Product Description
This is Bruce Lee’s treatise on his martial art, jeetkune do. This international best seller includes the philosophy ofjeet kune do, mental and physical training, martial qualities, attack,and strategy. BEST SELLER!Amazon.com Review
To watch Bruce Lee on film is an amazing experience. Those whohave read Tao of Jeet Kune Do, however, know that Lee's prosecan also be exhilarating. This praiseworthy and enduring bestseller(mainly written over six months when Lee was bedridden with backproblems) compiles philisophical aphorisms, explanations on technique,and sketches by the master himself. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (193)

tao of jeet kine do
great philosophy book, must read twice to understand its meaning, not all applies to one individual but many things will, as a martial artist and in life in general.

Great Book!
This is a great book, not only on the subject of martial arts, but also the philosophy of life offered.You really get a sense of who Bruce Lee was as a person from reading his thoughts on the subject of life in general, which I found inspiring.As far as the quality of this hard cover version of the book, it is decent, but not perfect in that it is basically a paperback book glued to a hardcover, rather than a real hard cover book that is interwoven into the hard cover, as real hard cover library books are.I still would have have bought this book for the price having known this prior however.

His response was awesome.
My best friend's birthday was coming up and I was at a loss as to what to get him.
I knew he liked this sort of thing and of course, Bruce Lee.
The day he called to tell me he got it was awesome. (It was a surprise)
He said he'd owned the book several times in his life and had had it lost and/or stolen every time.
He was happy to have it once again and I was happy with the decision to purchase it.
100% satisfied.

Disappointed
Was expecting a lot more instead of basically Bruce's notes presented in an all most comic book form.If you took out all the over spacing this book would be perhaps 30 pages? Plus side is you see Bruce's thoughts and insight on paper.

Zen and the Art of Kicking Butt
Bruce Lee was a very interesting man. If you're just curious about Bruce and want to know more about him, you'll probably like this book, but there may be other books about him that would suit you better. Personally, I had a keen interest in Zen, and I would say that there are about 30 pages in this book (out of 200) which shed a great deal of light on Bruce's notions of Zen. In contrast, the bulk of the book is given over to a detailed exposition of Bruce's approach to the martial arts: how to fight, how to prepare oneself for fighting, and how to use strategy and tactics to basically beat the daylights out of someone who is trying to kill you. I was surprised that there was not more space devoted to kicking, because I see some of Bruce's old fight scenes where he uses kicking extensively. However, I would very much recommend this book to anyone interested in American boxing, because Bruce really lays out a thorough method for it. As for Zen, there are some heavy ideas laid out in this book, but those are concentrated in the sections at the beginning and near the end of the text. In any case, lovers of Kung Fu fighting are sure to enjoy... ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (7)

Tim Tackett is NOT an original student of Bruce Lee's
I just wanted to address a common mistake regarding Tim Tackett. Tim Tackett is NOT an original student of Bruce Lee's. He began his training under one of the only 3 people certified to teach Jeet Kune Do by Bruce Lee, Dan Inosanto in 1970 at Dan Inosanto's backyard training class. He was certified in JKD by Dan Inosanto. I'm pretty sure he never attended the Chinatown Jun Fan Gung Fu school.

Solid L.A. -era info
I have enough JKD books to start my own bookstore, but this is by far one of the best. The info is clear, complete, and flows nicely.

I've practiced JKD since 1990 with instructors from all 3 periods of its' development (Seattle, Oakland, and Los Angeles). This book is a pure L.A.-era study. Everything is covered from footwork to philosophy. You can tell Tackett and Bremer were very good students of Bruce Lee and Dan Inosanto, because the content of the book is excellent and does not leave anything out or mislead with bad information. The diagrams are excellent, showing good detail as well as showing common errors. This is a great introduction for a new student, or an excellent reference for better students.

THis book is long overdue. A JKD source of this caliber has been missing for many years, and maybe it will straighten out the mess JKD has become.

The fundamentals of JKD
"Chinatown Jeet Kune Do" was written by two of Bruce Lee's original students: Tim Tackett and Bob Bremer.By pooling their decades of knowledge in JKD, they have written a book that covers both basic and advanced principles.The book begins with the basics: stance, footwork, basic striking tools.About halfway through the book, we start getting into advanced principles, like the five ways of attack, JKD defense, and some specialized tools such as the leg obstruction.The chapter on trappling may be the best I've ever read on a realistic way to apply the Hand Immobilization Attack.While there are parts of this book that I have problems with, mostly the notion that trained grapplers and MMA fighters who are used to blocking punches or controlling their opponent's hands would not be able to defend against an eye gouge, I do believe that the majority of the principles found in this book can increase one's own understanding of Jeet Kune Do.Even for non-JKD practitioners, quite a lot can be learned, especially in the area of footwork, angles, and defense.

Great Book!
I am a TKD practitioner and former police officer who knows what works in real world applications. TKD is a fantastic art and I love it but just like all other martial arts that use forms and choreographed movements they are limited and not realistic. I always wanted to practice JKD because of it's fluidity and simplicity. This book is very concise and a easy read. The instructions are clear. I now combine my TKD experience with JKD and have never been happier as a martial artist. Well worth the money spent.

Another Great Jeet Kune Do Book!
This is easily one of the best books on Jeet Kune Do that I have ever owned!I have all of Tim Tackett's books, and once again, he has not let me down!He and co-author Bob Bremer have presented in this volume some of the most valuable information on Bruce Lee's martial art ever put into print!The book is very well done, with precise, in-depth text and clear, well sequenced photographs.As a Full Instructor of Jeet Kune Do, I will be referring to this book as a teaching aid for years to come, and it is already required reading for all of my students!My suggestion to you is ... BUY IT NOW! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

JKD from A to Z
The author Chris Kent does an excellent job of explaining and presenting the material covered. This is a great resource or reference guide for anyone interested in or studying Jeet Kune Do.

Encyclopedia of Jeet Kune Do: From A to Z

Be Like Water
I have touched hands with Mr.Kent. He has the Command and expieriance to take any one from A to Z in JKD. This Book is a well spent Dollar!. ... Read more

Product Description
This useful and informative book offers a detailed overview of Jeet Kune Do practice while explaining the specific moves readers will need to perfect their techniques.

As a foundation, the book recalls the origination of Jeet Kune Do -- the philosophy, history, and diffent styles of the martial art. This gives readers an important reference point on how the practice evolved. From there, the book explains how to choose a school, taking readers through their first class including the etiquette and dress requirements. The basic elements of the style -- stances, footwork, upper body and lower body techniques, and grappling are all well represented and defined.

Building upon this solid groundwork, the book informs readers of the five ways of attack, including the single direct attack, the attact by combination, the progressive indirect attack, the attack by drawing, and the hand immobilization attack. Fighting instructions include the tactical considerations of Jeet Kune Do practice such as defenses, counterattacks, and sparring.

The book concludes with a comprehensive list of resources to help students further develop their knowledge of and training in Jeet Kune Do. Through compact and easy-to-read, this book gives readers everything they'll need to start their practice of this important fighting art. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Good basic JKD
agree with other reviews.this is a good basic JKD fundamental book.alittle light on pictures for me, wish there were more.

Exactly what it says, the basics of JKD
This was a very nice, informative book.The author credits a number of first- and second-generation JKD students in his acknowledgement page, and it's clear that he's tried to present a balanced view of JKD by taking advantage of these multiple inputs.

Part 1, the "Introduction" section, is a scant fifteen pages or so.However, this space is used well, and the history, underlying philosophy, and different branches of JKD are explained briefly, but very well.

The second part, on "Getting Started", includes chapters on safety, choosing the right school, what a typical "Original" JKD class is like, and what the student may expect in the first three months.

