Bruce Lee's books

JR 137

Grandmaster
Joined
Apr 26, 2015
Messages
5,162
Reaction score
3,224
Location
In the dojo
I think its always been in existence like that anyway, you seek the best martial practice for yourself and situation. I also think its kind of evolved into MMA as they train to be hybrid fighters. He was kind of at the time the most popular proponent of being a hybrid fighter and what works for you and your situation. (i think anyway)
Have you found the best martial practice for yourself yet, or are you still searching?

Not a criticism, just a question.
 

Buka

Sr. Grandmaster
Staff member
MT Mentor
Joined
Jun 27, 2011
Messages
12,952
Reaction score
10,444
Location
Maui
jacki chan was in enter the dragon, so they did it together at the same time

he definitely has iconic status, but so has fred astair, who wasnt a great dancer, or marilyn monroe was whasnt a great actor,

comparing him with Ali, isn't really on, ones a professional athlete of the highest order, one did make believe with compliment partners,

Saying Fred Astair wasn't a great dancer is like saying......hell, it's just fricken stupid.
 

Headhunter

Senior Master
Joined
Aug 26, 2016
Messages
4,765
Reaction score
1,598
A bunch of the material in Tao of JKD was copied directly from an old boxing manual Bruce was reading, only with right and left switched since he preferred to fight southpaw. I forget the name of the original work, but I've seen scans and it's pretty much a straight copy.
Yeah I saw that in another book about him that showed a philosophers quote and one of lees. It's almost identical apart from a few words. Seems he copied a lot
 

Headhunter

Senior Master
Joined
Aug 26, 2016
Messages
4,765
Reaction score
1,598
how come Bruce get more kudos than Jacki chan, there much the same as far as I can see, apart from Jacki is the better actor
Because Lee trained genuine martial arts. Jackie chan trained stunt choreography with a few flashy moves
 
D

Deleted member 39746

Guest
Have you found the best martial practice for yourself yet, or are you still searching?

Not a criticism, just a question.

Probably going to do boxing*, then move over to a kickboxing style. Im thinking Muay Thai or sanda if either are available when i can go past my town. Then i might try to go to seminars and such as and when i find any i can get to which interest me. Still going to try and make a conscious effort for FMA though.

*if i like the persons teaching style and what they teach, waiting on the first actual training lesson.
 

Buka

Sr. Grandmaster
Staff member
MT Mentor
Joined
Jun 27, 2011
Messages
12,952
Reaction score
10,444
Location
Maui
Probably going to do boxing*, then move over to a kickboxing style. Im thinking Muay Thai or sanda if either are available when i can go past my town. Then i might try to go to seminars and such as and when i find any i can get to which interest me. Still going to try and make a conscious effort for FMA though.

*if i like the persons teaching style and what they teach, waiting on the first actual training lesson.

Rat, keep in mind, it's important to find a place that's fairly convenient to get to. And, yes, the teacher's style of teaching is a good thing to keep in mind.

Man, I hope you find some place you like. I's obvious how much you love the arts.
 

Headhunter

Senior Master
Joined
Aug 26, 2016
Messages
4,765
Reaction score
1,598
Probably going to do boxing*, then move over to a kickboxing style. Im thinking Muay Thai or sanda if either are available when i can go past my town. Then i might try to go to seminars and such as and when i find any i can get to which interest me. Still going to try and make a conscious effort for FMA though.

*if i like the persons teaching style and what they teach, waiting on the first actual training lesson.
Why don't you just do one and stick with it? You need to have a solid base not just get a few bits and pieces. Doing seminars in styles you have 0 experience in when you have barely any training won't do much for you. You should really spend a few years getting a solid foundation then you can start to add new things
 

jobo

Grandmaster
Joined
Apr 3, 2017
Messages
9,762
Reaction score
1,514
Location
Manchester UK
Saying Fred Astair wasn't a great dancer is like saying......hell, it's just fricken stupid.
his audition notes famously said " cant sing, cant act, balding, can dance a little," seem pretty accurate
 

jobo

Grandmaster
Joined
Apr 3, 2017
Messages
9,762
Reaction score
1,514
Location
Manchester UK
Because Lee trained genuine martial arts. Jackie chan trained stunt choreography with a few flashy moves
genuine ma ..?. I thought he trained wing Chun? that why he had to invent his own, any way he appear to have a trained a number of ma
 
Last edited:

Buka

Sr. Grandmaster
Staff member
MT Mentor
Joined
Jun 27, 2011
Messages
12,952
Reaction score
10,444
Location
Maui
his audition notes famously said " cant sing, cant act, balding, can dance a little," seem pretty accurate

Nice try, bro. But it won't work.

Everyone's a critic. Like the Pope said to Michelangelo, "Yo Mikey, it's very nice, but couldn't you make that hand in the center of the ceiling a little smaller?"

