Jeet Kune Do Basics (Tuttle Martial Arts Basics) Paperback – July 15, 2004

I have been a lifetime student of the martial arts as both a student and instructor (Judo, Jujitsu, Karate-Do, Kenjutsu, combatives etc.) for more than 50 years. When Bruce Lee came on the scene and his unique approach to the martial arts I had read everything I could on his fighting art of Jeet Kune Do. I even took a lesson from someone who was a student of Jeet Kune Do many years ago.Over the years I have read and wrote reviews on many martial art books including Jeet Kune Do, but I had not read this book until recently (Jeet Kune Do Basics by David Cheng Tuttle martial arts) when I purchased it at a bargain price on Amazon. This text covers in great detail some of the basic techniques and philosophy of Jeet Kune Do. This book is organized into six parts.The first part covers the history and development of Jeet Kune Do, as well as the different branches that were created after Bruce Lee’s untimely death in July 1973. The second part shows how to get started in studying Jeet Kune do and how to find a school and instructor. The third part deals with the basic foot work and other essential elements of Jeet Kune Do. Part four explains in detail the five ways of attack. Part five covers the tactical considerations in Jeet Kune Do. The final part provides ideas on how to advance yourself in learning Jeet Kune Do.The only complaint I have on this book is that they could have used a lot more photographs showing some of the techniques; nevertheless, this book could be a good reference source if used in combination with training with an authentic Jeet Kune Do instructor.Rating: 4 Stars. Joseph J. Truncale (Author: Karate Combatives: An official manual of Bushi Satori Ryu).

It didn't tell me anything I don't know. I am skilled in Jeet Kune Do. If you are a beginner then the book is perfect. But, if you are advanced, this book is no good. As the book says, "BASICS" it is for beginners. But, hey....if you are a beginner, you will learn a lot from this book.

agree with other reviews. this is a good basic JKD fundamental book. alittle light on pictures for me, wish there were more.

Thank you

This was a very nice, informative book. The author credits a number of first- and second-generation JKD students in his acknowledgement page, and it's clear that he's tried to present a balanced view of JKD by taking advantage of these multiple inputs.Part 1, the "Introduction" section, is a scant fifteen pages or so. However, this space is used well, and the history, underlying philosophy, and different branches of JKD are explained briefly, but very well.The second part, on "Getting Started", includes chapters on safety, choosing the right school, what a typical "Original" JKD class is like, and what the student may expect in the first three months.Though the first two parts are informative and lay the foundation for the book, Part 3, "Learning the Basics", is really where the fun begins. Cheng covers stance and footwork, basic strikes, and some very basic grappling. While I was impressed with how thorough the footwork section was, I have to say that illustrations from this point onward would have been very helpful. As an experienced martial artists, there was very little I was unfamiliar with, but since this book was designed for beginners, I feel that simple text descriptions of the techniques wasn't quite enough.Part 4, on the "Five Ways of Attack", was done pretty well. Most importantly the philosophy behind the attacks was presented. Again, though, illustrations would have helped. Other than that, I thought this part was organized pretty well. The chapter on "Simple Direct/Angular Attack" was presented first, with more complex chapters following. Several examples of each method of attack were described.The fifth part, "Tactical Considerations", had some nice info in it. Organizationally, it first included a chapter on defense, then one on counterattack. These were followed by a chapter on "Distance, Timing, and Rhythm", which few martial arts books address. The final chapter in Part 5 was about how to apply the principles and techniques of JKD in sparring, and listed a number of drills.Part 6, "Advancing in Jeet Kune Do", wrapped things up pretty nicely. It talked about setting training goals, and also addressed competitions and demonstrations.I found this book to be a nice bridge between your basic how-to book and a more advanced fighting strategy/philosophy book. Cheng's overall presentation seemed very balanced, and the basics were given very thorough attention. However, due to the lack of illustrations at critical points in the text, I have to settle for giving this book only four stars. Please don't let that deter readers too much, though. The principles and strategies addressed in this book are things that aren't normally taught for years in most martial arts programs. For that, and for the concise and well-done general JKD overview, I highly recomend this to all JKD students, if for nothing else than a good, quick reference book.

In an interview with Pierre Burton, Bruce Lee said, "All types of knowledge ultimately means self-knowledge." Many people would benefit from analyzing that statement to figure out what it means. I know I have, and that is why I can read a book like this (even though I don't practice JKD) and gain inspiration from it.If you practice another martial art, this book is still worth reading for two reasons: (1) It is always good to see how other martial artists do their thing, and (2) there are a TON of good ideas in here that could easily be adjusted to fit a different art. Hey, some of them can even be transferred directly, like what Mr. Cheng describes in the "Sparring Progression" section. In my opinion, the book overdelivers on the cost based on that section alone!All in all, this book would make a great addition to ANY martial artist's library.

A really great book. Excellent layout. David Cheng has done himself proud. I eagerly await a follow up. In a confused world of what is Jeet Kune Do... David Cheng shows you what your school should be teaching you.

This is a great book and it came in great time and condition...I now have the whole set and they have been extremely useful in helping me understand other styles of Martial Arts.

Enjoying the read

Eine verworrene Sammlung zusammenhangloser Zitate und Gedanken. Wer daraus nutzen ziehen kann, weiß ich nicht aber mir persönlich entgeht jeder Sinn in diesem Werk.