Though the first two parts are informative and lay the foundation for the book, Part 3, "Learning the Basics", is really where the fun begins.Cheng covers stance and footwork, basic strikes, and some very basic grappling.While I was impressed with how thorough the footwork section was, I have to say that illustrations from this point onward would have been very helpful.As an experienced martial artists, there was very little I was unfamiliar with, but since this book was designed for beginners, I feel that simple text descriptions of the techniques wasn't quite enough.

Part 4, on the "Five Ways of Attack", was done pretty well.Most importantly the philosophy behind the attacks was presented.Again, though, illustrations would have helped.Other than that, I thought this part was organized pretty well.The chapter on "Simple Direct/Angular Attack" was presented first, with more complex chapters following.Several examples of each method of attack were described.

The fifth part, "Tactical Considerations", had some nice info in it.Organizationally, it first included a chapter on defense, then one on counterattack.These were followed by a chapter on "Distance, Timing, and Rhythm", which few martial arts books address.The final chapter in Part 5 was about how to apply the principles and techniques of JKD in sparring, and listed a number of drills.

Part 6, "Advancing in Jeet Kune Do", wrapped things up pretty nicely.It talked about setting training goals, and also addressed competitions and demonstrations.

I found this book to be a nice bridge between your basic how-to book and a more advanced fighting strategy/philosophy book.Cheng's overall presentation seemed very balanced, and the basics were given very thorough attention.However, due to the lack of illustrations at critical points in the text, I have to settle for giving this book only four stars.Please don't let that deter readers too much, though.The principles and strategies addressed in this book are things that aren't normally taught for years in most martial arts programs.For that, and for the concise and well-done general JKD overview, I highly recomend this to all JKD students, if for nothing else than a good, quick reference book.

Perfect partner for the first 6 months training !!
Excellent book !
In depth coverage of everything a beginner should know, learn and practice in the first 6 to 12 months JKD training.
From the very very basics techniques, to tactics and combination, this book will amaze the reader with its semplicity yet detail.
Step by step instructions, drills, exercises which will accompany for many months.
i really feel that, when I will have practiced all the book, I will really be a "pretty good" beginner.
Amazing !

Jeet Kune Do Basics
Exellent book. Mr.Cheng has researched the original/JunFan version of jeet kune do as taught by Bruce Lee and has masterfully organized the information into an easy to understand format. The Tuttle "Basics" series is well designed. This book is already in second printing. I beleive it will be a standard in the field of Bruce Lee/JKD texts.
Unfortunately there exists much political bias in the JKD field. Lines are typically drawn between those who practice the original JKD (when Bruce Lee taught and encouraged others to practice JKD as a martial art from late 1967 through 1970) and those who practice the JKD concept which Bruce Lee promoted after 1971 ( see for example the famous 1971 Black Belt article in which Bruce Lee states "I have not created a new martial art).Mr Cheng, who is schooled in both versions sticksto presenting the original 'Jeet kune Do as a martial art' version in this book.

An essential purchase
A really great book. Excellent layout. David Cheng has done himself proud. I eagerly await a follow up. In a confused world of what is Jeet Kune Do... David Cheng shows you what your school should be teaching you. ... Read more

Product Description
Bruce Lee was the first, and still the greatest, martial arts star of all time.But aside from his persona as an actor and performer, he was also one of the greatest fighters who ever lived.This book is an intimate look at Bruce Lee - the man, the martial artist, the teacher, and the performer. Bruce Lee's fears, aspirations, his genius and his frailties are revealed by those who knew him best - from students and friends who were with him when he was just beginning to teach and develop Jeet Kune Do, to the Hollywood insiders who helped him become a star.Included are reminisces from Dan Inosanto, Ted Wong, Asian boxing champion Dan Lee, screenwriter Sterling Silliphant, and many others. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Great book on JKD
One of my favorite book on JKD/Bruce Lee. It does contain Dan Inosanto in this book. The previous book i bought did not contain Dan Inosanto interview. So if you are a big fan of Dan Inosanto also, this is a must buy book.

Blaze
[...]

Excellent
One of the best books on JKD ever written. It is brilliant to just let the JKD experts talk. They contradict each other a bit, and their views overlap a lot. It is fascinating to me as a JKD guy to see all the differing views out there on JKD. The photos in the book highlight the techniques well. This is a really great book, it is FULL of great insights into JKD.

One of the best books on JKD History period
In this book you will learn about bruce lee and JKD straight from the people who knew him best. It is very interesting to see how he positively affected so many lives. His art is explained by those who learned at the "masters" feet! Each one of them exemplifies a certain aspect and concept of JKD and it is through them that JKD continues to prosper.

Highly enlightening and enjoyable reading
The interview with Chris Kent alone is worth the price of the book. I've only just bought the book, and have just read that chapter today, and I will most likely finish the rest of it by the end of tomorrow. I highly recommend this book, specifically the Chris Kent interview, to anyone who wants to improve their understanding of Jeet Kune Do.

A MUST READ FOR THE JKD ENTHUSIAST
This is a most excellent work rendered by a really competent craftsman when it comes to the written word. The book is enlightening, interesting, and insightful. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and found it hard to put down. The subjects have some diverse, and fascinating perspectives upon their take on Bruce Lee's martial art of Jeet Kune Do. It is that very diversity that enriches us, the readers of this worthy tome. Get it. Read it.

Johnny W.

THE CHINA HAND GUNG-FU CLUB

"Gung-Fu is Gung-Fu. It's not child's play."

-Bruce Lee as Kato ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (14)

THE LAW AND THE PRINCIPLE OF JKD
5 STARS AND 2 THUMBS UP FOR THE"ARSENAL" TERI TOM HAS DONE AN EXCLENT JOB OF EXPLAINING THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF JKD, IT IS THE LAW AND THE PRINCIPLE OF JEET KUNE DO.I HAVE READ THE OTHER REVIEWS AND MUST DISAGREE WITH THOSE WHO DIS-AGREE!JKD HAS ONLY 5 PUNCHES AND 3 KICKS, ALL EXPLAINED TO PERFECTION BY TERI TOM.I HAVE SEEN MANY JKD INSTRUCTORS OVER THE YEARS AND ONLY A HANDFULL CAN PERFORM THE STRIGHT LEAD.WHY? BECAUSE THE MECHANICS OF THIS PUNCH TAKES A LONG TIME TO LEARN. ALL OTHER PUNCHES EVELVE FROM THE STRIGHT LEAD.YOU CAN LEARN THE 4 BASIC PUNCHES OF WESTERN BOXING IN A FEW DAYS, MASTERY TAKES YEARS. SO IT IS WITH THE STRIGHT LEAD....ONLY 1 IN 10,000 CAN HANDLE IT! HAVING KNOWN TED WONG SINCE 1994 I CAN SAY THAT WHAT IS IN TOMS' BOOK IS WHAT SIFU TED WONG HAS TAUGHT ME.THE LAW AND THE PRINCIPLE OF JUN FAN JEET KUNE DO.YES, THIS BOOK IS HELPFULL BUT YOU CAN NOT LEARN JKD FROM A BOOK, ONLY BY ONE TO ONE INSTRUCTION FROM ONE WHO CAN REALLY DO IT. THIS BOOK EXPLAINS JKD FROM A HISTORICAL AND SCIENTIFIC POINT OF VIEW.....IF YOU DOUBT IT, GO THE THE SOURCE HIMSELF, BRUCE LEE AND REDISCOVER WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN MISSING, THE TRUTH OF THE LAW AND THE PRINCIPLE OF JEET KUNE DO.DR. RICK LENGYEL, JKD INSTRUCTOR UNDER BILL MATTUCCI, LICENSED ACUPUNCTURIST/HERBALIST, STUDENT OF TED WONG.

