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5 WAYS OF ATTACK
Author: Jerry Beasley, Ed.D.
It is well-documented that Bruce Lee taught different ideas about the martial arts during different phases of his personal development. Consequently, his methods are often categorized as being associated with the Seattle phase, the Oakland phase or the Los Angeles/Chinatown phase of his evolution. Also, it is generally understood that his private students often received instruction which differed from what was offered in the Chinatown classes typically led by teaching assistant Dan Inosanto.
Because of the variations that existed under the name of jeet kune do, it was important for each original student to compare notes with the others. Likewise, it is important for today’s students of JKD to collect as much information as possible prior to arriving at any conclusions.
These days, it is popular to separate JKD into two branches: the conceptual school and the historically correct school. The conceptual school is often identified by a shift to Philippine and Indonesian arts, while the historically correct school has created the perception that it has neither altered nor deleted any of Lee’s original skills. One writer has referred to the concepts school as “modern JKD” (since those associated with it constantly update and advance their knowledge of JKD concepts) and the historically correct school as “traditional JKD” (because of the emphasis on staying true to Lee’s chosen skills).
The differences between the two schools have resulted in many differences of opinion, but both sides seem to agree on the meaning and interpretation of Lee’s five ways of attack: single direct attack, attack by drawing, attack by combination, hand (and leg) immobilization attack, and progressive indirect attack. In light of recent research, however, there may be a previously uncovered interpretation of the five ways of attack which is far more advanced.
Once again, it is necessary to remind the reader that because of the unique nature of JKD, Lee was constantly transforming his research and development process. Therefore, it is understandable that his students differ in their interpretations of what they were taught and what they believed to be JKD. The author does not wish to imply that any person’s interpretation is superior to any one else’s. Rather, the goal is to point out that even the five ways of attack— which are the same for the concepts school and the historically correct school—are open to interpretation.
ATTACK BY DRAWING
There are no changes in the interpretation of the single direct attack or the hand (or leg) immobilization attack.
However, the meanings of attack by combination, attack by drawing and progressive indirect attack need to be reconsidered. For example, attack by combination is traditionally thought to be a combination of single direct attacks. The boxer using a jab, cross and hook is a typical combination.
In fact, attack by combination can be more effectively viewed as a combination of any two ways of attack—and not limited to only combinations of the single direct attack.
The real problem is not attack by combination; rather, it is the potential misinterpretation and commonly used limitations of attack by drawing. Traditionally, attack by drawing has been interpreted and taught as drawing in the opponent’s attack by creating a false opening—a method of baiting the opponent. The opponent sees the opening and attacks. Attack by drawing (as baiting) is thus actually employed as a method of counterattack. If you follow this view, the five ways of attack become four ways of attack and one way of counterattack.
Imagine that you decided to hunt sharks. If you subscribe to the traditional JKD interpretation of attack by drawing, you would dive into the water and wait until a shark attacks. That method is called “bait and wait.” Exposing a target to attack is not generally recommended.
Apparently, the word “drawing” was thought of as only “drawing in.” There is, however, a better way of drawing. In many old Westerns, when the good guys are penned in, one man always volunteers to move to a better position if his partners will draw the attacker’s fire. They shoot at the bad guys to redirect their attention, thus allowing the volunteer to sneak away. While his friends fake an attack, the good guy uses an appropriate version of attack by drawing to win.
So what’s the solution? Attack by drawing should be interpreted as both drawing in the opponent’s fire toward a false opening (the traditional interpretation) and drawing out the opponent’s fire by faking. If you fake a high punch and your opponent responds by attempting a block/parry, you have successfully employed attack by drawing as a method for drawing out an attack. As such, it is a method of offensively approaching the opponent.
There is, however, another problem. Traditionally in JKD, faking has been used as an element of the progressive indirect attack. So the student would no doubt be confused. Faking, when viewed as the art of creating a false attack which solicits an anticipated defensive reaction from the opponent, is more appropriately used in attack by drawing.
PROGRESSIVE INDIRECT ATTACK
The progressive indirect attack requires a change in speed, direction or timing. A fake does not qualify as one because it is a completed technique. A progressive indirect attack must originate as an incomplete technique that changes direction or speed to find completion.
The term “broken rhythm” is most appropriately applied to the progressive indirect attack. To accomplish it, you disrupt your opponent’s fighting rhythm by creating a misdirection or variation in speed. While it is a somewhat sophisticated method when compared to attack by drawing or single direct attack, it is nevertheless a common approach for beginners. Quite often, they have a natural broken rhythm that is seen as awkward. It is awkward enough to evade, but when employed by an expert, broken rhythm is even more difficult to defend against.
JKD KICKBOXING APPROACH
While JKD has been referred to as Bruce Lee’s jeet kune do, non-classical gung fu and Jun Fan kickboxing, the kickboxing approach seems to be the most simplified venue for realizing it. In Jun Fan kickboxing, the fighters begin a process of eliminating all unnecessary skills as they focus on the five ways of attack. It is through this method that we can discover the revised uses of those five ways.
With sufficient contact-fighting experience, the Jun Fan kickboxer comes to realize that the proper execution of a single technique is considerably more important than the potential follow-up. Ultimately, the goal becomes that of educating the fighter in the simplest and most economical ways of attack. Even though the Jun Fan kickboxer may employ only a few skills, he has at his disposal an infinite variety of ways to execute those skills in a decisive and effective manner.
Former Professional Karate Association world champion Joe Lewis, who was voted the greatest fighter of all time in a 1983 Karate Illustrated poll, has for years taught the importance of technique execution. A personal student of Bruce Lee’s, Lewis learned the five ways of attack in the manner defined in this article. He claims his experience has taught him that fighters should understand that their opponent can be categorized as a blocker (one who attempts to block an attack), a jammer (one who typically tries to rush toward an attack) or a runner (one who attempts to evade or retreat from an attack).
Although this information typically is not presented in JKD circles, it represents the necessary defensive pattern required for fully understanding the nature of offensively approaching an opponent contained in Lee’s five ways of attack.
Against a blocker or a jammer, fighters who prefer not to give ground should employ the progressive indirect attack, hand immobilization attack and single direct attack. Attack by drawing is used against a blocker only when we incorporate a faking technique. As the blocker attempts to intercept the faked attack, he becomes vulnerable to the completed technique.
IT’S ALL GOOD
Some martial artists prefer to argue over the historical significance of a limited assortment of techniques, while others are not satisfied with the techniques passed on by Lee and therefore are forever engaged in the discovery of new arts and ways. However, it would seem that a more thorough understanding of the five ways of attack should result in a feeling of satisfaction that Lee had, in fact, developed a total program. Instead, JKD is unfortunately divided between the historically correct, anti-change group and the new-art conceptual group. Is one side right and the other wrong?
In view of the fact that Lee died before he completed his art or wrote down any concrete guidelines for it, we must make our own conclusions as to which interpretations are valid. We know that JKD must reflect greatly the methods and techniques taught by Lee from 1967 to 1973. However, the variation that exists in the interpretations of events and skills confined to those years leads this researcher to doubt that there will ever be harmony in the JKD world.
Jun Fan kickboxing attempts to accurately bridge the historically correct and modern conceptual interpretations with the fighting strategies of Lee and Lewis. Still, the reader must be cautioned that it should not be considered the only way to absorb JKD. However, as the kickboxing method emerges, it will no doubt represent a viable third approach to solving the riddle of JKD.
Perhaps that’s what Lee would have wanted: to challenge us to make our own decisions by trial and error and to avoid at all cost the blind following of tradition—even if that tradition is a product of the search for jeet kune do. ...
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