| The "Jeet Kune Do Experience: Understanding Bruce | | | | photographs. The chapter was okay in showing a |
| Lee's Ultimate Martial Art" by Jerry Beasley (Paladin | | | | small sampling of JKD techniques, and that was its |
| Press) incorporates material from Beasley's "In Search | | | | main purpose. It is not meant to teach you JKD, and |
| of the Ultimate Martial Art" and "The Way of No | | | | that is good. I just enjoyed the rest of the book more |
| Way." It addresses the subject of training in the | | | | than this chapter. The conclusions chapter provided |
| system of jeet kune do (JKD). The book is not about | | | | some concepts that anyone in the martial arts should |
| Bruce Lee, but rather the art that he created. | | | | be aware of and study. It was enlightening the way |
| In this book, Beasley attempts to provide an | | | | Beasley presented his thoughts his book gave me |
| acceptable definition to the term jeet kune do, based | | | | more to think about in my own journey. |
| on the principles that compose the conceptual | | | | The second part of the book is Beasley's "The Way |
| framework. He does this by recognizing the views and | | | | of No Way," originally published in 1992 and based on a |
| values of individuals who studied with Bruce Lee | | | | number of Beasley's magazine articles from that time |
| directly, or as second hand participants. Beasley's | | | | period. It consists of chapters titled Developing a |
| knowledge of JKD comes primarily from his study with | | | | Science for JKD, Utilizing the Principles of JKD, The |
| Dan Inosanto and Joe Lewis, two very accomplished | | | | Matrix, Basic Training, and Conclusions and |
| martial artists in their own right. There will most likely | | | | Observations. Again, I enjoyed the conceptual writings |
| always be contention among jeet kune do practitioners | | | | much more than the techniques accompanied with |
| regarding what true jeet kune do is or how it differs | | | | photographs. I felt the weakest chapter in the book |
| from jeet kune do concepts and other training | | | | was Basic Training. It provided a few basic weight |
| philosophies that use the same term JKD. Because of | | | | lifting exercises and training drills shows through |
| this, there may be readers that disagree with | | | | pictures. This chapter was no where near as useful as |
| Beasley's definition of jeet kune do and his version of | | | | the chapter on utilizing the principles of JKD. I especially |
| Bruce Lee's art. All I can say about that is that I do not | | | | liked the reprinting of the article written by Beasley and |
| study or teach JKD, or any version of it. I tried to read | | | | Joe Lewis, "Beyond the Angles of Attack" that was |
| this book as Beasley wished, with open-mindedness | | | | originally published in the July 1988 issue of Black Belt |
| and without burdens of preconceived opinions and | | | | magazine. |
| conclusions. And from that standpoint, I found this book | | | | Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I do not study or |
| to be an educational and entertaining read. I found | | | | teach JKD, but I still found a lot of wisdom and value in |
| things in this book that I could relate to my own martial | | | | some of the concepts Beasley wrote about. I also |
| art training and teaching. | | | | enjoyed learning more about Jeet Kune Do and those |
| The first half of the book was Beasley's "In Search of | | | | that have pioneered the art since Bruce Lee's passing. |
| the Ultimate Martial Art" that he wrote in 1988. The | | | | I especially connected with how Beasley closes the |
| chapters include Finding the Path, Going to the Source, | | | | book in reminding us of the ending of the movie "Circle |
| The Next Generation, The Skills of Jeet Kune Do, and | | | | of Iron" where the main character opens the book of |
| Conclusions. I especially liked the chapter Going To | | | | "truth" to find a reflection of himself. Each of us |
| The Source witch contained interviews with Dan | | | | represents our own truth. Beasley's JKD might not be |
| Inosanto, Larry Hartsell, who we unfortunately lost just | | | | like other's JKD, and Beasley himself acknowledges |
| recently, and Joe Lewis. I enjoyed reading the words | | | | and accepts that. However, Beasley's "The Jeet Kune |
| of those that have been such an influence with not | | | | Do Experience" is a very good book for those that |
| only JKD but martial arts for so many years. The | | | | want a better understanding of the art of JKD and |
| weakest part of this section of the book for me was | | | | quite possibly a better understanding of their own |
| the chapter on JKD skills. This chapter showed a small | | | | training. |
| sampling of techniques illustrated with sequenced | | | | |