Jkd? Or Mma?

[Yung Apprentice]

Hi there. I had been training JKD for a couple months but recently lost my job, and have no money for it. But thats neither here, nor there. Anyways, at the school I learned at, once a week another teacher came in and taught BJJ to us. Which was pretty neat. My question is, since the essence of JKD is to research and find out what is usefull to YOU, and throw out what is not, couldn't mixed martial artists be considered practioners of JKD?

[Kempo Guy]

YES

[bonetone]

JKD is a philosophy, not a system. If mma are following the principles of JKD then they could be considered as doing JkD.

[Yung Apprentice]

But isn't that the main principle? To research and find out what is usefull to YOU, and throw out what is not? And isn't that what they are doing?

[HuangKaiVun]

Come by my school, Yung Apprentice.

I'm in Phoenix, so that's not all that far from you. I'd love to show you OUR kung fu style, which is essentially old-school combat kung fu done with a MMA twist.

Maybe I can even help you find employment out here.

[Yung Apprentice]

I was born in Mesa, and lived in Phoenix when I was young. The school I go is like that too. Old school style combat, with a MMA twist, but I would love to visit your school one day.

[HuangKaiVun]

What school was that?

I am familiar with most of the schools out in Mesa, having visited quite a few of them.

My school is located at the cross streets of Warner and Dobson Roads, southwest corner. We're next to C-Fu Gourmet and Peruanitos, both of which you may have heard of. "Huang's Kung Fu Academy" is the name, and come by at night.

My student, who used to work in the local "Karate Mart", told me that the schools that survive in Phoenix are the MMA schools like mine (though nominally we're a traditional kung fu school).

I really look forward to meeting you, Yung Apprentice. Come HOME to the Valley!

[Yung Apprentice]

I would like to meet you too. You seem to have a lot of insight on combat. I haven't been to Mesa, or Phoenix in quite a while. !6 years at least. The school I was reffering too, is a school here in Las Vegas. The sifu is Jack Soiderberg, and his school is Create, Develop, and Flow.

I probably wouldn't be able to meet until next year, unfortunately. I'm joining the Marines in November (going to be a reserve) and I'm going to be spending a lot of time with family before then. I'll be in Mexico City, next week, until the end of September. Then in the begining of October, I'll be in Baltimore.

[HuangKaiVun]

Good luck in the Marines.

Their hand to hand training is absolutely first class, and I've experienced quite a bit of it first hand. You probably won't find much out there in the civilian world that's better than what they teach you in the Marines.

I've got at least one student going to the Marines too, a big guy by the name of "Joe". If you run into a tall 6'2" white guy who kicks like a horse and regularly practices Taijiquan and Seng Men, that's MY guy.

The thing that's different between Marine fu and civilian fu is that military guys have a lot more emphasis on stalking and ambush than we defensive-minded civilians do. Also, we in the civilian world have to practice far more restraint given the legal climate.

But if you ever get the chance next year, do come by. Thanks for the compliments and don't let the Marines get to you. They're just trying to toughen you up, so roll with the punches and look forward in life.

[Yung Apprentice]

Thanks for the encouragment! I'm looking forward to becoming a Marine. I have a couple friends who already are, and I pretty much already know what is expected at boot. I'm also looking forward to training in the Marine Martial arts. From what I hear, they do a lot of grappling, using lots of bjj and judo.

My sifu happens to be an ex marine. There is a lot of conditioning, in his school. And a LOT of sparring. Almost no forms, except with weapons. I like his school a lot, took me a while to find a school that I thought was serious about learning combat. All of his advanced students look like they could hold their own in the UFC, lol!

I mentioned his name, becuase, your school and his, seem to have a lot of similarities. (of course they are both JKD!) Thought, maybe you had heard of him.

[Ford Prefect]

Not really. MMA has become a style in itself much like boxing now. I've trained both and there is quite a bit of overlap technique-wise, but the fundamental strategies are completely different.