KerwinBenson.com Hidden Gems of Martial Arts

Advancing and Retreating ...

Patty cake, patty cake .... advance, pat, and retreat ...

Move with a purpose, right?

Your opponent steps in and kicks to your ribs.

You check it with your hand as you take a step back. Then you step forward and you kick.

Now, it's your opponent's turn to pat your kick while taking a step back.

And on it goes.

I suppose you could say that you are learning distance. You are thinking that you'll continue "patty cake," until you come in with a more committed attack (something different) or until you have to defend against a more committed attack made by the person facing you.

Bruce Lee used the advancing and retreating strategy to score.

Maybe he did one pat, to learn distance. In real life, his advances and retreats had offensive purpose. If you check out "Bruce Lee: Volume Three: Jeet Kune Do," edited by John Little, you'll see that Bruce Lee used these advances and "retiring" to his advantage. A note to himself (I assume) on page 261 says nothing more than ...

     "constant threat to advanced target improving threat of distance."

Think about it.

The opponent advances. Bruce kicks the knee or shin. So, the opponent retreats.

Each time the opponent comes into range, you (Bruce?) perform a little dissuasion with a minor attack.

Note: I said "minor, because you could fully commit to a ... fake. Careful.

What else could you use the advance and retreat for?

Here's another Bruce Lee thought from the same page: