts are situational rather than universal principles, and trapping is one of them, and Hartsell discusses the issues relating to trapping and how to deal with them.
   
   My favorite part of the book was the section on advanced sparring skills and how to deal with various opponients, such as western boxer, wrestler, Thai boxer, streetfighter, and so on. There is some very practical advice here. Lee was nothing if not a profound strategist, and that approach is reflected here in this section.
   
   Finally, there is a nice section showing the intial attack, and proceeding from there to counters, strikes and kicks, holds and chokes, and takedowns, covering the entire sequence of ranges and techniques, and from standing to ground-based arts. Also, there is an appendix done in Question and Answer format where Mr. Hartsell deals with specific questions and issues there, such as "How to cultivate a killer instinct," and more details on strategies for different fighters, such as tall, big, fast, slow, "hit and run fighters," and many other topics.
   
   I had one last piece of advice, which is that if you're a novice this book should be used in conjunction with a video or videos on JKD showing the actual drills and techniques, of which there are many out there. It would be difficult to pick these up just from the photos. Steve Grody has done an excellent series specifically on trapping skills, and others have done video series covering the more general JKD curriculum. In fact, you can often find these used at bargain prices on e Bay. You might have to check the auctions there for a few weeks to find some, but eventually you should be able to get them. If you're an experienced JKD practitioner you shouldn't have any trouble following the photos.



3. Unlike his older books, this one is more specialized to jkd'ers (& maybe wing chun folks). Also, imo, the techs. shown for dealing with grapplers are not as strong/solid as those shown in his older books, or in material taught in his seminars. Prof. Hartsell is great, but this is not my favorite work of his.



4. Having been trained in JKD, I bought this book to maybe reinforce some teachings, or hopefully learn something new.
   It makes a nice reference in case I forget the names of some moves, but aside from that, I couldn't really find a good use for it.
   Might be a good read for someone a bit newer to the art.
   Very good picture flow and explanations of moves.



5. The pretty negative review is based on the fact that the book is made of 95% trapping drills which are very very difficult to follow.
   The rest 5% is actually quite interesting as it covers fighting tactics against different opponents types (boxers, grapplers, karatekas, etc....) but the pages dedicated to that are the extreme minority.
   The book should have just been called: Advanced trapping exercises.
   Good if you are a trapping fan, but wasted time if you are much more "street oriented".
   Disappointed.

5 comments about Jeet Kune Do: The Art & Philosophy of Bruce Lee.

1. A true work of art. Dan takes the reader through the reform and changes jkd under went following Bruce Lee's passing as well as showing many techniques of jkd. At this point in time the book being almost 20 years old it is just as informative and enjoyable to page through today. Unfortunatly I borrowed my copy to a friend almost 15 years ago and haven't seen it since. I truly hope the book is put into re-print so I may buy another copy. Not only does Dan take the reader through the history and comcepts of jkd he also loads the book with pictures of the(now)old Filipino Kali Academy. Truly a collectors item.



2. IN MEMORY OF MARIO PONTILLO
   Since the late 1970's, I have studied Mr. Lee's "Way of the Intercepting fist." I have the 1st editions of all the "best" books on Bruce's work.
   Dan published this in 1976, I have the original in my possession. It use to belong to Mario, whom was a great fighter that followed Bruces teachings from afar. Mario has passed on to better things, just as Bruce has. Get this book if you can.

   My favorite quote: "Knowing is not enough, you must apply; willing is not enough, you must do." -Bruce Lee

   Please do not hesitate to check out my Poetry book that I published while in the U.S. Navy in 2003; "Under the Rose: Poetry of Tragedy, Essence, and Romance"




3. This book teaches one how to kick freaking ass if neccessary.
   Of course Dan Inosanto includes the philosophical aspects of JKD in this book, so it's not all about 'ass-whoppin' but the ass kicking part is great.
   Keep in mind that Dan Inosanto is considered pretty much the co-creator of JKD. He helped Bruce Lee all along the way so he deserves credit as being co-creator (almost).
   Also, keep in mind that JKD is not so much a rigid system as much as it is a way of staying flexible and being efficient in your fighting skills. Understanding the Tao (way,system,flow)of fighting, not so much really a 'style' per se. Bruce Lee in his later years was very clear on that. He didn't want it to be seen as yet another style as much as a whole philosphical/spiritual system to bring into your fighting that can bring one closer to spiritual enlightenment.
   So, get this book, learn to get to enlightenment through physical action and kick freakin ass (in self-defense).