Politics aside, disappointing because of her poor boxing
Let me say first, I'm basing this review off of the pictures and information of boxing and kickboxing techniques show in this book and NOT in any way about the JKD politics. I ordered this book and Anderson Silva's "Boxing for MMA" and received both the same day. I was very excited to read this book because it was the first time I would be able to read a fairly comprehensive JKD book by one of Ted Wong's students. However, I was severely disappointed by the picture demonstrations shown by Miss Tom. In most, if not all the photos, during her boxing combinations, Miss Tom's hand are constantly lowered or flailing by her side as she lands hits on the focus mitts. She rarely, if ever, has her non-punching hand in any way guarding her face in these pictures. Most times when she is punching or kicking her rear hand is dropped close to her hips. As any boxer or kickboxer with ring experience knows, dropping your non-punching hand during a combination or kick is a surefire way to get hit or knocked out. We see it all the time inthe UFC or professional Mixed-Martial Arts competitions. A good example of her apparent complete lack of defensive structure is on pages 162-163. I was actually very surprised by this and a little disappointed given that Miss Tom is praised by Ted Wong and also regularly writes a column for Black Belt magazine. Another disappointment with this book is that it's so basic. The other product I received on that day, Anderson Silva's "Boxing for MMA", was much more in depth, Mr. Silva NEVER dropped his hands during combinations, and also noted, many times, how he had knocked many opponents out for making the mistake of leaving their head un-guarded. The "Boxing for MMA" also much better boxing punches, footwork, set-ups, and defensive sections. As someone who has trained martial arts for 10 years and boxed for 14, and trained kickboxing in Jeet Kune Do AND Muay Thai Boxing, I learned a lot more from Anderson Silva's "Boxing For MMA" than Teri Tom's "Jeet Kune Do: The Arsenal of Self Expression" and came away more satisfied with my purchase. Honestly, Miss Tom's fighting philosophy seems stuck to me on that age-old martial arts myth that "one strike" i.e.- The Straight Lead will take your opponent out. I would personally recommend anyone looking to improve their fighting ability to save the money you would use to purchase this book with and instead purchase "Boxing for MMA". Or, if you're still skeptical, go to the bookstore and look at Anderson Silva's "Mixed-Martial Arts:Striking" and Teri Tom's "Jeet Kune Do: The Arsenal of Self-Expression" and sit down for 15-30 minutes and compare both, and make sure you look at pages 162-163, or really any of the pictures where she's demonstrating punching combinations, of Miss Tom's book to see how badly she drops her hands. On a last note, please do not think I am writing this because I dislike Miss Tom, I was honestly excited about this book and pre-ordered it 2 months in advance but was so disappointed when I got it that I had to write this review.

STOP THE INoSANtITY!
No, the last word in my review title isn't a misspelling nor is it a typo -- it's a deliberate shot across the bow against the ignorance of those who claim that Teri Tom is blindly following and clinging to the teachings of Bruce Lee that are somehow frozen in time (i.e. techniques that were taught and practiced prior to his death). The very idea that because she went to the source material and roots of Jeet Kune Do that somehow she is going against the philosophy or intentions of the founder of Jeet Kune Do is pure and utter nonsense.I laughed out loud when someone labeled her the "Fundamentalist of Jeet Kune Do" because it once again demonstrates how clueless SOME of those who are descended from or (blindly) follow the teachings of the Inosanto clan are.Now allow me to clarify something here: I like and respect Dan Inosanto a great deal and in fact have attended some of his seminars several times.I think in general he has done a tremendous amount for the martial arts community as a whole, and is probably more responsible than anyone else in this country for bringing the Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) to the forefront of the United States.He is brilliant as both a martial artist and a teacher, but I RESPECTFULLY disagree with him regarding the idea of Jeet Kune Do CONCEPTS, which is HIS idea and NOT Bruce Lee's.Now before all the haters out there start with the comments that "Dan inherited the mantle of JKD, yadda, yadda,yadda..." While it's true that Dan Inosanto was one of three (the other 2 being the late James Yimm Lee and Taky Kimura) to have received instructor certificates from Bruce Lee, that does not negate the fact that Ted Wong was Bruce Lee's longest private student (and this is logged in Bruce's personal journal) and in addition NO ONE could possibly know whether Bruce would have issued Ted a certificate as well (Bruce wasn't expecting to die when he did). Getting to the book Jeet Kune Do: The Arsenal of Self-Expression, I have to say that it is a work of sophisticated simplicity.If one merely picks up the book and leafs through it, one would think that there's not much to it but just a number of kickboxing techniques in a well laid-out format.If one READS through it (and it would almost seem to me that some who reviewed the book here skimmed through rather than actually READ the text and if they did, they didn't "get" it) one would see that there is a thorough and scientific dissection of many of the techniques that make up Jun Fan (Bruce Lee's) Jeet Kune Do (as opposed to Jun Fan/Jeet Kune Do -- a term used often by the "Concepts" clan).Does Teri Tom and Ted Wong make some strong statements in the book?You bet they do.It's funny that people attack Teri Tom and make outlandish claims that what she is espousing is somehow outdated, and yet those same people wouldn't neccessarily say that Muay Thai (a great art that is utilized by many who practice MMA) -- a far older art -- is somehow also outdated.So what is Teri Tom's, Ted Wong's, and even Shannon Lee's (Bruce's daughter) beef?It is this: with the explosion and perpetuation of the Concepts Method, people were teaching and spreading techniques that bore little or no semblance to Bruce's original art.In other words, Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do was dying.I know there are those who would at this point say, "No, it wasn't dying, it was evolving" at which point I would say, "rubbish!"I trained in the concepts method and I learned many valuable things (I thought the grappling and FMA classes were especially good), but what was missing was Jeet Kune Do.What was called in the concepts school (yes it was one of those JKD/Kali outfits that also taught some Savate, Silat and Muay Thai -- at the time I was studying Brazilian Jiu Jitsu wasn't all the rage yet)Jun Fan kickboxing seemed to me to have very little semblance to Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do -- the vertical fist was de-emphasized, the dominant hand forward was de-emphasized, some footwork techniques were tossed out, in short this was an emasculated version of Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do.I remember the instructor of the concepts class once asked: what was the difference between Jun Fan Kickboxing/Jeet Kune Do Concepts vs. Jeet Kune Do?The answer was: Jun Fan Kickboxing/Jeet Kune Do Concepts can be taught to larger classes and seminars while Jeet Kune Do can't.In Teri Tom's Jeet Kune Do: The Arsenal of Self-Expression, one can see why.While many of the actual kicking and punching techniques would be familiar to most, the footwork is deceptively sophisticated (and incidentally was largely absent in the concepts class with the exception of the most basic steps).One could see why Bruce preferred small classes so he could watch over his students like a trainer would with a stable of fighters.Is Teri Tom fortunate for having studied one on one with Ted Wong?Hell yes!Incidentally I thought the techniques in the book were well executed and disagree with the person who said that Teri Tom is sloppy.In fact, I'm hoping she eventually comes out with a video.I need to make one final point about Teri:she is NOT against studying other martial art forms, and in fact she is studying a form of American (not Brazilian as someone claimed)Jiu Jitsu known as the Freedman method.What she IS against is someone slapping together a disparate collection of martial arts and calling it Jeet Kune Do. Sorry for digressing from the book so much, but I believe the above points were important ones to make.Teri Tom with her latest book (and along with her book on the JKD straight lead)is performing a valuable service: she's bringing Bruce's original art to the world while at the same time explaining the science AND philosophy behind it.She's also helping to preserve Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do for the sake of history and I believe she's doing a masterful job. Even for those who don't agree with her viewpoints, if one truly READS the book and studies it, one will see there really is a treasure trove of information within its covers.

