Björn Friedrich
20-09-2012, 15:29
Hier ein weiteres altes Interview aus meinem e-mail Account. Patrick Strong war Schüler von Bruce Lee und Rickson Gracie und erläutert seine ziemlich interessante Perspektive über JKD und BJJ.
Question: Pat, I know that you are an original student of the late Bruce Lee.
Because of that you have a tremendous background in Jeet Kune Do and even
Wing Chun. It´s very uncommon that people from these systems are training in
Grappling especially in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ). Tell us how you came in
touch with the Gracie Family and why do you like their System of fighting so
much?
Answer: I first became aware of the Gracie family and their Jiu Jitsu about
12 years ago after seeing their first video tape, "Gracie Jiu Jitsu in
Action." I called Rorion Gracie on the telephone and he invited me to come
to his home. Before I knew it we were out in the garage grappling on the
mats. It was great fun and I was very much impressed with his Jiu Jitsu, so
I started training immediately. What interested me most about the system was
its high level of effectiveness and the details that went into the mechanics
and strategy of the system.
Needless to say Royce Gracie's performance in the Ultimate Fighting
Championships attracted a lot of attention in the martial arts. Today,
Gracie Jiu Jitsu and other styles of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu are very popular
here in the United States, especially in Southern California where I live.
Question: What do you think? Did your Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do / Wing Chun
training help you to learn certain aspects of BJJ better?
I would say that it works both ways, but mostly it was the Jiu Jitsu that
influenced and helped my standup fighting. For instance, I learned a
strategy of fighting that was quite different from that taught by Bruce Lee,
where the goal was to finish the fight as quickly as possible. In contrast,
a fast finish is not so necessary to the Gracie fighter unless, of course, he
is fighting in a building that is on fire. More important than winning fast
is to survive and win without getting badly hurt. And, like predatory
animals that take their prey to the ground, the GJJ fighter wants to take his
opponent to the ground.
He will want to tie up the other fighter who would like to have enough room
to be comfortable and effective in his punches and strikes, or other
movements. If the opponent is bigger and stronger the Gracie fighter uses
his mechanical advantages so that the bigger man will spend his strength.
Then, when the opponent gets tired the Gracie Fighter will finish him.
I liked the way that Jiu Jitsu uses position, base, and good defense to get
control of the fight. These important elements are what most effect the
course of events. I began to see how a good JKD standup fighter well trained
in contact sensitivity should also be able to apply the same elements, even
though his methods differ.
For example, once having bridged the gap the JKD fighter can strike or move
to disrupt and/or uproot the other fighter. Or, he may change the angle of
attack and pressure him in a way as to take away his comfort and the distance
that he needs to be effective. Not unlike the submission fighter who can be
instantly dangerous on the ground with a submission attack, the contact
sensitive fighter can be dangerous at any given moment by either going
through obstructions or opening new lines of attack for his striking.
It wasn't long after training in Jiu Jitsu that I began to pay even more
attention to my standup structure, not only to combat other standup fighters,
but grapplers as well. By using some of the same underlying principles
enjoyed by the Gracies, I was able to make Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do structure
even more effective to hold and move against an opponent's pressure. I also
knew that structure alone would not be enough without having a viable
standing base. So, I went to work on it. Of course, much of this kind of
thing would never have occurred to me if I hadn't got into grappling.
I would say that one of the major advantages that a grappler has against a
stand up fighter is that the stand up fighter is more likely to punch and
strike from a stance using rotation. This rotation factor only makes it
easier for the grappler to penetrate once he's slipped by the punch, since
there is nothing left to stop him except a follow up punch but it's probably
already too late. Here is where a standing base using equal and varied
pressures on the opponent with both tools (hands or arms) can be used to stop
and measure for an effective strike or strike combinations. Therefore,
proper training in contact sensitivity such as Wing Chun's Chi Sao can be of
great help to the standup fighter while maintaining his standing base while
opening lines of attack for his strikes. There is no doubt in my mind that
Wing Chun gung fu makes a nice combination with Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
What I really liked about my stand up fighting as it related to the Jiu Jitsu
was how I could use my unique Wing Chun and Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do striking
capabilities from on the ground positions. Bruce's method of striking was
quite different from that of other martial arts systems. For instance:
1) The puncher doesn't need to uplift his Center of Gravity in order to punch
with full power. This means he does not have to lift his arm or shoulder to
punch.
