Bruce Lee speed training
What is speed in fighting? Is it the velocity of your hands, feet and body
movement? OR are there other, prevalent essentials in a good fighter? What is a
good fighte r?
To answer these questions: A good fighter is one who can hit his opponent quicker,
harder, without much perceptible effort, and yet avoid being hit. He doesn’t only
possess a pair of fast hands and feet or quick body movement but has other
qualities such as nontelegraphic moves, good coordination, perfect balance and
keen awareness. Although some people are endowed with a few of these qualities,
most of these attributes are developed through hard training.
All the strength or power you have developed from your training is wasted if you
are slow and can’t make contact. Power and speed go hand-in-hand. A fighter
needs both to be successful.
One immediate way to increase your speed at impact is to “snap” or “whip” your
hand or foot just before contact. It is the same principle as the overhand throw. For
example, if you throw a baseball with a full swing and snap your wrist at the last
movement or the tail end of your swing, the ball will have more velocity than
without the snap. Naturally, the longer swing with a snap will have more
acceleration at the end than a shorter swing with a snap. A 12-foot whip, flung
exactly, will generate more sting than a two-foot whip.
BRUCE LEE – 1940-1973
Bruce Lee flashed brilliantly like a meteor through the world of martial arts and
motion pictures. Then, on July 20, 1973, in Hong Kong, like a meteor-he vanished,
extinguished by sudden death. He was just 32.
Bruce Lee began his martial arts studies with wing chun, under the tutelage of the
late Yip Man, to alleviate the personal insecurity instilled by Hong Kong city life.
Perhaps because his training enveloped him to the point of fanaticism, he was
eventually able to refine, distill and mature into a philosopher, technician and
innovator of the martial arts.
After inte nsive study of different martial arts styles and theories, Lee developed a
concept of martial arts for the individual man. This concept he later labeled
Kune Do
physical training and voluminous martial arts library (over two thousand books), but
in his formal education as well (a philosophy major at the University of Washington,
Seattle).
Lee also combined his martial arts expertise with his knowledge of acting skills and
cinematic techniques, starring in several motion pictures: The Big Boss, Fists of
Fury, Way of the Dragon and Enter the Dragon.
Bruce Lee’s death plunged both martial arts and film enthusiasts into an abyss of
disbelief. Out of their growing demand to know more of and about him, his
Jeet Kune Do
METHOD.
Jeet, the way of the intercepting fist. It has antecedents not only in hisTao ofwas published-which is now followed by BRUCE LEE’S FIGHTING
