# Wing Chun vs. JKD



## dmax999 (Feb 24, 2005)

When I took Wing Chun, it was really Wing Chun Do, which is Bruce Lee's version of Wing Chun.  While he studied under Yip Man directly he did not learn the entire system.  He came to America and modified it to work better for himself against larger Americans with boxing abilities.  Changes were made to chain punches and a lot more work was done on movement.

Now the rumor I heard about JKD is that he created it with built in flaws.  Reason being is he wanted good students with solid abilites that he could train himself against.  In addition he would be able to use his Wing Chun against what he taught JKD students to still beat them in a pinch if needed.  I was shown a couple of these weaknesses, but never took JKD classes to see if this is real.  Most of them have to do with the JKD person crossing their centerline and being easliy trapped.  JKD theory is to remove what doesn't work, so the theory is these weaknesses should now be gone.

My question, has anyone else ever heard of such a thing?  Or even other styles developed with built in weaknesses?  I thought the story was questionable, but the stuff I was shown looks valid against the little bit of JKD I've seen.

Any Wing Chun people out there ever spar JKD people and find it somewhat easy to win?


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## Mr_Scissors (Feb 25, 2005)

:bs: 

The first theory you're taught in JKD is proper use of the centerline. I've trained with and sparred with a lot of WC/WT people, and a lot of the technique is pretty similar. There is no "built in weakness". There are a lot of practitioners of many styles that are simply not good. 

Some so-called "JKD men" are just kickboxers who use a vertical fist position. Some of these people I've seen throw cross punches (in particular) straight ahead and off the center, that's just poor form, it's not an inherant flaw in Jun-Fan. 

This is not to say that we're glued to the center line like many WC/WT people. First we master it then we liberate ourselves from it's binding grasp. We learn to circle (like in Ba-Gua or Aikido) to remove the fight from the centerline or change the center's location mid-motion. Then we learn the triangle patterns of FMA and blend it all together.


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## dmax999 (Feb 25, 2005)

I looked on the official Wing Chun Do site after posting that.  I tend to now think the story was total BS.  Turns out they are not claiming that WCD was made by Bruce Lee at all, instead it was developed "from scratch" by James DeMile, a good friend of Bruce Lee's.  Never heard of his accomplishments except in reference as Bruce's friend.

There is a lot of people they blast on the site too, but they avoid names.  They explained how "some teachers" are not officially qualified to teach because they did not renew certification.  My old teacher is the one specified there.  They expected him to close his successful school and move back across the country, pay them thousands of dollars, and spend like 2 years back there to be certified in the changes they made.

After reading that and being through it at the time and knowing what really happened, I think WCD is now a load of BS.  Its just a few greedy guys getting every possible dollar they can from Bruce Lee's name.
Just makes me glad I moved on from it.


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## Cthulhu (Feb 25, 2005)

I don't know about 'good friend', but DeMile was a former student of Lee's as far as I know.  He never received any teaching certification from Lee either, which is probably the reason for him teaching his 'Wing Chun Do', which is an odd mixture of Chinese and Japanese terminology.

 Cthulhu


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## dmax999 (Feb 26, 2005)

Just as a side note, so you all can see the stuff told to me when I was taking it.

http://www.wingchundo.com/default.cfm/PID=1.1.3

Right from the Wing Chun Do web site history page.  Explains why they think Jun Fan and JKD is inferior.  Of course they have no evidence or proven track record with WCD, just claims that they are right and everyone else is wrong.


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## Wing_Chun_Bob (Apr 17, 2005)

Yea the Wing Chun do, is a alright style, btw thats what bruce actually used in a pinch was wing chun do, James Demile had some part learning it, not creating it...he got his certificates yes but like it says he "developed it" by adding some useless techniques, because i train under wing chun tao which is what bruce originally taught, not Demiles sham of bruces name. Also he discredited my Sifu because he stayed to what Bruce originally taugh saying the style is infiror...


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## MA-Caver (Apr 17, 2005)

I read this and recall the dozens of threads that are either devoted or even mention Lee... I smile and think about how he'd feel if he really knew just how BIG of an influence he's had on MA and how people still (near) revere him as one of the finest MA-ists known in the 20th century and beyond. 
If he only knew... I'd suspect he'd been a lot more careful with his health in the last few months of his life. 
What a guy huh? 

On with the topic... 
 :asian:


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