Fantastic JKD Book
Immediately you can tell that this book is written by someone who is very smart.It is evident that Tom is an experience practitioner and teacher of JFJKD, and the content and detail of this book could only come from such a person.Sources and reference are provided lending this book a credibility I have not seen in any other martial art book.It is great to see the roots of JKD.
'The Arsenal of Self-Expression' is the perfect title.The pictures are great.There is nice balance between techniques and explanation.The book is well structured and easy to read.
Tom's book is the 'missing pieces' that no-one seems to be able to satisfactorily provide you in your martial arts.
I look forward to seeing Tom's hook kicks and straight leads.
There are minor typos and I would have described the 'physic 101' a little differently.However, no content is lost and book is deserving of 5 stars.

Very well made, extremely badly done
I am being generous giving this book two stars.I should give it only one, but the book is so well done and the pictures so clear and numerous that I think this book's layout and quality should be a standard for future martial arts publications.For those reasons only I gave it two stars.Everything else in this book is either useless or outright terrible, both in technique and diction.Teri Tom's bigotry towards every other martial art, especially the "non-Ted Wong school" of Jeet Kune Do, is at once frustrating, maddening, and embarrassing.She writes about and SELECTIVELY quotes Sigung Bruce Lee as if he were a deity who is not to be questioned, even close to forty years after his untimely death.Tom (and her trainer/marketer Ted Wong) claim to be truly teaching what Bruce Lee was teaching at the end of his life, which may have some semblance of truth, but it is only a piece of the Jeet Kune Do puzzle.The evolution of Jeet Kune Do as a concept and Jun Fan Gung Fu as an art evolved greatly between 1967 and the early 1970's, yet she cannot seem to imagine that it would have evolved from the time of Lee's death to today.In addition, her ignorance of how and what the other, "charlatan" Jeet Kune Do instructors teach leads her to say false, misleading, and slanderous things about them.Unfortunate...

The book itself has very few actual "techniques", and most seem to be focused on the straight lead once again.I have no problem with this, as in depth studies of few techniques can be just as enlightening as a book with myriad techniques.The problem is how these techniques are portrayed.For all the years Tom has trained with Wong, her technique is as sloppy as someone who has just begun: flailing arms while kicking, landing with extremely wide legs, coming in with her chin up, dropping her arms to her hips when throwing an uppercut or straight lead.This can lead to bad habits to those who don't know any different.I regret spending money on this book, honestly.I wish I could have looked through it before I ordered it.I do NOT recommend this book to anyone, Jeet Kune Do practitioner or not, as I feel it fails to deliver what it promises.Her bitter remarks towards others is also pathetic, to say the least, and has no place in this book.It is truly a shame that a book so well made can be such a waste. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

JKD Texbook Review
This is a revised and updated version of the original book from years ago.
Jeet Kune Do: The Textbook was and still is one of my favorite reference guides on JKD.

The authors: Chris Kent and Tim Tackett have done a great job of presenting the material.

This book is a wonderful contribution to the martial arts community in general and a must have if you are studying Jeet Kune Do.

Jeet Kune Do: The Textbook ... Read more

Product Description
An expanded sequel to the bestselling The Tao of Jeet Kune Do, this landmark book will serve as a complete presentation of Bruce Lee's art of Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do. The development of his unique martial art form, its principles, core techniques, lesson plans, and illustrative sketches are presented in Bruce Lee's own words. 100+ illustrations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (32)

Twitters from the Grave
This book is really quite interesting. It is very good. But it is almost entirely short quotes from Bruce Lee's notes. The editors have taken these quotes and organized them by topic and then organized those topics into chapters. And they did a very good job with this.

But really, the book reads like a Twitter Feed. You could probably take this book in its entirety, and write it out, quote by quote, to twitter.

What this means is there is no depth. You get Lee's thoughts on a topic, but no concrete examples or additional expository text. Like reading The Book of Five Rings and trying to think about how it applies to your life.

I like that, and enjoy it. But I wanted to write this review so other people would know what to expect. There are other books that explain JKD much better by using Lee's quotes, and then adding additional exposition to further explain what the quote means. This book is more a philosophy book than a martial arts book.

The art if JKD
If you are not experienced in the Martial Arts this book may get a little confusing. But as Bruce Lee said when he was alive JKD is something no serious martial artists can ignore. As I was reading this book there was one thing going through my mind. "Just what is so new about MMA?"

Sure sure techniques may have changed and while Bruce Lee was alive BJJ was nowhere to be found but Bruce Lee's idea and approach to fighting does make him as Danna White said the Godfather of MMA. In fact JKD might as well be called MMA. After all JKD is just a name so do not fuss over it. If you do not understand why I bought MMA into this review read this book and you will find that MMA started with one man, and Bruce Lee was that MAN!

My favorite of the series!
This is my favorite of the John Little/Bruce Lee series.

If you are looking for real, honest-to-goodness Bruce Lee principles of JKD, then this is the book. Even though the book is organized into categories, I think the best way to study it is to take a random page (any page will do) and apply it to your martial study for a full practice session. Just the one page will be packed with ideas.

And your martial arts will improve.

Digest the book, one piece at a time, and you will improve every aspect of your martial arts ... speed, reaction time, attack and counterattack, rhythm and timing, and on and on.

This really is a value-packed book.

Remember, savor the advice and don't gloss over any of the writing. This "stuff" is important.

--Keith Pascal, martial arts author

The Jeet Kune Do Manual for the JKD student.
I study Jeet Kune Do in Denver Colorado. My Sifu referred me to this book. I do wish the book had more diagrams of some of the techniques. Overall it is the geatest book on JKD. Of course it is,it was written by the man who created JKD.
In one place in the book, Bruce Lee had written the pros and cons of different arts and what he liked about them technichly. This allows you to see how Lee was percieving martial arts and what he was looking for. You also get possible insight to where his art was going.
Near the end of the book are Lee's training routines. He even writes how to teach a class. There is much more info in this book than the original. Just don't forget the same author wrote them both.
Also don't forget to check out Bruce Lee's 4 volume Fighting methods to see how Lee trained.
JKD Pupil

Wonderful book, not the key to martial art though.
I see that a lot of reviewers that gave this book low ratings seem to think that you can learn martial arts from a book. I will give you this warning now, you can't and never will be able to learn a martial art from a book, but this is a good starting place for beginners to see some of the techniques and ideas put forward in Jeet Kune Do. If you're someone with martial training as I am you can learn a number of things from this book. Most martial arts that are taught today are for exercise, fun, or competition, rarely are they taught for safety or other more historical reasons. This book can help you get back to those roots of your art.

I have studied various forms of martial arts for around ten years now and would consider this book an invaluable edition to my library, which is always growing and always changing and I still rank this book as one of the better ones in my collection. Inside you will find sections of philosophy and sections on technical work. The reason I gave this only four stars is that if you are not a martial artist or if you don't at least have some basic training, the technical section of the book is worthless and will do you no good. However, if you have practiced, you can learn a lot from the technical section of this book as Bruce goes over individual moves and how to use them to their best in a fight. He also explains how to close space between yourself and an opponent, how to mix up the rhythms of a fight, and how to make your attack and defense more effective.

If you haven't studied martial arts then you will find some sections of this book to be quite interesting while others are utterly worthless. If you have, however, this is one of the better technical manuals that can be purchased that is also veined with the philosophies behind this physical and mental art. It is a wonderful resource and a useful tool for any martial artist.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

A good basic guide on how to combine striking with trapping and grappling.
As most martial atists know, the author was a student of Bruce Lee, and this book explains the author's approach to Jeet Kune Do. I agree with some of the previous reviewers comments; however, keep in mind that this book is merely a basic guide to some trapping and grappling techniques.It is true that someone who is an experienced fighter could counter many of these techniques, this is why I always emphasize to first hurt and injure your attacker before attempting a control type of technique. In conclusion, the value of this book is that it shows possible methods to combine striking and grappling in a combat situation.Rating:4 Stars. Joseph J. Truncale (Author:Monadnock Defensive Tactics System, Use of the Monadnock Straight Baton, PR-24 Police Baton Advanced Techniques, Pro-Systems Combatives Vol. 1,2, Martial Art Myths, Never Trust a Politician).

