(upbeat music)
- When I first practiced JKD for the first few years,
I was practicing a lot of moves stationary.
And then sometimes I found out in sparring
that I hit or I try to avoid hit and all these things.
And somehow when the guy backed up
I would freeze, Sifu right?
So I don't know why, because I never learned
how to properly how to bridge that gap.
So when I first learned from you,
I can see, oh wow, you can actually
if the guy steps two or three steps,
you can actually keep, not chasing him,
but you can keep attacking the guy.
- Right, you can look at that
from two different ways.
When we say close the gap or bridging the gap,
bridging just sounds, you know imaginary.
You feeling like there has to be a bridge
to get to the other side.
Closing, the same thing.
So the bridge means,
how do I close in with this much space
that's empty, - yes.
- And that I can
feel vulnerable. - Yes.
- The best thing to do is to bridge that gap.
So if I have to come in,
and even if you were in the lead
or not in the lead it doesn't matter.
But just for, reference of training.
I have to come in to close in on you.
If I were to do this, you see that coming.
So all you do is shift that way and hit me.
It's like boom! - Right.
- Yeah, it's, it gave you enough time to see an opening.
And that timing,
you took advantage of it, - right.
- Boom!
By hitting me. - Right.
- So now, I don't wanna leave
that time for you. - Right.
- So I have to close that gap, by you either moving back,
or moving the other way.
I'm bridging it,
- Mm hmm. - Right?
With something as an attack to get in.
Boom, and I'm gonna follow through.
- Mm hmm.
- So whether you use the lee kick or not,
you could use any type of kick.
And if you're standing in that way,
it's just as simple as throwing a kick
towards your opponent, and then bridging it.
So there is nothing, there's no gap.
I'm not moving to him,
I'm already moving to him with a weapon.
So that that way it makes more sense.
And a way of protecting yourself even on a back fist.
If, if I missed on this one, and lets say he checked it,
or checked it with his hand or leg it doesn't matter.
I do this, but I'm coming in with something else.
Maybe my intent was to make him think I was doing this.
And no, I actually came in this way.
So you can change it up, depending on
how you wanna look at it.
So if I go in here, (foot slams)
I can fire initially with the other punch.
And that's how you close the gap.
And you close the gap by bridging other tools.
So if let's say Dan, you checked it here.
And all of a sudden you threw a punch here.
Whack!
There is my bridge as well.
So it's just closing that distance.
- So it's basically the idea is not just
closing the gap, the distance, - yeah.
but also the emptiness. - Yes.
Between strides.
- The space that's available,
is the opportunity you can take
if your opponent tries to come in on you,
you can close the gap that way.
By leading him towards you.
So in other words you're baiting him.
And then you can close it that way,
or you can move back and I can still close the gap
by using your perception of it.
So it depends on how you look at it.
And, there is a lot more ways,
or I guess, ideas you can do
just depending on your speed, agility, understanding,
things like that.
But to simplify this again, it's just,
one,
two.
And I can be a drill by itself.
- Yeah, I noticed that when I'm training.
I think for beginners, I think
we all go through these phases.
At first, you might do two moves or three moves.
Like, boom boom boom! - Yeah.
- But I find that the master, they have
a few more steps ahead. - Yes.
- Just like playing a chess game.
- Yeah. - Right, the master,
the difference between a master chess player versus
an amateur is that the master thinks 10 steps ahead.
Right? - Yeah.
Your intention is gonna be based off the distance
that you have in relation with your opponent.
How,
If its a second intention, third intention.
You have to play with that distance.
- Yes, so there you go.
that's how you properly bridge the gap.
Go ahead and watch the other JKD video right now.