Martial Arts: Jeet Kune Do

Jeet Kune Do is a relatively new martial art, developed by the martial arts master, Bruce Lee. Bruce Lee began his martial arts career studying Wing Chun Kung Fu under grandmaster Yip Man in Hong Kong, and then taught his art in the U.S. as Jun Fan Kung Fu.

Lee began by taking the best and most practical aspects of Wing Chun and combining these with elements of western boxing; trapping and grappling; and influences from a variety of other martial arts. This developed into a fighting style that he named Jeet Kune Do, the “Way of the Intercepting Fist”.

Jeet Kune Do is not a new style of kung-fu or karate. Bruce Lee did not invent a new or composite style, nor did he modify a style to set it apart from any existing method. His concept was to free his followers from clinging to any style, pattern, or mold.

The effect Jeet Kune Do had was to expose the Chinese martial arts to the world, which subsequently created a worldwide rush by westerners to learn these martial arts. It also stimulated interest in the other martial arts including Japanese, Okinawan and Korean. No other man has had more influence on the spread of martial arts to the world than Bruce Lee.

Origin of Jeet Kune Do: U.S.

Founder of Jeet Kune Do: Bruce Lee - late 1960s

Famous students are Dan Insonato, Larry Hartsell

Martial Arts: Iaido

Iaido is the art of sword drawing. The emphasis is on killing the opponent with a strike from drawing the sword. Practiced for centuries by the Japanese Samurai, Iaido is now practiced with specially made Iaido swords that resemble the original Japanese Katana. These swords are not sharpened, reducing the risk of injury to its practitioners.

Origin of Iaido: Japan

Martial Arts: Hsing (Hsing-I Chuan, Xing Yi Quan)

Hsing (Hsing-I Chuan, sometimes also spelled Xing Yi Quan or Hsing Yi Chuan), is known as Mind Boxing, or in another translation, Form-Will-Boxing. The pronouciation of Hsing-I is “Shing-ee”.

Hsing-I is characterised by five distinctive actions, namely the five fist elements. These elements are the Splitting Fist, Drilling Fist, Crushing Fist, Pounding Fist and the Crossing Fist. These five basic actions of splitting, drilling, pounding, crossing and crushing are related to the five elements of traditional Chinese medical theory and philosophy, ie. metal, water, fire, earth and wood, respectively.

In addition to these, Hsing also teaches the 12 styles of animal movements such as Dragon, Tiger, Horse, Cock, Turtle, Hawk, Swallow, Snake, Falcon, Eagle and Bear.

Each animal form has characteristic postures and stances, combined with a characteristic way of fighting.

Hsing-I belongs to the Chinese internal arts (together with Pa Kua and Tai-Chi), and shares some types of weapons training, namely the straight sword (Jen), the curved sword (Dao) and the long spear (Chiang). In contrast to Pa-Kua and Tai-Chi, movements in Hsing are more linear combined with a straight forward attack. The the emphasis is on developing very powerful strikes that are able to deliver inner energy (Chi) at the opponent.

Origin of Hsing: Northern China, also credited to General Yu Fei

Martial Arts: Hapkido

Hapkido is a Korean martial art, and combines techniques from Karate, Aikido and Judo. It also draws influence from other native Korean martial arts. Characteristic for Hapkido are the wrist locks and throws that can look quite spectacular. Hapkido uniforms are available in white and black and have a characteristic diamond pattern.

Developed in the 1940s and 50s, its founder Grandmaster Choi had learned martial arts first in Japan, in a school of Daito-Ryu Aiki-Jujutsu, an ancient form of Jujutsu that was practiced mostly by Samurai.

On Choi’s return to Korea, he added many techniques to defend against particular types of attacks, and borrowed heavily from other styles. The name of what is known as Hapkido today changed several times, and famous students of Choi such as Ji Han Jae continued to develop the art and were instrumental in bringing Hapkido to the west, where it was taught to FBI and other US government agencies.

During this time Ji Han Jae met Bruce Lee, who was very impressed with the techniques of Hapkido. Ji Han Jae coached Bruce Lee, who then went on and incorporated certain aspects of Hapkido into the development of his own emerging style, Jeet Kune Do.

Origin of Hapkido: Korea

Founder of Hapkido: Yong Shui Choi (also known as Choi Yong Sul)

Popularised by: Grandmaster Ji Han Jae (Founder of Sin Moo Hapkido) in the unfinished “Game of Death” movie by Bruce Lee

Martial Arts: Goju Ryu Karate

Goju Ryu Karate is one of the four original Okinawan styles of Karate. Okinawan Goju Ryu Karate employs hard and soft techniques with circular and linear movements. Goju Ryu has a great variety of hand and foot techniques.