Very good.
Very good book on how to meld striking with standing grappling.(E.g., clinching, throwing.)

good instruction from a Jeet Kune DoORIGINAL student
I think this is a good book Mr. Hartsell conveys his points in this book very well, i have been studying JKD and Kali extensively. One word of advice though i repeat you cannot learn jkd from a book this book is for practicioners or a beginner looking to see some techniques of jkd, there are alot of reviewers saying this book is bad and that grappling is useless and time consuming. Grappling is a skill trapping is a skill skills take time to cultivate, anything worthwhile takes time to cultivate and learn.
I find it really funny that some reviewers are stating boldly that something is useless and doesnt work if you try to use it and fail, like the old saying goes try try again.Thats the only way to make progress in the arts and life.

Hartsell on JKD
This is one of my favorite books on JKD. Larry Hartsell combines the original art of JKD as taught to him by Bruce Lee with the more current JKD Concept. Full of easy to understand photos this book is a classic that finds favor with both OJKD and JKDC.

AREALISTS REVIEW
after being exposed to jkd,concept and original,kenpo,judo,boxing and so many seminars/books/videos studying and practicing since i was 13 and now im 40 {just so you know this isnt someone blowing smoke up your a;; here is my review:there are some good techniques in the book.but i have to disagree for alot of the grappling though-dont take my word for it-take it for checking and try it yourself! try the tech on page 95 - catch to figure 4 arm lock to takedown.if anyone with a decent amount of handspeed throws a punch at you and doesnt leave it out there for you to grab like is shown in the book or as you see in martial arts seminars-you not going to be able to pull off this technique.its bs to say the least.even if somehow you caught the punch like is shown-then you use BOTH of your arms to put the opponant into a figure four like as shown in the book-WHATS FROM STOPPING HIM from finger jabbing you in the eyes or for that matter hitting you with the other hand?!ive asked this in seminars and the only answer they give me is they ask me to throw a punch and then they do the technique even more harder then they would for the average participant-more answers like this-ask a question that makes sense and ill just try to inflict pain on you so youll shut up! kinda answer! or with their arm that is doing the figure four elbows you to the head AFTER THE FIGURE FOUR IS APPLIED...... of course i couldve easily fingerjabbed his eyes as both of his hands were tied up in his grappling figure four movement and really he had no defence except for his grappling movement.i even had my fingers right on his eye and even was able to "air" hit him 2-3 times in the throat and to his temple before he swept me - so tell me who really would have inflicted more damage if this "teacher" had tried a technique like this in the street against someone who justs keeps an open mind and just goes for whats open?? HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM! another nonsense tech is thinking that a lin lop sau {cross grabbing hand }is going to work in the street or in sparring-sure it looks good in the movies and in seminars when the participant isnt really trying to REALLY punch you but to think that after youthrow a straight punchand its blocked by your opponant with a pak sau{slapping hand}with his rear hand that you are going to be able to use your rear hand to grab your opponants rear blocking hand and pull him into your lead backfist is a PIPEDREAM AND A JOKE TO SAY THE LEAST! dont take my word for it !!!try it in sparring yourself! chances are when you spend time trying to grab the opponants wrist you are going to get hit with his other hand or someother strike! techniques like this are good only for one thing-to advance to the next belt!really-think about it.bs techniques like this are taught in so many styles/arts. no wonder bruce studied western boxing so much after he came to the states! alot of his wing chun just wouldnt work against someone with a decent jab/cross or just a good jab! of course there is even some stuff in western boxing that is bs that cant be used in the street like taking a punch to your gloves because in the street you have no gloves on! and also this dancing around your opponant like you saw ali or leonard do is a joke against someone who kicks you in the leg or who steps on your foot -moves quickly in ON YOU AND jams you and PUMMELS YOU! TRYING TO BE LIKE ALI OR SUGAR RAY! HA!better off that when someone blocks your punch -instead of you trying to use your other hand to grab his blocking hand wrist you just collapse that arm that was blocked at the wrist -you collapse it into an elbow into the his head and with your other hand you either do a pinning pak sau{palm slapping hand} or you use it to punch,etc.make more sense? try it for yourself ! dont believe me! try it for yourself! take it for checking! YOU AND ONLY YOU ARE THE ULTIMATE TEACHER-NOT ME OR ANY OTHER ONE! teachers will show you techniques but YOU are the only one who can see if they really work! teachers are not always teaching you techniques that work -----they are teaching you techniques so that you can progress to the next level/sash/belt and not necessarily teaching you techniques that work! i encourage ALL martial artists who are responding in their reviews,respond with positive and negative -by negative i mean constructive-comments so jkd gets "cleaned" up and hopefully one day jkd,wing chun etc.other martial arts are composed of PRACTICAL REAL LIFE WORKING TECHNIQUES/TOOLS THAT WORK AND NOT JUST USED TO ADVANCE TO THE NEXT BELT/SASH OR LEVEL! TRAIN SMART,PERSISTANTLY AND HARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WALK ON ! lwlwbwbw@aol.com ... Read more

Product Description
In this fantastic how-to training manual you will discover intermediate and advance techniques and strategies of Bruce Lee's incredible art of Jeet Kune Do. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Just trapping !!!
The pretty negative review is based on the fact that the book is made of 95% trapping drills which are very very difficult to follow.
The rest 5% is actually quite interesting as it covers fighting tactics against different opponents types (boxers, grapplers, karatekas, etc....) but the pages dedicated to that are the extreme minority.
The book should have just been called: Advanced trapping exercises.
Good if you are a trapping fan, but wasted time if you are much more "street oriented".
Disappointed.

It's... there
Having been trained in JKD, I bought this book to maybe reinforce some teachings, or hopefully learn something new.
It makes a nice reference in case I forget the names of some moves, but aside from that, I couldn't really find a good use for it.
Might be a good read for someone a bit newer to the art.
Very good picture flow and explanations of moves.

Okay.
Unlike his older books, this one is more specialized to jkd'ers (& maybe wing chun folks).Also, imo, the techs. shown for dealing with grapplers are not as strong/solid as those shown in his older books, or in material taught in his seminars.Prof. Hartsell is great, but this is not my favorite work of his.

Fine book by one of the greats
For those of you who know Mr. Hartsell, he needs no introduction, but he's one of the Lee's original inner circle of JKD students and is also an excellent grappler. So he combines the best of outfighting and infighting techniques in his personal approach. I've never had the chance to train with Mr. Hartsell myself, but I had the opportunity to buy the Wisconsin summer camp training tape featuring him, Danny Innosanto, Paul de Thouars, and Sirisute a few years ago, and it was excellent. So when I saw this book I thought I would check it out.

Mr. Hartsell is no longer a young man and has been doing martial arts for probably 40 years (like me). I like guys like that since after four decades one knows what works and what doesn't, and one can distill the essence of one's art down to the most effective and essential and practical principles. It's fun to do the fancy stuff and moves and combos, and I sometimes show off a little bit too during my workouts and teaching. But when pressed, I resort to simple techniques which will work in almost any situation, but which require a good foundation in the basics.

Mr. Hartsell has done the same in this book about JKD. He is old and wise now in the ways of the fistic arts. As someone once said, "old age and trickery beats youth and strength." Mr. Hartsell presents the main aspects of JKD, from basic techniques to trapping and energy drills, wooden dummy, JKD sparrying, and basic and advanced strategies and tactics. As I said, one thing that impressed me was that he didn't try to write an exhaustive presentation of JKD, but rather has set down the most important concepts and techniques.

