Do those of you here feel that JKD is the most "perfect" system?

As I've been reading up on it, Lee.. like many with their own system simply added and took away from other systems to try to fill in the gaps/holes in areas that makes one more accessible to getting hit. While there is no such thing as the perfect system, does anyone feel this is the closest to it?

 

The philosophy of JKD is great in theory but in practice it suffers from the same flaws as all martial arts - spotty quality, dilution of its founding principles, politics before training etc.

I also think it leans to heavily on Chinese striking styles for inspiration, but this might be a reflection of the spotty quality I mentioned above.

 

It's not a system.

Inosanto's JKD is not Lee's JKD.

Vunak's JKD is not Lee's or Inosanto's JKD.

These people developed systems based on the concepts of JKD.

Concepts are only as good as the techniques and training methods used to practice them.

That's how it appears to me as an outsider, anyway.

 

Does it have: Single/multiple opponents? - Clever footwork for turning and changing angles? - Escalation (from defense with opponent left unhurt)? - Defense against weapons? - Ground-fighting with recovery to stand-up? - the psychology to engage? - Strength, fitness and mobility?

 

Yes we do

 

In answer to the OP, I find it absolutley the best system in the entire world.....




....for me

Yet as hasd already been pointed out my JKD is not your JKD is not Guro Dan's JKD is not.....etc ad nauseam. Bruce sought out a solution to a problem that should not exist and he also never prescribed the same solution to each student, so any claims of "real JKD" or "JKD as Bruce wanted it" shoudl be met with extreme suspicion

If Bruce came back tomorrow and told me what I was doing wasn't JKD nothing in my training would change

 

That's great Hannibal ...where's the like button?

 

What are your thoughts about the arguments over straight leads, lead-hand punching etc. of Lee's vs. some newer JKD schools?

 

Hence the "If Bruce came back tomorrow..." comment?

 

What are the arguments?

 

I don't tend to enter in to those debates too much, unless it is to restore some level of balance.

I teach Jun Fan as a part of what we do, but there is an almost fetishization for the straight lead as if it was some magic bullet...it's a lead hand shot - akin to a power jab if you will, but with other variations mixed in. It is not unique to JKD but the rabid adulation heaped upon it is. For me it is a tool in the box and nothing more

Then there is the right lead/left lead argument - anyone claiming a lead is acvoured is flat out wrong. Bruce liked teh concept of strong side forward, but this in and of itself is not so simple because although i am right handed I can lead punch better with my left. The difference in power between such lead switches is negligible anyway, and the reason I think it was so favoured is that most people are not used to facing southpaws. These days switch hitting is a lot more common

JKD is a prescription for personal growth not a sarcophagus to an extraordinary man who was still a man when all was said and done

 

Precisely - JKD has enabled me to become the fighter (and somewhat unstable personality type ) that I am, but the term JKD is just what my training method happens to be. If I had got "it" wrong (and I haven't by the way) my training would remain the same because I train to a paradigm not a dogma

 

As all practical MA should be!

 

Even "practical" needs qualifying - practical for a civilian is not the same as practical for military is not the same as practical for a child etc.....

 

Mainly that it inhibits the rear-hand power shot, and many rear-leg kicks. You just have to do things a bit differently, including power generation and takedowns.

 

I'm not sure you even need to get into the "concepts" argument. No system is a perfect system. Because no system exists outside of its vehicles. And we're its vehicles. People. And we're not perfect.

JKD, in some ways, is even less perfect. Because of its philosophical vagaries, any numpty can come along and claim that they're doing their "personal expression" of JKD. And they get a surprisingly long way with it.

 

Are you referring to a right lead?

I found using a right lead pretty good. Boxing was fine and it worked well with throws and takedowns (I was taught judo and wrestling with my right foot forward - kinda, its obviously not static). The boxing and grappling blended nicely.

Rear Thai-style kicks were a big problem though.

It worked well with the weapon stuff too.

SiB - if there's any good JKD people near you, I would suggest you look at training with them. It is (imo) a fantastic system. I'd love to train it again, but there's nothing decent near me...or perhaps the country.

 

Ah, right.....yeah, there is that I guess.

 

Or left... we are pretty symetrical creatures

It's the fencing-style straight lead, as opposed to "squareish with one foot forward" type... If you know what I mean.

90° as opposed to 45°

Yeah, minimising target profile is always a good move when weapons are coming at you.