# Is JKD an American MA?



## stone_dragone (Feb 1, 2008)

Although its roots lie in both Eastern and Western Martial Arts, would anyone who practices JKD consider it to be an "American" martial art?

I find many things on the internet claiming to be American Martial Arts, but it would seem that JKD is the model for most of these. Being created in America and first propagated here, could it be said that it is American (or at least started out that way)?

I am not a JKD practitioner, but just was wondering...


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## joeygil (Feb 1, 2008)

How about a primarily "Asian-American" martial art?


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## MA-Caver (Feb 2, 2008)

joeygil said:


> How about a primarily "Asian-American" martial art?


That's better, because Lee, while he loved America thought of himself as Asian first and foremost. 
I would say that JKD has it's roots in America, of course. Lee had the opportunity to expand upon his Wing Chun roots and started out with Jun Fan Gung Fu then observing other MA  i.e. Kenpo with Ed Parker and Boxing and so on he realized the limits of his current MA and thus started to expand upon the arts that he learned by learning more. Always learning. Just like this country should do... always learn and find ways to make it better. 
Though I still feel that JKD is more of a philosophy than an martial art it's teachings and techniques are among the finest.


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## arnisador (Feb 2, 2008)

stone_dragone said:


> Although its roots lie in both Eastern and Western Martial Arts, would anyone who practices JKD consider it to be an "American" martial art?



I understand the argument...but, I just have trouble thinking of it as American. There's too much WC, and it clearly grows from an Oriental base. But, the admixture of Western boxing and (ideas from) fencing can't be denied. Certainly, making a "mongrel" art like that is a very American way of thinking.


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## kaizasosei (Feb 2, 2008)

I heard Karim abdul jabar in a documentary saying that jkd is an eclectic american art.  
at the time, i didn't really question his opinion.  
however, im curious to what other opinions there might be.  
i never really thought about this that much.

j


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## ArmorOfGod (Feb 2, 2008)

Yes, jkd is an American martial art.
It's base is asian, but it was developed in the United States and has attributes from western boxing and europian fencing.  That makes it an American martial arts in every sense of the word.
The bottom line is where it was developed.

AoG


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## turbo1975 (Feb 2, 2008)

_Jeet Kune Do has been elected and accepted into the &#8220;Black Belt Hall of Fame&#8221; in America. This is the first time when a recently developed form of martial art is nationally accepted._


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## turbo1975 (Feb 2, 2008)

_Jeet Kune Do has been elected and accepted into the Black Belt Hall of Fame in America. This is the first time when a recently developed form of martial art is nationally accepted._


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## ArmorOfGod (Feb 2, 2008)

turbo1975 said:


> _Jeet Kune Do has been elected and accepted into the &#8220;Black Belt Hall of Fame&#8221; in America. This is the first time when a recently developed form of martial art is nationally accepted._


 
The editors of Black Belt magazine picking a style to go into their invented hall of fame doesn't impress me or making something true.

AoG


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## Xue Sheng (Feb 2, 2008)

I asked this same question a while back 

JKD Question


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## joeygil (Feb 2, 2008)

I'd just like to point out that there's Chinese kung fu than just Wing Chun in JKD/OJKD/Jun Fan.  The kicks are definately NOT from Wing Chun - lots of Shaolin stuff in there, some Mantis energy drills, a few other stuff he picked up in Hong Kong.

That said, I still say "Asian-American" - as it has much of it's roots in Asian arts/culture, but I doubt it couldn't have been developed in such a way back in China.


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## arnisador (Feb 2, 2008)

I think many kicks are Savate- and Muay Thai-influenced?


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## turbo1975 (Feb 3, 2008)

ArmorOfGod said:


> Yes, jkd is an American martial art.
> It's base is asian, but it was developed in the United States and has attributes from western boxing and europian fencing. That makes it an American martial arts in every sense of the word.
> The bottom line is where it was developed.
> 
> AoG


 
And why should your opinion matter more than black belt magizine?  You must be some great JKD master right?


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## turbo1975 (Feb 3, 2008)

ArmorOfGod said:


> Yes, jkd is an American martial art.
> It's base is asian, but it was developed in the United States and has attributes from western boxing and europian fencing. That makes it an American martial arts in every sense of the word.
> The bottom line is where it was developed.
> 
> AoG


 
Glad I wasnt trying to impress you retard...I was just supporting your opinion with something I found on the net.


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## stone_dragone (Feb 3, 2008)

I'm pleased to see that this conversation has migrated to such a great picture of respect, however lets try to keep it on topic instead of assessing other people for Downs Syndrome.

As said earlier, I'm not a JKD practitioner, but from observations I'd say that the many of the kicks (and more importantly the usages) seem similar to those used in the few select Savate matches I've gotten to see.  I also remember there being some information to this end in Tao of JKD as well.  

But then again, I haven't had the pleasure of studying JKD.


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## Brian R. VanCise (Feb 3, 2008)

Okay mentor has nudge so let's see if it get's back on topic. If not then an official warning/pm will be in order next.