One controversial area of JKD and Wing Chun is trapping. As you may know, Lee during his last years decided trapping wasn't as effective as claimed and got away from it, and I even heard he stopped teaching it as part of the standard curriculum, a major change from the early days when trapping was part of the original "Chinatown curriculum." However, Hartsell addresses that issue too. There is a time and place for everything, and many things in the martial arts are situational rather than universal principles, and trapping is one of them, and Hartsell discusses the issues relating to trapping and how to deal with them.

My favorite part of the book was the section on advanced sparring skills and how to deal with various opponients, such as western boxer, wrestler, Thai boxer, streetfighter, and so on. There is some very practical advice here. Lee was nothing if not a profound strategist, and that approach is reflected here in this section.

Finally, there is a nice section showing the intial attack, and proceeding from there to counters, strikes and kicks, holds and chokes, and takedowns, covering the entire sequence of ranges and techniques, and from standing to ground-based arts. Also, there is an appendix done in Question and Answer format where Mr. Hartsell deals with specific questions and issues there, such as "How to cultivate a killer instinct," and more details on strategies for different fighters, such as tall, big, fast, slow, "hit and run fighters," and many other topics.

I had one last piece of advice, which is that if you're a novice this book should be used in conjunction with a video or videos on JKD showing the actual drills and techniques, of which there are many out there. It would be difficult to pick these up just from the photos. Steve Grody has done an excellent series specifically on trapping skills, and others have done video series covering the more general JKD curriculum. In fact, you can often find these used at bargain prices on e Bay. You might have to check the auctions there for a few weeks to find some, but eventually you should be able to get them. If you're an experienced JKD practitioner you shouldn't have any trouble following the photos.

Great Book
A great look at not only classic JKD techniques but also new ones developed by Larry Hartsell. Being an original student of Bruce Lee Larry has the rare ability to absorb what is useful and transmit that to his students. The drills found this book are very helpful and will help those of us with some expirince get better that much faster. For the Newbies it will give you an inside look at what JKD is about. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Sifu Numrich's Contribution
Sifu Matt Numrich's article in this book is a very helpful contribution.In his article, he relates modern-day Jeet Kune Do principles to San Tzu's Art of War.Here, Sifu Numrich explains how The Art of War is used by Jeet Kune Do practitioners today by showing us how to evolve as fighters.Throughout the article, he explainsabout the different chapters in The Art of War, such as "Manuevering," "Energy," and "Waging War," and how they can be interpreted or used by JKD practitioners today.Also, Sifu Numrich is a great teacher and gives many great tips on the principles of JKD.He takes a 2500 year old book and presents its ideas to us in a modern day format.These insights are very helpful and really show how Bruce Lee was ahead of his time and was continuously evolving.I strongly suggest this book, considering it has references from some of the greatest living practitioners of Jeet Kune Do. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

An excellent basic guide to the art and philosophy of Bruce Lee by his number one student.
This is a fantastic overview of Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do by his number one student, the legendary Dan Inosanto.This book was published in 1976 but I am fortunate to have a signed (by Dan Inosanto) copy.This excellent book covers conversation with the author, Wing Chun, Jun Fan, Jeet Kune Do, The way of JKD, Beyond Bruce Lee, The JKD family tree and JKD terminology.In conclusion, this is a book for anyone who is interested in the evolution of Jeet Kune Do and how other arts influenced Lee's thinking about the reality of combat.Rating: 5 Star.Joseph J. Truncale (Author: Martial Art Myths, Season of the Warrior: A poetic tribute to warriors, Pro-Systems Combatives Vol. 1, 2, Monadnock Defensive Tactics System, Use of the Monadnock Straight Baton, PR-24 Police Baton Advanced Techniques, Never Trust a Politician, Haiku Moments: how to read, write and enjoy haiku)

i had this when i was too young to understand what it was!!
i had a rare 1st edition copy of this and 1 or 2 other "bruce lee" books(paper back).my uncle brought them back from korea after he served there during vietnam.if i had realized how special they were i would have held onto them!!i was 8 or 9 when they were given to me.hind sight is 20/20!!!!!sigh,another in a long line of things ive had and lost.oh well its just stuff,or is it?!!

Warrior Art
This book teaches one how to kick freaking ass if neccessary.
Of course Dan Inosanto includes the philosophical aspects of JKD in this book, so it's not all about 'ass-whoppin' but the ass kicking part is great.
Keep in mind that Dan Inosanto is considered pretty much the co-creator of JKD.He helped Bruce Lee all along the way so he deserves credit as being co-creator (almost).
Also, keep in mind that JKD is not so much a rigid system as much as it is a way of staying flexible and being efficient in your fighting skills.Understanding the Tao (way,system,flow)of fighting, not so much really a 'style' per se.Bruce Lee in his later years was very clear on that.He didn't want it to be seen as yet another style as much as a whole philosphical/spiritual system to bring into your fighting that can bring one closer to spiritual enlightenment.
So, get this book, learn to get to enlightenment through physical action and kick freakin ass (in self-defense).

Great book by Dan
IN MEMORY OF MARIO PONTILLO
Since the late 1970's, I have studied Mr. Lee's "Way of the Intercepting fist." I have the 1st editions of all the "best" books on Bruce's work.
Dan published this in 1976, I have the original in my possession. It use to belong to Mario, whom was a great fighter that followed Bruces teachings from afar. Mario has passed on to better things, just as Bruce has. Get this book if you can.

My favorite quote: "Knowing is not enough, you must apply; willing is not enough, you must do." -Bruce Lee

Please do not hesitate to check out my Poetry book that I published while in the U.S. Navy in 2003; "Under the Rose: Poetry of Tragedy, Essence, and Romance"

Best of the Best
A true work of art. Dan takes the reader through the reform and changes jkd under went following Bruce Lee's passing as well as showing many techniques of jkd. At this point in time the book being almost 20 years old it is just as informative and enjoyable to page through today. Unfortunatly I borrowed my copy to a friend almost 15 years ago and haven't seen it since. I truly hope the book is put into re-print so I may buy another copy. Not only does Dan take the reader through the history and comcepts of jkd he also loads the book with pictures of the(now)old Filipino Kali Academy. Truly a collectors item. ... Read more

Product Description
Together, Bruce Lee and his comrade, friend, and mentor James Yimm Lee changed the world of martial arts forever. During the period known to martial arts aficionados as the Oakland Years (1962-1965), the two men lived and trained together, and their mutual collaboration evolved into the now-famous fighting art known as Jeet Kune Do. Remembering the Master chronicles this formative period in Bruce Lee’s life for the first time ever. Family members, students, and friends share anecdotes and stories, while writings by prominent martial artists — including Al Novak, George Lee, Al Dacoscos, Leo Fong, Eric Lee, and David Cox — reflect on the men’s profound influence and enduring legacy. Never-before-published photos from James Yimm Lee’s own scrapbook convey a vivid sense of the people, places, events, and experiences of this exciting era. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

A lot of combos!
This is a great book on Jeet Kune Do, I think.It goes through basic tools, and a myriad of combinations and drills.This is very helpful to supplement Bruce Lee's books, which were more based on principles than techniques and combinations.I recommend it!

Kent + Tackett = expertise
I would highly recommend this book to anyone studying JKD. I am mid-level as a JKD student (fourth level), and we do a lot of the techniques shown in the book at the school I go to. Chris Kent and Tackett are simply the best at JKD. I have heard a lot of total B.S. recently in the martial arts world, that Bruce Lee "gave up on wing chun". Anyone who knows anything about what Bruce really taught and did knows that wing chun was the core of the art (like the brances of a tree grow from the trunk, JKD techniques grow from the core, which is wing chun). That is one reason I really liked this book.

