Jeet Kune Do Kali Seminar Bangkok Review..

Millionaire

Hi Lads:

On the weekend, attended a Jeet Kune Do seminar here in Bangkok with Sifu Mark Stewart, who is a direct student of Ted Wong, who was Bruce Less last student up until Bruce died, and learned what was the final version of JKD.

see www.i-jkd.com

As some of you know there is a few different schools of JKD...like JKD Concepts who say...train what works best for you...so if BJJ works best for you...thats what you concentrate on. Others Jun Fan JKD train an earlier version that has alot of wing chun movements.

This seminar, the JKD part was about the technique used by Bruce right before his death. This was as Bruce says a result of his "daily decrease" where he believed in stripping down the system to the bare basics, as opposed to adding more and more to it like the JKD concepts school of thought.

We worked on the JKD straight lead, closing in the distance from outside. Here the foot work used was borrowed from fencing. It is hard of me to do into detail as i am only learning. However moving in fast to opponent, covering distance, and instead of a jab, your lead hand has KO power. This again is very similar to old style boxing and the Drop/Falling Step Jab principle used by boxing ledgend Jack Dempsey (see dempsey Championship Boxing book for details).... and in more recent times think of Prince Naseem or Roy Jones Jnr.

I was always a bit of a toe to toe fighter, and was never afraid to take blows, when closing the distance. so this was a new concept to me.

After much practice, questions, and thought, I can see how it has very pratical applications to combat striking sport, and also self defence.

In fact we did not use gloves and when doing focus mit work, with used full power bare knuckle, (anyway in SD situation, you will not be gloved up!).

Some of the principles taught, were not unlike what I learned in Mu Gen So Kickboxing from George Canning in Dublin.

The rest of the seminar was Kali Stick, Knife and disarms of knife and stick. I never gave much thought to stick or knife fighting beofore, and I must have been one of the most akward people on this planet to attempt to use a Kali stick...and it was all simple stuff.... no batton twirling at all.

I when we sparred with stick and knife, I found it hard to follow the techniques I was shown, and did ok, using the knife as an extension of my punch. however while I was told, that was good...it was not the point of the exercise, and I have a terrible job, putting the brakes on, taking the aggression out, and toning it down a bit.

the lads train out of the www.bangkokfightclub.com and also cross train in MMA, so there is plenty of sparring. however this was a technique based seminar. also Sifu Mark , is going to train some younger fighters up for MMA competition based on JKD principles..thats the plan for 2007.

Anyway bottom line is when classes start back in Jan, I will be travelling up to Bangkok for 3 hours training in Jeet Kune Do and sparring, as well as my usual muay thai during the week and grappling training.

Right now I found a new tool with the JKD Straight Lead, that will enhance my striking game..and I am going to me practicing hard what I learned over Xmas.

Baggio...

Sounds interesting...

I quite like the straight blast concept (using open hands though) good for pushing opponents back. I found that worked quite well when I pressure tested it in Liverpool.

Cheers,

B.

Millionaire

I used that with open hands in combatives...

however this version of JKD as far as I am aware, Bruce dropped that too. he dropped all the Trapping (aside from 1 or 2 very simple traps), threw out all the wing chun and chi sao.

the Bill Jee wing chun finger to eyes jab, was replaced by bruce, by a hard flick of the fingers into the eyes..(like a back fist with fingers whipping to eyes)...which is a great technique... waters attackers eyes, but now as lethal as ramming your fingers straigt into the eye.

As I said, I just got some veyr basic stuff, closing the gap from the outside, very fast..and KO power from Straight Lead.

I am going to travel 4 hours round trip from Pattaya to Bangkok up on sundays from late Jan all through 2008 to learn this JKD.

So btwn that...daily Muay Thai,,,and trying to add in 4 or5 grappling classes a week... I will be a very busy man! not to mention work too!

Michael O Leary

Millionaire wrote:

The rest of the seminar was Kali Stick, Knife and disarms of knife and stick. I never gave much thought to stick or knife fighting beofore, and I must have been one of the most akward people on this planet to attempt to use a Kali stick...and it was all simple stuff.... no batton twirling at all.

I when we sparred with stick and knife, I found it hard to follow the techniques I was shown, and did ok, using the knife as an extension of my punch. however while I was told, that was good...it was not the point of the exercise, and I have a terrible job, putting the brakes on, taking the aggression out, and toning it down a bit.

