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Bruce Lee's Fighting Method, Vol. 2 by Bruce Lee
Book Summary InformationAuthor: Bruce Lee Edition: Paperback Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published) Published: 1977-05-01 ISBN: 0897500512 Number of pages: 128 Publisher: Black Belt Communications
Book Reviews of Bruce Lee's Fighting Method, Vol. 2Book Review: A good martial arts book that everyone should own! Summary: 5 Stars
Being the author of several books on the martial arts and fighting, I am always looking for books of exceptional quality to add to my library. If I have a book in my library, it's definitely worth owning. One such book is Bruce Lee's and M. Uyehara's, "Bruce Lee's Fighting Method; Volume 2: Basic Training."
As is stated in the introduction to this and the other three volumes in the series, Bruce Lee never intended for these books to be published. However, since his untimely passing, his wife Linda decided that she would allow them to be published. Something we should all be thankful for.
What I will attempt to do in this review is to give you a well-rounded grasp of what Bruce has written and demonstrated for you in this series of books. Although nothing can replace the value of a qualified and competent instructor, a well written book can still provide you with a wealth of knowledge if you know how to realize it and obtain it.
1. The Fighting Man Exercises:
a. The importance of aerobic conditioning and exercises to increase your aerobic capacity such as; running, bike riding, jumping rope, etc.
b. Most martial artists neglect their actual physical workouts, thinking that practicing their particular martial art of and by itself is all you need to get into and stay in shape. This is not true! One must supplement their martial arts training with various muscle building and flexibility exercises.
c. You must constantly push yourself to become better than what you already are. If it comes easy, it generally isn't worth it.
d. How to warm-up properly in order to prepare your body for harder workouts without risking the chance of unnecessary injury due to the use of a well designed and executed warm-up routine.
e. Various flexibility exercises are shown using the trampoline and various body stretches.
f. Several different abdominal exercises are demonstrated as Bruce always felt that the abdomens were the major source of power in the martial arts.
2. The On-Guard Position:
a. Bruce goes really in-depth on a good fighting stance.
b. Looks at the disadvantages of more traditional or formal stances.
c. Bruce also talks a good deal about balance and how important it is to being effective with your techniques.
3. Footwork:
a. The basic principles behind your footwork are discussed.
b. Demonstrated and explained are the Forward and Backward Shuffle.
c. Demonstrated and explained are the Quick Advance and Retreat.
d. Demonstrated and explained is the Burst Forward.
e. Demonstrated and explained is Sidestepping.
4. Power Training; Punching Power:
a. How to correctly make a fist for punching.
b. Various training exercises utilizing the heavy bag, punching mitts, force shields, etc.
c. The use of canvas bags filled with everything from sand to steel filings in order to toughen the hands for impact.
d. The use of hand weights when practicing your punches.
e. The use of a staff across your shoulders to improve your body's ability to work in unison when punching.
f. Talks about using KI when punching and how to punch through your target, not at it.
g. Also discussed is "Pulling Power" and how to develop it with hand and forearm exercises.
Power in Kicking:
a. Flicky point style kicks are useless in self-defense.
b. How to develop striking power in your Side Kick.
c. The use of the heavy bag to develop power in your kicks.
d. The use of the kicking shield to develop power in your kicks.
e. How to add more power to your Front Kick by utilizing your hips correctly.
5. Speed Training:
a. Basic principles involved in training for speed in your techniques.
b. Developing punching speed.
c. Developing whipping speed for your Back Fist.
d. Developing speed in your Finger Jab by using a piece of paper.
e. Developing speed in your Lead Straight Punch.
f. Using equipment such as the double-end bag, punching mitts, and heavy bag to develop speed.
g. Developing a non-telegraphic punch.
h. Using concepts from fencing to enhance your speed and punching skills.
i. A very interesting use of a children's game to develop speed.
Speed in Kicking:
a. Principles and techniques of the Side Kick and Roundhouse Kick, which I find very interesting that Bruce calls the Roundhouse Kick a Hook Kick.
b. Various methods of developing speed in your kicks.
c. Awareness of your body and what it is doing when you are kicking.
Like any well written book, as much as you can learn from this book by reading it, you can learn just as much if not more by reading between the lines. I particularly enjoyed the simplicity of what Bruce was trying to relay throughout this and pretty much all of his books. What may work well for one person, may not work at all for another. Therefore, you as an individual needs to research the techniques that are out there and find those that work best for you and use them. Remember, there are no superior martial arts, only superior martial artists.
Summary of Bruce Lee's Fighting Method, Vol. 2Reveals how the iconic warrior attained his legendary speed, power, and footwork. Included are practical, effective stretches for increasing flexibility, abdominal exercises that can be performed anywhere, and hard-hitting advice on running, biking, skipping rope, and shadowboxing. More than just a fitness guide, this must-have manual also delves into the fundamental aspects of Bruce Lee?s revolutionary combat philosophy, jeet kune do, including how to strengthen your fists with iron-palm training, get the most out of your punches and kicks, camouflage your attacks, develop the footwork to evade almost any blow, cover distance rapidly, escape from a tight corner, conserve energy for countering, build muscles without sacrificing speed, fix flaws in your stance, and improve your peripheral vision, leverage, and timing.
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