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frosh2786
03-03-2001, 05:10 AM
why do you all take JKD? i just wnat a few reasons why people like it...whats good about it pros cons...and also is there anything i need to buy for training? a kung fu uniform? thanks!

edward
03-05-2001, 05:05 PM
its wing chun lite, or a very watered down version of wing chun.

why people take it.. they want to be like bruce

apoweyn
03-05-2001, 08:23 PM
Edward,

That's just silly.

JKD is becoming a more and more generic term all the time, in my opinion. "Original JKD" certainly had strong ties to wing chun. The quality of that "modified wing chun" is unknown to me. But to discount it solely because of your own allegiance to true wing chun is just small minded.

As for "JKD Concepts", the influence of wing chun depends on the practitioner, in my limited experience.

Back to the actual thread though. My personal opinion is that the perceived freedom of JKD appeals to people. I emphasize the word "perceived" because I'm not sure that you have to be in JKD to "free yourself" from more solidified systems. In some cases, JKD has become as solidified as any other. But the theory, anyway, is to put aside the idea of an institution and to encourage freedom in thought and movement. Right?

Well, that's an inherently appealing notion in theory. To me, at any rate.

To other people, the perceived efficiency and realism of it is appealing. Once again, I emphasize "perceived" because it depends largely on the people involved.

Just my thoughts. Truth be told, I don't really consider myself a JKD practitioner. Though one of my teachers is from the Inosanto lineage. So there certainly was a time when I was more heavily vested in JKD. Now, I regard myself as a mutt, though not really in the JKD vein.

Daedalus
03-05-2001, 11:51 PM
I study JKD because I don't like the idea of blindly following someone else who is attempting to tell me what my truth in combat is.

JKD provides me with an acceptable method of training that allows me to absorb what I will from where ever I see value without having to defend my decision to anyone.

If you try to change and adapt some traditional styles to make them more effective, you're viewed as a heretic. Under the title of Jeet Kune Do, you can change anything that you want without having to answer to anyone but yourself.

JKD is freedom from the classical mess. And the politics!

apoweyn
03-06-2001, 12:59 AM
Daedelus,

Ideally, I agree with you. Though I think an argument can be made that JKD is quite political too. Arguments between Original and Concepts, who's certified by who, would Bruce have supported this, and so on. I don't think JKD is totally free of dogma at this point.

But basically, I agree with you. That's the appeal. Freedom.

I think a lot of other styles and practitioners are following that same idea now, in spirit if not in name. Being labeled as a "heretic" is still a possibility in some schools, I suppose. But I see a lot more TKD schools, for example, willing to incorporate grappling now. Kung fu adopted some training concepts from kickboxing. MMA competitors constantly "absorb what is useful." Etc.

So even for those not training specifically in JKD, the ideas of freedom, experimentation, and practicality engendered in part by that style have taken a real foothold.

Stuart

rogue
03-09-2001, 07:41 AM
Why I took it is like Daedalus said.
Why I left it, is because the opposite was true.

Kymus
03-15-2001, 04:21 PM
I started taking JKD because my father studied under the same Sifu years ago. I like it because it has taught me alot about the mechanics to be used in a fight. It's well rounded and is good for quick people like me. It covers different ranges and ground tactics. I think JKD helps teach someone to never stop learning and to keep an open mind to all systems.

-Kymus