2) Because the punching is based on economy of movement they utilize less
muscle fiber contraction, making them faster. And because of its mechanics
it strikes more accurately and with deeper penetration.
3) Since the method of striking is based on the Centerline Principle it
permits smashing through or clearing out the opponent's defense in
conjunction with trapping down his arms.
4) Also the punches can be used from the bottom guard position which is quite
difficult and not too effective using normal punching methods.
Another thing that I picked up from the Gracies was their high degree of
attention to technical details. Consequently, I began to look even harder
into the intricacies of Bruce's art, many of which are to be found in the
science that is Wing Chun. This examination of details served to strengthen
my Jun Fan/Jeet Kune Do to an even higher standard then ever before.
Question: In Germany not many people are understanding the effectiveness of
Grappling. Of course in the USA that´s different. What is your opinion about
that? Do you think that every martial artist regardless of his background can
improve his fighting ability by learning how to grapple?
Answer: Over the past near 40 years I have studied a wide variety of martial
art to include those from China, Korea, Japan, Okinawa, and the Philippines
in addition to Western Boxing. Amos all of my experience had been centered
on standup fighting except for a small amount of judo and aikido. For sure,
I had been one of those people who did not give much credit to the grappling
arts. My feeling was that if someone was trying to get hold of me, I would
be busy punching him. Today, I view martial art quite differently. I feel
that if a person is strictly a standup fighter, then he has definitely
limited himself.
Question: Pat you had the chance to learn from to of the greatest martial
artists ever, Bruce Lee and Rickson Gracie. Tell us a little bit about them.
I think we all know that they were great fighters, but what can you tell us
about their personal philosophy? Their way of thinking? What makes them so
great?
Bruce Lee and Rickson Gracie are very much alike in the fact that both men
live and breath their martial art. I believe that had Bruce lived he and
Rickson (and/or other members of the Gracie family) would have become best
friends. I am sure that Bruce would have loved Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and it
would have had a very strong influence on his personal art.
Bruce Lee was a great showman. It's no wonder that he was a movie star. He
loved to show off to his friends by doing magic tricks like making coins
disappear into thin air. This skillful deception of hand was actually an
important concept that he applied in his martial art. He could have made an
eye disappear as quickly as a coin.
Rickson Gracie is also most amazing and talented, both physically and
mentally. He is a fighter, in the truest sense of the word. When Rickson
trains by himself rolling around and exercising on the mats he doesn't think
of himself and as a fighter. Instead, he thinks of himself as an animal. It
is really something to see. But Rickson isn't the only highly dedicated
martial artist in the Gracie family. They're all great! And that applies to
their cousins, the Machados.
Question: Bruce Lee is well known as one of the most progressive and
innovative martial artists. Do you believe he would have liked the Grappling
systems like for example Brazilian Jiu Jitsu? Or did he even train some
Grappling at the time he was your teacher?
Answer: I think that he would have loved BJJ. Bruce had done some earlier
training in wrestling and judo. His interest in grappling was growing and he
was planning to incorporate it fully into his Jeet Kune Do, according to judo
man, Gene LaBell, who was teaching him.
Question: As a Grappling teacher, I always feel that some people have a total
misconception of Grappling. They think that it is just made for big strong
guys and that it is not a good self-defense method for smaller people.
However, I believe that this is totally wrong. What´s your opinion about
that? Is, for example, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu just based on ***** force and
will not work for people who are physically not so strong?
Answer: I believe that if two people are even in skill, then weight can make
a difference. However, in the case of Gracie Jiu Jitsu the art was not
founded on strength, but on the science of technique and skill. For over 60
years the Gracie family have taken on all comers regardless of their fighting
system, size, or strength. Helio Gracie, the father of Rorion and Rickson's
side of the family, was a small man. As a child he was too weak to play
outside with a ball or even go to school. He was certainly too weak to study
Jiu Jitsu then being practiced by his older brother, Carlos. In fact, Helio
learned the Jiu Jitsu by watching Carlos teach it to others. Surprisingly,
it was Helio who years later became the family champion in the
no-holds-barred ring, openly challenging fighters from all over the world.
