Self Protection and Reality Training Academy

THE PHILOSOPHICAL MEANING BEHIND 'CHUCK v BRUCE' IN WAY OF THE DRAGON

Just for the record, the cat is very significant in the scene as it represents 'Bruce' philosophically speaking. The cat is inquisitive, flexible, cautious, balanced, highly adaptable to it's environment, unorthodox, bound by nothing and most of all deadly. The cat will play with it's prey just for fun and training even though it doesn't even need to eat, it will still kill at the drop of a hat.

The rock represents 'Chuck', the fixed, immobile, UN-adaptable stylist. Balanced but having to conform to limited technique, orthodox and predictable. Initially the cat gives out it's warning cry, it's curious and it feels out the rock, looking at 'Chuck's' kicking style, tentatively flicking it around on the wall. The wall represents the divide between the naive mind and the enlightened mind. The cat is actually a kitten and 'Lee' became enlightened early on in his life from the 'Classical Mess'. The kitten has climbed the wall from the naive side of styles and is about to traverse to the side of 'Liberty'. On it's way over it meets the pebble the stone that masquerades as mobile but it is actually inanimate. The kitten realizes that being the pebble, i.e., halfway cultivated is not the answer. The kitten discards the stone back into the abyss of naivety and partiality, and it walks on.

'Lee' put everything in his movies with purpose for those truly seeking out truth. Hope this helps those who are to get some answers.

THE 5 PHILOSOPHICAL STAGES OF JKD BRIEFLY EXPLAINED.

Stage 1/ Naivety.
This simply refers to a students current inane grasp of anything within the study of the martial arts. As a beginner one is an open book but, also a tomb of empty pages. Conversely even someone coming into JKD practice with a prior knowledge and proficiency in the study of the martial arts is still also considered as naive because they have prior conformed to styles. In fact due to their prior attachment to the "Classical Mess" they are oftentimes harder to train because their cup is half-full.

Stage 2/ Partiality.
The stage of partiality highlights the students compulsion to fall into "This" & "That" arguments and one is better than the other ideals. In the partiality bias is formed along with favoritism and separation from the whole.The 'ego' begins to grow in this stage developing its roots.

Stage 3/ Fluidity.
The fluid state often traps many students whom cannot get past it because of their ego's. The root of all ignorance... is ego. Letting go of the 'ego' is one of the most difficult things for a student of JKD to do. In the fluid stage the student thinks that JKD is just a 'concept', something that can be mixed together from anywhere, having no solid principles. When a JKD student fails to move beyond this stage they usually retrogress back into partiality and into the practice of styles again, effectively getting back in the boat and returning to shore.

Stage 4/ Emptiness.
This critical stage in a JKD students journey is rather like a baptism. The student has to wash oneself clean so to speak from prior martial arts indoctrination, freeing oneself of prior bo***ge,and the need to cling to traditions. If the student achieves emptiness then they will disregard the boat and walk on.It's at this point that the 'ego' is laid to rest.

Stage 5/ Liberty.
It is at this final stage that the JKD student is considered free from bo***ge to the "Classical Mess." When one is truly free then one has no need to look back or to cling to patterns and routines. One just is, sound and echo.There is no longer a thought process in combat, no 'A' followed by 'B' followed by 'C',etc, etc. Now what there is happens to be 'it' doing it for one. Until this stage is reached one should refrain from trying to guide a JKD student to the truth in combat as you cannot pass on something that you don't have to give.

Hi everyone, hope you are keeping as safe as you can in light of the current worldwide circumstances. So... as things are still locked down I thought that it may help many of you for me to drop some immune-system bolstering things down for your consideration. You will find a comprehensive list below of what I believe to be very useful supplements and food stuffs that help protect your immune system and even improve its functioning. CHAGA TEA (1 cup daily).
GREEN TEA (1 cup daily).
LEMON WATER (1 8oz glass before breakfast).
RESVERATROL (supplement follow directions on bottle).
LAETRILE B17 (supplement follow directions on bottle).
S.O.D. SUPER OXIDE DISMUTASE. (supplement follow directions on bottle).
ASCORBIC ACID (2 to 6gram daily).
HYDROGEN PYRODIDE (food grade quality 2 drops in an 8oz glass of water).
COLLOIDAL SILVER WATER (20 to 50ppm strength take one tsp daily).
VIT-D3 (supplement follow direction on bottle).
RAW FRESH GARLIC (1 to 3 cloves chopped into meals daily or every other day).
TUMERIC & BLACK PEPPER (use liberally in your cooking together as one activates the other).
AVOID WHITE REFINED SUGAR AS MUCH AS YOU CAN!!!
RAW ORGANIC HONEY (1tsp daily in tea or on a piece of toast).

