MF YOU TALK to some of the students who studied Jeet Kune Do directly with Bruce Lee, you will discover they all agree that he could easily hit an opponent with a single punch or kick. He had developed his speed, power, and ability to close the distance to such a high degree that he could reach an opponent at will. Lee had a strong intuitive sense of the right moment to make his move, when a person’s mind was elsewhere and unprepared to deal with his attack.

SDA/SAA

These amazing feats that Lee’s students personally witnessed are examples of Jeet Kune Do’s Single Direct Attack (SDA). SDA represents the simplest manner of attacking an opponent. At the same time many factors must work together in order to make it effective. Moreover, it is the most challenging to master and to pull off successfully.

When employing SDA, a fighter executes only one technique, which is intended to land accurately on the target with the proper speed and power. A direct attack means that a person executes the technique in the most direct manner possible, usually along a straight path to the target. For example, a fighter employing SDA would execute a finger jab from the initial front hand position right to the opponent’s eyes in a straight line.

A variation of SDA is known as Single Angulated Attack (SAA). In SAA the solo technique is fired from an angle—for example, while shifting slightly to the outside of an opponent’s punch. The technique still moves along a direct path to the target, but does so from an angle because of different body positioning. To illustrate, suppose that an opponent, in unmatched lead, shoots a lead straight punch. You can step aside to move to the outside of the punch. As you do so, you fire your own lead punch, which slides across the opponent’s arm into his face. Your shift in body positioning requires you to punch from an off-angle to the face.

There are certain elements that must work in harmony with each other, in order for either SDA or SAA to actually work. We examine these below:

• Distance: It almost goes without saying that you must be at the right distance relative to your opponent for your single strike to reach its intended target. If your opponent is too far from you, then your strike will fall short. If you are not within distance to reach your opponent, then you must use your footwork and mobility to close the gap so you can reach him or her. Alternately, you can wait until your opponent moves toward you and steps within range for you to strike.
• Timing: As stated before, one of the things that made Bruce Lee successful in SDA was his ability to know the right moment to launch his attack. Similarly, you must learn to recognize the appropriate time, when your opponent is most vulnerable to your single attack. There are certain moments when SDA will have a high probability of success.

Lee acknowledged the difficulty of successfully using simple attacks. Therefore, he encouraged attacking an opponent’s lead leg or hand first. This would provoke a reaction on the part of the opponent and allow time to then pull off the simple attack.

For instance, when your opponent relaxes his or her guard and thereby exposes a specific target area, you can fire a punch, kick, knee strike, or elbow strike at that target area. If your opponent is distracted or thinking of something else, that offers a good opportunity to strike as well. Another time when it is appropriate to strike is when your opponent shifts position to execute a feint. You can land your strike at a target area that is exposed as a result. Also, you can strike when your opponent is in the midst of recovering after attacking you, because your opponent has not stabilized his or her position for an effective defense. Yet another opportune time to strike is when your opponent is preparing to attack, because his or her intention and hand movement are focused more on attack than on defense. In all these cases you need to develop a good, intuitive sense of the right moment to launch your attack.

• Speed: If you are too slow in executing your technique, you will never reach your intended target. Your opponent will have sufficient time to react and can defend in any number of different ways. To be successful, you must develop footwork speed, hand speed, and kicking speed to minimize the amount of time required to strike your opponent.
• Economy of Motion: In order to travel directly to the target, your limb must minimize the amount of movement needed to effectively execute the technique. Any unnecessary movement slows you down and consumes additional time. There should be no preparatory moves prior to executing the strike, such as a retraction of the hand or chambering of the leg. Such moves can telegraph your impending strike, giving your opponent a chance to defend against it. Therefore, you should work on refining your tools so that they are crisp and sharp.
• Defensive Coverage: While attacking, you should make sure that you are well covered against any counterattacks. Your strike may fall short or miss the target, allowing your opponent to counterstrike. If your rear hand is not positioned to protect against a probable attack, then you are vulnerable to being struck. So make sure that you have your hand up to protect your head and that your elbow is in place to protect your upper body.

SDA can be executed in a strictly offensive manner—for example, when you decide to advance toward your opponent at an opportune moment. You can also use SDA as a counteroffensive measure, for instance, when your opponent rushes at you and you launch a strike in response.

There are generally two effective means of accomplishing SDA. One is attacking from a state of immobility. This can work especially well after a series of feints and false attacks that lulls an opponent into expecting a more complex movement. The sudden and unannounced simple attack can catch your opponent completely off guard.

The other method is attacking from a variation of rhythm or cadence. For instance, you can change the rhythm and cadence by progressively slowing down your movements. Then, when your opponent has adjusted to your pace, you can launch a single strike at very high speed, catching your opponent unawares. Similarly, when opponents become set in tempo to your movements, a slight hesitation on your part can cause them to inadvertently open a way to your simple attack.

Examples of Single Direct Attack

Technically speaking, any lead or rear tool technique, whether it be a punch, kick, elbow strike, or knee strike, can be utilized for SDA. Even other tools, such as a forearm strike or a head butt, can be employed for SDA under the right circumstances. In his notes Bruce Lee identified certain specific tools that he believed represented good examples of SDA.

