Bruce doing bagwork

[hercules]

Hi,

Some of you may have seen Bruce Lee doing backyard bagwork without gloves.
After watching this scene, I can say I do not understand the rationale behind this sequence.

He punches in a very amaterish way, not protecting his upper body and telegraphing punches !

Having read he had extensive knowledge about western boxing this comes to me as a big surprise.I find it disturbing and confusing. I am trying to find an explanation but cannot find one.

I`d like to ask people who have extensive knowledge of JKD what is their opinion about that scene.

[Tosh]

First of All welcome to MAP!! :D i aint a JKD'ist first of all but thought I'd throw my grapefruits in here


Second,

:o Bruce Lee not doing "perfect" technique...... damn! Turns out he was JUST a Human!!

Gutted! ;)

[SoKKlab]

I think that was him mucking about for the Camera in that documentary. I don't think it was 'serious' training footage, otherwise he would have had bag gloves on.

If you notice he was smiling and throwing looping belters at the bag, just mucking about. At least that's the impression I got fom watching those scenes.

[belikewater]

My 2p worth, said with respect, and virtually no knowledge of MA...

Bruce Lee was primarily an entertainer. We could discuss his motivations and ideals from now until doomsday, but the bottom line is that he was a performer. I suggest, with respect, that what we see on-screen is a "distillation" of techniques, presented in a palletable format for mass consumption. Just looking at the number of books, videos, websites, and indeed threads on here, on the subjects of Bruce Lee and his arts, shows that he was very successful, and positively influenced many people in deep and lasting ways. But I think what we see in his films is rather different from how he - or anyone - would "fight" in a real situation.

[pgm316]

It was training.

On his defence, you don't know if or what he had the opponent in his mind doing. Maybe the exercise was as much footwork as punching.

Its hard to criticise when you accept there is no perfect technique.

[Cain]

Or maybe he was training for pure power or endurance...

|Cain|

[Sonshu]

Still as Cain said perhaps he is show boating or training for another purpose - or just having a laugh.

People dont want to see him flower arranging so better see him doing some MA type stuff!

[pgm316]

Maybe he was showboating as Sonshu said!

Thats the problem with effective stuff, it doesn't look pretty!

Imagine standing in front of a bag throwing non telegraphed punched, they'd look lame compared to the lunging in big punch.

[hercules]

If we make abstraction of the fact that we are watching Bruce Lee, what do you guys think about the efficiency of boxing in such way ?

Link here: http://24.59.60.24/media/workouts1.zip

[SoKKlab]

People dont want to see him flower arranging
----------------------------------------------------------
Why not?-The way of the Intercepting Daffodil sounds good to me.

And BTW it was moi that said that he might have been showboating initially, credit where credit's due please.

Besides he's dead...

[wayofthedragon]

Oh ya.....I saw that documentry. I like what pgm, and cain said above. It may have well just been a work out rutine. Not trying to do perfect techniques, but training in indurance, adding footwork, coordination, or anything....and also like pmg said. You don't know if or what he had the opponent in his mind doing
I agree.

[AndyD]

An original student spoke to me a while ago about this - he said it was just Bruce mucking around.

[Marku]

He looked like a boxer when he was hiting that bag.

[morphus]

Theres film of him working on kicks with other people like James Coburn & Dan Inosanto or Ted Wong(i forget) in the back yard as well but it was just for filming angles i think - possibly the reason for the lacks in tech' on the bag?

Just my opinion;)

[Vrax]

bruce was working impact plyometrics as he often did. the idea is to maintain the bag's angle so it is always falling toward you, as you impact the bag as it moves toward you, you build quick fire muscle tissue. other exercises for this type of power include things like clap-hand push ups. he was just seeing how fast he could hit the bag hard. and in this way he was building quick tissue.

so in other words, yes he was just messing around, but, he was messing around with a purpose.

[Grifter]

To me it looked like he was showing the camera what he could co do. Seeing as all he did was knocked back hitting it as hard as he could then he grab it and smiled toward the camera. And in an earlier scene with the same camera he comes from what look like 10 or so feet back and kicked the bag his hardest.

[hercules]

Originally posted by Vrax
bruce was working impact plyometrics as he often did. the idea is to maintain the bag's angle so it is always falling toward you, as you impact the bag as it moves toward you, you build quick fire muscle tissue. other exercises for this type of power include things like clap-hand push ups. he was just seeing how fast he could hit the bag hard. and in this way he was building quick tissue.

so in other words, yes he was just messing around, but, he was messing around with a purpose.

That would make sense.

Anybody confirming this ?

[Greg-VT]

Why confirm it? Why does it matter?

I'm sure you have all had go at the bag without serious training intent.

[hercules]

Confirming this would imply a better understanding of Bruce training methods.

Take a look at all the crap and ******** about JKD around and you`ll understand the need for a great deal of clarification.