4. i had a rare 1st edition copy of this and 1 or 2 other "bruce lee" books(paper back).my uncle brought them back from korea after he served there during vietnam.if i had realized how special they were i would have held onto them!!i was 8 or 9 when they were given to me.hind sight is 20/20!!!!!sigh,another in a long line of things ive had and lost.oh well its just stuff,or is it?!!



5. This is a fantastic overview of Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do by his number one student, the legendary Dan Inosanto. This book was published in 1976 but I am fortunate to have a signed (by Dan Inosanto) copy. This excellent book covers conversation with the author, Wing Chun, Jun Fan, Jeet Kune Do, The way of JKD, Beyond Bruce Lee, The JKD family tree and JKD terminology. In conclusion, this is a book for anyone who is interested in the evolution of Jeet Kune Do and how other arts influenced Lee's thinking about the reality of combat. Rating: 5 Star. Joseph J. Truncale (Author: Martial Art Myths, Season of the Warrior: A poetic tribute to warriors, Pro-Systems Combatives Vol. 1, 2, Monadnock Defensive Tactics System, Use of the Monadnock Straight Baton, PR-24 Police Baton Advanced Techniques, Never Trust a Politician, Haiku Moments: how to read, write and enjoy haiku)

4 comments about Bruce Lee: Dynamic Becoming.

1. I will say that the dynamic becoming Brucelee book is a good book on BL the Brucelee book called understanding jkd by Jason p Korol is one of the best!books out good price also.



2. You must read this one for yourself. Absolutely fascinating and enlightening. You will learn things about Bruce Lee that you never knew and a whole new world of philosophy and ways of thinking will open up for you.



3. This book was put together from different essays and interviews the author, James Bishop, wrote over the period of several years. Bruce Lee was also a philosoper, or better said: someone who occupied himself with Philosophy. There are many interesting insights to be found in this book about the much neglected philosophical side of Bruce Lee's art of Jeet Kune Do. I found the chapter on Bruce Lee and Gnostic Christianity and the interview with Bruce Lee historian John Litle particularly informative. The list of books Bruce Lee owned is unique.
   
   Some facts are repeated several times. For instance: the author is of Irish ancestry and praises the work of a JKD sifu in bringing Catholics and Protestants together in war torn Ireland. This is something very positive but doesn't have to be repeated throughout the book. Still, this a very worthwhile purchase for any Bruce Lee enthousiast. Walk on!



4. I found this book interesting, especially
   the 12 pages of book titles attributed to being
   in Bruce Lee's "library".
   
   Really gives a snap shot of Bruce Lee's thoughts by understanding
   what he read and his thought processes.
   
   Bruce made it very clear that in the end individual
   expression, self knowledge and a journey of questioning
   was the path he wished those who wanted to follow his
   path to follow.
   
   We are all on that path (journey of life) and it is
   different for each of us.
   
   Thomas Keplar

5 comments about Jeet Kune Do: The Arsenal of Self-Expression.

1. I am being generous giving this book two stars. I should give it only one, but the book is so well done and the pictures so clear and numerous that I think this book's layout and quality should be a standard for future martial arts publications. For those reasons only I gave it two stars. Everything else in this book is either useless or outright terrible, both in technique and diction. Teri Tom's bigotry towards every other martial art, especially the "non-Ted Wong school" of Jeet Kune Do, is at once frustrating, maddening, and embarrassing. She writes about and SELECTIVELY quotes Sigung Bruce Lee as if he were a deity who is not to be questioned, even close to forty years after his untimely death. Tom (and her trainer/marketer Ted Wong) claim to be truly teaching what Bruce Lee was teaching at the end of his life, which may have some semblance of truth, but it is only a piece of the Jeet Kune Do puzzle. The evolution of Jeet Kune Do as a concept and Jun Fan Gung Fu as an art evolved greatly between 1967 and the early 1970's, yet she cannot seem to imagine that it would have evolved from the time of Lee's death to today. In addition, her ignorance of how and what the other, "charlatan" Jeet Kune Do instructors teach leads her to say false, misleading, and slanderous things about them. Unfortunate...
   
