Bruce Lee's Fighting Method: Advanced Techniques, Vol. 4

Bruce Lee's Fighting Method #4

by Bruce Lee

The legendary fighter teaches how to perform jeet kune do’s most devastating strikes and exploit an opponent’s weaknesses with crafty counterattacks like finger jabs and spin kicks. In addition, Lee breaks down the attributes that make up the ultimate warrior and reveals how to develop the proper tactics and attitude for victory. As the fourth and final volume in the Bruce Lee’s Fighting Method series, it contains detailed illustrations and vintage photos capturing Lee in his prime. This essential series, compiled and organized by his close friend, Mito Uyehara, is the perfect companion to Bruce Lee’s classic text, Tao of Jeet Kune Do.

Genres: Martial Arts, Sports, Nonfiction, Education

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1977

About the author

Bruce Lee was an American-born martial artist, philosopher, instructor, martial arts actor and the founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts system, widely regarded as the most influential martial artist of the 20th century and a cultural icon. He was the father of actor Brandon Lee and of actress Shannon Lee.

Reviews

[Bernie Gourley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book presents a collection of Jeet Kune Do [JKD] techniques, JKD being the martial art developed by Bruce Lee to rectify what he believed were fundamental problems in martial arts, such as: elaborate techniques that have little chance of working in actual combative situations and ignorance of large swaths of the combative domain (e.g. grapplers ignoring striking, and strikers ignoring grappling.) Interestingly, Lee has come to be viewed as a herald of the mixed martial arts (MMA) movement. That said, this book exclusively focuses upon a small collection of hand-strikes and kicks.

There are a few principles that recur throughout the book that are key to JKD and are where the value of the book lies. First, there is a focus on feints to trigger a reaction, the technique being applied as the opponent is reacting to a false attack. Second, the avoidance of complex and compound attacks whenever possible in favor of simple and direct tactics (if they will work.) Third, the use of direct, linear movements to stop attacks in progress.

The downside of this book is the author’s penchant for long, over-extended kicks. Lee emphasized the importance of speed, and speed would be essential for many of these techniques to have practical value. The reason one doesn’t see such techniques (as a fighter’s “go-to” tactic) much anymore is that the kicker’s foot has to travel a couple / few meters while the receiver only has to move centimeters to be offline and in position to catch the kick and dump the kicker. Ergo, one tends to only see widespread use of such techniques in Tae Kwon Do, where the rules and culture support huge kicks.

I learned a lot from reading this book, and I particularly value its emphasis on simplicity and avoidance of convoluted methods. That said, I think the reader needs to see the book as representing one stage in an evolution of martial arts.

[Samir Rawas Sarayji · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nice for fighters but not for self-defense. Some of his techniques, especially with kicks, are unnecessarily complicated. There is too much violence in these moves. It is better to learn to control a situation or an attacker rather than maim or seriously hurt. Of course, as a last resort, it may be necessary to do damage, but I think there are simpler ways of achieving that.

[TΞΞL❍CK Mith!lesh · Rating 5 out of 5]

The relentless kung fu master personally espoused his traditional fighting methodology in an expansive collection of combat instruction. Security officers often read this guide as a default because it entertainingly combines advanced combat training with ponderous ideations directly from the legendary popular culture icon. This book is not reserved for martial arts enthusiasts; instead, it has achieved cult popularity among security professionals.

[Marci · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading about the strategies and combinations that make basic techniques into advanced ones.

The little poems, and the pictures make the book more fun to read.

My friend bought me this for a gift many years ago. I might not have made it my first choice in martial arts books, but I'm glad to have had the chance to read it.

[S.L. Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bruce Lee was such an amazing martial artist. This series of books really helps expand your mind and help you become a better martial artist yourself. Even more than 3 decades later these books are still very relevant.

[Mark Austin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Though these books have a few interesting and useful techniques, most are covered in volume I. The rest tend to quickly grow either repetitive, extremely specialized, or a combination of the two.