- Title: THAILAND: U.S. EXPERT TEACHES MARTIAL ARTS 'BRUCE LEE STYLE'.
- Date: 16th April 2003
- Summary: (L!3) BANGKOK, THAILAND (MARCH 16, 2003) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. SUNSET OVER BANGKOK 2. TEACHER MARK STEWART AND STUDENT LEIGH HARRIS FIGHTING 3. BRUCE LEE POSTER 4. PICTURES ON WALL (BRUCE LEE POSTERS, PHOTO OF BRUCE LEE AND PHOTO OF MARK WITH TEACHER TED WONG 5. MARK AND LEIGH FIGHTING 6. MARK TEACHING CLASS 7. CLASS PRACTISING DEFENCE MOVES 8. MARK DOING HIGH KICKS 9. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MARK SAYING: "Unless there is a being with more than two arms and two legs, that there's only one style of fighting - the human style. So JKD is about simplifying martial arts. Understanding that real fighting is chaotic and that only something simple, not complex will work in a real self-defence situation." 10. MARK TEACHING KICKS 11. VARIOUS OF STUDENTS PRACTISING PUNCHES WITH MARK GIVING ADVICE 12. VARIOUS OF STUDENTS PRACTISING KICKS 13. (SOUNDBITE) (English) STUDENT NIKKI BUSUTTIL SAYING: "When I first started I thought 'Yeah, I'll come twice a week or see when I've got time'. Because you've got a really hectic schedule here in Bangkok whoever you are. I found that I started making time for this because it really became an important part of who I am right now." 14. VARIOUS OF STUDENTS FIGHTING 15. (SOUNDBITE) (English) LEIGH SAYING: "I think most people, the name Bruce Lee, they think of (screech) and funny noises and the films. People don't realise that he was a very serious martial artist and very clever guy. So in some ways I don't mention the Bruce Lee stuff. I'm not interested in the films etc. It's the guy's thoughts and ideas that were interesting to me, not the stardom stuff." 16. VARIOUS OF CLASS STRETCHING 17. CLASS SHADOW BOXING Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 1st May 2003 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BANGKOK, THAILAND
- Country: Thailand
- Reuters ID: LVA67793OOTKP74X57MSJJZCA1YF
- Story Text: In a small rooftop gym in Bangkok, an American expert
is teaching the unique style of legendary martial artist Bruce
Lee.
The room is a little more than a concrete shell, with
metal grids for windows.
A few dilapidated ping-pong tables are set up at one end,
but the rest is bare. There is no air-conditioning and the
handful of students dressed in uniform black are drenched with
sweat.
But the class taking place in this old school gym in
Bangkok is one of the last places in the world that martial
arts students can learn the unique fighting style of the
legendary Bruce Lee.
American teacher Mark Stewart is one of an estimated 100
martial artists worldwide that can trace their lineage
directly to Lee. Stewart's teacher Ted Wong studied under Lee
from 1967 until the star's death in 1973 and is one of only
two people certified by him to teach Jeet Kune Do.
Jeet Kune Do, or "the way of the intercepting fist" was
developed and taught by Lee in the final years of his life.
Lee, known as "The Dragon", is famed for his roles in Kung Fu
movies such as "Fists of Fury" and "Enter the Dragon", and
became a cult figure after his premature death in 1973.
But few people are aware that he developed his own martial
arts technique.
Lee's fame has meant that his style has since been
corrupted by many people purporting to teach JKD. Wong
estimated that only 1 percent of JKD teachers are still
teaching Lee's art in its original form.
Stewart quotes Lee as saying - "Unless there is a being
with more than two arms and two legs, that there's only one
style of fighting - the human style. So JKD is about
simplifying martial arts. Understanding that real fighting is
chaotic and that only something simple, not complex will work
in a real self-defence situation".
Taking its influences from Chinese Kung Fu and western
fencing and boxing, JKD has been described as a modern form of
Chinese-American martial arts.
"When I first started I thought 'Yeah, I'll come twice a
week or see when I've got time'. Because you've got a really
hectic schedule here in Bangkok whoever you are. I found that
I started making time for this because it really became an
important part of who I am right now," said student Nikki
Busuttil.
Students in the class train in the non-air conditioned
room for up to 7 hours a week, shadow boxing, practising
blocks and punches, and learning Lee's recognisable high
kicks.
Bangkok resident Leigh Harris said that he played down the
Bruce Lee connection, as people are misled by the image of Lee
seen in his films.
"I think most people, the name Bruce Lee, they think of
(screech) and funny noises and the films. People don't realise
that he was a very serious martial artist and a very clever
guy. So in some ways I don't mention the Bruce Lee stuff. I'm
not interested in the films etc. It's the guy's thoughts and
ideas that were interesting to me, not the stardom stuff."
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