   The book itself has very few actual "techniques", and most seem to be focused on the straight lead once again. I have no problem with this, as in depth studies of few techniques can be just as enlightening as a book with myriad techniques. The problem is how these techniques are portrayed. For all the years Tom has trained with Wong, her technique is as sloppy as someone who has just begun: flailing arms while kicking, landing with extremely wide legs, coming in with her chin up, dropping her arms to her hips when throwing an uppercut or straight lead. This can lead to bad habits to those who don't know any different. I regret spending money on this book, honestly. I wish I could have looked through it before I ordered it. I do NOT recommend this book to anyone, Jeet Kune Do practitioner or not, as I feel it fails to deliver what it promises. Her bitter remarks towards others is also pathetic, to say the least, and has no place in this book. It is truly a shame that a book so well made can be such a waste.



2. Immediately you can tell that this book is written by someone who is very smart. It is evident that Tom is an experience practitioner and teacher of JFJKD, and the content and detail of this book could only come from such a person. Sources and reference are provided lending this book a credibility I have not seen in any other martial art book. It is great to see the roots of JKD.
   'The Arsenal of Self-Expression' is the perfect title. The pictures are great. There is nice balance between techniques and explanation. The book is well structured and easy to read.
   Tom's book is the 'missing pieces' that no-one seems to be able to satisfactorily provide you in your martial arts.
   I look forward to seeing Tom's hook kicks and straight leads.
   There are minor typos and I would have described the 'physic 101' a little differently. However, no content is lost and book is deserving of 5 stars.