Hope this info helps. You don't need to be taking all the things on this list daily but, some amount of each of them should be ingested and imbibed throughout a week. Stay safe and God bless.

THE 5 SUBDIVISIONS OF TRAPPING IN JKD

All trapping techniques involved in JKD can be divided into 5 subdivisions this is mainly for the purpose of understanding when and how to use them more clearly. If one is to eventually be able to pull off a trap in a real combat situation which is also quite rare then understanding these 5 subdivisions helps a student to devise a correct training model to get good at trapping,

JKD students should always keep in mind that trapping is only a by-product of being jammed by an opponent while attempting to hit. If there is a chance to hit then the JKD student should always go for the hit and not a safety trap before the hit. Bona fide trapping (the temporary, simultaneous, immobilisation of both hands of an opponent) very rarely occurs in real combat, therefore we should concentrate more on the generality of a kind of single momentary hand immobilization. Here below are the 5 subdivisions of trapping.

1/ THE PRO-ACTIVE TRAP
This is actually not a trap as such, in the sense that it doesn’t solely rely on a continuous tactile sensitivity while in the flow of combat, and that on several occasions prior to an altercation a break in any initial hand contact may occur. This is due to the pro-active trap being used only to maintain and judge proper distance like a feeler prior to the onset of violence.
It’s done by standing in the On-Guard position with the lead hand more extended that usual and the hands kept open. The idea is to monitor the aggressors arms with your own hands in order to pick up quickly on any attempt to attack and therefore to encumber the opponent’s attack line.
However it’s better to step back and try to draw the opponent’s attack using (A-B-D) and then intercepting on his second approach. The pro-active trap can also be thought of as "The Fence" used in modern self-protection training.

2/ THE DEFENSIVE TRAP
The defensive trap is simply a counter attacking strike that is supported simultaneously by a cover or deflection of some sort. The proper term for this in Wing Chun is Lin-Sil-Di-Dar, however in JKD it is referred to as Hitting with Cover, as the emphasis is more on the hit rather than the covering block. Defensive traps are among the most difficult to pull off as one’s reactions need to be lightning fast, also it is difficult to not give the blocking hand to much concentration therefore making the hit weaker than it would be if it were just a hit on its own. Cutting in or a Stop-Hit of some sort would be more preferable in a combat situation as hitting with maximum power is what usually ends an altercation quickly.

3/ THE SPEED TRAP
Speed trapping is trapping done usually within a compound trap that suddenly speeds up and breaks the rhythm of the attack, leaving the opponent no time to react to the attack. Things like the Huen Sao and the inside Lop Sao switch are good examples of speed traps.
Speed trapping is a high level skill in JKD and should not be confused with the 'patter cakes' versions that have emerged recently from misinformed JKD players who are just reacting to nothing and blindly racing along hoping that will trap the opponent.

4/ THE RETAINING TRAP
This is any trap that is momentarily used to hold position in a compound trapping sequence. Retaining traps keep the opponent’s arms trapped a second or too longer than all other traps in order to gain a more substantiated striking position. Usually retaining traps are what most people understand trapping to look like as they usually involve barring one arm over the other effectively wrapping the opponent’s arms tight together making him helpless to defend.
Retaining traps usually need one more beat of time however to gain the advantage than all other subdivisions of traps and JKD players would usually use the beat to hit than the beat to trap.

5/ THE POWER TRAP
Power traps are basically traps that off balance or even destroy an opponent’s structure disabling them from making a substantial response. They need a sudden burst of aggressive raw energy to be successful and are often favoured by stronger JKD players. Such techniques as the Pak Sao Dar, Lop Sao Dar, B**g Sao Dar & Jut Sao Dar, are all good examples of this type of (H-I-A).

Hope this info is helpful to JKD enthusiasts and open minded martial artists.Happy training.

THE 5 SUDIVISIONS OF TRAPPING IN JKD

All trapping techniques involved in JKD can be divided into 5 subdivisions this is mainly for the purpose of understanding when and how to use them more clearly if one is to eventually be able to pull off a trap in a real combat situation which is also quite rare.