Hi Gerry,

The seminar sounds great. I know what you mean about the Escrima feeling awkward. I hated it when I first started and still have some days where I hate it. It can be a real challange but when you start to get places it feels pretty good.

I remember standing at a bus stop this summer and hearing a series of loud bangs and this little 7 year old girl with a face like an angel walks around the corner holding a huge hurley stick and whacks it off every lamppost she walks by.

Forget about self-defence, sport, fitness, spiritual discipline or character building. Hitting things is fun and all the better when you use a big stick.

Regards,

Michael O'Leary
www.iewto.org

yomchi

Hi Gerry meant to ask you before,

I think in an other post you taught combatives in Dublin. What was your client base like and who did you learn the concepts off? And don't go back too far.. im only young ye know

john kavanagh

good write up gerry, thanks

Millionaire wrote:

also Sifu Mark , is going to train some younger fighters up for MMA competition based on JKD principles..thats the plan for 2007.

i'm going to make the bold prediction that for these guys to do well against decent competition they'll have to train some combination of boxing/MT and wrestling and submission.

keep us up to date on how they get on please gerry

Millionaire

Jon wrote:

Hi Gerry meant to ask you before,

I think in an other post you taught combatives in Dublin. What was your client base like and who did you learn the concepts off? And don't go back too far.. im only young ye know

It was more or less krav maga, with Lee Morrisson and Geoff thompson flavour. I adapted what I learned in Israel to the Lee Morrisson GT stuff. very easy considering the kickboxing experience i had.

My client base, I targeted "office workers" type people who would have no intention of going into say a Muay Thai club (or be too scared too try it). most were over 30, and wanted to learn some basic and proven techniques. (ala Lee Morrisson with KM). I did not claim to turn these people into Rambo in 24 hours... I gave them some basic tools which might work if appied with the right mindset. I spent alot of time, especially with the women on how to avoid trouble or potential attack... Avoidence and Awarness, which is the most important self defence, before you get into the physical stuff.

I only was teaching my own school for a few months before i moved to the Land of the Smile! (Thailand). otherwise, if I stayed...I am sure my school would have been fairly successful both teaching wise, giving people value, etc.

Millionaire

john kavanagh wrote:

good write up gerry, thanks



i'm going to make the bold prediction that for these guys to do well against decent competition they'll have to train some combination of boxing/MT and wrestling and submission.

keep us up to date on how they get on please gerry

Hi John

Yes, your 100% right…. All the ranges are going to be added in. The lads in www.bangkokfightclub.com are gracie BJJ, and Sub, so their coaching will be brought in.

The JKD is excellent for closing the range and striking distance…as per what he learned re Bruces last days. However Sifu Mark does not claim to have all the answers with JKD. He says he is very interested in using the JKD theory, Straight Lead, and other strategies (which I have yet to learn) added in with the more usual MMA Cage training.

Actually he also trains with George Tony (or is it Tony George) of the Gene LeBelle Gikor school, and is off in Jan to do some training there.

The goal is to cross train some Thai fighter in JKD way, plus the ground exclusive for the MAA cage sport.

He asked me to consider training up for a cage fight in Singapore in march, but I am not sure would I be able to get enough basic grappling or maybe anti-grappling down. However I do feel I have a MMA fight, pro rules in me…. I am 35 and reckon I could have up to 2 years of fights, if I started back as a fighter. I would be a great achievement to do at least 1 full on cage fight.

I aim to get at least 3 - 5 sessions of MMA grappling a week in, as well as the MT in the mornings and the JKD Kali up in Bangkok on the sundays. and hope to teach KM selfdefence on saturdays!!!!

So I will keep you posted on this interesting strategy.

Sifu Mark is very keen on putting some fighters into the cage based on JKD. He fact he Knows Matt and on SBG Matt site, they have a few letters on there back and forth debating JKD.

Anyway I look forward to training on in this JKD method on Sundays, and add in the MMA as I progress.

Most of the JKD lads in Bangkok , train in BJJ and MMA too…. Just to get the basics down at least.

DAVE_K

I am 35 and reckon I could have up to 2 years of fights

I don't know if you should let that stop you.

Joe Ruddock (NG) took his first pro-rules MMA fight (UFR?) at 43.

Martin Ryan (NG) his (ROT 5) at aged 40.