How many hours/wk of JKD instruction is needed?

[Hurdoc]

Hi all,

I would like to learn JKD but there is only one person in my area that teaches and he charges by the hour. I don't think his rates are bad, but regardless I cannot afford a large amount of hours. How many hours/week of JKD instruction is optimal in your experienced opinion? I'm not looking to become a world champion or anything, but I would like to be good at it. Thanks for the advice!

[Thai Bri]

Its quality, not quantity.

I reckon a good instructor could easily give you enough in one hour per week (or even fortnight), as long as you spent a good few high quality sessions practicing, either alone or with a TP.

[Serrada]

No, it depends on your MA experience. One hour twice a week at least for a beginner and lots of practice, so, two hours/week.

[Housty]

exactly, it´s the quality that counts.
My best advice to you is to make notes when you are with your instructor. Then when you are training in private you can always use these notes as reference material.

Understanding the "how and the why" is the most important aspect of your training.

[William Holland]

One thing that really helps you to progress and learn more from your lessons and practice sessions is to video tape and review them. This gives you feedback and helps you recall things that you might otherwise overlook.

In my opinion, a good rough rule of thumb is to practice two hours for every hour of teaching time. But . . . practice first for technical profiicency and proper execution before adding much in the way of speed, power etc.

Also, you should train with some feedback, on a heavy bag, speed bag, double end bag etc in order to incorporate the aspects of accuracey, timing, speed, rhythm, mobility, distance and power.

And if you can, train with a live partner to add the human aspect of aliveness.

Good luck.

William E. Holland II
"The Mongoose"

www.ijkda.com

[Housty]

Originally Posted by William Holland

In my opinion, a good rough rule of thumb is to practice two hours for every hour of teaching time. But . . . practice first for technical profiicency and proper execution before adding much in the way of speed, power etc.

Also, you should train with some feedback, on a heavy bag, speed bag, double end bag etc in order to incorporate the aspects of accuracey, timing, speed, rhythm, mobility, distance and power.

And if you can, train with a live partner to add the human aspect of aliveness.

Absolutely nothing wrong with this advice.
I have always found a Tennis ball tied to a string ( which is hanging from the ceiling ) a very good training tool.
Once you have given it the first jab you´ll quickly find out that it has "a mind of it´s own", then you can really get to work.

[CaliLion]

For me instructors are important for guidance, to make sure that all your actions are performed with correct structure. They also can give examples and explain the purpose of any action taken. I have also advanced in JKD through constant practice, weight training, and research on varying topics ( from JKD to Jogging.)

It's been said that you will fight as hard as you train. So your one hour session of hard training can equal another's 2 hour session of medicore training.

[robertlee]

If the training time is one on one private class. An hour per week will work. BUT you must train at home at least an hour per day. This lets you train your body in the training you recieved at class. A work out partener is a good way to develop your training. So find a friend that wants to learn and you will have a partner. By this you develop in skill and progress in learning.

[Jeremy Lobdell]

I believe, for what it's worth, that any type of MMA (jeet kun do) ect. requires a lot less instruction time than what a traditional martial art does. Traditional arts teach katas in one form or another and spends a lot of class time on warm ups and punching and kicking at the air. I try to train 10 hours for every 1 hour of instruction, more or less may be needed depending on the technique. Just because you can mimic a move doesn't mean you've learned it. It's taken me a long time to get some techniques down ( 5 years plus). Others have come almost instantly.

I just recently moved from the mainland to the Honolulu area. I now have the privlidge of being a student of Burton Richardson. I have been training for almost 25 years in one stlye of fighting or another and even though classes are only twice a week, I am realizing how much I really don't know.
I've had a really hard time with the cover that he teaches. I'm more used to the empty hand block, check , counter style(slap, pac, strike). Even though I prefer Burtons method to what I previousey used, and have practiced it thousands of times, it's still not an automatic reaction.

[jkdpracticioner]

I personally think JKD is more of a expression of yourself. So my advise would be to train with an instructor long enough until you feel comfortable with the techniques you have learned. And then devote time to train for what works for you. If you find one technique difficult, practice it in a way that is more comfortable to you. And also in a way that you will get maximum effectiveness from it using your physical capabilities as well. But train hard, and don't give up.

Good Luck,

William Velez-Rivera