Academy of Jeet Kune Do Fighting Technology
Athens
Greece
Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do Instructor
Vagelis Zorbas
HAMMERING
AWAY: Richard Bustillo (left) faces his opponent (1). He feeds a right
hammerfist to him, and the opponent responds with a right-hand block (2).
Bustillo executes a second hammerfist, and the opponent blocks it as well
(3). The jeet kune do expert then pulls the opponents left arm across
his body and lands a right hammerfist on his jaw (4). He follows up with
an elbow to the chin (5) and a palm heel to the nose (6).
Jeet Kune Do Trapping
Original Jeet Kune Do Basic Trapping Progressions
Reference
Points
1. Outside to Outside (Both Sides)
2. Inside to Outside (Both Sides)
3. Inside to Inside (Both Sides)
Variables
1. Closed gate
2. Open Gate
3. High and Low
Reference Points
are points of possible contact between two participants in a physical
confrontation. These Reference Points were originally designed by the late
Bruce Lee and were further developed by Guro Dan Inosanto.
This training
method will give you a basic understanding of trapping and will promote:
- Structural Examination
- Muscle Memory
- Power Base
- Speed
- Flow
Objectives of Trapping (Reasons to Trap)
1. To limit your opponent's offensive potential
2. To set up your major tools (a big shot)
3. To create space for a hit (referring to both physical space and also
timing)
4. To change the Attribute Set (to favor a trained Martial Artist)
5. To use your opponent's energy against them
6. You'll end up there anyway
Standard
Trapping Sequences:
1. Pak Sao - (Rear Hand Barrier - Past Centerline) - Lop Sao - Gum Sao
2. Pak Sao - (Rear Hand Barrier - On Centerline) - Loy Pak Sao - Sut Sao
3. Pak Sao - (Lead Hand Barrier) - Lop Sao - Sut Sao
4. Pak Sao - (Rear Hand Barrier) - Wedge - Pak Sao
5. Pak Sao - (Rear Hand Barrier) - Wedge - Lop Sao
6. Pak Sao - (Rear Hand Barrier) - Gaun Sao
7. Pak Sao - (Lead Hand Barrier) - Biu Sao - Gua Choy - Gum Sao
1. Jik Chung Choy (Straight Blast )
2. Chung Choy - Sut Sao - Chung Choy
3. Cross - Hook - Cross/Hook - Cross - Hook
4. Headbutt - Knee - Elbows (HKE)
5. Push Elbows - Fade Away - Jut Tek (Side Kick)
6. 2 Right Kicks
There are a number
of very good drills that can be used to develop the kind of effective
trapping skills enjoyed by Bruce Lee in what I like to call his personal
art. This simply means the way "he" did it. The
principles and mechanics that he used and what made him so astoundingly
effective.
To be sure, there
are different kinds of trapping for different systems. For instance,
Filipino martial arts make use of extremely effective trapping, designed
around its structure, tools, and strategies. The same holds true for
other martial arts like American Kenpo where trapping is a component of
the system. Bruce's trapping was born from Wing Chun Gung Fu, an art
that is very much different in nearly every respect to other arts,
including its trapping methodology.
When Bruce trapped
you there was a lot more going on than opening a line of attack and/or
tying up your arms. He disrupted and broke down your structure, a
key strategic point. He corrupted your balance, froze your timing,
and sent shock into your body like electricity through copper wire.
By virtual of his technique, he was able to automatically measure the
correct distance for optimal striking power and accuracy, the kind needed
for deep penetration to attack the body's nervous system. While he
re-angled his attack to open new lines, he took away the distance that you
needed to be effective in your counter attack. And to make all of
this work, he depended on body structure, proper mechanics, a variety of
carefully forged tools, and a high degree of tactile sensitivity and
knowledge of energies. To put is simply, he trapped with the
entirety of his body, not just his hands.
Bruce's inner body
structure had been uniquely developed for the most part from his earlier
Wing Chun training. Yet he still had some knowledge of other gung fu
arts, including Tai Chi and, to a lesser degree, Preying Mantis.
