Ok so this might be a pretty lengthy thread but here goes. So my Aikido dojo shut down and Im not sure exactly what I’m going to do now. There is a school near me that has the followin: The instructor is ranked by Erik Paulson as a CSW teacher He is also ranked by the Machado’s as a purple belt. He teaches MT and he is ranked the following in what he told me once is the “Concepts” lineage: Dan Inosanto>Ron Balicki>this instructor This instructor also teaches Kali/Escrima. Here’s my questions: 1. What is the deal with JKD, JKD CONCEPTS, JUN FAN GUNG FU? Why all the names? 2. I’ve read a whole bunch of books on Bruce, some good, some bad, some knowledgeable. Was he really that good to be considered such a legend? I mean was he really that good a martial artist or was some of it movie hype? I’m not meaning to offend, I’m just genuinely curious. 3. Is the JKD this instructor teaching, from what I understand he is highly regarded, worth taking for self defense purpose. I don’t go looking for fights but would it be useful if you had to protect yourself or family? just generally curious about it all.
This was the school that only does 1 hour a week of open mat for BJJ? Erik Paulson is a respectable teacher, but maybe the name of the school/teacher at this place may help. Did you try out the Sauer or Gracie BJJ schools you previously mentioned?
1) JUN FAN GUNG FU: Bruce Lees modified Wing Chun when he first started teaching in seattle (1962) Most associated instructor - Late Taky Kimura. (ORIGINAL) JEET KUNE DO - OJKD: Following the fight with Wong Jack Man, he decided he needed to reassess his approach to the martial arts, so investigating his own experiences he mixed techniques from Boxing (he was a high school boxing champion), Western Fencing Theory (His brother Peter was Hong Kong foil and epee champion) and further modified Wing Chun (but pared down to the most efficient high percentage techniques) as well as kicking from TKD/Savate and Judo techniques he learnt from Gene Lebelle and Danny Glover, into his own syncretic system. It was his own personal expression which right up until he started to focus more on films was very much work in progress (1966-1970ish). Most associated instructor - Late Ted Wong (CONCEPTS) JEET KUNE DO - Less on the techniques and more on the philosophy and concepts developed by Bruce Lee - Use what is useful, let go what is useless, add what is specifically your own, that kind of stuff. Attracts people who have done other martial arts and want to continue exploring their self expression using JKD concepts as a medium. Heavily influenced by Dan Inosanto who at the time of Bruce Lee's death was the only instructor actually certified to teach JKD. However as Dan Inosanto was heavily into his own Phillipino Kali/Escrima many of his early seminars used Kali/escrima as a medium to teach Bruce lee's concepts, even though Eskrima does not appear in any of bruce lee's writings or notes. This is not a criticism - rather it seeks to explain the overlap/Flavour between eskrima and JKD in the concepts branch 2) More of a product of his time, the free thinking 1960's. As for how good he was that is always up to debate and its never going to be answered conclusively either way. Rather at the time his mindset and approach stood in start contrast to more 'rigid' seeming martial systems and as such was very attractive to people who were trying to break out of the mould or find there own method beyond their own disciplines. Stuff that we take for granted today he was groundbreaking, though there were precedents. 3) Erik Poulson is well known as a JKD name that all I know I'm afraid.
