Inosanto Interview Part 1

BLACK BELT: A lot has been said about the origin of jeet kune do. A student of yours, Paul Vunak, stated that it can be traced to 26 different elements. Is this true?

DAN INOSANTO: Well, it's true in the sense that there were 26 different components to Bruce Lee's research. Bruce, however, didn't borrow equally from all 26 styles. This illustration is comparable to doing a research paper and using 26 books for your report. You take ten percent from one book, 15 percent from another, and ignore another book completely. But you would still cite all 26 in your bibliography.

BB: What were Bruce's research methods in picking and choosing what to use in jeet kune do?

INOSANTO: He realized from the beginning that he could never learn from the head man. In those days you would have to study for two to three years with the head man before he would give you his knowledge. So Bruce traded information with people. Let's say, for example, that he knew someone studying choy li fut kung fu. Bruce would trade his knowledge of wing chun to acquire the choy li fut skills. He was also smart enough to study with the second or third in command, rather than the head man. In this way Bruce picked up the knowledge he needed.

BB: What were some of the 26 elements that provided the underpinnings of jeet kune do?

INOSANTO: Bruce learned a lot about praying mantis in all of its forms and southern mantis. He took what he liked, but someone going on the same journey as Bruce might choose different elements. Bruce taught that jeet kune do is like a menu: You go with what works for you. That's why your jeet kune do might be different than mine. Take Larry Hartsell and I; we're both jeet kune do practitioners. We both studied with Bruce. But I might only use 60 percent of the grappling techniques, whereas Larry might use 90 percent. Of the wing chun Bruce taught, I might take 40 percent and Larry might only take 15 percent. You see, even the instructors of jeet kune do are all very different in what they favor. A lot of people coming up don't understand this. They might say, "My jeet kune do is better than his jeet kune do." I hope they don't say such a thing - that's the wrong approach. That attitude indicates a lack of understanding of the fact that jeet kune do is not a particular method or system. Once you understand that every system or style can offer you something, then you can understand jeet kune do.

BB: Since jeet kune do differs from one person to the next, how would you describe the way you apply Lee's fighting system to your own instruction?

INOSANTO: What I do is apply the principles that Bruce gave us. The principles include defining a centerline; that an attack has to come either right or left of the body; defining the upper and lower half of the body; being able to move in three ranges: long range, middle range and close quarters; understanding grappling techniques, on the ground and from a standing position; understanding different delivery systems - why a boxer puts his hand in a certain place, why a karate stylist puts his hand somewhere else, why it is sometimes more advantageous to trap than to attack by a combination. These are the principles I teach. Principles are the only thing that can be handed down.

BB: How much have you drawn from philosophical aspects of Lee's book Tao of Jeet Kune Do in teaching your classes and seminars?

INOSANTO: I like to put in one philosophical thing, what I like to call a moral lesson, in every class. However, I like to make it so subtle that it doesn't come off as a commercial or a sermon. Sometimes when you just come out and say something philosophical, people tend to rebel. That's why I try to incorporate the philosophy so that the student isn't consciously aware of its presence. The idea is to apply the philosophy to the physical discipline. It's through the physical regimen that you get your mental, spiritual and emotional training. Since we all enter through the physical door, it is the physical training that must be the main vehicle for learning.

BB: Did you recently create a jeet kune do organization?

INOSANTO: Yes, the Jeet Kune Do Society was formed as a response to the fact that many people are trying to cash in on jeet kune do without really understanding it.

BB: What are the society's goals?

INOSANTO: To prevent people from abusing jeet kune do and misleading the public. The society is here to let people know if a certain instructor is actually teaching the JKD concept. So the society essentially acts as both a policing body and a way to promote the concepts of jeet kune do. I'm quite sure that the society is going to be controversial because it touches on the subject of controlling knowledge. Who's to say that a certain movement belongs to jeet kune do? That there is a certain jeet kune do kick, or punch? Making such distinctions is not the society's mission. We are simply establishing a JKD teaching criteria to protect the public. In addition, the society will add to and promote research on jeet kune do.

BB: Are other martial arts in danger of being misrepresented by people who are out to make a profit at the public's expense?

INOSANTO: Yes, this is a very real problem. Take the balisong knife, for example. It has been called a kung fu knife and a ninja knife in various advertisements. This documents and codifies the inaccuracy; five years down the line no one will believe that the balisong knife is from the Philippines.

BB: You're an expert at Filipino weaponry. Why is it said that knife fighting is more highly developed in kali than in other martial arts?

INOSANTO: Because of the martial environment pervading the Philippines, for the most part. Knife fighting was developed for the close-quarter combat employed in the Philippine jungles. The Filipinos have put a lot of time and effort into cultivating this art. In fact, people from the Philippines had a bad reputation in the United States during the 1930s and 40s because of their use of knife fighting. Like anything else, this skill can be taught as an art as self-defense or for streetfighting. I believe in teaching it as an art.

BB: It has been said that you're the person who taught Bruce Lee how to wield the nunchunks. Yet, you've stated that sticks are superior to nunchaku when fighting in close quarters. Why is that?

INOSANTO: The main thing is timing. The stick is more effective in close range because of its speed. I use nunchucks as part of the kali system as a flexible weapon; it is very effective at long range. And I'm not saying that it can't be used in close quarters. It's just not well suited to that type of fighting. Of course, you can hide the nunchucks. But since a stick can also be used as a cane, you don't even have to hide it. A cane, after all, is perfectly legal to carry.

BB: You've trained with Bruce Lee's son. Brandon. Are there are any comparisons you can make between father and son?

INOSANTO: Brandon reminds me of Bruce in that he is very head-strong and strong-willed. I trained him when he was a lot younger in a lot of one-on-one situations.

BB: Is he an adept martial artist?

INOSANTO: He has improved his skills a great deal, but his training has been very sporadic. That may be because he didn't want to capitalize on his father's fame. He wanted to do his own thing and make it on his own, which is admirable. But he never really investigated what his father was all about. I think in time he will realize the greatness of his father. I think eventually he will find out where Bruce was at and it will bring him a lot of pride.

BB: Do you ever get tired of answering questions about Bruce Lee?

INOSANTO: Not really. For me, Bruce stood as a person I could look up to, a standard for something I wanted to be myself. He was very talented. I don't think any of his students were as talented as he was. But in some ways I think we've improved on his concepts.

BB: How have you done that?

INOSANTO: By looking at what Bruce was doing and adding to the possibilities. If he said there was a given criteria for what makes a good system - it's aggressive, it has economy of motion, you can fight inside or outside, etc. - then you can look at styles like 1930s boxing or bando and realize that these idioms articulate Bruce's concepts Muay Thai is another excellent system which uses Bruce's principles and concepts. Bruce said you can combine many styles without improving your art, unless you have a common thread to unify them Bruce had a common thread; he knew when to use one system and when to use another. He under stood his tools and how and when to use them.

BB: It is true that you are trying to distance yourself from the label of being Bruce Lee's protege?

INOSANTO: Absolutely not. I'll always be proud of the fact that I trained under Bruce Lee. The only thing I distance myself from is the political intrigue surrounding jeet kune do. Without Bruce, I wouldn't have what I need to grow and expand with my art. I am so happy that I met him - whether it was karma or something else that allowed us the good fortune to be come friends - because he was special person. I do not see any martial artist of his caliber around today. I'm not talking only of physical skills, but also of his mental awareness and understanding.