I don't think that someone should let their smaller size become a hindrance
to learning BJJ, since it is based on the kinds of mechanical advantages that
can be used quite effectively against opponents who are bigger and stronger.
If a person is small and is interested in learning self-defense, I would
advise that he/she get into BJJ as soon as possible. It is an art that is
learned quickly while being awesomely effective.
Question: What is your general opinion about the martial arts? Is it just a
way of self-defense? What else can someone get from the training?
Answer: To many, including myself, martial art is more than learning how to
protect yourself. It is a way of life and a way of living. And, it is
something that just keeps getting better as time goes on while keeping you in
good physical condition.
Question: Pat, after being involved in the martial arts for such a long time
what do you think about something we all know from our own experiences -
injures? How do you treat them mentally and psychologically? Can we even
learn something from our injuries?
Answer: Okay, this is the one part about martial art that I don't like.
When I was younger it was not a problem. When you're young you're
invincible. And, you heal quickly.
At 56 years of age, I don't heal so quickly anymore. But then, I'm just a
little more experienced, more careful, and a lot wiser. I've learned not to
take short cuts in my warm-ups and I always keep myself in top physical
condition.
Question: I know you will have some new tapes out soon. Tell us a little bit
about these tapes. What can we expect? I think they will be awesome.
I recently completed four instructional videos for Masters' Publication that
will soon be in distribution. All of the tapes are about Bruce Lee's personal
art and the science of his methodology. They are as follows:
Tape #1 Bruce Lee, the Lord of Speed
Tape #2 Bruce Lee, the Lord of Power
Tape #3 Bruce Lee, the Lord of Shock
Tape #4 The Inner Game of Bruce Lee
Question: One last question for you Pat, what your goals for the future?
In addition to teaching and training martial art, I'm involved in the motion
picture industry as a screenwriter. I'm working on several projects at the
moment, one of which is a film that involves judo. The other two projects
are animation movies. And then, I'm right in the middle of designing a
martial art web site that should be on the Internet in the next three or four
weeks. For those who are interested it having a look it will be called,
"Little Dragons Alliance."
Thank you Pat for sharing your thoughts and your tremendous knowledge with
us. I think your interview will give people here a lot of insights into the
Grappling systems.
Question: Pat, I know that you are an original student of the late Bruce Lee.
Because of that you have a tremendous background in Jeet Kune Do and even
Wing Chun. It´s very uncommon that people from these systems are training in
Grappling especially in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ). Tell us how you came in
touch with the Gracie Family and why do you like their System of fighting so
much?
Answer: I first became aware of the Gracie family and their Jiu Jitsu about
12 years ago after seeing their first video tape, "Gracie Jiu Jitsu in
Action." I called Rorion Gracie on the telephone and he invited me to come
to his home. Before I knew it we were out in the garage grappling on the
mats. It was great fun and I was very much impressed with his Jiu Jitsu, so
I started training immediately. What interested me most about the system was
its high level of effectiveness and the details that went into the mechanics
and strategy of the system.
Needless to say Royce Gracie's performance in the Ultimate Fighting
Championships attracted a lot of attention in the martial arts. Today,
Gracie Jiu Jitsu and other styles of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu are very popular
here in the United States, especially in Southern California where I live.
Question: What do you think? Did your Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do / Wing Chun
training help you to learn certain aspects of BJJ better?
I would say that it works both ways, but mostly it was the Jiu Jitsu that
influenced and helped my standup fighting. For instance, I learned a
strategy of fighting that was quite different from that taught by Bruce Lee,
where the goal was to finish the fight as quickly as possible. In contrast,
a fast finish is not so necessary to the Gracie fighter unless, of course, he
is fighting in a building that is on fire. More important than winning fast
is to survive and win without getting badly hurt. And, like predatory
animals that take their prey to the ground, the GJJ fighter wants to take his
opponent to the ground.
He will want to tie up the other fighter who would like to have enough room
to be comfortable and effective in his punches and strikes, or other
movements. If the opponent is bigger and stronger the Gracie fighter uses
his mechanical advantages so that the bigger man will spend his strength.
Then, when the opponent gets tired the Gracie Fighter will finish him.
