Western boxing or JKD ?

[Thai Bri]

I used to train here www.maxt.co.uk but, in all honesty, was only interested in learning the grappling from this guy. I'm not into stick twirling and the Hubud.

Nowadays I merely train by kicking the crap out of punch bags. I'm into WW2 Combative type arts, as well as some Senshido principles.

[William Holland]

JKD Stuff

So you are a Limey are you? Kidding.
Who Bud?
Baton Twirling?
I hear you.
Way too many patterns and numbers for me.
A JKD man should be functional and skilled with simple weapons without having to learn an entirely new system (s)

Ted Lucay Lucay was a very good friend of mine. A great Kali and Philipino Arts man.

But when we sparred with sticks, I more than held my own using strickly JKD ways of attack. Direct, Indirect, Drawing, Combinations etc. That was with just a little bit of formal kali training.

That told me right then that was about all I needed to know in terms of stick training.

[Thai Bri]

What do you think of trapping?

[William Holland]

Trapping

I personally dig the heck out of it.
It is probably my speciality in terms of tactix for fighting.

I know it is very controversial as far as it's true effectiveness, but I tell you what. I make it work! Always have.

Granted, I am way stronger (bench 400, squat 550) than your average cat, and way quick to boot, that definitely helps. But it is more about attitude and working on it all the time.

Also, it doesn't work well against everyone and in all situations. But overall, way effective for me.

I have taught over 100 Black Belts from Kenpo, Tae Kwon Do, San Soo, as well as Muay Thai and Wrestlers and NHB Fighters. Majority of the time, I trap em silly and bang em hard.

Takes a lot of patience and diligent training to make it work for most people though. And most people aren't willing to work that long or hard for it.

"If you think you can or you think you can't you are probably right"
Henry Ford

Kawabunga & Aloha

William The Mongoose" Holland

[Thai Bri]

Don't you think it would be best to put all that effort into something that gave quicker results...... so that you end up nearer to "perfection"?

[William Holland]

Trapping

Not at all.

I love it when I am trapping effectively and they are flailing trying to break away and I am banging.

Being short (5'6") I am usually at reach disadvantage. Trapping negated their reach and allows me to move in close without being at the end of their jab or cross.

It is a lot easier for me to reach their arms than their head. But once I get a firm grip or press, I move in like a bulldozer on high octane.

The Mongoose

[Thai Bri]

Is that in full on fighting/sparring? I'm not doubting you, I'd love to be able to do what you describe. Its just that I haven't yet seen it for real. Like the UFC type events. Is there anyone that uses these tactice there?

[William Holland]

Trapping in Fighting

Yes! In real knock down, drag out sparring sessions.

No. I have never seen anyone use these types of traps in NHB events or kickboxing, accept for a couple of my students.

Problem is, I truly believe that trapping as a fighting tactic is a lost and forgotten art.

No one teaches it anymore if they ever did. At least that I have seen.
When I first got into JKD in 1976. We trapped all the time. In drills. In sparring. In our sleep. We really honed it.

However, even though, I have trained with many of Bruce Lee's original students (10 in all), most of them never worked on "Live Trapping" for fighting.

Mostly I got energy drills, sticky hands, which was all great. But it was not Live Trapping in Fighting or Sparring. The only ones that I have gotten any of that from were Joe Lewis and Pat Strong.

Everything these guys do is all about Combat Reality.

I have a challenge (actually a request) from a member of the Paul Bax forum to get some video of trapping being used Live in fighting. The project is on it's way.

Kawabunga and Aloha,

[ssjgoku]

I wud say jeet kune do with out any doubts. I think that because western boxing is in jkd and thatll make jkd better.

[wong sheung]

A base in western boxing will make your functional JKD a lot better!