# Tao of JKD was a huge influence on me



## AikidoCal (May 15, 2005)

Prior to establishing myself in Aikido, I was a huge Bruce Lee fan. After his death even more so. I was amazed at his willingness to take martial arts principles and make them less mysterious. Just as he did in the Tao of JKD. 

The Tao of JKD and other publications of his helped me unravel the coded mysteries of Aikido. The Tao of JKD  helped me understand and improve my Aikido tremendously. In a way, there really isn't much difference between in what the Tao of JKD say and Aikido. 

I would not dare say this in an Aikido forum, for fear of being B.B.Q. I once said how much I admired Bruce Lee and the replies where extremely negative and vile about Bruce Lee. I can't say it didn't peeve me. 

I find Bruce Lee and his Tao of JKD one of the most important influences in American martial arts and our love for the martial arts.  

Someday I would love to discuss the technical similarities, and how the Tao of JKD explains Aikido technically.


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## Marvin (May 16, 2005)

Hi AikidoCal, I had a history in Aikido before I started JKD, I would be interested in hearing your thoughts on Aikido via the Tao of JKD.
Marvin


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## Flatlander (May 17, 2005)

Tao is Tao.  I don't know Aikido.  Welcome to Martial Talk. :asian:


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## Adept (May 17, 2005)

Tao of JKD was one of the most influential martial arts books I ever read. I read it as an intermediate student, and it really helped me to refine not only my goals, but how to go about getting them. It helped me to take all the bits I'd learned in class, and add them together. I had the 2 and the other 2, I just needed a prod to realize I could put them together and get 4.


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## AikidoCal (May 17, 2005)

Flatlander thank you for the welcome.

Marvin,

It has been so long since I read the T-JKD and I don't have a copy of it. I was hoping that maybe someone else would lead off on it. Adept and I see eye to eye. 

I can only recall at this moment how the idea of water and how Bruce explained somewhere had helped my flowing movement in my Aikido. Oh yea, and to not stick with one way of doing something, the form is formless idea. The idea that kata isn't so good. Did I get Bruce correctly? Just those two ideas helped me allot. 

Aikido really doesn't stick to forms. Not like Karate does. You can tweak Aikido techniques, well you have to. You find work your mind, you have to find a persons weakness, and you will not experience the same body type all the time. How you find a weakness I think applys to the idea of water flows to the lowest point in a way too. When I throw there are instances where I think of water finding the lowest point as well. It helps my throws. 

Oh and Adepts sig line applies to Aikido too. 

I hope this is a good start?


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