ANY Jeet Kune Do practitioners?

[Malayan]

I was wondering if there are any Jeet Kune Do practitioners here particularly in the Philippines. It interested me quite A bit when I was watching old bruce Lee films and was wondering what any practitioner could say about the style, philosophy, pros, cons or anything about jeet Kune Do.

[Thread_Killer]

Contact Joel Ramos. They're having a JKD seminar this weekend with Sifu Mark Stewart

On the weekend of March 13 to 14, 2010, I-JKD Manila will host a two day Jeet Kune Do Seminar featuring Sifu Mark Stewart.

Venue and hours:

4661 Makiling Street, corner Osmena Highway, Palanan, Makati City, Philippines. Three hours of training each day.

3 minutes by walk from Cash & Carry mall.

Time: 1:30 PM

Cost of Two Day Seminar: P 3,000 pesos


Email: contact@jkdmanila.com


Phone : 09178051970

Certificates of participation will be handed after the seminar.

[Mike]

Not a practitioner, but I have read a lot about it. JKD was never meant to be a "martial art". Lee refused to open a school and refused to refer to his ideas as a martial art for a long time. Only after others started teaching his "style" did he give in and officially start a school and training instructors.

JKD is probably the original MMA. Many people dont realise where all Lee trained. Lee was a boxing champion in England. He held the national title for 3 years and was undefeated. He also won most of his fights by knock out! So he was one hell of a good boxer. He trained BJJ with the Gracies and really loved wrestling. He was know for showing up at college wrestling workouts to train with them.

The reason Lee never wanted to open a school or treat JKD as a proper martial art is that it was never intended to be as such. The whole concept of JKD is to discover the most natural style for yourself. It is more of a philosophy than a fighting system. He wanted to eliminate all the unnessary movements and techniques from the most effective styles and distill those elements into a very straight forward style that puts emphasis on effectiveness and taking advantage of ones natural strengths. By natural strengths he meant physicaly, mentaly and spiritually. Because of this philosophy he believed that JKD cannot be tought, it can only be discovered. How can a 200 pound striker teach a 120 pound grappler? They can't really. But they can learn from each other and discover a better way. Most of the famous clips and techniques you see him doing on youtube are the intercepting fists concept. This was only a small part of his game, but it is what looked good on the camera.

I really believe that Lee would look at the current MMA world and see his ideas comming true. Modern MMA fighters are following the same paths as Lee. This is why I argue that you cannot learn MMA without already knowing at least two other styles. Krocop and Colture are both MMA fighters, but their styles are drastically different. They would never have become great fighters if they went to a "MMA gym". Imagine if some MMA expert tought the a "perfect system" for MMA combat. It would have ruined them. We all have to train in different disciplines and with different partners in order that we can discover our best game. That is the essence of Jeet Kune Do.

Mike

[Mike]

I forgot, Wikipedia has an excellent description of JKD. I think it is described exactly as Lee explained it himself.

Jeet Kune Do - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Be very suspicious of anyone trying to sell JKD training. When Lee conducted seminars, there was no training. Instead he would give examples of the concepts then discuss at length the philosophy of JKD. Again he did not believe he could teach JKD, he believed the student or practitioner had to "intercept" the techniques that worked for him/her. The "way of the intercepting fist" does not refer to a defense technique. It refers to the core concept that one must intercept their best game from within. We all have a most natural style, and it is already in us. He need to intercept these techniques and movements with our own bodies. A good instructor will only be able to help you relax and find the way yourself. There are also a lot of tricks and methods the JKD instructors know that will help you find your way. These methods mostly rely on balance, heart rate, breathing, speed drills, power/distance drills, footwork and other measures of performance. Through these methods you are able to discover YOUR way.

[Malayan]

nice reply, thanks guys, I think this is a good starter to the thread. And Im glad we have no flame (so far). another interesting thing [I] would want to discuss is how bruce lee trained and conditioned himself he was rumored to have 0% body fat (though I have not seen any proof of that, nevertheless it was way lower than any normal human being.) watching some of his stints, I noticed the speed, precision and coordination of his kicks and punches, Looked simple enough and not that fast until you try it yourself on the Bag. his punches were done in A different way, where the fist moves before the shoulder and the hips (which is the number one sin in boxing) but still packs a whoop A$$. doing this, his oponnents were unable to see the punch because of no telltale signs of it being thrown. -Just another interesting point of discussion.

[Mike]

his punches were done in A different way, where the fist moves before the shoulder and the hips (which is the number one sin in boxing) but still packs a whoop A$$. doing this, his oponnents were unable to see the punch because of no telltale signs of it being thrown.

I had not heard that. It make sense. There are great videos of black belts not being able to block his punches from three feet away.

[Sicilian]

Does doing Muay Thai, Boxing, BJJ and Escrima count as a JKD practicioner?

[Thread_Killer]

I don't think Bruce Lee was ever a boxing champion in England. I do know that he won a school boys championship in Hong Kong where he beat the son of a British ex-pat. I don't know how impressive that is. Hong Kong isn't known for its boxing. As for the school boys championships, that would be like International School, Brent and Reedley holding a championship here. I don't think the boys in Tondo would be much impressed. As for the grappling reference, I do recall him working with Gene LeBell. I don't ever recall him ever meetng the Gracies. Any references?

I do think that JKD is a style. I think that in order for you to say that you do JKD, you must be under an instructor who can draw a lineage back to Bruce Lee. I don't think its enough to read books about Bruce Lee. (He never actually wrote any books. They were all compilations of his thoughts and ideas, some written, many through his students as interpreted by an editor.) JKD schools exist because Bruce Lee authorized people to teach on his behalf.

As well, I think that it's a physiological impossibility to have 0% body fat. Unless of course the person had no internal organs or a brain. Olympic athletes typically have 10% body fat.

[shootodog]

I don't think Bruce Lee was ever a boxing champion in England. I do know that he won a school boys championship in Hong Kong where he beat the son of a British ex-pat. I don't know how impressive that is. Hong Kong isn't known for its boxing. As for the school boys championships, that would be like International School, Brent and Reedley holding a championship here. I don't think the boys in Tondo would be much impressed. As for the grappling reference, I do recall him working with Gene LeBell. I don't ever recall him ever meetng the Gracies. Any references?

I do think that JKD is a style. I think that in order for you to say that you do JKD, you must be under an instructor who can draw a lineage back to Bruce Lee. I don't think its enough to read books about Bruce Lee. (He never actually wrote any books. They were all compilations of his thoughts and ideas, some written, many through his students as interpreted by an editor.) JKD schools exist because Bruce Lee authorized people to teach on his behalf.

As well, I think that it's a physiological impossibility to have 0% body fat. Unless of course the person had no internal organs or a brain. Olympic athletes typically have 10% body fat.

i think this has been bruce lee's big problem so far. he is so iconic that his legend is so blown out of proportion.

[juncarino]

When we first saw him in the tv Green Hornet series, all of us were practically blown off our seats with his spectacular
"judo-karate" hi/flying kicks . (those days, 65/66 , just about all MA was called "judo-karate" )
He was Kato, the loyal sidekick of the Green Hornet.

Then later on, our search for more Kato "judo-karate" was answered when his "kung fu" ( henceforth, all MA were called kung fu.) movies , Big Boss, Fists of Fury and so on came out.

Mesmerized by his "reel fights" , all of us believed he can also beat up all Western champs like J. Wallace, Japanese karate champs, etc.
in "real fights".

this was reinforced when we watched him beat up chuck norris.

I feel he should be honored as a great MA who, through his dedication to martial arts , encouraged many enthusiastic join MA.