CLAIMING VICTORY AFTER an exhausting battle against Wong Jack Man in 1965, Bruce was questioning the martial arts methods he had trained in for years. He felt constricted by tradition, which led to his decision to research different fighting methods and create his own form of kung fu called Jeet Kune Do. “You must be shapeless, formless, like water,” Bruce said in his book Tao of Jeet Kune Do. The basis of the Jeet Kune Do emblem is the circular yin-yang symbol, BRUCE’S which represents the opposites of life. Bruce added arrows around the yin-yang to emphasize movement and the constant changing of aggressiveness and passiveness in a fight. The Chinese JEET KUNE DO characters roughly translate to “Using no way as way, having no limitation as limitation.”

JUDO WING CHUN FENCING DANCING Bruce studied judo Although Bruce tossed Bruce was particularly fascinated Bruce employed some concepts from along with different aside years of training by fencing and compared attacking dance into his new form of kung fu. forms of wrestling. He in Wing Chun after with fists to a foil (sword). “Before “In coordinated, graceful and efficient admired the quickness his bout with Wong attacking an opponent who fences movement, the opposing muscles must of judo practitioners Jack Man, he still kept with an absence of touch, false be able to relax and lengthen readily and the full-body Wing Chun’s concept attacks or feints can be used to and easily,” Bruce suggested. He also contact associated with of relaxation, as well draw his reaction,” Bruce observed. believed that fighting should have judo matches. Some of as the mental battle One of Jeet Kune Do’s fundamental it’s own rhythm, an influence from his Bruce’s first students that occurs between moves, the stop-hit, which has the teenage years. His experience learning trained in judo before opponents. The martial user strike an opponent who is about and teaching the Cha-Cha helped taking up lessons with arts legend still agreed to launch his or her own attack, improve his footwork and balance. him, including Taky that the body should comes from foil fencing. Kimura, who would not be tense during later go on to be one of a fight, but focused. Bruce’s three certified When he trained his instructors. students, he taught them the exercise of Wing Chun’s “sticking hands” and the centerline concept, where the body is SAVATE divided vertically from BOXING The Jeet Kune Do founder was particularly interested in one move From boxing, Bruce adopted the fast, hard punches and head to groin. Students from French boxing called the purring kick. Bruce thought this learn how to attack and jabs for Jeet Kune Do. The legend himself competed in boxing matches in Hong Kong during high school as an kick was the “quickest” and “most powerful,” making it extremely defend using this line as difficult for an adversary to avoid. The purring kick is when the a guide. outlet for his frustrations. Jeet Kune Do practitioners also stand like boxers, with their weight equally distributed fighter kicks straight up, so his leg is parallel to his waist and his heel between the right and left feet. makes contact with his opponent.

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