3. No, the last word in my review title isn't a misspelling nor is it a typo -- it's a deliberate shot across the bow against the ignorance of those who claim that Teri Tom is blindly following and clinging to the teachings of Bruce Lee that are somehow frozen in time (i.e. techniques that were taught and practiced prior to his death). The very idea that because she went to the source material and roots of Jeet Kune Do that somehow she is going against the philosophy or intentions of the founder of Jeet Kune Do is pure and utter nonsense. I laughed out loud when someone labeled her the "Fundamentalist of Jeet Kune Do" because it once again demonstrates how clueless SOME of those who are descended from or (blindly) follow the teachings of the Inosanto clan are. Now allow me to clarify something here: I like and respect Dan Inosanto a great deal and in fact have attended some of his seminars several times. I think in general he has done a tremendous amount for the martial arts community as a whole, and is probably more responsible than anyone else in this country for bringing the Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) to the forefront of the United States. He is brilliant as both a martial artist and a teacher, but I RESPECTFULLY disagree with him regarding the idea of Jeet Kune Do CONCEPTS, which is HIS idea and NOT Bruce Lee's. Now before all the haters out there start with the comments that "Dan inherited the mantle of JKD, yadda, yadda, yadda..." While it's true that Dan Inosanto was one of three (the other 2 being the late James Yimm Lee and Taky Kimura) to have received instructor certificates from Bruce Lee, that does not negate the fact that Ted Wong was Bruce Lee's longest private student (and this is logged in Bruce's personal journal) and in addition NO ONE could possibly know whether Bruce would have issued Ted a certificate as well (Bruce wasn't expecting to die when he did). Getting to the book Jeet Kune Do: The Arsenal of Self-Expression, I have to say that it is a work of sophisticated simplicity. If one merely picks up the book and leafs through it, one would think that there's not much to it but just a number of kickboxing techniques in a well laid-out format. If one READS through it (and it would almost seem to me that some who reviewed the book here skimmed through rather than actually READ the text and if they did, they didn't "get" it) one would see that there is a thorough and scientific dissection of many of the techniques that make up Jun Fan (Bruce Lee's) Jeet Kune Do (as opposed to Jun Fan/Jeet Kune Do -- a term used often by the "Concepts" clan). Does Teri Tom and Ted Wong make some strong statements in the book? You bet they do. It's funny that people attack Teri Tom and make outlandish claims that what she is espousing is somehow outdated, and yet those same people wouldn't neccessarily say that Muay Thai (a great art that is utilized by many who practice MMA) -- a far older art -- is somehow also outdated. So what is Teri Tom's, Ted Wong's, and even Shannon Lee's (Bruce's daughter) beef? It is this: with the explosion and perpetuation of the Concepts Method, people were teaching and spreading techniques that bore little or no semblance to Bruce's original art. In other words, Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do was dying. I know there are those who would at this point say, "No, it wasn't dying, it was evolving" at which point I would say, "rubbish!" I trained in the concepts method and I learned many valuable things (I thought the grappling and FMA classes were especially good), but what was missing was Jeet Kune Do. What was called in the concepts school (yes it was one of those JKD/Kali outfits that also taught some Savate, Silat and Muay Thai -- at the time I was studying Brazilian Jiu Jitsu wasn't all the rage yet)Jun Fan kickboxing seemed to me to have very little semblance to Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do -- the vertical fist was de-emphasized, the dominant hand forward was de-emphasized, some footwork techniques were tossed out, in short this was an emasculated version of Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do. I remember the instructor of the concepts class once asked: what was the difference between Jun Fan Kickboxing/Jeet Kune Do Concepts vs. Jeet Kune Do? The answer was: Jun Fan Kickboxing/Jeet Kune Do Concepts can be taught to larger classes and seminars while Jeet Kune Do can't. In Teri Tom's Jeet Kune Do: The Arsenal of Self-Expression, one can see why. While many of the actual kicking and punching techniques would be familiar to most, the footwork is deceptively sophisticated (and incidentally was largely absent in the concepts class with the exception of the most basic steps). One could see why Bruce preferred small classes so he could watch over his students like a trainer would with a stable of fighters. Is Teri Tom fortunate for having studied one on one with Ted Wong? Hell yes! Incidentally I thought the techniques in the book were well executed and disagree with the person who said that Teri Tom is sloppy. In fact, I'm hoping she eventually comes out with a video. I need to make one final point about Teri: she is NOT against studying other martial art forms, and in fact she is studying a form of American (not Brazilian as someone claimed)Jiu Jitsu known as the Freedman method. What she IS against is someone slapping together a disparate collection of martial arts and calling it Jeet Kune Do. Sorry for digressing from the book so much, but I believe the above points were important ones to make. Teri Tom with her latest book (and along with her book on the JKD straight lead)is performing a valuable service: she's bringing Bruce's original art to the world while at the same time explaining the science AND philosophy behind it. She's also helping to preserve Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do for the sake of history and I believe she's doing a masterful job. Even for those who don't agree with her viewpoints, if one truly READS the book and studies it, one will see there really is a treasure trove of information within its covers.



4. Let me say first, I'm basing this review off of the pictures and information of boxing and kickboxing techniques show in this book and NOT in any way about the JKD politics. I ordered this book and Anderson Silva's "Boxing for MMA" and received both the same day. I was very excited to read this book because it was the first time I would be able to read a fairly comprehensive JKD book by one of Ted Wong's students. However, I was severely disappointed by the picture demonstrations shown by Miss Tom. In most, if not all the photos, during her boxing combinations, Miss Tom's hand are constantly lowered or flailing by her side as she lands hits on the focus mitts. She rarely, if ever, has her non-punching hand in any way guarding her face in these pictures. Most times when she is punching or kicking her rear hand is dropped close to her hips. As any boxer or kickboxer with ring experience knows, dropping your non-punching hand during a combination or kick is a surefire way to get hit or knocked out. We see it all the time in the UFC or professional Mixed-Martial Arts competitions. A good example of her apparent complete lack of defensive structure is on pages 162-163. I was actually very surprised by this and a little disappointed given that Miss Tom is praised by Ted Wong and also regularly writes a column for Black Belt magazine. Another disappointment with this book is that it's so basic. The other product I received on that day, Anderson Silva's "Boxing for MMA", was much more in depth, Mr. Silva NEVER dropped his hands during combinations, and also noted, many times, how he had knocked many opponents out for making the mistake of leaving their head un-guarded. The "Boxing for MMA" also much better boxing punches, footwork, set-ups, and defensive sections. As someone who has trained martial arts for 10 years and boxed for 14, and trained kickboxing in Jeet Kune Do AND Muay Thai Boxing, I learned a lot more from Anderson Silva's "Boxing For MMA" than Teri Tom's "Jeet Kune Do: The Arsenal of Self Expression" and came away more satisfied with my purchase. Honestly, Miss Tom's fighting philosophy seems stuck to me on that age-old martial arts myth that "one strike" i.e.- The Straight Lead will take your opponent out. I would personally recommend anyone looking to improve their fighting ability to save the money you would use to purchase this book with and instead purchase "Boxing for MMA". Or, if you're still skeptical, go to the bookstore and look at Anderson Silva's "Mixed-Martial Arts:Striking" and Teri Tom's "Jeet Kune Do: The Arsenal of Self-Expression" and sit down for 15-30 minutes and compare both, and make sure you look at pages 162-163, or really any of the pictures where she's demonstrating punching combinations, of Miss Tom's book to see how badly she drops her hands. On a last note, please do not think I am writing this because I dislike Miss Tom, I was honestly excited about this book and pre-ordered it 2 months in advance but was so disappointed when I got it that I had to write this review.



