Bruce Lee on Chi Sao
Above you'll find one of the best quality clips we've found of Sijo Bruce demonstrating chi sao (blind folded) at Ed Parker's Long Beach International Karate Tournament in 1967.
Chi sao is a big part of Wing Chun training, and the early training / curriculum of Sijo Bruce focused heavily on this type of training.
However, as you may have read elsewhere, Sifu Taky Kimura received a call from Sijo Bruce in 1969 where he stated, "Chi Sao is out!". Some may infer that chi sao was completely dropped, while others have suggested that it simply was no longer the focus during training sessions.
Here are some quotes and references by Sijo Bruce on chi sao (from his writings):
In a letter to Sifu Taky published in the book "Regards from the Dragon - Seattle" (no date given in the book), Sijo Bruce writes about the beginning stages of his new art, JKD. In the letter he writes:
Chi Sao is the nucleus, and supplemented by Five ways.
The whole system will concentrate on irregular rhythm and how to disturb and intercept the opponent's rhythm the fastest and most efficient way.
Grandmaster Yip Man with a young Bruce Lee.
In the book, "Jeet Kune Do - Bruce Lee's Commentaries on the Martial Way", a book edited by John Little (which ought to be in your JKD library), Sijo Bruce writes:
"Progressive Indirect Attack
I've added in a progressive indirect attack to the original chi sao, which is close-quarter combat. Progressive indirect attack is the link to achieve chi sao. Progressive indirect attack is used again an opponent whose defense is tight and fast enough to deal with simple attacks like straight blast, finger jab, pak sao, and hit. Progressive in-direct attack (PIA from now on) is based on feinting, and feinting is to draw the opponent to the execution of parry or block."
You can also in the same book see that Sijo Bruce's private lesson plans that Chi Sao was introduced in lessons 9 and 10.
As a side note, both Sifu Jim Sewell and Sifu Bob Bremer related that energy drill / chi sao was very much a part of every class at the Los Angeles Chinatown school.
If you are interested in more detailed information on Sijo's thoughts on chi sao from his early writings, I recommend you check out the book "The Tao of Gung Fu" also edited by John Little. It's a book Sijo began writing in 1964 but never published.