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Davidc316 · 03-04-2003, 01:22 PM

For akja-

Ok, it sounds like you've came out with a great example of someone for whom the video route would be a good thing.

But as you pointed out, the whole problem is the fact that although there may be a handful of genuinely talented and sincere practitioners gaining certificates this way, the whole system is wide open to corruption.

I would be very interested to know what percentage of people who pay their fees and go down the video route actually get turned down and told "sorry Mr, but you're not good enough."

I suspect that hardly anyone ever has these problems!

The case of Jeet Kune Do is, I think, a very unique and yet a very sad story. There is every reason for JKD to become the worlds most popular martial art. It has a lot going for it (not least its' association with Bruce Lee!) and there are a lot of things that separate JKD from most other martial arts. But unfortunately, the world of JKD of plagued with internal political wrangling. Not only that, to make matters even worse there is an ever increasing new generation of video-taught instructors who are on the scene, ruthlessly cashing in on Bruce Lee's name.

As a result of all of this, the JKD world is suffering enormously. There is, as yet, no single undisputed JKD governing body. Nobody can agree on who should make the ultimate decisions about how JKD should be taught. The entire JKD scene has became a chaotic free for all! This is a shame cos there are certainly some very hard working and talented instructor's out there- as I suspect yours is. The trouble is that all the good JKD instructors are being drowned admist all the bullshit that's been left behind from the phonies.

The other day I was talking on this very forum to a person who is (I think) going down the video route and who is due to be "tested" to see if he can get his JKD instructor's certificate. I asked this person a question about Kali (does it not concern him that there is very little documented evidence that Bruce Lee studied Kali for any great period of time?). Anyway, the guy's response was to say that he does not "give a shit about what Bruce Lee did or didn't study".

So, in other words, this person is clearly going to base his entire Jeet Kune Do career of nothing more than a few vague philosophical principles that are mentioned in the Tao of Jeet Kune Do. To him, Jeet Kune Do is little more than a licence to learn lots of different styles of martial arts. This is SHOCKING, it is SAD and I am absolutely certain that it is not what Bruce Lee would have wanted when he created Jeet Kune Do.

I've noticed one or two people in this forum slagging Karate. Now, I'm not a Karate guy and I don't want to become involved in that dispute, but I will say is this- the Karate people must gloat with delight when they see what a disorganised mess the world of JKD has become. I mean, for all the faults of Karate AT LEAST they have structure. At least they have unified governing bodies (for the various branches of Karate). At least they have disipline! The JKD world currently has none of these things.

As we speak there must be over a hundred Karate clubs for every Jeet Kune Do club. That's a very conseravtive estimate, and it's not surprizing when we consider the mess that the JKD world is currently in.

And yet, as you read this, there are hundreds of kids all over the world learning Kali, Escrima and Savate under the false pretense that they are learning "Bruce Lee's martial art".

I think the whole thing is very sad and if some order isn't restored soon, then I fear that Jeet Kune Do (as created by Bruce Lee) will be diluted out of existance within the next 50 years.

Just my opinion,

David

03-04-2003, 01:22 PM	#8 (permalink)
Davidc316 Novice Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Scotland Posts: 46 Groans: 0 Groaned at 0 Times in 0 Posts	For akja- Ok, it sounds like you've came out with a great example of someone for whom the video route would be a good thing. But as you pointed out, the whole problem is the fact that although there may be a handful of genuinely talented and sincere practitioners gaining certificates this way, the whole system is wide open to corruption. I would be very interested to know what percentage of people who pay their fees and go down the video route actually get turned down and told "sorry Mr, but you're not good enough." I suspect that hardly anyone ever has these problems! The case of Jeet Kune Do is, I think, a very unique and yet a very sad story. There is every reason for JKD to become the worlds most popular martial art. It has a lot going for it (not least its' association with Bruce Lee!) and there are a lot of things that separate JKD from most other martial arts. But unfortunately, the world of JKD of plagued with internal political wrangling. Not only that, to make matters even worse there is an ever increasing new generation of video-taught instructors who are on the scene, ruthlessly cashing in on Bruce Lee's name. As a result of all of this, the JKD world is suffering enormously. There is, as yet, no single undisputed JKD governing body. Nobody can agree on who should make the ultimate decisions about how JKD should be taught. The entire JKD scene has became a chaotic free for all! This is a shame cos there are certainly some very hard working and talented instructor's out there- as I suspect yours is. The trouble is that all the good JKD instructors are being drowned admist all the bullshit that's been left behind from the phonies. The other day I was talking on this very forum to a person who is (I think) going down the video route and who is due to be "tested" to see if he can get his JKD instructor's certificate. I asked this person a question about Kali (does it not concern him that there is very little documented evidence that Bruce Lee studied Kali for any great period of time?). Anyway, the guy's response was to say that he does not "give a shit about what Bruce Lee did or didn't study". So, in other words, this person is clearly going to base his entire Jeet Kune Do career of nothing more than a few vague philosophical principles that are mentioned in the Tao of Jeet Kune Do. To him, Jeet Kune Do is little more than a licence to learn lots of different styles of martial arts. This is SHOCKING, it is SAD and I am absolutely certain that it is not what Bruce Lee would have wanted when he created Jeet Kune Do. I've noticed one or two people in this forum slagging Karate. Now, I'm not a Karate guy and I don't want to become involved in that dispute, but I will say is this- the Karate people must gloat with delight when they see what a disorganised mess the world of JKD has become. I mean, for all the faults of Karate AT LEAST they have structure. At least they have unified governing bodies (for the various branches of Karate). At least they have disipline! The JKD world currently has none of these things. As we speak there must be over a hundred Karate clubs for every Jeet Kune Do club. That's a very conseravtive estimate, and it's not surprizing when we consider the mess that the JKD world is currently in. And yet, as you read this, there are hundreds of kids all over the world learning Kali, Escrima and Savate under the false pretense that they are learning "Bruce Lee's martial art". I think the whole thing is very sad and if some order isn't restored soon, then I fear that Jeet Kune Do (as created by Bruce Lee) will be diluted out of existance within the next 50 years. Just my opinion, David __________________ Please visit my website at www.bruceleecentral.com. -It took me ages! Last edited by Davidc316; 03-04-2003 at 01:28 PM.