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When a Mandalorian needs Martial Arts training the teacher appears!

The story that leads up to my arrival in Cape Town, South Africa is one of the most harrowing tales of frustration I ever had with an airline.  I will relay this in another post.

This was my first time ever being out of the country and I was extremely excited.  Not only was I going to be doing makeup effects I also had a major part in the movie.

However during this time I was going though some difficult “relationship” issues and was perpetually angry despite my incredible happiness and having this amazing career opportunity.  I smoked and drank way too much which was never in my personality traits up until I was 25 but emotions getting the best of me has always been a weakness of mine.  Martial Arts has been my conduit for relief so I was elated when I met Tem Morrison.

We discussed martial arts at every opportunity and would find areas to practice.  During this era of my training I was HEAVILY promoting the Jeet Kune Do core training and tried my best to convince him to go that route.  Tem had experience in boxing but insisted on the discipline that Karate instilled.  I agreed since I received my Black Belt in Tang Soo Do Style Karate years ago and I was teaching it since I was 14.

As I mention in the youtube description, he was a natural.  Everything I showed him he did with precision and focus.  It was seeing him progress thanks to my knowledge that my attitude began to change.

When I arrived back in the States after a month on location I did some soul searching and put that anger and frustration that I unknowingly had been carrying with me for years.  It took an incredible amount of effort (and therapy).  I quit smoking.  Although I was never an alcoholic, my drinking became social instead of a tool of quelling emotions.

Martial Arts has always been my saving grace.  No matter what the situation.  Tem helped me rediscover why discipline is important.  When a teacher learns from a student it's one of the most rewarding achievements an instructor wishes for.

This is from my 2002 personal video training diary.  This was meant for my personal reference for a video series I was planning and not as an instructional video.

The Lop Sao Switch is one of the precursor energy drills to Chi Sao (Sticky Hands).  I learned this on my very first JKD class under Bill Mattucci during 1991.  Applying it to the dummy takes a bit of adjusting and getting used to so this is an intermediate technique that you will develop into. 
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This demo shows you how to practice this exercise on the Wooden Dummy when a partner is unavailable.

As a beginner you may extend your arms further due to lack of wrist flexibility but as you progress move in closer testing your wrist flexibility using PROPER FORM as I do in the video.

The closer you get to the dummy the more difficult it will be to have correct form but keep at this and your wrist flexibility will improve as will your strength.

Your shoulders, hips, and feet should ALWAYS be in line.  Otherwise you are off balance and will not generate power.  

The picture on the left is how you DON'T want to look.  

His hips are beyond his heels and the torso is leaning forward beyond his toes.  Don't be like this.  It's not Wing Chun.  It's not JKD.  Kinda looks like Silat.  It's not art, no street practicality, and worthless in sport.  3/3 fail.
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The key is to focus on Centerline using springing energy while honing your technique.  This has and ALWAYS will be my primary focus on using the Mook Jong.  I can not stress this enough.  This is NOT an impact training tool.

I trimmed this video to prevent the constant repitition and the squeek of my arms against the wooden arms.  Constant repetition on the Dummy will hone your Wing Chun skills like no other piece of training equipment.

This is the last post from the 2002 video.  This was fun to revisit and sparked some creativity in wanting to do more.

Have a request for Wooden Dummy training?  Place it in the comments!

Bruce Lee Teaching Methods, Wooden Dummy Advice, Dealing with a Wild Puncher

The final installment of my private training video training session.

3:35 Wooden Dummy Training Advice

Jerry asks me what area I would like additional advice and he solves that quickly.  I will be posting Wooden Dummy exercises in the future.

4:30 Controlling the Wild Puncher

You can see he gets visibly upset because it was difficult to train "alive" as was asked of him off camera.  There was no way I was going to go full force with him at this stage of his life especially without any protective gear.

You can find a poor excuse for a Bruce Lee fan trolling this post on the Paul Bax run BRUCE LEE: THE MAN THE MYTH THE LEGEND group on facebook.  I will be quitting that page due to the amount of spam and lack of content being provided.  Any forum that does not regulate the trolling and spam is not worth contributing or taking part in.  I'm for EDUCATED discourse but disrespectful ill informed behavior I won't tolerate.  Besides it looks like JKD is on it's last legs.  The fans have been the biggest contribution to it's demise which is why I love what Shannon Lee is doing with THE BRUCE LEE FOUNDATION and focusing on philosophy instead of the physical aspect.   I'll continue to provide JKD information as it was taught to me as well as Wing Chun advice that is not being taught.