My teacher studied a bit under Chris Kent, and he told us stories of how good Kent was (really, really good !). Kent is evidently really fast and his wing chun is evidently really good. My instructor said that Kent's wing chun was perfect, really, and you could not touch him because he would just redirect your energy so well.

Excellent Introduction for Beginners
I recently tried a Jun Fan Gung Fu class in my city and thoroughly enjoyed it. I will be enrolled as a student starting next month.This book provides the terminology and techniques you will start learning in any Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do academy.I really like the way each technique starts with a clear explanation of the 'how and why' and then shows many pictures showing all the variations.I wish the authors would continue with more books.Even though this one is old it is still 100% applicable to todays training methods.

If you are real serious about understanding the science of Bruce Lee's techniques then read this book first then read Tao of Jeet Kune Do second.It will make a lot more sense to you.

Good Introduction into classic JKD
This book is a great intro to classic JKD and Strategy. The chapter on attribute refinement(like awarenes and mobility) is especially good. The drills are great for someone who has a little martial arts expirience and the techniques are easily understood through the great writing and photos.

One of the best books on stand-up fight training out there
If you're going to be involved in stand-up martial arts or fighting, get this book.It's all you need.The training methods in here are very, very good.This book covers on-guard position, tools(puches, kicks, etc.), energy drills, distance, timing, the five ways of attack, parries, target training, partner training...It's probably best for someone who has been exposed to stand-up fighting before, and has a basic knowledge of punches and kicks.It becomes a masterpiece when taken with "Jun Fan/ Jeet Kune Do Kickboxing" (which it often referes to), the "Bruce Lee Fighting Method Series", and the "Tao of Jeet Kune Do".Once again, it's probably not for begginers, and many drills require a partner, but that's just the nature of the beast.Good for sport/full contact, and pretty decent for self-defense. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

The real information from a special person
Authored by a person who was originally taught by Bruce Lee, I found this book to be helpful in breaking down JKD energy training. Of course, there is nothing like training and learning through physical hands-on practice.But, this book has many clear pictures and is direct and to the point.It is a "must have" for any JKD practitioner.[...] has information about learning JKD for those who want to practice what is in the book.

Definitely the standard of JKD
The best overall, general understanding and philosophy of what Bruce was trying to express to all these "JKD guys", who don't get it and keep adding and adding instead of realizing the truth of simplicity.If you're looking for instruction in JKD and not sure where to look, please contact Jerry or any of his instructors for a hands on experience on the real JKD as taught by Bruce Lee.

The Secret is Jerry Poteet Does NOT understand JKD
After being a JKD student for about 10 years now, I can say without hesitation that Mr. Poteet is a bad JKD practitioner at best. His trapping is really sloppy and leaves huge openings for counters. His footwork is also pretty bad. Just watch some of his videos and you will see what I mean. There are many good books and DVD's on JKD out there, but none of them are by Jerry Poteet.

The real JKD
Just got this book today. Great book. I have been taking Jeet Kune Do for about 2 years now. This is exactly the kind of stuff we practice, the real JKD, as taught by Bruce Lee to Jerry Poteet and Dan Inosanto, and the early students. The book is not cluttered with unnecessary text, and has lots of clear photos demonstrating the right and wrong way to do each technique. The author demonstrates things like the finger strike (Bil Gee), straight lead, low-line attacks (kicks), the straight blast (jik cheung chui), the backfist (which is very important in JKD, and is banned in western boxing, because it is so effective and powerful !), footwork, groundfighting, "cutting into the tool", intercepting any movement by the attacker, bob and weave, slipping, etc. etc. etc. All intersperced with reminiscenses and quotes from Bruce Lee.

Really good JKD book, on the real JKD. ... Read more

Product Description
This book belongs on the bookshelves of every serious martial artist, guaranteed to elevate the reader to the highest level.In this fantastictraining manual, you will discover intermediate and advance techniques and strategies of Bruce Lee's incredible art of Jeet Kune Do. Included are Bruce Lee's energy drills, JKD trapping, Sparring drills, wooden dummy training, and strategies against all types of fighters.Packed with Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do drills and cutting edge, up-to-date advance strategies against any type of opponent.For the first time, this book contains hardcore training and fighting techniques and tactics (never before published) of Bruce Lee's personal art.Bestseller: Amazon #2Tao of Jeet Kune DoPrevious edition: 978-0953176663 ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Tim Tackett's done it again
This book and its companion Volume 1 do a superb job of not just preserving Bruce Lee's JKD methodology but also providing readers with the inspiration to take Jeet Kune Do to the next level.
I just finished up my first JKD Wednesday Nite Group training camp and all I can say is, "Wow!" Tim and his WNG instructors are definitely keeping JKD real! ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

JKD Core Structure Review
Jeet Kune Do: A Core Structure Training Manual

This is a great presentation of the core structure of Jeet Kune Do by
Dave Carnell who is a long time pratitioner of Jeet Kune Do.

This manual covers the basics such as: stance, footwork, basic punching, kicking, defence, trapping hands, interception, five ways of attack, sensitivity drills, grappling and training with equipment etc...

I was impressed with the beautiful color photos printed on high quality paper.

This is a very good book for anyone new to the art of Jeet Kune Do and a very nice reference guide for the seasoned practitioner.

Jeet Kune Do: A Core Structure Training Manual ... Read more

Product Description
It also offers a thorough instruction in the complexity and power of the move-showing martial artists of any discipline how to incorporate this devastating attack into their repertoire. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (48)

A well done book that I disagree with
The author really did a good job with this book but I still disagree with its premises.

I understand the strong side lead, falling step, vertical fist, power line, and bottom three knuckle landing; the author articulates her viewpoints and reasoning very well.

But overall, I still think the boxing jab is a better weapon for most fist fighting,whether bare knuckle or gloved, self defense or competition.And overall, I still think a high guard with the strong side back is a better guard for most fighters ("peek-a-boo" or "crazy monkey" type guards).Stating all my reasons here would turn this review into an essay.

I had studied Jack Dempsey's Championship Boxing, boxing material from the bare knuckle era, Tao of Jeet Kune Do, and the basic training volume of Bruce Lee's Fighting Method before reading this book, so I have some background on where the author is coming from with many of the key points; however, it's only fair to say I don't practice JKD: I workout and spar in a boxing gym.

If you prefer JKD to boxing, fair enough.But JKD practitioners who use Dempsey's Championship Boxing to validate some of JKD's concepts should look at youtube clips of Dempsey's fights.What Dempsey described in his book doesn't look like how he actually fought.At least in the clips I've seen.