Although he later modified his fighting stance, you can be sure that his
inner structure did not change. It still afforded him the kind of
grounding needed for exerting and holding pressure while jamming and
trapping, along with all of those special mechanical advantages that were
so often mistaken by observers as sheer acts of strength. These
mechanical advantages constituted many of the details that not only went
into Bruce's trapping, but also into every phase of his personal
art. In other words, the way he did it.
One of the things
that made Bruce so different from other martial artists in the US was that
he more directly faced his opponent. Rarely, if ever, was Bruce
caught in a position where he would be forced to give away one side to his
opponent. At the same time, he would always be in position to gain
control of either the opponent's side or his center, both basic strategies
of Wing Chun. This facing principle was a central part of Bruce's
method fighting method and of core importance to his trapping and
striking, in particular. So that I might narrow this discussion a
bit, I'll limit myself to just a few of the mechanical advantages enjoyed
by Bruce that made his trapping so incredibly effective. Of course,
this requires a brief mention of his tools.
Bruce compared a
tool like tan sao (palm up hand) to a car jack. "If you want to
lift a Cadillac," said Bruce, "use a jack made to lift a
Cadillac, not a Volkswage". What Bruce was saying here is
that your tools must be strong enough to do the biggest jobs. At
less than 135 pounds, Bruce jacked up a professional wrestler holding him
pinned to a wall with double tan saos.
So, to make the
tools strong requires a number of important factors and attention to some
small details. Here are a few:
1) Immovable Elbow Principle.
The elbow must be maintained on or close to your centerline, and should
never be positioned less than one fist length from your body.
"If your elbow gives," I recall Bruce saying, "then your
structure is destroyed". About this, Bruce was adamant!
2) Structure Softening. Learn to
soften and concave the chest so that you are all shoulders, back, and
forearms. This allows structural strength and firmer grounding while
reducing tension in the body. It keeps your mid-body at further
reach from your opponent while, at the same time, naturally extending your
reach to him. The soft curvature of the body face is also used for
setting up gaps that you may need for exercising powerful mechanical
advantages in the use of your tools.
3) Sealing down the shoulder.
Raise it and your structure will be both offensively and defensively
weakened. This is not only important while jamming and trapping, but
also in striking. The Sil Lum Tao form teaches how to weld down the
shoulders so that your structure will powerfully unitized, rather than
weakly disjointed.
4) Triangle structure. Bruce's
structure was based on triangles. A number of triangles beginning at
the feet work all the way up the body and end with the tools. For
instance, even the simple tan sao if done correctly provides the angles
for five separate triangles. See if you can you find them.
5) Chi. To improve chi energy
for greater strength in your tool you must be sure to keep open a space
between your index finger and middle finger, particularly in tan sao, jut
sao, bon sao, wu sao. In tan sao, keeping the palm flat up and
angled slightly will also create a natural mechanical advantage and line
of deflection. Bruce believed in chi!
6) Wrist Mechanics. The practice
of wu sao, huen sao, and jut sao (as in the Sil Lum Tao form) teaches
powerful and indomitable wrist mechanics. Pay close attention to the
drilling and adduction principles using the joints of ankles, knees, hips,
forearms and wrists. These are the mechanics that will move a bigger
man around with seemingly little effort on your part. A Bruce
specialty!
7) Ball Principle. If you were
to roll around on a big ball, you would be rolling on multiple planes of
movement. You can go under, over, around on either side and in
either direction, or at any one of 360 degrees of direction, or push
straight through. Learn to use these planes to your mechanical
advantages. For instance, you might lift or push down the opponent's
arms or elbows to break down and move his structure. Bruce was great
at this!
8) Switching. The switching
movements both at the heels and the balls of the feet offer certain
mechanical advantages. For power and uprooting your opponent switch
on the heels. For instance, a bon sao that not only deflects an
attack, but also serves to put shock into the opponent and disrupt him,
switch on the heels. To create angles and cover single ground in a
single movement switch on the toes. To cover ground, as in
snake-stepping alternate switching on heels and toes. Bruce could
either come straight at you or retreat without ever taking a step!
