Certified under Dr. Jerry Beasley?

[Aikia]

Dear White Dragon,
In Jan of 2007 Dave Cater at Inside Kung Fu magazine asked me to write a book on JKD. That book is now available from Unique publications . The title is "JKD: High-Risk Sparring". Look for it.
And White Dragon, chill out on the "I hate Jerry Beasely" concept. I am not a bad guy. Come to RU and meet me. See why I was voted "Instructor of the Year 2000" by readers of Black Belt magazine and inducted into the Black Belt magazine Hall of Fame.
Jerry Beasley
www.aikia.net

[San Soo Sifu]

In January of 2007 Dave Cater at Inside Kung Fu magazine asked me to write a book on JKD. That book will be available from Unique publications before Christmas 2007. The title is "JKD: High-Risk Sparring."

Dear Dr. Jerry Beasley,
Can you describe the thesis of your book with the rest of us? (Without you giving away too much, of course.)

[Aikia]

"I believe you had no business making Jun Fan/JKD video's in the first place Aikia, along with the Ninjitsu gig you tried in the early 80's; it is safe to assume your credibility is almost as bad George W. Bush's. If it is acceptable for someone to write articles' and make videos' on systems they have never trained in I could have instructional DVD's out on White Crane System, Wing Tsun and ..."
White Dragon

My Dear White dragon,
If you had any idea how many people 'tried out' for the opportunity to make the Panther JKD video series that I won you would have a different feeling. Paul Vunak made the first series in 1989. My series came out in 1997. Joe Jennings (owner of panther) turned down offer after offer before contacting me to send him a test video. He immediately accepted my application because of my high level of skill at both teaching and performing martial arts. My expectation was to perform a JKD kickboxing series showing how fighters could add JKD inspired full contact training to their martial arts practice. Could you have instructional videos yourself? Maybe. But only a select few have the goods to be paid by a producer to make a professional series that would be marketed nationally.

As I pointed out I did train in jeet kune do. I just never developed a desire to be a teacher of JKD. Here's some quotes for you:
"Jerry,
Thanks for all your work in jeet kune do"
Larry hartsell

"Jerry,
It is my pleasure to know you. I really appreciate your work in jeet kune do"
Ted Wong

" Jerry,
I am not just telling you this. Right now I am speaking from my heart. That's the best article I've ever read by a person outside the clan. No one has ever seen that."
Dan Inosanto

"Two of the biggest names in the JKD universe are Jerry Beasley and Paul Vunak. Although they did not train directly under Bruce Lee they certainly have some valuable knowledge to offer."
Sara Fogan, editor Black Belt magazine

Writing about Dan Inosanto from his book "Dan Inosanto: The Man, the teacher, the Artist" author Perry Kelly writes " In addition former students Larry Hartsell, Jeff Imada, Jerry Beasley, Chris Kent, Tim Tackett, Paul Vunak..." p.129

Sounds like a lot of people identify me as a proponent of JKD. You need to get free of that hostility. As I said if you had any idea about how many people tried out to become an artist for Panther video under the JKD section you would understand just what an accomplishment that video series was. It is still a best seller. The DRB JKD video series is about JKD sparring. If you truly understand what it means when I say JKD is bound by no art but may be expressed in many arts you could understand why I was selected among the many who auditioned or were considered for the part of JKD video artist.
I don't usually toot my own horn but as I just went back and actually read your post it seems you are have a grudge for some reason. So rest assured, no worries mate!
JB

[Knifefighter]

Due to a lawsuit, these days, I'm pretty sure no one can legally use the name JKD or Jun Fun in martial arts teaching unless it has been OK'ed by the the Bruce Lee Foundation that Linda Lee runs.

I believe Inosanto's school no longer lists Jeet Kune Do or Jun Fan as part of its curriculum.

[Aikia]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Aikia
In January of 2007 Dave Cater at Inside Kung Fu magazine asked me to write a book on JKD. That book will be available from Unique publications before Christmas 2007. The title is "JKD: High-Risk Sparring."

Dear Dr. Jerry Beasley,
Can you describe the thesis of your book with the rest of us? (Without you giving away too much, of course.)

SanSooSifu,
Bruce Lee felt that sparring was the most usefull way to practice and apply a martial art. In the summer of 1967 Bruce created the art of jeet kune do. Bruce taught the jeet kune do style kicks, the JKD style punches, JKD footwork, JKD drills etc. Then in Jan 1970 Bruce contacted Dan and Taky and told them to close the JKD schools and not to teach an art and call it jeet kune do. After 1970 JKD became not Bruce Lee's art but Bruce Lee's philosophy about martial arts. There are two distinctly different versions of jeet kune do. There is the JKD style taught from roughly late 1967 through the end of 1969. People like Ted Wong and Jerry Poteet ( and most other Original Bruce Lee Students/OBLS) continue to teach the "Original" style of JKD. The Bruce Lee (Family)Foundation promotes the Original JKD identified as Bruce Lee's style of martial arts. The BLF and the Inosanto Academy use the term "Jun Fan" to identify the art/style of JKD as it was developed, practiced and taught by Bruce "Jun Fan" Lee between 1967 and 1969.
My book is not about the style of JKD I refer to as "Original JKD". I am more interested in why Bruce abandoned the concept of style. It was after 1970 that Bruce wrote "I have not created a new style". This is what confuses people. There is a JKD style and there is a post-1970 "no way as way" version of JKD. The two are polar opposites yet both are historically JKD.
In sparring you are free to fully express yourself, use any art that works. And after you master sparring you understand that your personal expression is free of any style requirements. My thesis is that not just any form of sparring leads to JKD expression. Only what I term "High-risk sparring" will lead you along the path to achieve the void/ the empty circle/JKD. In the book I explain how to go about creating a high-risk sparring environment to experience the freedom of expression that is JKD.
JB

[Aikia]

The BLF has trademarked the name "Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do". They were unable to control the name jeet kune do since it has been used with abandonment for over 30 years. The BLF also controls the likeness of Bruce Lee in any pictures etc.
I hope I have answered my critics in stating that I see my role in JKD as that of writer and at one time, promoter of the now famous OJKD camps (1993-1998).
I do not certify or teach instructors of JKD. So if someone claims to be certified in JKD under me you know that they are just pulling your leg.
Jerry Beasley
www.aikia.net