Jun Fan Gung Fu
Jun Fan Gung Fu is the martial art developed by Bruce Lee. 'Lee Jun Fan' was Bruce Lee's Chinese name; the name literally means 'Art of Bruce Lee'.
Jun Fan Gung Fu is an empty-hand fighting art that was developed by Lee from his initial base of Wing Chun Gung Fu and blended with Western Boxing, Tai Chi, Judo throwing and grappling techniques and fencing principles.
Jun Fan can be broadly divided into three different areas of fighting:
Jun Fan Kick Boxing
Jun Fan Kick Boxing mainly involves techniques and training methods from Muay Thai, Western Boxing, Filipino Boxing, French Savate and Western Foil Fencing. The range of this division is usually middle or long range attack.
Jun Fan Grappling
Another major part of the Jun Fan martial art is the use of grappling techniques. As with the kick boxing phase there is a wide variety of offensive and defensive methods taught.
The grappling range has five areas of concentration:
- Locking and submission
- Choking and strangulation
- Pressure point and pain compliance
- Time holds
- Ground-based hitting tactics
This part of the Jun Fan martial arts can be a very important factor in self defence as many 'real life' self defence situations can end up on the ground. This division of the Jun Fan arts is close range combat. The techniques used are derived from a variety of different grappling arts from around the world including freestyle wrestling, Russian Sambo wrestling, Judo and Jiu Jitsu.
Jun Fan Trapping
This section of training involves the use of close-in trapping and striking techniques when a fight's range has become too close for kickboxing techniques to be effective. The main sources for this part of the art are Wing Chun Gung Fu and the unarmed methods of the Filipino martial arts. At this range the martial artist should be trying for a more tactile response to their opponent. This means that because of the close range at which they will find themselves the martial artist should be able to read their opponents responses and reply with the necessary techniques.
History of Jun Fan and Jeet Kune Do
Jeet Kune Do is a vehicle of discovery which utilizes Jun Fan Gung Fu to experience the concepts and philosophies of the martial arts.The reality is that Sigung Bruce Lee was constantly developing, changing and evolving and therefore his art and philosophy underwent the same changes over the years.
Bruce Lee himself said, "Jeet Kune Do is a name - don't fuss over it." and like his student Dan Inosanto, Lee believed that the man is far more important than any established system or style.
Wing Chun
Jun Fan Gung Fu is based on the core principles of Wing Chun learnt by Bruce Lee in Hong Kong under the tutelage of Sifu Yip Man in the 1950's. It is also believed that Bruce Lee learnt much from class seniors Wong Shun Leung and William Cheung, in all probability in the same manner that any student would have learnt from their class seniors. Although the basis of Jun Fan Gung Fu is certainly Wing Chun it is well known that Lee practiced and competed in boxing as a schoolboy and experienced Tai Chi through his father and his father's friends. Also Guro Dan Inosanto has commented on occasion that Lee wanted to learn what he could from other systems. Guro Dan described Lee as knowing that he would not be taught by the senior of another system so he would offer to exchange knowledge with the second or third ranking student of that system.
Bruce Lee's first exposure to the martial arts scene of Los Angeles was as a result of being introduced to Kenpo Karate instructor Ed Parker. Parker invited Lee to demonstrate his art at the Long Beach Competition organised by Parker. Bruce Lee met Dan Inosanto there as Parker asked Inosanto to be the host for Bruce Lee during this visit. Later Taky Kimura - who had been assisting Bruce Lee until this point - had to return to Seattle, Inosanto became the assistant in a deal struck for the exchange of martial arts lessions. Later when Bruce Lee moved to Los Angeles, Dan Inosanto trained with him and eventually encouraged Lee to open a school. Many of Inosanto's classmates at Ed Parker's school came over to train at the new College Street school, with Inosanto managing a gruelling schedule of teaching for both men a few years longer.
Eventually Bruce Lee handed over the bulk of his College Stree teaching responsibilities to Dan Inosanto. He then invited several students to train privately at the Lee home. These students included Ted Wong, Dan Inosanto, Larry Hartsell, Herb Jackson, Richard Bustillo and Jerry Poteet.
The name Jeet Kune Do arose as the result of a conversation between Dan Inosanto and Bruce Lee during a car journey. Bruce Lee was discussing the use of interception and stop hits in fencing. Dan asked Bruce what that would be in Cantonese. 'The Way of the Intercepting Fist' - 'Jeet Kune Do' was born.
Viewing 'Jun Fan Gung Fu'
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