# What is JKD



## Eric Daniel (Oct 10, 2005)

Is JKD a style? Is JKD a hard style or a soft style of Martial Arts? Why did Bruce give his Martial Art a name? Is it Bruce's Martial Art?


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## Sapper6 (Oct 10, 2005)

do a search of the boards.  i believe you'll find your answer.  also, take a trip to the library and check out Tao of Jeet Kune Do.  

i don't know alot about JKD so i cannot answer your questions.  but those are the two places i'd look.


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## arnisador (Oct 10, 2005)

Bruec Lee considered it more a way of forming one's own personal style, but it is now in effect a style. I would call it soft if forced to choose; it borrows from so many different arts that the term doesn't fit so well.

As suggested, there is much previous discussion of this to be found in this forum!


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## Andrew Green (Oct 10, 2005)

This is a weekly thread...

 Maybe a mod could sticky one of the better ones?


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## mantis (Oct 10, 2005)

Eric Daniel said:
			
		

> Is JKD a style? Is JKD a hard style or a soft style of Martial Arts? Why did Bruce give his Martial Art a name? Is it Bruce's Martial Art?


 "it's the way of the intercepting fist, in cantonese it is Jeet Kune DO"
 "If you put water in a bottle it becomes the bottle, put it in a cup it becomes the pot, put it in a pot it becomes the pot, now water can flow or it can crash, be water my friend"
 lol
 I have this memorized from "Lee's lost interview" that i watched several years ago!
 oh, something else Lee used to say a lot "put the hip into it"
 (please re-read that using Lee's fobby accent)


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## Dancing Dragon (Oct 11, 2005)

It seems that JKD is both a style and a philosophy. To me JKD is Bruce Lee's art and only he could answer the question for you. Personally, I believe it's a philosophy. But that's my interpretation, I just use the applications toward my Gung Fu.


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## arnisador (Oct 12, 2005)

While it was intended as a philosophy, I think we have to say that it's now effectively an art. Look at how many people teach it to beginners, who don't have other martial arts knowledge to which to apply this philosophy.

As an aside, I don't think I'm familiar with Fei-Tien Gung Fu. Could you start a thread about it in one of the Chinese arts fora and tell us a bit about it?


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## James Kovacich (Oct 17, 2005)

arnisador said:
			
		

> While it was intended as a philosophy, I think we have to say that it's now effectively an art. Look at how many people teach it to beginners, who don't have other martial arts knowledge to which to apply this philosophy.
> 
> As an aside, I don't think I'm familiar with Fei-Tien Gung Fu. Could you start a thread about it in one of the Chinese arts fora and tell us a bit about it?


I have to agree except I think it grew from an art and into a philoshophy. I don't think it was intended to be a philosophy but a superior, no-nonsense "delivery system" adaptable to the individual. I also think to achieve the "adaptabolity" the concept/philosophy needed to come to the forefront.

Today the "seniors" will call it both an art or philosophy depending on who we talk to. I'm partial to the "Oakland training because thats what I've received but I just wonder if it was only a philosophy. How could anyone be qualified to teach it without the "delivery system?"

If a Kenpo or TKD instructor or any instructor from any other art taught the philosophy of Jeet Kune Do and "labeled" it Jeet Kune Do. Would they be right?

Based on the philosophy theory only, they would be right but even Dan Inosanto would agree that they shouldn't call it JKD if they are offering it to the public.


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## arnisador (Oct 17, 2005)

akja said:
			
		

> If a Kenpo or TKD instructor or any instructor from any other art taught the philosophy of Jeet Kune Do and "labeled" it Jeet Kune Do. Would they be right?


As *akja* is aware, I wondered the same, so I started a thread on it some while back:
http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9949


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## James Kovacich (Oct 17, 2005)

Yes, that was a great thread and IFAJKD is a good writer. It's really easy to understand what he's trying to express.


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## arnisador (Oct 17, 2005)

Yes, I wish he was still posting. We got together and trained once--much fun!


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