“Was Bruce Lee The First Mixed Martial Artist?”
Damian Ross and BJ Pehush
The Self Defense Company
Despite being dead for over thirty years the name Bruce Lee remains synonymous with perfection in martial arts. While the great martial artist may have gotten it "right," is his message lost by those who succeeded him?
In the martial arts world you will find references to Bruce Lee everywhere, from people are quoting him to teaching his style, Bruce Lee has become part of the martial arts culture forever. But despite being so well known, few really understand his ideas, and often incorrectly apply his teachings. Bruce Lee was a man who knew that combat martial arts should be kept simple and effective. He also was a mixed martial artist who saw value in all styles, and didn't regard one being superior to another. Even though Bruce Lee tried to make martial arts less complicated and mysterious, since his death the martial arts world has never been more divided and confused.
Like many young men Lee began learning martial arts from his father and others in his community in Hong Kong. He first learned Kung Fu, but before leaving home, he would also become highly proficient in western boxing and fencing. Unlike many martial artists, Lee was an experienced street fighter, and learned early on that what works in the martial arts school doesn't necessarily work in real combat. Once in America he trained with martial artists who practiced many different styles including Judo, Jujutsu, and Greco-Roman wrestling.
Lee wasn't satisfied with traditional martial arts work outs and believed in total fitness workout that included muscular strength, muscular endurance, cardiovascular endurance, and flexibility workouts. He would run and bike many miles every day. He even did bodybuilding workouts with and without weights. Lee's training wasn't limited to physical aspect of martial arts. He also committed himself to a healthy natural diet, and was a heavy advocate of dietary supplements. He believed that with mental, physical and spiritual preparation he could achieve more as both a martial artist and a human being.
There most important element of Bruce Lee's training was him. He never stopped pushing himself. Every day was a day to improve himself and ever day he pushed himself harder. In his book The Tao of Jeet Kune Do, he wrote "Training is one of the most neglected phases of athletics. Too much time is given to the development of skill and too little to the development of the individual for participation." While techniques are very important you shouldn’t neglect your physical fitness training. Even when you’re the best there is no replacement for hard work, and because Lee was willing to sacrifice and work hard Bruce Lee became the best.
Though known for his physical prowess Lee also spent a large portion of his time building up his mind. He earned a degree in philosophy at the University of Washington, and his personal library contained over a thousand books and one student and friend said that Lee had read them all. Through his studies and workouts Lee began to realize martial arts were being taught incorrectly. Sport martial arts and pointless traditions were destroying the combat power of many martial arts.
Lee called his philosophy Jeet Kune Do which means "Way of the Intercepting Fist," and made it very clear that it was not a new style of martial arts. He wanted practitioners of different martial arts to exchange ideas and train together, and not get caught up in proving whose martial art was "better." He felt that by learning only one style a student would be bound to it and that would limit them as a warrior. Jeet Kune Do isn't a martial art, but a way to make your martial arts style better.
Since the great warrior-philosopher's death there has been much debate about the right way to teach Jeet Kune Do, and who Lee wanted to carry on his work. Jeet Kune Do is a philosophy to be learned, not a style of martial arts and Lee made it clear that he never wanted Jeet Kune Do to have an organizational structure or a syllabus of set moves. Lee wanted martial artists to work together, but instead now they fight for control of his legacy.
If you ever meet someone who says they teach Jeet Kune Do as a style don’t assume they know what they are talking about. Before his death Lee said, "Jeet Kune Do is merely a name used, a mirror in which to see ourselves," and as martial artists we must continue to work to make martial arts more direct and simplistic. If you really want to be more like Bruce Lee, don't limit yourself to one style, continually train your mind and body, and don't worry about doing what is "right," do what works in combat. Bruce Lee cut through the bull, so we all could be better martial artists, and the best way we can pay tribute to him to live his philosophy not be caught up in tradition.