No matter how good one gets at trapping, JKD students should always keep in mind that trapping is only a by-product of being jammed by an opponent while attempting to hit. If there is a chance to hit then the JKD student should always go for the hit and not a safety trap before the hit. Bona fide trapping (the temporary, simultaneous, immobilisation of both hands of an opponent) very rarely occurs in real combat, therefore we should concentrate more on the generality of a kind of single momentary hand immobilization.

1/ THE PRO-ACTIVE TRAP

This is actually not a trap as such, in the sense that it doesn’t solely rely on a continuous tactile sensitivity while in the flow of combat, and that on several occasions prior to an altercation a break in any initial hand contact may occur. This is due to the pro-active trap being used only to maintain and judge proper distance like a feeler prior to the onset of violence.

It’s done by standing in the On-Guard position with the lead hand more extended that usual and the hands kept open. The idea is to monitor the aggressors arms with your own hands in order to pick up quickly on any attempt to attack and therefore to encumber the opponent’s attack line.

However it’s better to step back and try to draw the opponent’s attack using (A-B-D) and then intercepting on his second approach.

2/ THE DEFENSIVE TRAP

The defensive trap is simply a counter attacking strike that is supported simultaneously by a cover or deflection of some sort. The proper term for this in Wing Chun is Lin-Sil-Di-Dar, however in JKD it is referred to as Hitting with Cover, as the emphasis is more on the hit rather than the covering block. Defensive traps are among the most difficult to pull off as one’s reactions need to be lightning fast, also it is difficult to not give the blocking hand to much concentration therefore making the hit weaker than it would be if it were just a hit on its own. Cutting in or a Stop-Hit of some sort would be more preferable in a combat situation as hitting with maximum power is what usually ends an altercation quickly.

3/ THE SPEED TRAP

Speed trapping is trapping done usually within a compound trap that suddenly speeds up and breaks the rhythm of the attack, leaving the opponent no time to react to the attack. Things like the Huen Sao and the inside Lop Sao switch are good examples of speed traps.
Speed trapping is a high level skill in JKD and should not be confused with the patter cakes versions that have emerged recently from misinformed JKD players who are just reacting to nothing and blindly racing along hoping that will trap the opponent.

4/ THE RETAINING TRAP

This is any trap that is momentarily used to hold position in a compound trapping sequence. Retaining traps keep the opponent’s arms trapped a second or too longer than all other traps in order to gain a more substantiated striking position. Usually retaining traps are what most people understand trapping to look like as they usually involve barring one arm over the other effectively wrapping the opponent’s arms tight together making him helpless to defend.

Retaining traps usually need one more beat of time however to gain the advantage than all other subdivisions of traps and JKD players would usually use the beat to hit than the beat to trap.

5/ THE POWER TRAP

Power traps are basically traps that off balance or even destroy an opponent’s structure disabling them from making a substantial response. They need a sudden burst of aggressive raw energy to be successful and are often favoured by stronger JKD players. Such techniques as the Pak Sao Dar, Lop Sao Dar, B**g Sao Dar & Jut Sao Dar, are all good examples of this type of (H-I-A).

MILLING
(ONE MINUTE OF CONTROLLED AGGRESSION)