9) Falling Step Power. True
Bruce picked this one up from Jack Dempsey's book, but he was also quite
familiar with its principle from his gung fu training. It has to do
with landing your punch or trapping a hand in timing with your lead step
and weight transfer. Actually, there is an exercise that develops
this power. It's one of those tricky things that looks like a feat
of strength, but also provides a clearer understanding of how to optimize
the falling step effect. (See: "Falling Step
Drill"). I still wear Bruce's palm print on my chest! ;-)
10) Bow Action of Hip. Here the
hip acts like a bow (as in bow and arrow), flexing and building tension,
then releasing it directionally. A fundamental power source provided
by the wing chun structure and well known to Bruce. It's the very
kind of thing that you don't see, but you can be sure it's there!
(see: "Hip Loading Drill)
11) Tactile Sensitivity. Bruce
developed this mostly from Wing Chun's Chi Sao's sticking hands, but also
from Tai Chi's pushing hands. The only way to learn this correctly
is to learn it from a good instructor, hands on. When Bruce trapped
he became one with his opponent. But one trap is not always
enough. The highly skilled practitioner will be able to go to the
next move, and the next move, and whatever is needed to finish the
job. Bruce did not get stuck after the first move!
12) Helping Hand. Sometimes a
single tool is just not enough and you need a little help. This is
where the other hand comes into play, a mechanical reinforcement or engine
for maximizing results. It made Bruce's traps indomitable!
13) Third Hand Principle.
Tactile sensitivity teaches how to use the full arm as a tool. Often
times you will be in a position to trap or jam down with your opponent by
using your upper forearm while, at the same instant, freeing both of your
hands. This is how Bruce fought with three hands.
14) Expanding Triangle. One of
the greatest forces throughout the universe is the Principle of
Compression and Expansion. Compressing and expanding the body's
structure and the use of its tools was a powerful component to Bruce's
art. The Expanding Triangle involves setting up a triangle structure
with the arms, backed by the triangle structure of the body and expanding
it. The effect is unbelievably incredible mechanical forces, but
with very little effort.
15) Needless to say, this list does
include all of the principles and mechanics used by Bruce, such as
grounding, slipping, poling, vectoring, oscillation, plyometrics,
slanting, joint selectivity, jing (final power), simplicity, and
more. I always find it amusing to think how utterly simple Bruce's
art is if you understand all that complexity of details.
Drill #1 Falling Step
Standing in front
of your partner fully extend your right arm at chest level with fingers
pointed upward, palm facing his chest. Now stand on your left leg,
hooking your right leg behind the knee. You are not punching, as
this is only an exercise to better understand an important
principle. Fall forward until your palm strikes his chest. Be
sure to keep the arm straight. At the same instant that your palm
lands, your foot hits the ground. It is this timing of hand and foot
striking simultaneously that maximizes weight transfer at the critical
moment. If done correctly, your partner will be hurled backward, if
not knocked flat on his back. Be careful with this and have him wear
a protective pad. Important points to remember are don't hit, just
fall forward keeping arm straight. Most important, don't bend the
knee when your foot impacts the ground, as this will absorb shock.
Be sure you are standing far enough away so that your impact takes place
at the point of maximum acceleration. Think of a big oak tree
falling. The closer it comes to the ground the more the acceleration
and the greater the impact.
Drill #2 Bow Hip Power
To get an idea of
what it feels like and just how powerful it is. . . try this: Place
both palms on a wall, shoulder width apart. Step back about 4 or 5
feet with your left leg, while dropping your left hip and lifting your
right foot, extending it out in front of you as though you are taking a
huge step forward. The closer you reach your extended foot to the
wall, the greater you will exert force.
Now have your
partner brace both of his arms parallel at chest level. Placing your
palms on his arms tell him to resist your effort to push him back.
As you step back about 4 feet with your right leg, lift your left foot and
extend it beyond and slightly to the side of him. You should feel
the power build before hurling him backward.
Now, have him push
against you. As he pushes, simply lift that same left leg and extend
it past him. See if you can hold against his pressure. If done
correctly you will be able to accomplish this with little, if any, effort.
Learn how to use
this power source in your trapping. It will crush your opponent's
defenses because you are now trapping with the mechanics of your body, not
just your arms.