Emphasis in Goju Ryu is placed on strengthening the body and mind with supplementary exercises. Goju Ryu’s most famous exponent is Morio Higaonna - chief instructor of the International Okinawan Goju Ryu Karatedo Federation (I.O.G.K.F.).

Origin of Goju Ryu Karate: Okinawa

Founder of Goju Ryu: Chojun Miyagi 1888-1953

Martial Arts: Goju Kai Karate

Goju Kai Karate is very similar in techniques and Katas to Goju Ryu. Goju Kai tends to place more emphasis on the sport side of training rather than the body conditioning and supplementary exercises of Goju Ryu. The founder of Goju Kai, Yamaguchi Gogen, is credited for introducing free sparring to Karate. Previously, Okinawan Karate styles only used Katas and pre-defined attack/defense techniques in their training.

Many Goju Kai schools exist today all over the world, and the characteristic clenched fist logo of Gojo Kai can easily be recognized. The insignia was designed by the late Gogen Yamaguchi in 1932, founder of Goju-Kai Karate-Do. In fact, the clenched fist insignia is vigorously protected by U.S. and international trademark and patent laws by those that currently hold the rights for it.

Origin of Goju Kai: Japan, 1950

Founder of Goju Kai: Yamaguchi Gogen (The Cat) 1909-1989. His sons Gosei and Gosen brought Goju Kai to California, United States in the sixties.

Martial Arts: Dim Mak (Death Touch)

Dim Mak, also know as Death Touch, is the ancient martial art of striking vital points of an opponent’s body. These strikes are engineered to cause “knock-out”, death or delayed reaction in the opponent.

These vital points are the same as used for healing in acupuncture and other Asian healing arts. Dim Mak is an integral part of all martial arts. However, very few instructors know much of specific Dim Mak techniques, and those that do are reluctant to pass on this knowledge to their students.

Most pressure points are located along the center line, an important concept of many Kung Fu styles including Wing Chun Kung Fu. Pressure points exist in the arms, legs, back and head, and they are also considered when protecting major striking targets along the centre line.

Origin of Dim Mak: China

Popularised by: George Dillman, through seminars books and videos

Martial Arts: Choy Li Fut Kung Fu

Choy Li Fut is a combination of many Chinese martial arts styles (including Southern and Northern styles), and includes the five animals - Tiger, Dragon, Crane, Leopard, Snake.

Choy Li Fut was developed in 1836 by Chan Heung, who learned martial arts from his uncle, a famous Shaolin Boxer. Chan Heung named his amalgation of Kung-Fu styles after his two teachers, Choy Fok and Li Yau-San. Fut means Buddha in Cantonese, and was added to the name of his new style as an acknowledgement of his uncle and Shaolin roots of the system.

Choy Li Fut is an effective self-defence system and contains a wide variety of techniques, including long and short range punches, kicks, sweeps and takedowns, lethal pressure point attacks, joint locks, and grappling. It also practices many of the traditional Kung Fu weapons.

Although rare outside of China, Choy Li Fut remains a very popular martial arts style in mainland China today.

Origin of Choy Li Fut Kung Fu: China

Founder of Choy Li Fut Kung Fu: Chan Heung, in 1836

Martial Arts: Capoeira

Capoeira is an energetic, often acrobatic, dance-like style of martial art. Capoeira was first practiced by African slaves who were taken to work in Brazil. Capoeira is primarily based around kicking, as a slave’s hands were normally manacled.

In Capoeira, many movements are carried out while in a handstand position, often resembling modern Breakdance moves.

There are a variety of forms of Capoeira, including where two people “play” fight each other inside a circle formed by spectators, while other members of the group play instruments and sing. The music dictates the speed or tempo of the movements.

Origin: Brazil

Martial Arts: Aikido

Aikido is considered to be a non-aggressive style, as the Aikido student does not instigate the attack. The basic principle of Aikido is “Do not fight force with force”. Aikido uses very few punches and kicks. Instead, the attackers force is redirected into throws, locks and restraining techniques. Size, weight, age and physical strength differences of the opponents play only a small role, as the skilled Aikido practitioner is able to redirect the attackers energy, keeping his attacker in a constant of unbalance.

To be effective, Aikido takes longer to learn than most other martial arts. Aikido can be practiced to a late age because this martial art does not rely on flexibility, muscle speed, or strength. Thus it has become especially popular with women and senior citizens.

Aikido training teaches the use of several martial arts weapons such as Tento, Jo and Bokken. There is also a sport style of Aikido named Tomiki Aikdo.

Origin of Aikido: Japan

Founder of Aikido: Morihei Ueshiba 1883-1969

Popularised by: Movie star Steven Seagal, the first Western person to open an Aikido school in Japan.