5. 5 STARS AND 2 THUMBS UP FOR THE"ARSENAL" TERI TOM HAS DONE AN EXCLENT JOB OF EXPLAINING THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF JKD, IT IS THE LAW AND THE PRINCIPLE OF JEET KUNE DO. I HAVE READ THE OTHER REVIEWS AND MUST DISAGREE WITH THOSE WHO DIS-AGREE! JKD HAS ONLY 5 PUNCHES AND 3 KICKS, ALL EXPLAINED TO PERFECTION BY TERI TOM. I HAVE SEEN MANY JKD INSTRUCTORS OVER THE YEARS AND ONLY A HANDFULL CAN PERFORM THE STRIGHT LEAD. WHY? BECAUSE THE MECHANICS OF THIS PUNCH TAKES A LONG TIME TO LEARN. ALL OTHER PUNCHES EVELVE FROM THE STRIGHT LEAD. YOU CAN LEARN THE 4 BASIC PUNCHES OF WESTERN BOXING IN A FEW DAYS, MASTERY TAKES YEARS. SO IT IS WITH THE STRIGHT LEAD....ONLY 1 IN 10,000 CAN HANDLE IT! HAVING KNOWN TED WONG SINCE 1994 I CAN SAY THAT WHAT IS IN TOMS' BOOK IS WHAT SIFU TED WONG HAS TAUGHT ME. THE LAW AND THE PRINCIPLE OF JUN FAN JEET KUNE DO. YES, THIS BOOK IS HELPFULL BUT YOU CAN NOT LEARN JKD FROM A BOOK, ONLY BY ONE TO ONE INSTRUCTION FROM ONE WHO CAN REALLY DO IT. THIS BOOK EXPLAINS JKD FROM A HISTORICAL AND SCIENTIFIC POINT OF VIEW.....IF YOU DOUBT IT, GO THE THE SOURCE HIMSELF, BRUCE LEE AND REDISCOVER WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN MISSING, THE TRUTH OF THE LAW AND THE PRINCIPLE OF JEET KUNE DO. DR. RICK LENGYEL, JKD INSTRUCTOR UNDER BILL MATTUCCI, LICENSED ACUPUNCTURIST/HERBALIST, STUDENT OF TED WONG.

No comments about Chinatown Jeet Kune Do Volume 2: Training Methods of Bruce Lee's Martial Art.

5 comments about Chinatown Jeet Kune Do: Essential Elements of Bruce Lee's Martial Art.

1. This is easily one of the best books on Jeet Kune Do that I have ever owned! I have all of Tim Tackett's books, and once again, he has not let me down! He and co-author Bob Bremer have presented in this volume some of the most valuable information on Bruce Lee's martial art ever put into print! The book is very well done, with precise, in-depth text and clear, well sequenced photographs. As a Full Instructor of Jeet Kune Do, I will be referring to this book as a teaching aid for years to come, and it is already required reading for all of my students! My suggestion to you is ... BUY IT NOW!