[FISH]

He was simply showing his raw punching power on a 100lb. bag.As someone pointed out in the documentary 1 power punch from Bruce = KO :D

[keep on flowing]

Dude he's just working out, not everything he did can be picked apart like that. But he did look very solid in his punching good foward pressure.

[pug32]

i think it was to see if he could keep people talking about the significance 20 years on :D

[Yukimushu]

Oh, but if you analyise bruce lee punching the bag, you can unlock his secrets and be just like him!!!! Didn't you realise that?!!?!?
</sarcasm>

hehe :)

[BryanX]

Hi,

Some of you may have seen Bruce Lee doing backyard bagwork without gloves.
After watching this scene, I can say I do not understand the rationale behind this sequence.

He punches in a very amaterish way, not protecting his upper body and telegraphing punches !

Having read he had extensive knowledge about western boxing this comes to me as a big surprise.I find it disturbing and confusing. I am trying to find an explanation but cannot find one.

I`d like to ask people who have extensive knowledge of JKD what is their opinion about that scene.

I've seen that Black & White workout video of Bruce in his backyard. I also have a documentary that shows a few [cut] scenes of the same workout that is rarely seen on other Bruce Lee documentaries. One scene shows one of his students(the guy with the white pants, I believe) practicing his punches on the same punching bag with white gloves on. From what I saw, the power of his punches were nothing compared to Bruce's punches on the bag. I think he could have punched a little harder if he tried, but maybe he just didn't feel like putting alot of power into it(I don't know why) like Bruce did. Then after he throws a few punches on the bag, Bruce comes in begins punching the bag. This is the scene that we all are discussing about. Not only Bruce is practicing his punches(notice the power) on the bag, but you can also see him keep his distance when he steps back just a little bit away from the bag, then he begins punching it again. He was quick at doing it, not that I'm saying no other Martial Artists can do it that quick also. Good timing too, Bruce!

Now, you were saying that while Bruce was punching the bag, he wasn't protecting his upper body. If that's what you really meant, then Hercules, Bruce was practicing his punches on a punching bag. Why would he want to protect his upper body? He's not sparring with it.

I know you're probably used to seeing trainers punch a punching bag with some type of gloves on, while punching it they have their face covered like a boxer. To be honest, I don't know the reason why they do it(and I'm NOT implying it's an odd thing to do), but I don't think Bruce was going for that sort of thing while using the punching bag. Maybe he's just building more power to his punches. Afterall, isn't that what a punching bag is for--to exercise your fists?

In my opinion, Bruce wasn't "joking" around either when he smiled. After doing his punches, he grabs the bag, looks toward someone, and then smiled. What would he be joking about? He was just probably acknowledging one of his students(or whoever it was) with the smile while they were watching. Anyway, it's not issue.

I can't confirm what Vrax said, but it makes sense to me too.

[Yukimushu]

C'mon people, listen to yourselves... analysing a peice of footage of B.Lee hitting a bag? Maybe he's just doing it because he's bored, he isn't exactly using good form on it so whats that gotta say? go analyse it alittle more and realise your being silly.

Do you really think that analysing it will help you " Unlock Bruce's secretS?!?! " lol :)

[Yukimushu]

i think it was to see if he could keep people talking about the significance 20 years on :D

LOLOL yeah, i think you've got it there Pug32 :D:D hehe

[Zazen]

Like some others have said you dont know what his intent was... maybe he was working on stamina, maybe he was seeing what looks good on camera, maybe he was just messing around... who knows.

[Cyrax]

get Bruce Lee, A Warrior's Journey

[Yukimushu]

get Bruce Lee, A Warrior's Journey

It's a good dvd that...

[jroe52]

download the 700mb or so divx file of it if you believe in that type of thing from www.shareaza.com the lower quality ones suck and have buzzing noises in the background.

[imp_squared]

like wat most of the people here said.. he was just hitting the bag for the heck of hitting the bag.. not working on anything but hitting the bag.. he's bruce he can have fun right?

[bleefan]

wow, i cant believe this thread went this far, i mean, come on, what do u really think he was doing, he was in front of a camera...obviously

[Tripitaka of AA]

i think it was to see if he could keep people talking about the significance 20 years on :D

Make that 30 years on, and the people are spread around the world, using internet technology that would astound people in 1974. Despite our complacent acceptance of the leaps in technology, we still find a fascination for individuals exhibiting exceptional skills.

In 20 years time (or next month, who knows?), we may be standing in a total-realism simulator, fighting a reincarnated hologram of Bruce complete with sensory stimulations corresponding to the hits. After we come around, rubbing our chins and counting the missing teeth, we'll still be wondering just how he could be so good... and there'll still be people asking if he could have beaten Andre the Giant, or He-Man, or Ronald Reagan, or Osama bin Laden....