Bruce Lee: Martial Action

There is no doubt that Bruce Lee was a modern day pioneer of martial arts, on a global scale. Bruce's martial journey, of almost 20 years, begins at age 13, with him learning the Chinese art of Wing Chun Gung-Fu and ends with the development of his own art of Jeet Kune Do. 

During his time in Seattle, Bruce mainly practiced Wing Chun Gung Fu and continued with many of these training methods such as wooden dummy's and sandbags. However, his interest in other Chinese martial arts, as well as Boxing and Judo, grew steadily in Seattle, and he began experimenting with many training routines from these systems. He was known to be extremely fast with his hands; almost invincible.

Eventually Bruce relocated to Oakland, California. In Oakland, Bruce found like minded martial artists, who were also pushing the envelope and thinking outside the box, when it came to their individual approach to the arts, and adopted training methods. James Lee (pictured far right) and Allen Joe (pictured at the back of the group in-between Bruce and James) were instrumental in Bruce's personal development, both mentally and physically. 

In 1966 the Lee family moved to Los Angeles. As well as beginning a new chapter in regards to acting, celebrity students and being exposed to Hollywood culture, Bruce excelerated his own martial process during his years in the City of Angels. Here he is demonstrating a finger jab with friend, and student, Dan Lee in the Los Angeles Jun Fan Gung Fu Institute in LA's Chinatown. Do you notice how Bruce's stance has evolved from the earlier "Seattle" photo? 

As his martial skills, and educated curiosity in other fighting art forms and philosophy, evolved, Bruce not only innovated his own training regimens to focus on all facets of his physical and mental development, he designed unique pieces of less-rigid training equipment. 

At 5'7" and 128 pounds, Bruce Lee was not a big man, but he optimized a healthy, strong and mentally fit human being. His example showed others that size truly did not matter when it came to combat. Here he is at the height of his physical fitness and martial prowess, on the set of "Enter The Dragon" in 1973. He once said "It's not the daily increase, but daily decrease. Hack away the unessential." 

Jeet Kune Do, or, "The Way of the Intercepting Fist", was the name Bruce gave to his own art and approach to martial arts. Bruce described Jeet Kune Do as "the art of fighting without fighting" and "the formless form". 

During his recovery from a near career ending back injury to his sacral nerve in 1970, Bruce threw himself into self evaluation and study, reading self improvement books and writing volumes of notes. He also spent many hours studying physics, biomechanics, nutrition and training theory. A man of action, Bruce wasted no time applying what he was learning in a scientific sense to further enhance not only his martial art, but his own self. He was on a journey to self liberation.  

"The individual is of first importance, not the system. Remember that man created method and not that method created man, and do not strain yourself in twisting into someone's preconceived pattern, which unquestionably would be appropriate for him, but not necessarily for you." Bruce Lee.