James Demile's Interview
Sijo James Demile Q&A
The following was taken place in the Temple Discussion on 04/10/01 between regular vistitors of this site:
(Jt, Drunken Master, Mike, Jen, Simon K, Guy, Kevin, DaveR, RBG, Nick, Derek, Hector Martinez, Toayb Hamidi,
Medicine Man, Guy, Damian)
With Sijo James DeMile, friend of Bruce Lee and founder of Wing Chun Do.
Temple of the Unknown: Hello and welcome, Mr. Demile to the Temple of the Unknown forum. We hope your visit here is a pleasurable one. We thank you for this great opportunity in sharing your vast info and knowledge with us.
Temple of the Unknown: Mr. Demile, Thanks for helping clarify the distinctly different periods of Bruce Lee's teaching. During the early Seattle period did Bruce prefer to obtain "superior position" in phon-sao training? Also, do you have an estimated time frame for the publishing of the new WCD books/videos? Thanks for coming to this forum.
James DeMile: Aloha Mike, Bruce always maintained a superior position in trapping. This required the opponent to come through his energy. It was also a much stronger position for controling the opponents offensive/defensive actions and reactions. From the superior position you could control angles for attacking and all movements only required a minimum of enegy.
Temple of the Unknown: Is there any question that you wish people would ask you about Bruce but never do, and is there a question that you wish people just wouldn't ask?
James DeMile: Aloha, I cannot think of any question that I would say is pointless since I assume the question is given with sincerity. So far as what people do not ask, I find people do not seem to understand the difference between a fight and a tournament. People always seem to make their questions relate to the the martial arts side of Bruce rather than the fighting side. I wish they would explore the realistic side of Bruce's skill in the street, rather than compare him to tournament fighters. I read some of the comments by Joe Lewis and he always compared Bruce to the martial arts image that everyone saw and yet the Bruce that I knew would have blown Joe Lewis, Chuck Norris and anyone else for that matter that acquired their reputation by playing the game of tournaments.
Temple of the Unknown: Hello and thanks again for joining us here in the Temple.
How and when did you first meet Bruce Lee?
James DeMile: Aloha, I met Bruce in late 1959 at a school named Edison Technical school. It was on Capital Hill and is now known as Seattle Community Clollege. I attended a demo he did and immediately signed on as a student. He had only recently arrived in the Seattle area and had already started teaching his first student, Jesse Gloveer.
Temple of the Unknown: How would you say training with Bruce changed you for the better? Was there certain techniques that you either abandoned or picked up? Also is there ever a time when you get tired of talking about Bruce and want to move on? Thanks for taking the time to come to the forum.
James DeMile: Aloha Kevin, I never get tired of reflecting on my time with Bruce because there were only a few of us who have the memories that are part of his Legacy. I was a heavyweight boxer in the Air Force. Over a four year period I had over a hundred fights and never lost one. I had a very big ego and perceived myself as the toughtest man alive. I was 5ft 10inches and weighted 225. I could knock a man out with either hand. Then I met a small 135 lb 5 ft 7 kid who believed his martial arts could beat anyone. I decided to explain the reality of fighting to him and proceded to show him what street fighting was all about. Needless to say I learned humility in about 5 seconds. He not only stopped me cold, but tied me up in such a way that he could hit me at will and the only thing I could do about it was... nothing. Later I reviewed all my previous skills, including boxing and threw all of it out as it was impractical against Bruce's skills.
Temple of the Unknown: Welcome Mr. Demile.
First, what is your position on the various questions regarding Bruce Lee's actual ability as a fighter?
Second, What ultimately happened with the Bruce Lee film project that you were involved in, and how did you feel about "Dragon" the film that was finally made?
Thank you in advance.
James DeMile: Aloha Guy, The movie "Dragon was a sad waste of time. It was 98% untrue. My project "Bruce Lee's Seattle years" is still being put together. I will probably just do a version for video release. Most of the questions about Bruces fighting skills are asked by people who did not know him. Most of the answers are from people who either did not know him or related their answer how Bruce would have done in a tournament. Joe Lewis is very out front with his comments and yet he always compares Bruce to either his tournament days or some world champion. I really enjoy meeting these people and always look forward to giving my opinion on why Bruce was the best street fighter I ever knew. Not pound for pound, but against anyone in a street fight. I was never in a tournament and had many street fights and I have never seen anyone that I would have been scared to fight, regardless of their Belts and trophies. This goes for UFC and K1. I'm not saying I could beat all of them, I am just saying they are tough, but so what. People do not understand what Bruce did in a real fight. They relate his skills to the movies or JKD. No, that was martial arts. Fighting is survival. It is mean, ugly and stupid and someone can reall be hurt or killed. Bruce knew he could be hurt if he got hit, that is why he believed a street fight should not last over two seconds and his personal skills were designed for that attitde. I am very opinionated and willing to discuss with anyone my belief in why Bruce was the best fighter I ever knew. And I still feel that way, 42 years later.
Temple of the Unknown: many thanks for taking the time to answer these questions on the forum. It is through people such as yourself that we get to know and understand the real Bruce Lee.
1) In your book 'One and Three Inch Power Punch' you detail Isometric exercises, these don't seem to be used to often these days, how effective do you think they are for strength development?
2) Did you ever have the pleasure/misfortune of being on the receiving end of Bruce's one inch punch? How did it feel?
3) What do you consider to be Bruce's greatest attribute? From an outsiders point of view I believe it to be his ability to 'Bridge the Gap'
Many many thanks Mr DeMile, all the very best to you and your family.
James DeMile: Aloha Simon, Isometrics can help in your twitch response as well as develop certain power potentials. Yet, in reality, it only takes 10 pounds of pressure to knock someone out, so power is not really a factor. I was knocked out on my feet by a 15 year old who weighted as much as one of my legs. Power is more for the psychological side of training as well as general health. I helped Bruce devlop the Power Punch. It originally was a technique from Wing Chun, but Bruce felt it required too much distance. So we experimented with different stances, power sources as well as trying different angles of strike. Yes, Bruce hit me, many times, but always to explore the various effects of new technique. Once the punch was developed, Bruce asked me not to tell anyone about it, since it was his ace in the hole. It was not til the early seventies that I saw Bob Wall do it and invited him to my club so I could show him my punch. I knocked him across the room and he was so impressed he said I should write a book on the punch. And I did. That was about 1973. Bruce's greatest attribute. I do not think it was Closing the gap because it is not that hard to close the gap, once you know how. I would have to say it was Bruce's ability to shut you down offensively and defensively. All during the time trained with Bruce I really tried to hit him. I would have been very happy if I could have knocked him out. I still remembeer the many times he used me as a dummy to demonstrate his skills, and the frustration of trying to really nail him. He always had this slight smile as he made you feel like you were trying to swim up a waterfall. Bruce had many great attributes, but I have seen people who could punch, kick and close as fast as Bruce did. Of course, they were different people.
Temple of the Unknown: Mr. Demile,
I'd like to ask one more question...do you have a favorite memory of Bruce?
Thanks,
James DeMile: Sorry for the delay. I lost my connection and had a hard time getting back on. I am in a little town that has a server that wears a Mickey Mouse hat. Anyway, My fondest memory of Bruce would have to be the times we sat in my apartment and just hung out. The stories he told of the old masters and the fights he had in Hong Kong are still etched in my mind. Also, he was just 18 and had a lot of dreams. It was fun listening to his fantasies. Little did I know.
Temple of the Unknown: Taki Kimura has told us how Bruce helped him to overcome the racial prejudice he'd been put through over the years, had you also experienced this and did Bruce help you to overcome it at all???
Thank you,
James DeMile: Aloha DM, Taky spent years in an internment camp. He lost all his confidence and self identity. Bruce helped him regain his self respect. I did not look at Bruce that way. I was from a fighting background and related from that standpoint. Bruce taught me humility. Not intentionally, but still he was responsible for me stepping back and taking a new look at myself. If I was not so tough, then who was I. I had always related to myself from a physical point. I had respect because I was tough. Now I had to explore and look for the answers to the questions Bruce had created. It was a definite turning point in my life and had profound long term effects as I matured into a person I came to really like.
Temple of the Unknown: Hi,
I've been trying to figure out WHY Bruce could have been poisoned... Chow seems more evil the more you find out about him, with the success of ETD Bruce would have left HK behind and made his own films in the US without Chow, With BL being the best martial artists in and out of the film business the HK film industry would have been left standing. In fact it would have wrecked it... That DOES make sense as to WHY he could be murdered. Bruce was worth more dead than alive, thats all I was told, and thats WHY isn't it!!!!!!! So if many people were involved, it would be Linda for Bruce's affair with Betty (Maybe), and Chow, Lo Wei and most of the HK film industry for possible estroying their industry and since you couldn't kill him in combat, he'd need to be poisoned, and that I believe was done using a two part poison. Maybe taint his food, months before which would explain his sudden weight loss, then on 20th July he took part two of the Poison, Steroids, Equagesic??? That triggered the cerebral Adema, Thats my theory, do you think I'm on the right track??? Do you think Linda was involved if it was murder??? You don't have to answer that if you don't want to, but it'd be great if you could,
Thanks in advance,