Some people have asked me to share my thoughts concerning what JKD is and isn't. I already mentioned that JKD is Bruce Lee's art and philosophy. To be more specific about what JKD is and isn't, I've decided to write this article in order to clarify some misunderstandings people have about Jeet Kune Do. First of all, I don't think it's possible to learn JKD by watching any of Bruce Lee's martial arts films. I get very frustrated when people tell me they learned JKD from watching 'Enter the Dragon', 'Return of the Dragon', or some other Bruce Lee movie. If you are an experienced martial artist, then sure, there are probably some things you can pickup from just about any martial arts film. But it's ridiculous to think that anyone can learn JKD from a Bruce Lee movie. In order to learn JKD correctly, and in order to be able to call it JKD, I think it's essential that you start your JKD training under a certified instructor. Secondly, I don't think it's possible to learn JKD by reading any of Bruce Lee's books. I see a lot of people with no prior martial arts experience who claim to have learned JKD from a book. That's very upsetting to anyone who actually practices JKD, and I think a lot of it has to do with misconceptions. A lot of people think JKD is just a philosophy which can be applied to any martial art, and I don't really think that's true in any way. I think JKD has a structure "and" a philosophy, and that JKD's philosophy was specifically meant to liberate Bruce Lee's students from their JKD structure. Again, I think it's essential that you start your JKD training under a certified instructor. Thirdly, I don't think it's possible to learn JKD by learning a bunch of different styles, and throwing them all together. I also see a lot of people who practice MMA, and try to claim that they practice JKD, when in fact they do not even have a basic understanding of what Jeet Kune Do really is. JKD is not MMA, nor is it whatever you want it to be. You cannot learn Karate blocks, Wing Chun strikes, Muay Thai kicks, Jujutsu locks, or a bunch of other styles and call it your own personal JKD, because that isn't how JKD works. That is how MMA works, but not how JKD works. Again, I think it's essential that you start your JKD training under a certified instructor. So what is the JKD structure? Well it begins with an understanding of the JKD fitness program. There are a lot of calisthenics in Jeet Kune Do, especially a lot of stretching exercizes and cardio exercizes. You also have to have an understanding of the classical techniques used in JKD, a lot of which were borrowed from wing chun, boxing and fencing. You have to learn the by-jong stance and all of the footwork and principles which go along with it. You will have to learn the trapping drills, the idea behind the centerline theory, and how to do different combinations. On top of that, you have to learn the five ways to attack, the concept of intercepting, the immovable elbow theory, the four corner theory, the gin-lai salute, and Bruce Lee's method of chi-sao sparring. All of these things are essential to JKD's structure, and you won't be able to learn them correctly by watching movies or reading books. You absolutely must start your JKD training under a certified instructor. So what is the JKD philosophy? Well it has a lot to do with liberation. Bruce Lee definately wanted to give his students a JKD structure, but he also didn't want them to become robots or slaves to that structure. For this reason, he developed the JKD philosophy which seeks to liberate JKD students from getting stuck in what he referred to as the "classical mess". By this, I mean he wanted his students to make JKD their own personal expression. Every person is built differently. Some people are taller, some are shorter, some are wider, and some are thinner. Bruce Lee wanted his students to take the JKD structure and make it their own, by discovering the cause of their own ignorance in training. Perhaps this might involve adjusting the by-jong stance just slightly to fit your person, or perhaps doing certain exercizes one day, and then doing something totally different the very next day. It's about discovering JKD for yourself, and getting rid of the notions people have about routines and styles. JKD is not just a word. If it was, then we wouldn't need it to distinguish Bruce Lee's art from Kung Fu, Karate, Taekwondo, Jujutsu, or anything else. JKD is a martial art, and I think it's important that people understand the difference between JKD and other martial arts. Can you apply JKD's philosophy to something like Karate? Sure, but that does not make it JKD, so I don't think you should call it that. That would be like taking Gichin Funakoshi's precepts and applying them to Wing Chun. Sure, it might help to improve your understanding of Wing Chun, but that does not make it Shotokan Karate, and the same thing goes for JKD once you understand the full scale of it. JKD's philosophy and JKD's structure go hand-in-hand during your JKD training. JKD's structure is the root, the house, the foundation for further growth and development. JKD's philosophy is the door, the window, the wings to help you fly once you have it. A lot of people have come to me and said that JKD is lacking, so they had to learn other martial arts in order to fill in the gaps. To me, however, that is a misconception. JKD is not lacking, it is our own understanding of JKD that is lacking. I know that while Bruce Lee was still alive, he did weapons training, boxing, striking, kicking, grappling and all different kinds of intense physical exercizes. He did stretching, cardio training, weight lifting, dieting and just about everything else you can think of. He even learned a bit about guns, from what I understand. So if there is anything lacking from Jeet Kune Do, it's your own personal training. Bruce Lee once had a famous saying. "Knowing is not enough, we must do. Willing is not enough, we must apply". I think that sums everything up pretty nicely, and basically all that means is that you have to train. JKD does not have any katas, kuens or forms. JKD's main focus is on doing different drills, and a lot of full-contact sparring. JKD has a lot of partner training, and in many ways, it's impossible to learn JKD by yourself without a certified instructor or sparring partner. Bruce Lee referred to solo forms and your hit-point systems to be like "dry land swimming". Just like if you are at the beach, you will never learn how to swim if you are always on dry land. In order to learn how to swim, you have to get into the water. In order to learn JKD, you have to spar. So a lot of it has to do with full-contact sparring, and discovering the cause of your own ignorance in training. If anyone disagrees with what I just said, that's fine. I'm not really looking to argue or start a debate. I trained with a lot of Bruce Lee's original students like Taky Kimura, Jesse Glover, Daniel Lee, Dan Inosanto, Ted Wong, Jerry Poteet, Richard Bustillo, Tim Tackett and Larry Hartsell, so I don't really need anyone else's opinion regarding what JKD is and isn't. I remember one time Bruce Lee said something about "JKD" being just a name, and that if people wanted to argue over it, that it would be best to just drop the name and let JKD be forgotten. Well, if that's the way you want to go about it, that's the way you should do it. I'm not really looking to argue, I'm just trying to help. If anyone disagrees with what I'm saying, I'll just continue to do my own thing, and let everyone else argue amongst themselves. Training is more important any way, so I'd rather practice JKD than argue about it. Thank you.