I liked the way that Jiu Jitsu uses position, base, and good defense to get
control of the fight. These important elements are what most effect the
course of events. I began to see how a good JKD standup fighter well trained
in contact sensitivity should also be able to apply the same elements, even
though his methods differ.
For example, once having bridged the gap the JKD fighter can strike or move
to disrupt and/or uproot the other fighter. Or, he may change the angle of
attack and pressure him in a way as to take away his comfort and the distance
that he needs to be effective. Not unlike the submission fighter who can be
instantly dangerous on the ground with a submission attack, the contact
sensitive fighter can be dangerous at any given moment by either going
through obstructions or opening new lines of attack for his striking.
It wasn't long after training in Jiu Jitsu that I began to pay even more
attention to my standup structure, not only to combat other standup fighters,
but grapplers as well. By using some of the same underlying principles
enjoyed by the Gracies, I was able to make Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do structure
even more effective to hold and move against an opponent's pressure. I also
knew that structure alone would not be enough without having a viable
standing base. So, I went to work on it. Of course, much of this kind of
thing would never have occurred to me if I hadn't got into grappling.
I would say that one of the major advantages that a grappler has against a
stand up fighter is that the stand up fighter is more likely to punch and
strike from a stance using rotation. This rotation factor only makes it
easier for the grappler to penetrate once he's slipped by the punch, since
there is nothing left to stop him except a follow up punch but it's probably
already too late. Here is where a standing base using equal and varied
pressures on the opponent with both tools (hands or arms) can be used to stop
and measure for an effective strike or strike combinations. Therefore,
proper training in contact sensitivity such as Wing Chun's Chi Sao can be of
great help to the standup fighter while maintaining his standing base while
opening lines of attack for his strikes. There is no doubt in my mind that
Wing Chun gung fu makes a nice combination with Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
What I really liked about my stand up fighting as it related to the Jiu Jitsu
was how I could use my unique Wing Chun and Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do striking
capabilities from on the ground positions. Bruce's method of striking was
quite different from that of other martial arts systems. For instance:
1) The puncher doesn't need to uplift his Center of Gravity in order to punch
with full power. This means he does not have to lift his arm or shoulder to
punch.
2) Because the punching is based on economy of movement they utilize less
muscle fiber contraction, making them faster. And because of its mechanics
it strikes more accurately and with deeper penetration.
3) Since the method of striking is based on the Centerline Principle it
permits smashing through or clearing out the opponent's defense in
conjunction with trapping down his arms.
4) Also the punches can be used from the bottom guard position which is quite
difficult and not too effective using normal punching methods.
Another thing that I picked up from the Gracies was their high degree of
attention to technical details. Consequently, I began to look even harder
into the intricacies of Bruce's art, many of which are to be found in the
science that is Wing Chun. This examination of details served to strengthen
my Jun Fan/Jeet Kune Do to an even higher standard then ever before.
Question: In Germany not many people are understanding the effectiveness of
Grappling. Of course in the USA that´s different. What is your opinion about
that? Do you think that every martial artist regardless of his background can
improve his fighting ability by learning how to grapple?
Answer: Over the past near 40 years I have studied a wide variety of martial
art to include those from China, Korea, Japan, Okinawa, and the Philippines
in addition to Western Boxing. Amos all of my experience had been centered
on standup fighting except for a small amount of judo and aikido. For sure,
I had been one of those people who did not give much credit to the grappling
arts. My feeling was that if someone was trying to get hold of me, I would
be busy punching him. Today, I view martial art quite differently. I feel
that if a person is strictly a standup fighter, then he has definitely
limited himself.
Question: Pat you had the chance to learn from to of the greatest martial
artists ever, Bruce Lee and Rickson Gracie. Tell us a little bit about them.
I think we all know that they were great fighters, but what can you tell us
about their personal philosophy? Their way of thinking? What makes them so
great?
Bruce Lee and Rickson Gracie are very much alike in the fact that both men
live and breath their martial art. I believe that had Bruce lived he and
Rickson (and/or other members of the Gracie family) would have become best
friends. I am sure that Bruce would have loved Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and it
would have had a very strong influence on his personal art.
Bruce Lee was a great showman. It's no wonder that he was a movie star. He
loved to show off to his friends by doing magic tricks like making coins
disappear into thin air. This skillful deception of hand was actually an
important concept that he applied in his martial art. He could have made an
eye disappear as quickly as a coin.