In all martial artists no matter what branch of style they practice there will come a time of mental challenge, a challenge that internally questions what you have achieved so far, and one that asks yourself, “will this stuff really work.” For some, along the way this barrier has been overcome via a full-contact sporting bout or even a street fight. Yet for the vast majority of practicing martial artists this internal question has never been resolved. Most martial artists in truth are in poor condition to fight for real. They can’t take a hit or hit well and usually they are in poor physical condition to boot. This is backed up by the great kick boxer ‘Benny Uquidez’ in his book, “Training and Fighting Skills.”
QUOTE: “Boxers are in better condition than Karate fighters as they are always getting hit, they also have to be in very good condition. They are always working on power, impact and speed. Their bodies are conditioned to take that impact. In martial arts competitors don’t get hit with that kind of impact often enough to be conditioned for it. In traditional tournaments a person might get hit during thirty seconds of a three minute time period, and even then the hits are controlled. In boxing the fighter is getting hit constantly during the round, so he has to be in better shape.” END QUOTE:
Conditioning on many levels for a martial artist is very important but, it is never more so important than on the levels of mental and physical aggression. To install aggression we need to do something that facilitates this, and this is where ‘Milling’ comes in. Milling is akin to sparring however unlike sparring, milling is purely about getting stuck in rather than technique and strategy. It’s also about going harder than usual for a shorter period than in regular semi-contact sparring rounds. Milling can bring a martial artist to their peak of fighting confidence. Milling is a favourite exercise of the Royal Marine Commando’s and the Parachute Regiment alike simply because it’s primal and it installs aggression at a base level. It also humbles people and makes one learn not only to give pain but, to have to take some pain too. It stands to reason that elite soldiers would favour these types of methods as what good is a soldier or warrior that can’t fight for real!?
For the few martial arts students whom are exposed to milling by their informed instructors, to them of course it’s a scary and daunting prospect. Many martial arts styles don’t even do semi-contact sparring so milling would be a step too far for them anyway. Even for advanced students whom do milling from time to time the task is a little unsettling. For all those whom do it though, they know how necessary it is to do towards becoming a fully effective and functional fighter.
So what is milling? Well… basically milling is usually one minute of controlled all out aggression with the point at hand to cause as much pain as possible to the person in front of you. This aggression is somewhat controlled in the sense that large 14 to 18oz gloves, a gum-shield, footpads, and a groin guard are worn as a safety measure, and in the case of beginners a head guard is advised to be worn. There should always also be a referee of some sort who will break up the mêlée where necessary, and someone present either the referee or a spectator is also trained in first aid. I have found from experience over the years that somewhere between forty five seconds and one minute is enough to give the students as much stress, and feed back as they need to improve in confidence and condition. This doesn’t sound like much time but, when all hell breaks loose and your shipping leather it can seem an eternity. I find that this is a good thing to do once or twice a year with those students whom want to participate usually on an assigned Sunday afternoon. If you spar regularly with decent contact, while wearing protective equipment then you will already be doing a lot of fight preparation training, so by adding milling occasionally you will just be putting the cherry on top of the cake so to speak. The down side to milling much like contact sparring is that there’s always a high chance of incurring an injury. Injuries such as chipped teeth, cracked ribs, split lips, blooded noses, cut eyebrows and concussions I have found happen when doing milling. This is why it’s not for everyone, and it only ever should be done with truly interested, willing participants, and advanced students whom are ready and able to deal with the stresses that it causes. On the up side however, students get a tremendous buzz a feeling of euphoria after they complete the round. It also fosters a sense of camaraderie with their fellow students. They feel more powerful and self-confident in their abilities; they feel a deep sense of achievement and self-esteem. The feeling of knowing that you had the balls to go for it for those who dare to try is an unparalleled feeling. It becomes an inner knowing.
My students have in the past related to me how the event scared them but, they still did it, rising to the challenge win or lose their round. They all come to realise that winning or losing is not paramount in milling but, rather that it is merely the taking part that counts. Yes someone’s hand will be raised at the end but, it matters not, it is the being involved and the facing of your fears while conquering them that really counts. Martial arts should be about know yourself better, and in turn from that knowledge, knowing others better also, for you are the others, the other are you. My students often tell me after the session how the milling in a short moment seems to bring all they have been learning from me into one sharp moment of clarity. It puts it all into place and makes sense of all the regular training. This to me makes milling when done correctly an invaluable part of martial arts training and development. It’s easy to see why commando’s and Para’s do milling regularly.
To correctly perform a milling round for any instructors and students interested in doing so the basic guide-lines that I use are as follows: partners off with someone close to your weight height or if not ability. Gear up with a head guard, 18oz boxing gloves, groin guard, gum-shield, and foot/shin pads (if kicking also), do not wear a body guard as you need to take body shots to some degree and you need to move comfortably. Make it clear that both participants should try to hit at around 90% of their power and that they should stop if a participant is downed on one knee or flat out on the floor or they are pulled apart to adjust protective gear, etc, by the referee. Remember to have more than one person present who is first aid trained and preferably the referee should be a martial artist too. Make sure a well equipped first aid kit is on hand just in case. Let the students perform just one round unless agreed otherwise with more seasoned students or if a round was particularly pure in aggression and content. I should stress here in closing that the term ‘FULL- CONTACT’ is often touted openly but, it’s mainly a false terminology in the martial arts. That is to say that full-contact in martial arts training is always done with some form of protective gear on, whereas real full-contact combat is done with no protective gear on, having no rules, no referee, often no mercy, and anything goes. So that all milling conditioning exercises and sparring are all methods and tools that help lead us up to that ultimate reality of combat.
Property and copyright © of Jimi Heys S.P.A.R.T.A. 2018.