The construction of
the hip joints and connective tissues backed by the large muscle groups
are capable of exerting tremendous power.
When striking or
trapping, the bow action of the hip can be applied with the falling
step. Add rotation to this, and you have three power sources with
accumulated effect. Very powerful, indeed!
Drill #3 Immovable Stance
A good wing chun
trick is to pick up the long teak pole (very, very heavy) and lift it at
chest level, holding your arms straight out in front of you.
Likewise, Bruce was able to demonstrate this technique with very heavy
dumbbells. The secret is not in strength, but mostly in correct hip
structure. Put to practice in combat it becomes an effective way of
uplifting your opponent and breaking his structure, or holding against his
pressure.
But even without
this incredible mechanical advantage you can easily perform the following
trick, or drill:
Have your partner
place both hands on your chest or shoulders. He will easily be able
to push you backward. This time, place your palms facing upward
under his elbows. As he pushes, lift his elbows upward. No
matter how hard he tries, he will not be able to push you backward.
If this is not interesting enough, tell him to push as hard as he can, as
if he were pushing a car down the road. Only this time, you stand on
just one leg.
Drill #4 Contact Sensitivity
Chi Sao drills
develops sensitivity throughout the body and tools. But here is a
good solitary chi sao drill that Bruce used to help develop his
proprioceptive sensitivity, proper neuro-efficiencies, drilling and
adduction mechanics, non-intention movement, contraction and expansion
triangles, third hand, ball principle, switching, final power (Bruce
called it "sparking"). It's one of my favorites, too.
Stand crossing your
wrists at chest level, palms facing inward. Now circle your arms
away from you (out, down, back, and up to original position). Repeat
until you get the natural flow of this. Now try it alternating your
wrists. For example, you begin with the right wrist on the
inside. At the end of a full revolution you have switched to the
left wrist on the inside. As you speed up the movement, work on
relaxing the arms. Feel the contact where the arms touch.
Begin to put on and take off pressure. At any given instant,
suddenly fling your hands apart snapping into double fuk saos, or a tool
punch combination. Try it watching television. Every time the
camera cuts from one scene or view to another you let your hands
fly. You will be amazed at how this will build speed and jing power.
Now, build in
different techniques into the spinning motion. For instance, quan
sao, kan sao, double jut sao, jut sao/bon sao, whatever. Make
up things. The more you invent the more you will learn. Feel
it.
Drill # 5 - Pak Sao Drill
I will assume that
everyone knows this drill. However, here are some pointers.
When punching against your opponent who pak saos, punch with your elbows
in to the middle, otherwise you will be giving him bars, which are easier
to stop.
And when doing pak
sao keep the elbows in so that you are giving him poles reinforced by your
structure. Pak with a cupped loose hand so that you don't take shock
into the body.
Learn to drive him
back with your pak saos even when he is chain punching as hard as he
can. When punching, drive him back through his pak saos.
Add different
drills to your pak sao, by switching in and out of other tools. For
example with your left hand, begin with pak sao, then tan sao, then back
to pak sao. Repeat with your other hand as he continues his chain
punching.
