Andrew Hawkins. Has anyone ever worked with him?

I'm currently choosing between WC or JKD, and I'm doing a bit of research on the local clubs. The closest JKD instructor is Andrew Hawkins, and I wondered if anyone had ever worked with him, or had heard about him before. Also, I know it's an annoying question from every new poster on the forum, but why should I choose JKD? Thanks in advance everyone, I look forward to reading your responses.

 

JKD as opposed to WC:

More dynamic
More suitable for self defence
Wider range of skills to be learnt
Not restricted by doctrines and specific ways like the ones WC will enforce
More freedom
More scientific approach (practicality comes before tradtional/conventional Methods)
Less cultural bias in class (many WC teachers can be biased towards non-eastern practitioners)

This will all depend on the teacher. The closer they are to Bruce Lee's JKD and philosophy, the better.

 

I have never heard of him....As far as why JKD, I can only tell you why I teach "IT"........Simple...Direct...Non-Classical! Where are you from?



Take "IT" Easy,
John McNabney

 

Thanks lads, I'm from South-East England, near Sittingbourne. I respect your opinions on why JKD is better than WC, but I'd like to hear from someone who has tried both arts, so as to remove any bias. Although I'm sure you're being pretty accurate, as I've heard those facts before. Cheers for your replies, any other information you could give would be most useful, and fully appreciated.

 

If it helps you give opinions on the level of JKD he teaches at, here's his website......

http://www.hawkinsschoolmartialarts.co.uk/

Obviously, being new to all this, I can't tell whether he's using the correct tecnhniques or not. If the level of JKD is poor, then I'll have to attend WC classes, as there's no other JKD near me. This class is already 25 miles from my house. Thanks.

 

It looks like he's under Guro Dan, I mite be wrong...

 

It really depends on the skill of the teachers and the quality of the classes. The name of the art taught is secondary.

 

Yeah that's what I'm thinking, and that's the reason I want to do a lot of research before I choose a class. I've got about 4 months of college left, and I'm not starting anything until this is finished, as it takes up a lot of my time.

 

I have done both. It's up to you to just go and see this class for yourself. personally from the website and gallery I don't like the look of it.

 

Thanks very much for your input, if a few more people concur with your view ten I'll give it a miss. There's no use in me going to see if it's any good, as I wouldn't know a decent practitioner from Hong Kong Fuey.

 

i know joe kerr, andrew's instructor and he is very good. so i would go and have a go, take people's view's on board, but you should take a look for yourself

 

Well you can usually get a gut feeling about something from having a go. If you find it enjoyable, agree with the logic of the teacher and the moves, get a sort of buzz from it, then it's a good thing. But you have to try. IMO I avoid JKD teachers who dedicate alot of time to kickboxing/muay thai/grappling and can't trap or demonstrate the chinese arts, which JKD is heavily based on, in equal measure.

Look for dynamic and full-speed movements. If the teacher is always going slow, has a sense of unexplosiveness and lack of flow in his execution (breaks up the transition from technique to technique too much), then avoid. It means they're just walking text books rather than properly skilled practitioners let alone experts. I'd go with WC if that were the case, then look into other styles after a good few years of developing a foundation.

But like I said, a good JKD school is far better than a good WC school. Bad schools in either department aren't worth bothering with. Trust your gut.

 

Thanks for all the help fruitjuice, it's much appreciated.

 

John's right, he's under guro dan.

 

I have met and trained with Andrew. Tel is right in saying that Joe Kerr is Andrews direct instructor whom was a student and remains a good friend of my Wing Chun instructor.

Joe has trained with Bob Breen almost exclusively for the last few years and I believe that he is looking to enter cage fights. My instructor speaks very highly of him.

I found Anrdew to be very knowledgeable and talented if you can get there then do so.

 

Hi,
I'm happy to see that you are researching the martial arts before choosing one.
I train under Joe Kerr who was trained in Wing Chun by Kev, (telsun can give you all the info on Kev's classes) and Jeet Kune Do by Bob.

We can't really say what is better for you to train in, it is all about what is better for you, what is one mans JKD is anothers Karate. There is no better art just your opinion about it.

All I can suggest is that you try both and decide from there what feels better to you, but if you do try JKD and you don't like it, it could just be that instructors JKD weather it be mine or another instructor give a different class ago. No two JKD schools will be the same, My JKD is my JKD Joe's is Joe's and so on.

I hope I have helped.

 

Nice post Andrew

 

Andrew said..........No two JKD schools will be the same, My JKD is my JKD Joe's is Joe's and so on.


No matter who's teaching Jeet Kune Do, there is a structure to it.....Sure people will use different ways of getting their students to understand......The main problem with your statement I see, is truly the problem within JKD.....JKD isn't what ever the teacher teaches, it should have the same base no matter what country your in.....Think of JKD in the three stages of cultivation, if you are a JKD Instructor....You would only point the way to the first-Two Stages of cultivations......To many instructors (2nd, 3rd, 4th Gen) try to teach the thrid stage of the formless form where "IT" leads them......Now they are teaching them there (Insert name JKD and not Jeet Kune Do......Then over the years, JKD gets water down and down to it has lost all "Simplicity"...principles :bang:




Take "IT" Easy,
John McNabney

 

I think the mix up here is the topic of discussion, I wasn't talking about curriculum in my last post and I don't think that was the question that was asked. Of course the core structure of "Jeet Kune Do" will be the same no matter what country your are in but each instructor teaches in a different way, so "my Jeet Kune Do is not yours and your Jeet Kune Do is not mine"

The question that was asked was what is better Jeet Kune Do or Wing Chun?
That is impossible to say because it is down to the individual to decide. Whats right for me may not be the right thing for you.

I hope I have made better sence this time

 

Far enough...