2. I am a TKD practitioner and former police officer who knows what works in real world applications. TKD is a fantastic art and I love it but just like all other martial arts that use forms and choreographed movements they are limited and not realistic. I always wanted to practice JKD because of it's fluidity and simplicity. This book is very concise and a easy read. The instructions are clear. I now combine my TKD experience with JKD and have never been happier as a martial artist. Well worth the money spent.



3. "Chinatown Jeet Kune Do" was written by two of Bruce Lee's original students: Tim Tackett and Bob Bremer. By pooling their decades of knowledge in JKD, they have written a book that covers both basic and advanced principles. The book begins with the basics: stance, footwork, basic striking tools. About halfway through the book, we start getting into advanced principles, like the five ways of attack, JKD defense, and some specialized tools such as the leg obstruction. The chapter on trappling may be the best I've ever read on a realistic way to apply the Hand Immobilization Attack. While there are parts of this book that I have problems with, mostly the notion that trained grapplers and MMA fighters who are used to blocking punches or controlling their opponent's hands would not be able to defend against an eye gouge, I do believe that the majority of the principles found in this book can increase one's own understanding of Jeet Kune Do. Even for non-JKD practitioners, quite a lot can be learned, especially in the area of footwork, angles, and defense.



4. I have enough JKD books to start my own bookstore, but this is by far one of the best. The info is clear, complete, and flows nicely.
   
   I've practiced JKD since 1990 with instructors from all 3 periods of its' development (Seattle, Oakland, and Los Angeles). This book is a pure L.A.-era study. Everything is covered from footwork to philosophy. You can tell Tackett and Bremer were very good students of Bruce Lee and Dan Inosanto, because the content of the book is excellent and does not leave anything out or mislead with bad information. The diagrams are excellent, showing good detail as well as showing common errors. This is a great introduction for a new student, or an excellent reference for better students.
   
   THis book is long overdue. A JKD source of this caliber has been missing for many years, and maybe it will straighten out the mess JKD has become.



5. I just wanted to address a common mistake regarding Tim Tackett. Tim Tackett is NOT an original student of Bruce Lee's. He began his training under one of the only 3 people certified to teach Jeet Kune Do by Bruce Lee, Dan Inosanto in 1970 at Dan Inosanto's backyard training class. He was certified in JKD by Dan Inosanto. I'm pretty sure he never attended the Chinatown Jun Fan Gung Fu school.

5 comments about Jeet Kune Do: Bruce Lee's Commentaries on the Martial Way (Bruce Lee Library).

1. I see that a lot of reviewers that gave this book low ratings seem to think that you can learn martial arts from a book. I will give you this warning now, you can't and never will be able to learn a martial art from a book, but this is a good starting place for beginners to see some of the techniques and ideas put forward in Jeet Kune Do. If you're someone with martial training as I am you can learn a number of things from this book. Most martial arts that are taught today are for exercise, fun, or competition, rarely are they taught for safety or other more historical reasons. This book can help you get back to those roots of your art.
   
   I have studied various forms of martial arts for around ten years now and would consider this book an invaluable edition to my library, which is always growing and always changing and I still rank this book as one of the better ones in my collection. Inside you will find sections of philosophy and sections on technical work. The reason I gave this only four stars is that if you are not a martial artist or if you don't at least have some basic training, the technical section of the book is worthless and will do you no good. However, if you have practiced, you can learn a lot from the technical section of this book as Bruce goes over individual moves and how to use them to their best in a fight. He also explains how to close space between yourself and an opponent, how to mix up the rhythms of a fight, and how to make your attack and defense more effective.
   
   If you haven't studied martial arts then you will find some sections of this book to be quite interesting while others are utterly worthless. If you have, however, this is one of the better technical manuals that can be purchased that is also veined with the philosophies behind this physical and mental art. It is a wonderful resource and a useful tool for any martial artist.



2. I study Jeet Kune Do in Denver Colorado. My Sifu referred me to this book. I do wish the book had more diagrams of some of the techniques. Overall it is the geatest book on JKD. Of course it is,it was written by the man who created JKD.
   In one place in the book, Bruce Lee had written the pros and cons of different arts and what he liked about them technichly. This allows you to see how Lee was percieving martial arts and what he was looking for. You also get possible insight to where his art was going.
   Near the end of the book are Lee's training routines. He even writes how to teach a class. There is much more info in this book than the original. Just don't forget the same author wrote them both.
   Also don't forget to check out Bruce Lee's 4 volume Fighting methods to see how Lee trained.
   JKD Pupil



3. This is my favorite of the John Little/Bruce Lee series.
   
   If you are looking for real, honest-to-goodness Bruce Lee principles of JKD, then this is the book. Even though the book is organized into categories, I think the best way to study it is to take a random page (any page will do) and apply it to your martial study for a full practice session. Just the one page will be packed with ideas.
   
