Jeet Kune Do's Most Important Technique

It’s probably surprising to hear that something so (allegedly) basic as the Ready-Position is Jeet Kune Do’s most important technique.

- Jason Korol

I understand, I really do. But we need to deal with this because not understanding the primacy of Jeet Kune Do’s en garde is the central mistake infecting Lee’s fighting method. Seriously.

First, let’s cover why it’s so important. To begin, the Ready-Position is ready to do two primary things: hit and move. Specifically, it’s ready to fire non-telegraphic straight BOMBS, preferably from the lead hand/foot. Assuredly, the rear-side gets in on the action but only as a coup-de-grace. The supremacy of straight hits is a critical aspect of Jeet Kune Do that we shouldn’t take for granted. Unfortunately, too many people do. The Jeet Kune Do Bi-jong is the launching pad from which the primary weapons (lead punch, side kick and snap/hook kick are thrown). Any significant departure from this set-up will invariably degrade the efficiency, power, and speed of these weapons.

Next, the Ready-Position is ready to move. It’s easy to confuse movement with footwork. Any fool can move; Jeet Kune Do fighters move their ReadyPosition by means of specific footwork designed especially for this purpose. If, for example, you bounce when moving, instead of shuffling, as you should, you obliterate your ability to instantly fire when needed. First, you have to stop bouncing, then reset, and then fire. This literally destroys your Jeet Kune Do because now you can’t instantly counter-attack. Your options then are to try and avoid everything by running or getting into a brawl.