Competitions

IN THE EARLY YEARS of Jeet Kune Do’s development, students were generally not encouraged to take part in organized competitions. Many of the tournaments that took place at the time had rules that greatly limited the types of techniques that participants could use. Quite popular during this period were the “point-karate” style gatherings, in which players deliberately refrained from employing full power in their strikes so as not to hurt their opponents. Competitors were awarded points for executing techniques at certain targets that could have caused damage if they actually landed.

When asked why Bruce Lee never competed, Dan Inosanto, his student, used a beauty contest analogy. A beautiful girl does not have to enter a beauty contest to prove that she is beautiful. Likewise, Lee did not have to enter competitions to prove he could fight.

Needless to say, with his emphasis on practical, realistic street fighting, Bruce Lee did not look favorably on these types of competitions. Instead, he believed that sparring, with protective equipment, represented the ultimate test of one’s fighting skills. At both the Oakland and Los Angeles Jun Fan Gung Fu Institutes, students regularly took part in sparring drills that developed their sense of timing, distance, and rhythm. Lee himself occasionally sparred with some of his students, although for him it was more play than actual sparring.

The one type of contest that Lee did appreciate was the full-contact karate tournament. These types of tournaments provide more realistic fighting dynamics than the point-karate ones. Lee respected and befriended a number of the top competitors of the time. The most celebrated of them, Joe Lewis, trained with Lee and incorporated some of Lee’s theories of fighting, such as the five ways of attack, into his tournament fighting style. Armed with the knowledge that he gained from Lee, he managed to become what many consider to be the greatest full-contact karate champion of all time. Lewis has publicly given credit to Lee for his contributions to his accomplishments in the ring.

Today, the competition scene has changed dramatically from Lee’s day. Organized tournaments for practitioners of traditional arts, such as karate and taekwondo, continue to attract students of those systems. In recent years, other types of contests have also gained in popularity. These include Muay Thai and kickboxing tournaments, grappling competitions, especially in Brazilian jujitsu, and mixed martial arts events that feature stand-up and ground fighting styles.

However, there is still no organized competition specifically geared for Jeet Kune Do students. It seems that the Jeet Kune Do community at-large has no burning desire to establish or operate its own events for students of Lee’s art. This is probably due, in large part, to the fact that many instructors already include sparring as part of the training that their students must undergo. Many of these students have ample opportunities within their own training to explore combat against a live opponent. Because the fighting skills of students are tested through sparring, many see no need to test their skills in a structured, competitive setting.

Nevertheless, more Jeet Kune Do students these days are interested in participating in organized competitions, wanting to test their skills against outside players. Those that do take part, however, typically fight with the specific arts that are emphasized in these competitions, rather than using Jeet Kune Do. For example, some have extensively studied grappling arts, such as Brazilian jujitsu and shoot wrestling, and engage in contests in which they can showcase their skills in these arts. Others compete in mixed martial arts gatherings. Indeed, the mixed martial arts events are probably the closest to what a Jeet Kune Do competition might look like, because they allow the different kicking, punching, elbowing, kneeing, and grappling tools.

One of the limitations of these types of events, though, is that they are specifically sporting events. As such, they typically do not allow kicks and shots to the groin, eye jabs and eye pokes, or kicks to the knee or shin. These techniques are a mainstay of the Jeet Kune Do practitioner’s arsenal. Therefore, the Jeet Kune Do fighter who participates in these competitions cannot use the full range of tools and techniques that would be available in a street fight.

Nevertheless, despite these restrictions, organized competitions can provide Jeet Kune Do students with an excellent opportunity to grow and develop as fighters. Particularly in mixed martial arts events, Jeet Kune Do students can employ many of the various tools at the different ranges. They can also practice assorted tactical elements, such as timing, distance, and rhythm. Practitioners of Lee’s art can also use the five ways of attack, as well as the various defenses and counterattacks. In addition, competing in these events allows students to learn to manage their emotions, as they are forced to deal with opponents who are attacking them with speed and power. Because their opponents will more than likely be strangers, they have to learn how to quickly assess their strengths and weaknesses. In short, competitions can be a useful laboratory in which to experiment with the different aspects of Jeet Kune Do. Regardless of whether students win or lose, they can benefit from the experience gained from competing in these events.

Demonstrations

Unlike competitions, demonstrations have been a part of Jeet Kune Do from the beginning. During his early years in the United States, Bruce Lee gave demonstrations of what was, at that time, the littleknown art of Chinese gung fu. Later, on separate occasions he demonstrated his martial arts at Ed Parker’s Long Beach International Karate Tournament. In fact, a Hollywood producer managed to view a film of one of these demonstrations, which eventually led to the casting of Lee in the role of Kato in the Green Hornet television series. Many in the martial arts community witnessed the speed, power, and deceptiveness of Jeet Kune Do as Lee sparred, showed how he closed the distance, and exhibited the one-inch punch.

Over the years Dan Inosanto, who basically headed the Jeet Kune Do clan after Lee passed away, often organized demonstrations with his students. These exhibitions of Lee’s art, as well as Filipino Kali-Escrima, took place at different public events, such as Asian heritage festivals. Members of the public had a rare opportunity to be exposed to certain selected aspects of Jeet Kune Do at these demonstrations. Other Jeet Kune Do instructors have continued the tradition of giving public displays of Lee’s art to the community.

Demonstrations are a good way for a Jeet Kune Do instructor to attract potential students who can see Lee’s art firsthand. There are, of course, no hard and fast rules as to how to put on a demonstration. A given demonstration might showcase one or more aspects of Jeet Kune Do, such as kicking, punching, trapping, and grappling. Multipleattack scenarios might be played out during these exhibitions. Focus mitt drills and sparring, which are enjoyable to watch, are training methods that can be included in the demonstrations.

The idea is for the demonstration to entertain as well as to educate. Explanations should be kept simple and not highly technical. The essence of the technique should be emphasized, rather than the small details. Preparing to take part in the demonstrations can inspire students to focus on refining their movements and improving their speed and power. Practicing and training for a demonstration helps them to concentrate their energy and effort toward an identifiable objective. It can help improve their self-confidence, as they are required to show their skills in public before strangers. Those who speak during the demonstration will undoubtedly strengthen their public speaking skills. Most of all, though, students will find the experience educational and enjoyable.

Because they have specific objectives, competitions and demonstrations can give Jeet Kune Do students focus in their training. On the one hand, competitions can provide students with an opportunity to test their skills in a non-school setting against martial artists of other styles. This can be a tremendous learning experience as students discover what does and does not work for them in a high-pressure environment.

Demonstrations, on the other hand, can give students a chance to display their knowledge and skill in a way that educates the public about the effectiveness of Jeet Kune Do. Students can gain confidence in themselves as they show their abilities at these exhibitions. They can contribute, in a meaningful way, to the perpetuation of Lee’s art as a viable approach to self-defense and fighting for today’s world.