   And your martial arts will improve.
   
   Digest the book, one piece at a time, and you will improve every aspect of your martial arts ... speed, reaction time, attack and counterattack, rhythm and timing, and on and on.
   
   This really is a value-packed book.
   
   Remember, savor the advice and don't gloss over any of the writing. This "stuff" is important.
   
   --Keith Pascal, martial arts author



4. If you are not experienced in the Martial Arts this book may get a little confusing. But as Bruce Lee said when he was alive JKD is something no serious martial artists can ignore. As I was reading this book there was one thing going through my mind. "Just what is so new about MMA?"
   
   Sure sure techniques may have changed and while Bruce Lee was alive BJJ was nowhere to be found but Bruce Lee's idea and approach to fighting does make him as Danna White said the Godfather of MMA. In fact JKD might as well be called MMA. After all JKD is just a name so do not fuss over it. If you do not understand why I bought MMA into this review read this book and you will find that MMA started with one man, and Bruce Lee was that MAN!



5. This book is really quite interesting. It is very good. But it is almost entirely short quotes from Bruce Lee's notes. The editors have taken these quotes and organized them by topic and then organized those topics into chapters. And they did a very good job with this.
   
   But really, the book reads like a Twitter Feed. You could probably take this book in its entirety, and write it out, quote by quote, to twitter.
   
   What this means is there is no depth. You get Lee's thoughts on a topic, but no concrete examples or additional expository text. Like reading The Book of Five Rings and trying to think about how it applies to your life.
   
   I like that, and enjoy it. But I wanted to write this review so other people would know what to expect. There are other books that explain JKD much better by using Lee's quotes, and then adding additional exposition to further explain what the quote means. This book is more a philosophy book than a martial arts book.

5 comments about Bruce Lee's Fighting Method: The Complete Edition.

1. I have skimmed through the book and the material is awesome. From exercises to stances which are accompanied by photos I must say this is a must for every martial art practitioner!



2. 
   THIS BOOK IS ALL ABOUT FIGHTING AND BEING REDY FOR IT; ITS A MUST HAVE FOR ANY MARTIAL ARTIST,REGARDLESS OF STYLE OR AFILIATION,GENDER OR CREED.
   BRUCE AT IT'S BEST IN PRIME PHISICAL CONDITION,YOU WILL NEVER GET TYRED OF IT.
   GOOD TRAINING GOOD HEALTH,ENJOY LIVING
   REGARDS H.FONSECA



3. This volume is great, to get all of Bruces fighting Method in one book is simply awsome.



4. A very good book for inteligent or thinking martial artists who want to improove their fighting skills or learn something new. I have been a National Champion in my country at sanda, and won silver and broze at muaythai and kickboxing. This book has some detailes that only an advanced fighter would know. And by knowing I dont mean hearing about it but actually experiencing them. One example would be the hook punch. Everyone knows how to throw a hook...But if you are very good at throwing hooks later you should be able to throw then from a jab. I mean you throw a jab and halfway to your target you change it in to a hook. Floyd Mayweather does this often but you have to be in the buisness to see it. To most people it's only a hook. Just like this book is for some only a book. This book opens your mind and for its price...its a bargain.



5. Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do is explained here. Insightful and completely illustrated with photographs on how to fight off assailants from different positions. Pictures of Bruce Lee stopping a knife attacker, or any other mugger, are descriptive enough even if it contained no accompanying text. A worthy choice if you are interested in this legend or protecting yourself.

5 comments about Tao of Jeet Kune Do.

1. This is a great book in the master's own words! Some things are a bit hard to understand but I think anyone would have trouble describing some moves/ideas without a demonstration.