• Lead Shin/Knee Side Kick: All other things being equal, the shorter the distance between your tool and the target, the more quickly your tool will strike the target. This particular technique involves employing the longest weapon, your lead leg, to the nearest target, your opponent’s front knee or shin. Because the distance between your front leg and your opponent’s knee or shin is minimal, you can strike it very quickly.

You can employ the lead shin/knee side kick in two basic ways. One is as an offensive action in which you strike your opponent when the moment presents itself. The other is as a counteroffensive move in which you strike when your opponent advances toward you or tries to attack you.

• Lead Finger Jab: This tool also makes use of short distances. It, too, employs the principle of using the longest weapon to the nearest target. In this case your longest hand weapon is your front hand with the fingers extended. The nearest targets are your opponent’s eyes. With the distance at a minimum, you can fire a lead finger jab at your opponent quickly with a relatively high probability of hitting the target (see Figure 13-1).
• Lead Jab: This tool uses your front fist to strike your opponent. Targets are typically the nose, chin, solar plexus, or midsection, all along the front of the body down the centerline. The lead jab is a very rapid, probing punch that is usually thrown suddenly, with great speed. It can strike without warning before an opponent has a chance to defend against it.
     The lead jab can be executed offensively, whether you are already in range to hit or you have to move into range to strike. If your opponent advances toward you, you can use the lead jab as a counteroffensive tactic.
• Lead Hook Punch: The lead hook punch propels your lead hand in a curving arc toward the side of your opponent’s head. Some possible targets are your opponent’s chin, jaw, and ear. It is an effective punch to use when your opponent is well guarded in front, making it difficult to deliver a straight-line punch.
     The lead hook punch is useful as an offensive technique, especially as a follow-up to another punch, such as a lead jab or a rear cross. It can also be employed as a counteroffensive technique, for example, against your opponent’s rear cross.

In addition to these specific techniques that are contained in Lee’s notes, there are other techniques that lend themselves well to SDA. These are as follows:

• Lead Snap Kick: This particular kick is useful to attack your opponent’s groin. You lift your front knee up and snap your front foot directly to the target. There should be no chambering of the kick. Rather, your front foot should go in a straight line right to the groin.
     The lead snap kick can be applied offensively as an attack upon your opponent. You can also employ it as a counter against an opponent who tries to attack you.
• Lead Inverted Kick: This particular kick is used against an opponent who faces you in unmatched lead. As you lift up your front knee, you point it in the direction of the target. You then snap your front foot directly to the target, whether it is the groin, solar plexus, or even the head. Make sure that you do not chamber the kick but execute it in a straight line to the target.
     You can throw the lead inverted kick as part of an offensive assault against your opponent. Alternately, you can use it as a counteroffensive move against an opponent who seeks to attack you.
• Lead Hook Kick: Like the lead hook punch, this kick is appropriate when you specifically want to hit the side of your opponent’s body. Against an opponent in matched lead, you can aim for the front thigh, the groin, the ribs, or the side of the head. You lift the front knee, torque your body, turn your hips, and deliver the kick in a short, tight arc toward the target (see Figure 13-2). You should not chamber the kick or cock it back as you raise your leg, because such an action is neither economical nor direct. Rather, you want to minimize the amount of time it takes for the foot to reach its target by flattening the path of the kick as much as possible.
     The lead hook kick can be employed offensively, as when you advance to your opponent and target the thigh. It can also be used in a counteroffensive manner, for instance, against your opponent’s ribs as he or she throws a rear cross.

Examples of Single Angular Attack

The main difference between the SDA and the SAA is that the latter is not delivered in a straightforward line. Rather, it is fired from an off-angle, usually as you position your body away from your opponent. The following are some examples of SAA using either punches or kicks.

• Lead Straight Punch: To execute this punch, you extend your front hand forward, rotating your hips and extending your lead shoulder so that your hand, arm, and both shoulders are aligned. Normally, your front hand will be in vertical fist position upon impact.
     To deliver this punch in SAA fashion, you can step off to your right and fire the punch from that spot directly to your opponent’s face. You may want to punch from an angle in order to take advantage of an opening or to surprise your opponent, who may be expecting a punch from the front.
     This angulated punch can also be used as a counter against a rear cross or against a lead punch from someone in unmatched lead. As your opponent is about to fire one of these punches, you move laterally to your right to avoid the punch. You can fire the straight punch across your opponent’s punch to help deflect it away from you. Your punch should strike your opponent at an angle.

• Lead Hook Kick: To deliver this in SAA fashion, you can move laterally to your left and fire the kick at your opponent. By stepping off, you are able to deliver your foot to targets that might be difficult to reach if you faced your opponent straight on. For instance, you can more easily land your kick on your opponent’s front ribs because of your changed position.

You can utilize the kick as part of an offensive maneuver in which you initiate the side step and then fire the kick at your opponent. You can also use this kick as a counter. For instance, if your opponent advances toward you, you can move laterally and fire the kick at his or her sternum.

Undoubtedly the proper cultivation of your fighting tools is essential if you are to achieve any success using SDA. You must learn the correct mechanics and form of each punch, kick, or other strike. You have to be able to strike the target accurately when it presents itself. Your strike must have sufficient power behind it to have an effect on your opponent. It must also be fired with great speed so that it lands before your opponent can react. Finally, you must make sure you are at the proper distance to reach your opponent. Correct footwork and mobility are needed to enable you to move into range. Practicing with a partner holding focus mitts or with a sparring partner helps greatly in developing these essential qualities.