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## turbo1975 (Feb 3, 2008)

Brian R. VanCise said:


> Okay mentor has nudge so let's see if it get's back on topic. If not then an official warning/pm will be in order next.


 
Thats cool, but I was just making a point.  Hope this adds to the discussion.

Guru Dan still teaches that Jun Fan is base training (set system)to guide an individual to *THEIR *Jeet Kune Do. I just heard him say it not more than a month ago.

Reference What is JKD?  By Dan Inosanto.  http://www.geocities.com/jkdinstructor/whatisjkd.html?20083


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## Xue Sheng (Feb 3, 2008)

I am in the process of re-reading "Tao of Jeet Kune Do" and I think it is not an American art but yet it is, I Know overly philosophical and confusing, but wait it gets worse, but it sounds to me like it is all arts and yet none of then




> For security, the ultimate living is turned into something dead, a chosen pattern that limits. To understand Jeet Kune Do, one ought to throw away all ideals, patterns, styles; in fact, he should throw away even the concepts of what is or isn't Jeet Kune Do. Can you look at a situation without naming it? Naming it, making it a word, causes fear.
> 
> From: Tao of Jeet Kune Do by Bruce Lee



I realize this is left to a lot of interpretation as it applies to the post topic but to me this is saying don&#8217;t waste your time trying to label it as anything



> Jeet Kune Do favors formlessness so it can assume all forms and since Jeet Kune Do has no style, it can fit in with all styles. As a result, Jeet Kune Do utilizes all ways and is bound by none, likewise, uses any technique or means which serve its end.
> 
> From: Tao of Jeet Kune Do by Bruce Lee



And here it has no style and fits all styles again name a style or an origin and it is form there and it is still its own style and from none of them. 

Basically it is just Jeet Kune Do


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## MJS (Feb 4, 2008)

*Attention All Users:*

Please take note of the General Posting rules which can be found here.  Lets do our best to keep the discussion on topic and civil and please refrain from personal shots at members.

Mike Slosek
MT Asst. Admin.


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## Xue Sheng (Feb 4, 2008)

Brian R. VanCise said:


> Okay mentor has nudge so let's see if it get's back on topic. If not then an official warning/pm will be in order next.


 


MJS said:


> *Attention All Users:*
> 
> Please take note of the General Posting rules which can be found here. Lets do our best to keep the discussion on topic and civil and please refrain from personal shots at members.
> 
> ...


 
OK, now I'm confused... I thought that is what I just did 

Sorry for the momentary off post but I just hate this deer in the headlights feeling.


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## geezer (Feb 4, 2008)

stone_dragone said:


> Although its roots lie in both Eastern and Western Martial Arts, would anyone who practices JKD consider it to be an "American" martial art?
> 
> I find many things on the internet claiming to be American Martial Arts, but it would seem that JKD is the model for most of these. Being created in America and first propagated here, could it be said that it is American (or at least started out that way)?
> 
> I am not a JKD practitioner, but just was wondering...


 
I'm not a JKD practitioner either, but looking at it from the outside, I'd like to suggest that maybe JKD is the first _Global Martial Art_.


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## joeygil (Feb 5, 2008)

arnisador said:


> I think many kicks are Savate- and Muay Thai-influenced?


 
Good point.  Definately the rear stop kick is taken from the coup de bas.  I've heard from several sources that Sijo Bruce Lee really liked it.

I'm not sure what other Savate kicks went into Jun Fan.  Everybody's got the fuoete (sp?) / lead roundhouse / lead hook kick / o'ou tek.  So that could have easily come from a kung fu system.  I don't see the chasse (sp?) / side kick in Jun Fan.  The high knee chamber position and footwork would give it away as Savate.

I think the only Muay Thai kick that went into OJKD/Jun Fan would probably be the rear o'ou tek / thay / rear round house / rear hook kick.  Most of the Muay Thai lead led kicks usually follow after a quick-switch / stance switch to make it effectively a rear kick.  A lot of people at the Inosanto Academy do that, but it's not taught that way in the Jun Fan class (they get it from the Muay Thai or MMA classes).

The Muay Thai elbows and knees differ structurally from the Jun Fan elbows and knees.  My guess is they come from the WC side.


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## Doc_Jude (Feb 5, 2008)

MA-Caver said:


> Though I still feel that JKD is more of a philosophy than an martial art it's teachings and techniques are among the finest.



That's what Dan Inosanto calls it. JKD Concept. Of course, Guro Inosanto is one of the only JKD instructors that doesn't depend on Bruce Lee to bolster his reputation. 

Bruce may have started with Wing Chun and then founded Jun Fan Kung Fu, but in the end, yes, I would say that JKD was an American art. America is a vast melting pot, as is JKD.


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## Doc_Jude (Feb 5, 2008)

ArmorOfGod said:


> The editors of Black Belt magazine picking a style to go into their invented hall of fame doesn't impress me or making something true.
> 
> AoG



I don't see how Black Belt Mag's Hall of Fame is more or less valid than another. All are contrived by man.


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## Andy Moynihan (Feb 5, 2008)

It was developed in America and Bruce was an American citizen, so the way I call it, it is. *shrug*


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