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Stances are not footwork as much as they are positions you will find yourself in during combat. This means footwork and stances are 2 different things. Footwork is sometimes complicated although it doesnt need to be. Ask you instructor if he/she can teach you some of the footwork from your system. And remember, footwork is just movement like walking. No, I practice karate. I have a couple of friends who are quiet experienced in jkd. Its highly unlikely that you will can learn jkd or any art for that matter by reading books about them alone. You need someone who has learned the techniques before so they can see if you are making mistakes and guide you in how to perform the techniques correctly. If you find an instructor and use the books as a reference thats fine but you cant really learn just from a book. Also remember that bruce lees books dont contain the advances made in the system of jkd in recent years so its much better to find a good instructor who can teach you.

At my school we punch with both 3/4 turned and vertical fists depending on whats best for the situation. We are taught to finish the punching movement by stopping it with our muscles, not our elbow joint, so no damage is done to the joints. This means that during each punch the arm is always slighting bent. Yes, we practise getting has much power as possible which means putting your body behind the technique. In basic training we use lower stances to learn the full range of motion for the technique and practise proper body mechanics. This then transfers to whatever position you find yourself in. Idealy we punch with relaxed muscles until the moment of impact, but this is not always possible. Both, "flowing robot" type movements in basic training . And then flowing movements in application.

Basically what i think your talking about with the jumping etc. is just footwork. You learn footwork in one form or another in all systems of martial arts. Weather or not the footwork taught in jkd today is the same as bruce lee did in his movies is quiet questionable. It depends alot on your instructor and also i beleive bruce lee took alot of his footwork from boxing and more notably fencing, so that would have an influence on what your taught in regards to footwork.

Maybe if you tell us what your looking for in a martial arts we can point you in the right direction.

Thanks for your comments everyone, i realise now that if you move back you still should attack rather than seeing it has a defensive movement.

I think you have to realise there is a difference between "moving" and "jumping around". Sure in jkd you keep moving just like you do in boxing or any other art but its not jumping around. Also his movies were not that realistic, i doubt bruce lee would ever use those high kicks he did in his movies during a real fight.

When you find an instructor of jkd they will probably teach you some techniques and the concepts behind them. Then you make what you want of them and add or take techniques away. So basically it can look however you want it to look but there are still principles and so on which are followed. But its more like streetfighting than "jumping around". Hope that answers a little more clearly.

Holland usually has great kickboxers, im not so sure about Denmark. Information below quoted from: http://www.academyjkd.com/Instructors.htm "Denmark Instructor Name: Jacob Aabye School Name: Performance Gym School Address: Osterbro,Svanemollehallen City, State: Copenhagen Country (if outside the USA): Denmark Phone number: 40531102 Email: Jacob@Performancegym.dk Website: https://www.Performancegym.dk Classes available (group, private, seminars): Group,Private,Seminars" Im not sure if that school is anywhere near you dippedappe, but its in Denmark so thats a good start.

Thanks for the advice. Teep is like a push-kick but "strikes" rather than "pushes".

Do you move backwards very often during sparring? For example when someone charges in throwing punches at you? or do you circle to the sides, or attack from where you are? Tell me your thoughts.

Sico, I agree partly with what you are saying, however im not talking about pushing your knees out past their natural range of motion. Im talking about when you sit deep into the stance with your hips and your knees are naturally directed outwards due to this hip positioning.

Anywhere along their center is where im aiming.

Im not so much talking about have them stick out 'past' the toes, but rather not going out toward where the feet are enough. Still the same reasoning applies either way.

http://www.uktsdf.org.uk/techniques/techniques.htm << should help you out.

Online guide to becoming a bouncer >> http://www.ehow.com/how_12362_become-bouncer.html

Im not to sure, but you should check your martial arts school because you might already train with some people who are bouncers etc and could help you out with some info. I know at my school we have security guards etc training. Worth a try.

The are a couple of reasons: In application, the horse stance is simply the dropping of your weight towards the ground. Try doing that with your knees bent inwards or with you shins at any angle other that 90 degrees to the ground and you will see just how weak it is. Your leg alignment needs to be strong in this stance, if your struck you dont want your knees to colapse. Also, the wider you go with the stance the more it will resemble doing the splits if you dont keep your knees over your feet, which will mean your feet can slip out pretty easily. So in short, its important for: Strength, Stability, Alignment and Balance.

Good luck, i hope you find a good instructor to guide you along your way.

Welcome to the forum Amber.

You gotta know the right place to look.

Do a search on google for the bull shido official site. Check the download section there.

Its fairly difficult to do uppercuts on a normal heavybag, you can work them with a partner using pads of focus mitts. I also think there are bags designed for doing uppercuts on, maybe someone who has seen these can explain more.

I wouldnt rely on specific combinations, just keep hitting until i can get away.

I agree with those who said b and c. Our instructor teaches some bunkai, and in this you not only learn the actual bunkai but HOW to comeup with the applications so you can work them out yourself. At our school like many others kata is very important has all our techniques come from them.

Just trying to help a new member with some of the rules. (i believe the first 3 guidelines where broken by his post).