You're cherry picking. That review you mentioned was written by an underling at MGM who was soon after fired. It isn't in line with other reviews of the man, at least on the subject of dance, by people, who, you know, know something about the subject.


“…like Bach, who in his time had a great concentration of ability, essence, knowledge, a spread of music…Astaire has that same concentration of genius.” –Balanchine

“…simply the greatest, most imaginative dancer of our time.” –Nureyev

“What do dancers think of Fred Astaire? It's no secret. We hate him. He gives us a complex because he's too perfect. His perfection is an absurdity. It's too hard to face.” –Baryshnikov

I could dazzle you with instances of bad reviews concerning masterpieces, such as Ulysses, by James Joyce (1918) “In Ireland they try to make a cat clean by rubbing its nose in its own filth. Mr. Joyce has tried the same treatment on the human subject” –George Bernard Shaw.

Or Wuthering Heights, by Emily Bronte 1847. Actually one of my all time favorite reviews for it's absurd cruelty.
How a human being could have attempted such a book as the present without committing suicide before he had finished a dozen chapters, is a mystery. It is a compound of vulgar depravity and unnatural horrors." –Graham's Lady Magazine

I have many more in a notebook somewhere, but no need, you got eyes don't you? If you don't think Fred Astaire is a great dancer you either don't think at all...or know absolutely nothing of dance.
 

jobo

Grandmaster
Joined
Apr 3, 2017
Messages
9,762
Reaction score
1,514
Location
Manchester UK
Nice try, bro. But it won't work.

Everyone's a critic. Like the Pope said to Michelangelo, "Yo Mikey, it's very nice, but couldn't you make that hand in the center of the ceiling a little smaller?"

You're cherry picking. That review you mentioned was written by an underling at MGM who was soon after fired. It isn't in line with other reviews of the man, at least on the subject of dance, by people, who, you know, know something about the subject.


“…like Bach, who in his time had a great concentration of ability, essence, knowledge, a spread of music…Astaire has that same concentration of genius.” –Balanchine

“…simply the greatest, most imaginative dancer of our time.” –Nureyev

“What do dancers think of Fred Astaire? It's no secret. We hate him. He gives us a complex because he's too perfect. His perfection is an absurdity. It's too hard to face.” –Baryshnikov

I could dazzle you with instances of bad reviews concerning masterpieces, such as Ulysses, by James Joyce (1918) “In Ireland they try to make a cat clean by rubbing its nose in its own filth. Mr. Joyce has tried the same treatment on the human subject” –George Bernard Shaw.

Or Wuthering Heights, by Emily Bronte 1847. Actually one of my all time favorite reviews for it's absurd cruelty.
How a human being could have attempted such a book as the present without committing suicide before he had finished a dozen chapters, is a mystery. It is a compound of vulgar depravity and unnatural horrors." –Graham's Lady Magazine

I have many more in a notebook somewhere, but no need, you got eyes don't you? If you don't think Fred Astaire is a great dancer you either don't think at all...or know absolutely nothing of dance.
I give more credit to your research if you new its was rko and not MGM, so who was fired from. MGM and what has it to do with this

I agree with both the reviews of Ulysses and wuthering heights, Ulysses is quite the wors3 book I've ever read
 
D

Deleted member 39746

Guest
Rat, keep in mind, it's important to find a place that's fairly convenient to get to. And, yes, the teacher's style of teaching is a good thing to keep in mind.

Man, I hope you find some place you like. I's obvious how much you love the arts.

Yeah the boxing is the only place i can conveniently get to. I was just tagging onto the two things i would progress to when i can. :p
 

Star Dragon

Orange Belt
Joined
Sep 16, 2015
Messages
89
Reaction score
39
I read Tao of Jeet Kune Do in my early teenage years and felt greatly inspired by it. (Just by watching Bruce's movies it is not immediately evident what a profound thinker he must have been.) I also read some of his other books. In fact, I was so impressed that I would have started studying JKD rather than Karate, had it been offered anywhere in my area.

Not least, Bruce's writings increased my interest in Daoism and Zen.
 

hoshin1600

Senior Master
Joined
May 16, 2014
Messages
3,127
Reaction score
1,644
Just pointing out what @Headhunter already noted. Bruce was a true martial artist in so much as it was his passion and he put it on screen as an actor. Jackie studied chinese theatrics and became a stunt man. He never studied a martial art until much later in life. I think he studied Tae Kwon do.
The question of Bruce vs jackie is a bit racist, why compare those two? Just because they are asian? Why compare Chan and not Jason Stathum to Bruce lee? How about Dolf Lundgren who is also a real martial artist.
 