JFJKD SAVED FROM EXTINCTION!
I HAVE HAD THE "STRIGHT LEAD" SINCE ITS PUBLICATION AND HAVE READ THE BOOK MORE THAN SEVEN TIMES.IT IS THROUGH THE UNTIRING EFFORTS OF TERI TOM AND THE TRUE TEACHINGS OF JFJKD ARE SAVED FROM EXTINCTION.THE BOOK IS WELL RESEARCHED AND WRITTEN, USING BRUCELEE'S OWN NOTES AND REFERENCE MATERIALS.THE STRIGHT LEAD IS MUCH MORE THAN JUST A MERE "JAB" IT IS A KNOCK OUT PUNCH THAT STANDS ALONE ABOVE ALL OTHER TECHNIQUES IN JFJKD.IT IS SIMPLE, DIRECT AND IN YOUR FACE.THE MECHANICS OF THIS PUNCH ARE QUITE SIMPLE, BUT HARD TO ACHIEVE WITHOUT DEDICATED PRACTICE.IT WILL THE AVERAGE MARTIAL ARTIST 3 TO 6 MONTHS TO GET A GRIP ON IT, HENCE THE REASON MANY WHO PRACTICE JKD JUST DON'T GET IT.MOST PEOPLE KNOW THAT THE MOST POWERFULL KICKS IN MARTIAL ARTS ARE THE "FLYING KICKS" OR "JUMP KICKS".THIS IS BECAUSE OF THE LAWS OF PHYSICS OF MASS AND ACCELERATION.IF THE BODY MOVES FORWARD AND GRAVITY PULLS DOWNWARD THIS CREATES POWER.THE STRIGHT LEAD IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF MODERN SCIENCE AND ART COMBINED.ONE CAN SAY THAT "FLYING PUNCHES" HAVE THE POWER TO K.O. THE OPPONENT BECAUSE OF THE FORWARD MOMEMTUM AND POWER OF THE PUSH OFF FOOTWORK.THERE ARE MANY WHO CLAIM TO BE ABLE TO DO THE STRIGHT LEAD, BUT I HAVE YET TO SEEIT IN PRINT OR ON VIDEO.IT IS HARD FOR SOME TO MAKE A CHANGE AFTER REPEATING THE SAME MISTAKE FOR OVER 30 YEARS.JUST ADMIT YOU HAVE BEEN MIS-GUIDED, IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT, IT HAPPENED TO ME BUT I WAS OPEN TO CHANGE AND FINALLY SAW THE LIGHT.I UNDERSTAND THE MECHANICS OF THE STRIGHT LEAD, AND THE FOOTWORK, IT WILL TAKE YOU SOME TIME....IF YOU PRACTICE, YOU WILL GET IT!BRUCE LEE ONLY LEFT A ROADMAP TO JKD IN HIS NOTES.TERI TOM LEAVES A GPS SYSTEM.HOW MUCH SIMPLER CAN IT GET.DR. RICK LENGYELJFJKD INSTRUCTOR UNDER BILL MATTUCCISTUDENT OF TED WONG

Good intention, but falls short
I bought this book with great anticipation, but was severely disappointed. Teri Tom studied with Ted Wong (no disrespect to Sifu Wong) for a few years and thinks she's an authority on JKD? Mmmm...

I've studied Jun Fan and JKD for 19 years, with direct students of Bruce Lee from Seattle, Oakland, and L.A. eras. Ms. Tom has A LOT to learn.
This book covers good, basic information about stance and the straight lead, although it is incomplete. It's all stuff I've seen for years in Black Belt and Inside Kung Fu magazines. Nothing new except for the notes on Bruce's research from his books.

Although Tom claims JKD is not modified Wing Chun, sorry... that's what it is. The JKD stance is a Wing Chun right-facing forward stance with a raised heel and forward attack weight. Nothing more. See the book "Advanced Wing Chun" by William Cheung on page 21 for the proof. The JKD stance has all of the triangulation, loaded hip, and internal alignment of the WC stance. Of course if you asked her, she wouldn't have any idea of what you're asking about. You cannot fully understand JKD unless you have the Wing Chun principals! That's why Bruce could make other things work - he used the WC principals to improve and integrate other techniques. This is also why there aren't many great JKD fighters... they don't have any understanding of the WC attributes that made JKD work for Bruce Lee. Pat Strong and James Demile (both Seattle students) told me how Bruce Lee came back to Seattle after moving to Oakland to show them how he modified his stance. He MODIFIED the WC stance, he DID NOT invent a new one based on boxing and fencing as Tom indicates. That's absurd.

Tom also claims Bruce abandoned Wing Chun. He didn't... it abandoned him. Bruce didn't finish his WC training. When he went back to Yip Man years later, he was refused because he had disrespected traditional martial arts openly. So Bruce had to integrate other things into his art to make up for the shortcomings he never learned. This is documented and common knowledge.

The straight lead is also a plain ol' traditional Wing Chun punch (Chun Chuie). Bruce did not invent either the JKD stance or straight lead by combining boxing and fencing. They have existed for a hundreds of years before he was born within Wing Chun. He had notes on boxing in books. I have notes on different religions in my books. It doesn't mean I practice all of them. They are REFERENCES. Bruce didn't need books on WC because he studied it for years under Yip Man and knew it. There also weren't any WC books available at that time. That's why Teri Tom finds so many boxing books and notes at her disposal. But she takes this as being all Bruce was interested in. Is this what she considers research?

Teri also failed to include some of the mechanical principals in describing the lead punch. She left out the immovable elbow, hammer principal, final power (fa-jing), penetration, back/shoulder sealing and unity, sinking weight, small arc (cam) principal, non-intention... I can go on. Her footwork is also an incomplete mess... no spring energy, hip loading, critical edge, start speed, short arc, tilted hip... I can rip this book apart page-by-page, but space is limited here. She even mistakes low-line hooks for a Straight Blast in one of the Bruce documentary films. C'mon, you don't know what a straight blast is? (page 179) She also doesn't understand falling step power, stating to land the punch BEFORE your foot hits the ground. The power comes up from the ground when you contact it through the locked knee.

Even her "interview" with Ted Wong is skewed. She blatantly asks questions that point into the direction of her beliefs. They are clearly manipulative in nature.

This book basically contains beginner info written by a beginner. Nothing replaces a good instructor, especially a bad book. Her knowledge of Wing Chun is so superficial that she makes bad comparisons between WC and JKD. How can you criticize and art you barely have any knowledge of? Teri Tom needs to take the blinders off and gain a little humility.

Excellent Book
First off I will say, I have no experience with JKD other than reading books by Bruce Lee.I do have experience with other martial arts though.But from what I could tell, everything presented in this book was excellent.It explained every step clearly, the pictures were very helpful, except in a few instances.It also backed up what it was saying with science.I have worked on my straight lead after reading this book, and I can say it definitely is better.Although still nowhere near perfect, I can say that I understand the concepts of the technique and their applications much better after reading this book.I also understand the history of straight punching and where the concepts derive from. I would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in JKD or even martial arts in general.

Interesting but not without flaws
We should not forget that people naturally tend to pick what works for them best out of any system.All the more so is that the case with followers of Lee, who rightfully pride themselves on open-minded practicality.Teri Tom's book on the straight lead explores this tendency a bit, but in a way that could be misleading.

Bruce's lead hand in his books remains notably higher and his elbow further out from the ribs than Ted's version of the guard stance shows.This is true of the guard stances of both his mother art, Wing Chun, and his Jun Fan period, as well as at least one of the styles that developed from his Jun Fan period and were carried on later, like Wing Chun Do.Lee encouraged people to do what works for them, but this will necessarily provoke idiosyncratic changes if only to compensate for differences in body types and the onset of aging.

There will virtually always be some variation even among very loyal students, even those completely disinterested in any other styles.We should probably consider some of these divergences as idiosyncratic adaptations as much as variations.There can be confusion, though, when the adaptations themselves are portrayed as in any way the equivalence of or intention behind the source from which those adaptations sprung.

The book in question, which touts the value of Tom's and perhaps especially Wong's collapsed and low-leverage front hand guard, seems to veer slightly into this territory.Thus, though this is a good book, some of it is too personalized, ironically rendering it vulnerable to the same criticism it levies against others as to their watering down of Lee's original ideas.This is a minor note in an otherwise generally good and interesting book, but it is worthy of note.I look forward to future books by Ms. Tom and Ted Wong, but hope they will not fall into a temptation it appears they got snagged by in this one.

Another note:There is a mantra-like, near chanting of the idea in this text that because the straight lead is the simplest punch, it is the hardest to learn.Such a notion is not only inherently self-contradictory, but a bit uncomfortably "cute" in not recognizing its limitations.It isn't up to bearing the weight of deep knowledge or even utility that appears to be assigned it.At any rate, once or twice was more than enough. ... Read more