Long Beach International Karate Championships
Encyclopedia
The Long Beach International Karate Championships — is an International Karate
and martial arts
tournament in Long Beach, California
. It is well-known due to several appearances of the famous martial artist legend Bruce Lee
, and his use of the one inch punch
. At the invitation of Ed Parker
, Lee appeared in the 1964 and performed repetitions of two-finger pushups (using the thumb
and the index finger
) with feet at approximately a shoulder-width apart.
In the same Long Beach event he also performed the "One inch punch
", the description of which is as follows: Lee stood upright, his right foot forward with knees bent slightly, in front of a standing, stationary partner. Lee's right arm was partly extended and his right fist approximately an inch away from the partner's chest. Without retracting his right arm, Lee then forcibly delivered the punch to his partner while largely maintaining his posture, sending the partner backwards and falling into a chair said to be placed behind the partner to prevent injury, though his partner's inertia soon caused him to fall to the floor.
Raymond Dinnen won the 1999 International at the age of 29.
His volunteer was Bob Baker of Stockton, California. "I told Bruce not to do this type of demonstration again", he recalled. "When he punched me that last time, I had to stay home from work because the pain in my chest was unbearable."
Lee also appeared at the 1967 Long Beach International Karate Championships and performed various demonstrations, including the famous "unstoppable punch" against USKA world karate champion Vic Moore
. Lee told Moore that he was going to throw a straight punch to the face, and all he had to do was to try and block it. Lee took several steps back and asked if Moore was ready, when Moore nodded in affirmation, Lee glided towards him until he was within striking range. He then threw a straight punch directly at Moore's face, and stopped before impact. In eight attempts, Moore failed to block any of the punches.
The only existing, high quality footage of Bruce Lee sparring to ever exist was filmed with the very same 16MM colour camera that the rest of the demonstration was filmed with.
The sole proprietor of this 8.5 minute long video is a California based company by the name of Rising Sun Productions. The owner of this company and reported discoverer of this video among many other rare martial art-videos is a student of Ed Parker, Don Warrener.
The world waits further for Rising Sun to release this footage as it would provide visual evidence of Bruce Lee's skill as a martial artist, rather than the stories from people who trained with him.
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
and martial arts
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
tournament in Long Beach, California
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
. It is well-known due to several appearances of the famous martial artist legend Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee was a Chinese American, Hong Kong actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement...
, and his use of the one inch punch
One inch punch
The one inch punch is a punching exercise from Chinese martial arts performed at very close range. The one inch punch was popularised by actor and martial artist Bruce Lee. It is designed to improve punching power and technique....
. At the invitation of Ed Parker
Ed Parker
Edmund Kealoha "Ed" Parker was an American martial artist, promoter, teacher, and author.-Life:Parker was born in Hawaii, and raised a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He began his training in the martial arts at a young age in judo and later boxing...
, Lee appeared in the 1964 and performed repetitions of two-finger pushups (using the thumb
Thumb
The thumb is the first digit of the hand. When a person is standing in the medical anatomical position , the thumb is the lateral-most digit...
and the index finger
Index finger
The index finger, , is the first finger and the second digit of a human hand. It is located between the first and third digits, between the thumb and the middle finger...
) with feet at approximately a shoulder-width apart.
In the same Long Beach event he also performed the "One inch punch
One inch punch
The one inch punch is a punching exercise from Chinese martial arts performed at very close range. The one inch punch was popularised by actor and martial artist Bruce Lee. It is designed to improve punching power and technique....
", the description of which is as follows: Lee stood upright, his right foot forward with knees bent slightly, in front of a standing, stationary partner. Lee's right arm was partly extended and his right fist approximately an inch away from the partner's chest. Without retracting his right arm, Lee then forcibly delivered the punch to his partner while largely maintaining his posture, sending the partner backwards and falling into a chair said to be placed behind the partner to prevent injury, though his partner's inertia soon caused him to fall to the floor.
Raymond Dinnen won the 1999 International at the age of 29.
His volunteer was Bob Baker of Stockton, California. "I told Bruce not to do this type of demonstration again", he recalled. "When he punched me that last time, I had to stay home from work because the pain in my chest was unbearable."
Lee also appeared at the 1967 Long Beach International Karate Championships and performed various demonstrations, including the famous "unstoppable punch" against USKA world karate champion Vic Moore
Vic Moore
Victor Moore holds a 10th Degree Black Belt in Karate and was one of the late Robert Trias' Chief instructors of the Shuri-ryū Karate system. Moore was one of the first ten original members of the Trias International Society and also studied and trained with William J. Dometrich in the style of...
. Lee told Moore that he was going to throw a straight punch to the face, and all he had to do was to try and block it. Lee took several steps back and asked if Moore was ready, when Moore nodded in affirmation, Lee glided towards him until he was within striking range. He then threw a straight punch directly at Moore's face, and stopped before impact. In eight attempts, Moore failed to block any of the punches.
The only existing, high quality footage of Bruce Lee sparring to ever exist was filmed with the very same 16MM colour camera that the rest of the demonstration was filmed with.
The sole proprietor of this 8.5 minute long video is a California based company by the name of Rising Sun Productions. The owner of this company and reported discoverer of this video among many other rare martial art-videos is a student of Ed Parker, Don Warrener.
The world waits further for Rising Sun to release this footage as it would provide visual evidence of Bruce Lee's skill as a martial artist, rather than the stories from people who trained with him.