Hit me up for a seminar if you would like to learn more.  I’m available for private lessons as well as groups and classes.

I have one more video to post from this recording so I will be providing new content afterwards.

Comments, dialogue, and feedback are appreciated.  Trolls will be deleted quickly.

“Facing” the head hunter, Striking to the Body, Moving while hitting, Elevation and Angles

Part 3 of 4 from my private video training Diary where you get to watch my ADD ticks during this session because I get excited when shown new principles after practicing so diligently.

With these sessions you have to understand Jerry is not as young as he was and had some serious health issues.  I was always reluctant striking at him and I’m not one to do fake reactions when pretending to get hit during practice.

2:11 Setting up Attacks with Body Strikes

I particularly like this segment because I have never been a fan of “tapping” a punch when it’s coming at your face.  It never served a purpose for me.  I like the opportunity that is offered to hit instead.

2:43 Difference Between Classical Wing Chun and Jeet Kune Do
This is where the rubber meets the road when it comes to the Wing Chun phonies out there claiming Jeet Kune Do is just modified Wing Chun.  If your JKD instructor is not teaching this then you have someone that is scamming you with their limited knowledge.

2:50 Applying Jeet Kune Do Principles to Wing Chun 

3:26 Applying Jeet Kune Do Principles to a Haymaker Punch

Here is where trapping comes into play when squaring off with someone that is throwing straight leads and crosses with vertical fists.  I would not try this with traditional boxing punches although it could be modified.  Never seek to trap.  Let it happen.

4:24 Principles of Hitting While Moving

Still one of the most important principle of JKD.  If your instructor doesn’t mention this then question his instruction.  If they get butt hurt and defensive they don’t know what they are talking about.  Good instructors do not do this instead they assist the student in seeking information.  

Find some of my comments on other YouTube JKD tutorials where I call out people like this and  notice their responses.

6:00 Elevation and Angle Changes

This is something rarely talked about among first generation JKD instructors in public however in private I was also shown to me by Daniel Lee.  However I am cautious of using elevation changes too much due to knees and elbows but this is a perfect set up for a takedown for grappling.
One more video to go in this session and that’s all I’m able to show.

Hit me up for a seminar if you would like to learn more.  I’m available for private lessons as well as groups and classes.

Trapping Range Control, Shoulder Check Application, Bruce Lee Teaching advice

Part 2 of 4 from my private video training Diary:

1:29 Trapping Range Control

Jerry's forte has always been trapping.  Like no other instructor that I trained with.  Daniel Lee focused on boxing, footwork, and classical Wing Chun while other JKD instructors (mostly 2nd generation) had no idea of how to apply trapping principles like Bruce Lee taught and performed.  Jerry was unique at this.

2:43 Difference Between Classical Wing Chun and Jeet Kune Do 

So many times I have encountered Wing Chun instructors claiming JKD is JUST Wing Chun and I remember the heated arguments I got into with them...in person.  

This is a GOOD example of what that difference is.  Beware of JKD charlatans out there supporting the Wing Chun = JKD claims...there are quite a bit out there on YouTube.

2:56 Explosive Shoulder Check

This is a technique I particularly like because I am reminded of the story Jerry told me regarding Bruce Lee's use of the Bong Sao as a body check.  I'll be doing a video on this in the future.

Bruce Lee was not only innovative in developing techniques but also in his teaching methods.  He did not participate in large crowd martial arts classes so this brought a unique edge to his presentation methods which is why a majority of his students have retained the information to this day he taught them.  This video contains a brief sampling of what that was like.

I have detailed notes of information regarding Bruce Lee's private teaching that have never been talked about.  So SUBSCRIBE to my channel and don't miss out!

Again here is the legal disclaimer regarding this video recording:

Continuing the lesson that was recorded June 2 2002 during a private lesson with my personal Digital Video Camera.  

I own this footage and was filmed with my camera on Digital Video Tape.  This tape was transferred to DVD that is in my collection.

Get a JKD scam artist and Wing Chun know it all butt hurt by LIKING and SHARING this video!

UPGRADE YOUR TRAINING AND LEVEL UP BY SUBSCRIBING AND FOLLOWING ALONG.

Comments, dialogue, and feedback are appreciated.

I debated with myself for sometime whether I should post this material and it became clear to me that this information should be shared.  I will not monetize this video.  Ever.  This was filmed with my Sony mini-Digital Video camera with my video tape.  This is my footage.

As of late YouTube has been flooded with garbage material calling itself Jeet Kune Do so I'm bringing you the real deal.  I'm sick of the bullshit artists glomming off the Bruce Lee Jeet Kune Do names, writing shitty books, while self promoting with clever marketing.  We see it happen everywhere and in every martial art philosophy.  All you have to do is look at how Wing Chun has been given the corner shopping mall treatment with belt ranking and withholding information that is freely available on Amazon Prime from Yip Man himself.

To my knowledge and from countless internet searches this material has never been presented because it's not as "commercial" as some JKD information.  I assisted Jerry with private lessons as well as seminars and this was never presented.  There are three more segments to come from this session.  The remaining information is contained in my notebooks and committed to memory.  I will also be presenting my personal innovations of martial arts training at a later time.

Part 3 Deflections with the Stick Down and Bonus Material

This is the final part of the information I recorded in 2002 regarding what Jerry Poteet taught me in Escrima.  He did teach me more which I took notes on and will do a few videos on them someday because it's information that needs to be out there since most of the Escrima I've seen is all the flashy stuff without the JKD principles.

As I mentioned before I will not get into the Core VS Concepts argument because it is dead and no one cares.  HOWEVER I will call out BULLSHIT ARTISTS out there promoting there art as Jeet Kune Do when they don't even touch upon Bruce's scattered notes contained in THE TAO OF JEET KUNE DO.  Too many seminar certificate jerks promoting themselves as the real deal using skeevy marketing tactics which is pretty pathetic in this day of Mixed Martial Arts and Reality Based Combat training that is available.

I digressed.  Sorry.

The bonus material includes: a stick twirling exercise which is something I would not practice anymore since I am interested in keeping a firm grip on the stick at all times.  Yes I will do a video on that.

Then last we have how Wing Chun principle apply to Escrima.  Information like this is very hard to find so I'm happy to present this.
I'm purchasing a camera tripod and microphone so expect higher quality videos after the 2002 diary is all uploaded.

Next week's post and a few following are going to be very special because they present more JKD information that has not been presented publicly (as to the best of my knowledge).

In other news I completed my stand and the only things holding me back from being completely done is the company I ordered my Dummy leg from (worst customer service ever and I'll say more once I get it IF I ever get it) and drying out the trunk in my oven at work (which has been closed due to Covid19)

Stay safe and wear a mask!  Seriously what better time to be able to wear a Ninja mask in public!!!

Part 2 Deflections with the Stick up

This is the unedited portion of the my 2002 video training diary that I recorded after private lessons with first generation Bruce Lee student Jerry Poteet.

Although the use of 24 inch sticks are used to simulate a machete my opinion has changed over the use of smaller, lighter sticks because they just won’t hold up during training and they aren’t going to stop anybody.  Incorporate an axe or sledgehammer handle if you want to develop strength.

Next up is the third and final stick fighting lesson: Deflections with the Stick down.

The remainder on of this video diary contains Wooden Dummy training and advanced footwork so stay tuned!

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Below are pictures of practice sticks I made:

Anyone that has picked up a whip and fell in love with it knows how addicting purchasing and practicing them can be.

I have been practicing with the bullwhip since my first lessons from Anthony and Mary DeLongis at the first Combat Con in Las Vegas in 2011.

Here is an unboxing, review, demo, and quick lesson on beginning whip training.

The brief lesson is on energizing your whip for performance and I will do a longer video on this using one of my leather bullwhips.

As I mention in the video these whips require more arm involvment due to the shorter length but you can still apply proper body mechanics.

www.swordguybuilds.com tell him you saw the Lou Kiss review!

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