2. First I must confess that I'm very much a Bruce Lee fan. He was born a few years before me so we are of the same generation. Someone like myself can't help but wonder, when reading this book, what Bruce might write today from the vantage point of age and experience. My personal opinion is that his basic philosophy would not have changed. He would have probably matured in his ideas and continue to evolve and in middle and old age he would have probably adjusted his martial arts to fit the unique needs of aging. But, we'll never know since he died before he had a chance to age. His philosophy, however, was ancient and great. He was wise far beyond his years. And we can still learn much from him --- both about his Tao (Way) and his martial arts style.
   
   The book couples his philosophy, which is mostly Buddhist or eastern, and his method of fighting. I find them both enlightening.
   
   For example, he tells us to keep our chin tucked toward our shoulder as a defense. He teaches us how to keep from being an easy target and how to attack with explosive action from a neutral stance. These are things that never go out of style.
   
   Lee writes, "With the chin dropped and pinned tight to the collarbone, the muscles and bone structure are in the best possible alignment and only the top of the head is presented to the opponent, making it impossible to be hit on the point of the chin."
   
   I found one or two things that didn't sound like Bruce and they didn't fit in with his times. I felt the editor took a few liberties and added his own thoughts or what he felt Bruce might have believed.
   
   For example, under "Everyday opportunities for exercises" we read:
   
   Take a walk whenever you can -- like parking the car a few blocks away from your destination.
   Avoid taking the elevator; climb the stairs instead.
   
   . . . the rest sounds like Bruce. The above statements, while certainly good advice, were not in the lexicon of Bruce's era. They came into being during the last decade or so. Moreover, these two statements do not sound like Lee. They sound like every modern fitness writer on the planet.
   
   This book is more than Bruce's fighting method, though it is that. It is inspiring and powerful. It is full of wisdom and inspiration and thoughtful advice and meditation. Lee had a wide range of interests. He was a dancer. He was an artist. He took an interest in many things and many philosophies. He was not a good actor. His wife Linda often says that Bruce considered himself a martial artist first and an actor second. I'm not sure that's true. Lee took a keen interest in his acting career and the income he got from it. But like Elvis Presley, his ability to act was very limited. Yet he brought magic to the screen with his lovely body and outstanding skill. He didn't need to be a good actor.
   
   Much that we have heard about Bruce Lee is pure myth. But what is not myth is his martial arts greatness and his keen mind that absorbed information like a sponge, his ability to take what he needed from everything and discard the rest. He did not get attached to any one idea. He evolved in his thinking and adapted daily to his needs.
   
   There is much about Bruce Lee that is, and probably always will be, powerful motivation for millions. He was only 5' 8" and weighed about 140lbs, but he loomed large on the screen and in the hearts and minds of all who saw him or knew him.
   
   Whether or not you want to learn about Jeet Kune Do, you will gain much by reading this book. It is deep and meaningful.
   
   Highly recommended.
   
   - Susanna K. Hutcheson



3. I was hoping for some sort of Bruce Lee "bible" of sorts but its just a collection of unfinished scribbles and thoughts. I have a very high regard for B.L., his movies and his characters (and thoughts) but this book is all over the place and very inconsistent.



4. Bruce Lee was a very interesting man. If you're just curious about Bruce and want to know more about him, you'll probably like this book, but there may be other books about him that would suit you better. Personally, I had a keen interest in Zen, and I would say that there are about 30 pages in this book (out of 200) which shed a great deal of light on Bruce's notions of Zen. In contrast, the bulk of the book is given over to a detailed exposition of Bruce's approach to the martial arts: how to fight, how to prepare oneself for fighting, and how to use strategy and tactics to basically beat the daylights out of someone who is trying to kill you. I was surprised that there was not more space devoted to kicking, because I see some of Bruce's old fight scenes where he uses kicking extensively. However, I would very much recommend this book to anyone interested in American boxing, because Bruce really lays out a thorough method for it. As for Zen, there are some heavy ideas laid out in this book, but those are concentrated in the sections at the beginning and near the end of the text. In any case, lovers of Kung Fu fighting are sure to enjoy...



5. Was expecting a lot more instead of basically Bruce's notes presented in an all most comic book form. If you took out all the over spacing this book would be perhaps 30 pages? Plus side is you see Bruce's thoughts and insight on paper.