WHAT IS THE ROOT OF COMBAT?


Firstly let’s take a look at a famous quote by Bruce Lee that brings this question to all our attentions.


"Jeet Kune Do, It's just a name, don't fuss over it. There's no such thing as a style if you understand the roots of combat."


Ok then, we can clearly see from this quote that Lee couldn't give a toss for the name JKD, as it's just a boat to get one across. Labelling something for the convenience of others to be able to understand it can all too often become self-defeating, and Lee knew that. The name is to be departed from when you realise properly the roots of combat, the name of JKD will become just a distant echo. Now we who have grown in truth know that the branches are the plethora of styles existing out there, and there are countless branches, but when we start stripping the BS away from all these made up styles what are we always left with!? That's right, the root! Ironic isn’t it?


And so we come to the root. Let's now consider one of if not the oldest recorded murders ever! (Genesis 4:8). That of Abel's murder by his jealous brother Cain. Are we told in the scriptures that Cain suddenly killed Able with a Taekwondo jumping spinning hook kick to the head, or a BJJ triangle choke, lol? No we're not, nor are we for that matter told he used a weapon, perhaps he hit his brother on the head with a rock, and maybe he used some Kali, lol. What we do know is that Cain was mighty angry and he rose up and slew Abel. Did Cain know martial arts!? Did Cain have the Gracie family DVD series on his shelf? Did he have the Tao of Jeet Kune Do at hand or a Dojo to train in? Did Cain have a 10th Dan Sifu to learn the secret ways from? NO!!!!!!!!!!!!


The root of combat is purely primal simplicity, it is, OUR BODIES & OUR MINDS UNINDOCTRINATED. Your body is a kinetically engineered miracle designed to work in a way that is in accord with one's will. When the body becomes the metre for what to do in combat then one can quickly realise the LOWEST COMMON DENOMINATORS, and that metre if honestly studied will show the welder the truth in combat. This is why Lee said "No Way as Way, No Limitation as Limitation". Lee knew what the 'No Way' was; he'd discovered that honestly by training honestly. The 'No Way' was the way before styles, before preconceived ideas, before INDOCTRINATION. It just is you ‘being’, you're aggressive, you’re direct, it's that simple. Lee was trying to reach that original state that Cain knew. Lee called it 'Returning to the Original freedom' or Liberty. The 'No Way' is the way before 'Ways' (styles) came into being. The root is the essence of that simplicity that existed before all the branches flowered into a plethora of styles and hypothesis, fuelled by mans love of rituals, dogmas, and traditions.


So when you workout let your body speak to you study the kinetics of the design, and you too will soon see what the 'Longest Range Weapon to the Nearest Target' is, you will quickly know where to hit and what with, you will know what the longest range hand strike is and where it should hit, you will realise the universality of the body. Stay away from the branches, they are merely off-shoots, they will be like weeds ensnaring you, do not get caught up in the branches, the root is the essence of combat, your body is the key, God is the locksmith. Use the key wisely.


“The Root is YOU before indoctrination; it’s the No Way as Way! Conversely the branches are YOU after indoctrination by the 'Classical Mess’, it’s the Some Ways as Ways!”
Jimi Heys.












Liberated Martial Arts, © copyright 2018 Sifu Jim Heys.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yR5qKbkXhc

JKD LOP SAO COUNTERS Relevant counters to the Lop Sao that can happen in combat should a Lop Sao be achieved by an opponent.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ofdw7Lfa_o

JKD's 'BAI JONG' STANCE EXPLAINED A detailed explanation of the 'Bai Jong' stance from Bruce Lee's art of Jeet Kune Do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGMOkvKKs2E&t=109s

MANKIND'S COMMON COMBAT ENEMY, "FREEZING" A detailed talk about the seldom mentioned aspect of combat known as "freezing." Freezing, being mortified with fear before your assailant, just prior to phy...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udbGs_afrWg&t=131s

JKD's 'ECONOMICAL HOOK' PUNCH Full description and demonstration of how to do the economical hook punch in JKD.

Learn Bruce Lee's fighting method of JEET KUNE DO!