Rickson Gracie is also most amazing and talented, both physically and
mentally. He is a fighter, in the truest sense of the word. When Rickson
trains by himself rolling around and exercising on the mats he doesn't think
of himself and as a fighter. Instead, he thinks of himself as an animal. It
is really something to see. But Rickson isn't the only highly dedicated
martial artist in the Gracie family. They're all great! And that applies to
their cousins, the Machados.
Question: Bruce Lee is well known as one of the most progressive and
innovative martial artists. Do you believe he would have liked the Grappling
systems like for example Brazilian Jiu Jitsu? Or did he even train some
Grappling at the time he was your teacher?
Answer: I think that he would have loved BJJ. Bruce had done some earlier
training in wrestling and judo. His interest in grappling was growing and he
was planning to incorporate it fully into his Jeet Kune Do, according to judo
man, Gene LaBell, who was teaching him.
Question: As a Grappling teacher, I always feel that some people have a total
misconception of Grappling. They think that it is just made for big strong
guys and that it is not a good self-defense method for smaller people.
However, I believe that this is totally wrong. What´s your opinion about
that? Is, for example, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu just based on ***** force and
will not work for people who are physically not so strong?
Answer: I believe that if two people are even in skill, then weight can make
a difference. However, in the case of Gracie Jiu Jitsu the art was not
founded on strength, but on the science of technique and skill. For over 60
years the Gracie family have taken on all comers regardless of their fighting
system, size, or strength. Helio Gracie, the father of Rorion and Rickson's
side of the family, was a small man. As a child he was too weak to play
outside with a ball or even go to school. He was certainly too weak to study
Jiu Jitsu then being practiced by his older brother, Carlos. In fact, Helio
learned the Jiu Jitsu by watching Carlos teach it to others. Surprisingly,
it was Helio who years later became the family champion in the
no-holds-barred ring, openly challenging fighters from all over the world.
I don't think that someone should let their smaller size become a hindrance
to learning BJJ, since it is based on the kinds of mechanical advantages that
can be used quite effectively against opponents who are bigger and stronger.
If a person is small and is interested in learning self-defense, I would
advise that he/she get into BJJ as soon as possible. It is an art that is
learned quickly while being awesomely effective.
Question: What is your general opinion about the martial arts? Is it just a
way of self-defense? What else can someone get from the training?
Answer: To many, including myself, martial art is more than learning how to
protect yourself. It is a way of life and a way of living. And, it is
something that just keeps getting better as time goes on while keeping you in
good physical condition.
Question: Pat, after being involved in the martial arts for such a long time
what do you think about something we all know from our own experiences -
injures? How do you treat them mentally and psychologically? Can we even
learn something from our injuries?
Answer: Okay, this is the one part about martial art that I don't like.
When I was younger it was not a problem. When you're young you're
invincible. And, you heal quickly.
At 56 years of age, I don't heal so quickly anymore. But then, I'm just a
little more experienced, more careful, and a lot wiser. I've learned not to
take short cuts in my warm-ups and I always keep myself in top physical
condition.
Question: I know you will have some new tapes out soon. Tell us a little bit
about these tapes. What can we expect? I think they will be awesome.
I recently completed four instructional videos for Masters' Publication that
will soon be in distribution. All of the tapes are about Bruce Lee's personal
art and the science of his methodology. They are as follows:
Tape #1 Bruce Lee, the Lord of Speed
Tape #2 Bruce Lee, the Lord of Power
Tape #3 Bruce Lee, the Lord of Shock
Tape #4 The Inner Game of Bruce Lee
Question: One last question for you Pat, what your goals for the future?
In addition to teaching and training martial art, I'm involved in the motion
picture industry as a screenwriter. I'm working on several projects at the
moment, one of which is a film that involves judo. The other two projects
are animation movies. And then, I'm right in the middle of designing a
martial art web site that should be on the Internet in the next three or four
weeks. For those who are interested it having a look it will be called,
"Little Dragons Alliance."
Thank you Pat for sharing your thoughts and your tremendous knowledge with
us. I think your interview will give people here a lot of insights into the
Grappling systems.