Buka

Sr. Grandmaster
Staff member
MT Mentor
Joined
Jun 27, 2011
Messages
12,952
Reaction score
10,444
Location
Maui
I give more credit to your research if you new its was rko and not MGM, so who was fired from. MGM and what has it to do with this

I agree with both the reviews of Ulysses and wuthering heights, Ulysses is quite the wors3 book I've ever read

No. Most of Astaire's work was with RKO, the quote was by a nobody at MGM.
 

EdwardA

Blue Belt
Joined
Aug 22, 2020
Messages
268
Reaction score
46
A bunch of the material in Tao of JKD was copied directly from an old boxing manual Bruce was reading, only with right and left switched since he preferred to fight southpaw. I forget the name of the original work, but I've seen scans and it's pretty much a straight copy.

Strong side forward. Right handed, right side forward. Left handed, left hand forward. Not so much a preference, as a structural technique.
 

ShortBridge

3rd Black Belt
Joined
Feb 9, 2015
Messages
949
Reaction score
720
Location
Seattle, WA, USA
Because Lee trained genuine martial arts. Jackie chan trained stunt choreography with a few flashy moves

I don't know about that. Lee dabbled and was talented, dedicated, and charismatic enough to do something with it, but he didn't ever go deep in any system. I highly recommend Jackie Chan's autobiography to anyone at all interested in Chinese Martial Arts. The way that he was trained was very traditional and very in depth. His hours of formal instruction by credible kung fu sifus eclipses Lee's 10x or 20x times over.

He was primarily a performer, though. I think the main reason that they are not talked about that was is because Chan never put any claims out of unique fighting superiority, as Lee did. He was very well trained, but he positioned himself to the world as a actor and action star. Lee was also an actor and action star, but he positioned himself to the world as a fighter.

genuine ma ..?. I thought he trained wing Chun? that why he had to invent his own, any way he appear to have a trained a number of ma

First of all, you're being a troll in thread where there is no reason to be a troll. Please don't do that.

Second of all, Lee has some Wing Chun training, but it was far from complete. He moved away from his sifu as an old teenager/young man with intermediate knowledge of the system at best and started teaching. He didn't augment with other styles because he had mastered Wing Chun and found it lacking, he did so because he no longer had instruction in it available to him. As a charismatic, exotic college freshman at the University of Washington he made friends and made a name for himself as an expert in something that virtually no one had seen before. To his credit, he kept exploring and kept growing, but any time anyone claims that he knew and outgrew Wing Chun...
 

jobo

Grandmaster
Joined
Apr 3, 2017
Messages
9,762
Reaction score
1,514
Location
Manchester UK
I don't know about that. Lee dabbled and was talented, dedicated, and charismatic enough to do something with it, but he didn't ever go deep in any system. I highly recommend Jackie Chan's autobiography to anyone at all interested in Chinese Martial Arts. The way that he was trained was very traditional and very in depth. His hours of formal instruction by credible kung fu sifus eclipses Lee's 10x or 20x times over.

He was primarily a performer, though. I think the main reason that they are not talked about that was is because Chan never put any claims out of unique fighting superiority, as Lee did. He was very well trained, but he positioned himself to the world as a actor and action star. Lee was also an actor and action star, but he positioned himself to the world as a fighter.



First of all, you're being a troll in thread where there is no reason to be a troll. Please don't do that.

Second of all, Lee has some Wing Chun training, but it was far from complete. He moved away from his sifu as an old teenager/young man with intermediate knowledge of the system at best and started teaching. He didn't augment with other styles because he had mastered Wing Chun and found it lacking, he did so because he no longer had instruction in it available to him. As a charismatic, exotic college freshman at the University of Washington he made friends and made a name for himself as an expert in something that virtually no one had seen before. To his credit, he kept exploring and kept growing, but any time anyone claims that he knew and outgrew Wing Chun...
you know i made that comment nearly 18 months ago ??? it a vit late to get all orizy over it.

he vlearly found it lacking or he would have returned to it, instead he syaryed his own better ma,

its just one man opinion that its substandard and he could dp much better, if you disagree with bruce that fine, im sure he wont mind
 

ShortBridge

3rd Black Belt
Joined
Feb 9, 2015
Messages
949
Reaction score
720
Location
Seattle, WA, USA
you know i made that comment nearly 18 months ago ??? it a vit late to get all orizy over it.

he vlearly found it lacking or he would have returned to it, instead he syaryed his own better ma,

its just one man opinion that its substandard and he could dp much better, if you disagree with bruce that fine, im sure he wont mind

Didn't notice the date of your post. I apologize for that. As for the rest, it's revisionist history.

No disrespect to Bruce Lee, he was an extra-ordinary individual, but that version of events (admittedly not originally attributed to you) is historically inaccurate.
 

Latest Discussions

Top