Original Jeet Kune Do Basic Trapping Progressions
1) Pak Sao Da
a) By reference point attachment
b) Bridging the gap to attachment
c) By feinting then bridging the gap to pak sao da by capturing
d) Pak sao da by capturing
i) In flight during attack
ii) In chambering position before attack
iii) In chambering position after attack
2) Types of Pak Sao Da
a) Gnoy da or Oouy da
b) Loy da (two types)
i) Inside of wu sao
ii) Outside of wu sao
c) Jung da
d) Ha da
3) Pak sao da to Jik chung chuie
4) Pak sao da Bong sao Lop sao da with qua chuie or Sut sao (Fak
sao) Gum sao da
5) Pak sao da Loy Pak sao da
6) Pak sao da Chung chuie Loy Pak sao da
7) Pak sao da Biu sao as wedge Pak sao da Lop sao da - Pak sao
da
8) Pak sao da Biu sao as wedge Lop sao with chung chuie - Pak sao
da
9) Pak sao da Biu sao as wedge Lop sao da right Sut sao (Fak
sao) Gum sao da
10) Pak sao da Biu sao as wedge Pak sao da left Sut sao (Fak
sao)
11) Pak sao da Biu sao as wedge Lop sao da Pak sao da left
Sut sao da (Fak sao)
12) Pak sao da Biu sao as wedge Lop sao da right Sut sao (Fak
sao) Cup sao da (Kao sao da)
13) Pak sao da Jao sao double Jut Sao gum sao da Jang
(elbow)
14) Pak sao da Jao sao double Jut Sao Dum tek Gum sao da -
Jang (elbow)
15) Pak sao da Jao sao double Jut Sao rear hand Biu gee or
rear chung chuie Gum sao da to any type of follow up
16) Pak sao da Jao sao double Jut Sao Jong tao (Headbutt)
Sut (knee) Jang (Elbow) or Gum sao da (Vice versa)
17) Pak sao da Jao sao double Jut Sao Sut (Knee) Gum sao
da Jang (Elbow)
18) Pak sao da Jao sao double Jut Sao Dum loy tek to knee
Gum sao da Jang (Elbow)
19) Pak sao da Jao sao double Jut Sao with any combination of
headbutt (Jong tao), punch (Chung chuie), knee (Sut), foot stomp (Dum tek),
elbow (Jang), Finger jab (Biu gee), any palm strike (Jern), inside stomp
kick (Loy dum tek), backhand knifehand (wisk hand), Sut sao / Fak sao etc.
20) Pak sao da Go Jao sao da Ha Jao sao da Go Jao sao da
double Jut sao rear hand Biu gee Gum sao da Jang (Elbow)
21) Pak sao da Go Jao sao da Ha Jao sao da Go Jao sao da
double Jut sao - Gum sao da Jang (Elbow) to other combination
routes
22) Pak sao da Go Jao sao da Ha Jao sao da pak sao with qua
chuie - to other combination routes by energy
23) Half Pak sao da Lop sao da Kao sao da inside of lead arm
24) Half Pak sao da Lop sao da Pak sao when parry hand passes
Pak Lop sao da
25) Half Pak sao da Lop sao da Chung chuie after parry hand passes
Jut Pak sao da Gum sao da
26) Half Pak sao da Lop sao da Huen sao to rear hand Sut sao
gum sao da
27) Fake Pak sao da with delay Chung chuie after parry hand passes
Jut Pak sao da Gum sao da
28) Pak sao da Gnoy Lop sao da Pak sao da
29) Pak sao da - Gnoy Lop sao da Loy Kao sao da
30) Gnoy woang pak sao da Gnoy Lop sao da Gnoy Lop sao da on the
rear arm
31) Half Pak sao da Lop sao da Chung chuie behind rear parry
Jut sao da Gum sao da
32) Half Pak sao da Lop sao da - Chung chuie behind rear parry - Pak
sao da Lop sao da Pak sao da
33) Half Pak sao da Lop sao da - Chung chuie behind rear parry - Chung
chuie behind returning parry Gum sao da Fak sao da Gum sao da
34) Choap chuie Qua chuie Lop sao with Qua chuie (Rear hand block)
35) Choap chuie Qua chuie Pak sao da bong sao with Lop sao
with Qua chuie or Fak sao (Sut sao) (for lead hand block)
36) Choap chuie Qua chuie Jao sao to all the basics in the Jao sao
series
37) Choap chuie Qua chuie Gnoy Lop sao da Pak sao da
38) Fake Choap chuie Fake Qua chuie to :-
1. Juk tek (Ha, Jung, Go)
2. Oou tek (Ha, Jung, Go)
3. Jik tek (Ha, Jung, Go)
4. Ha hou Oou tek
5. Hou sut
6. Jung dum tek
7. Jun juk tek
8. Jun
qua tek
9. Jun so tek
10. Jun oou tek
11. Jun jung dum tek
12. Jun jik tek
Numbers 1 to 12 are in the Jun Fan Gung Fu Chum Kiu series. The Jun fan
Chum Kiu techniques are not to be mistaken for the Wing Chun Chum Kiu
techniques. Jun Fan Chum Kiu techniques are seeking the bridge or
attachment entering techniques or bridging the gap techniques.