JKD: Body Weapon – Michael Wong

JKD Body Weapon Combat Zone (Energy Drills & Trapping)
Master Michael Wong is definitely one of the most unique and gifted instructors in the martial art world today. His hardcore personality and aggressive approach to teaching make his videos very exciting to watch. The first thing that you notice when watching Master Wong’s videos is that he is actually making contact with his students when he demonstrates the trapping techniques.

At first I wondered how his students could take this sort of punishment until I realized that they were wearing protective padding under their training suits. This type of full contact training is very typical in JKD as it was standardized by its founder, the late Gung Fu superstar Bruce Lee.

The production of this video is very high; multiple camera angles and professional filming combined with a solid teaching platform provide the viewer with an exceptional learning experience.

As far as the content of the video goes, anyone who is familiar with close range fighting arts such as JKD or Wing Chun knows that learning trapping techniques without reflex sensitivity training is useless. This is where the energy drills come in. Throughout this video Master Wong goes over seven major energy drills that have been carefully selected from a variety of styles and coordinated into the fluid fighting art of JKD.

When it comes to thoroughly explaining the trapping techniques Master Wong is not short on words. Every technique and variation thereof is fully explained in exhausting detail. In fact to really fully absorb the content in Master Wong’s videos you have to watch them three or four times. That is not to say that they are difficult to learn from, it is just that there is so much information given in a very rapid fire method. I actually really like this method of teaching because each time you watch the video you learn something new; it all depends on your state of mind and what techniques you are focusing on at the time. This learning process can be described easily by a famous saying by the founder of Jeet Kune Do himself; Bruce Lee said “Absorb what is useful, discard what is not. Add what is uniquely your own.”

Overall I would say Master Michael Wong’s JKD DVDs are among the best on this subject and I highly recommend them.

Technical Review:

• DVD Length: 180 Minutes
• Display: NTSC
• Region: 0
• Type: DVD
• Language: English (No Subtitles)
• Video Quality: High (Professional Production)
• Audio Quality: High (Professional Production)

Content Review:

• Introduction
  • The first five minutes is a video compilation of Master Wong demonstrating the techniques that he will be teaching during this DVD.
• Energy Drills #1
  • Gak Sau Drill
  • Punch Drill
  • Pak Sau Drill
• Energy Drills #2
  • Lap Sau Drill
  • Elbow Drill
  • Wing Chun Chi Sau Drill
  • Tai Chi Push Hands Drill
• Energy Drills #3 (Putting it All Together)
  • Transitioning from one energy drill to another in the JKD flow.
  • How to apply striking techniques during energy drills.
• Application #1: Round Kick to the Chest
  • Entering Techniques One
• Application #2: Kick to the Body
  • Entering Techniques Two
• Application #3: Tai Chi Push
  • Entering Techniques Three
• Application #4: Kick to the Groin
  • Entering and Trapping – One
• Application #5: Shoulder Bump and Side Kick
  • Entering and Trapping – Two
• Application #6: Head Grab and Knee
  • Entering and Trapping – Three
• Entering Tool (How it Works)
  • Master Wong elaborates further on the energy and positioning crucial to making the entering and trapping techniques work.
  • Overview of the Entering and Trapping Techniques
• Trapping Tool Work One
  • Master Wong teaches trapping techniques and strategies to deal with a variety of situations.
  • Trapping Strategies – One
• Trapping Tool Work Two
  • Master Wong teaches trapping techniques used in combination with elbow strikes, knee strikes, and pushing movements from Tai Chi.
  • Trapping Strategies – Two
• Take Down and Control
  • The last part of this segment includes some great footage of Master Wong throwing some students around on the mat at his gym.
  • Entering, Trapping, and Taking the Opponent to the Ground
• Bonus Features
  • Photos
  • DVD Titles