Bruce & Kajukenbo?

[Motion]

http://www.empower-usa.com/kajukenbo_karate.html

Was Bruce ever known to have checked out this art? It's probably one of the first arts to touch on the different ranges of fighting. So I was wondering if Bruce ever came across it?
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Kajukenbo is the first truly American karate system, having been founded in what was then the U.S. territory of Hawaii. In 1947, 5 Hawaiian martial arts Masters, calling themselves the "Black Belt Society" started on a project to develop a comprehensive self-defense system...

[Arron Grammond]

I doubt it, but Kajukembo didn't have a problem addopting Bruce's methods.

[aseepish]

I don't know about Kajukenbo, but Bruce's contact with American Kenpo's Ed Parker is well known.

[BB Wolf]

Bruce did have some contact with Sijo Charles Gaylord back in the early '60's. Gaylord was one of the people to bring Kajukenbo to the mainland. How much they trained together and how much influence Kajukenbo had on Bruce, I can't say. However, I have seen a picture of Bruce and Charles Gaylord together.

[Britt]

You have a good eye. Kajukenbo and Jeet Kune Do have different training methods, but the goal is very similar: a realistic approach to fighting at all ranges that is open to innovation and individualism. Sifu Richard Bustillo studied Kajukenbo with Professor Sid Asuncion in Honolulu during high school before he moved to the mainland and met Sijo Lee.

A lot of the West Coast guys knew each other from either the Ed Parker Internationals or from Hollywood. Bruce Lee was either friendly with or had a passing aquaintance with several of Kajukenbo's grandmasters: Professor Sam Allred, who brought kajukenbo to Mexico; Sifu Al Dascasos, founder of the Wun Hop Kuen Do branch of Kajukenbo, Grandmaster Bill Ryusaki, who was on "the Green Hornet," "Hawaii 5-0," and "Wild Wild West" with Bruce; Grandmaster Sonny Gascon, founder of Karazenpo Go Shinjitsu (Grandmaster Gascon was also the guy who took the famous 8mm film of Bruce Lee's demonstration at the Longbeach Championships); Augung Tony Ramos; and Sijo Gaylord, as BB Wolf stated. There were probably a few others.

As far as whether it had any influence on JKD, no telling. My guess (and that's all that it is) is that Lee was probably aware that there were other arts like Kajukenbo that were moving in the same direction that he was and that shared the same goals, but that he still felt that he had a unique vehicle for the personal expression of the martial arts with Jeet Kune Do.

[Britt]

Here's something more I ran across from Augung Tony Ramos' biography:

"Also in 1969, Augung Ramos trained with and exchanged ideas and methods with Bruce Lee. They worked together on street fighting and defense against multiple attackers. Lee once told Augung that he really did like Kajukenbo because it was 'strong and hard', but he (Augung) 'should take my advice, a punch is a punch and a kick is a kick. Without definition there is no punch or kick.' "

So, there's that.

[thtackett]

Richard Bustillo was a Kajukenpo student before he started with Bruce. I think he might have been a black belt. Except for Ted Wong everyone had previous training.

[Britt]

Originally Posted by thtackett

Richard Bustillo was a Kajukenpo student before he started with Bruce. I think he might have been a black belt. Except for Ted Wong everyone had previous training.

Speaking of Kajukenbo and Jeet Kune Do...I think I saw something about you teaching a JKD seminar at Dean Goldade's in July, Sifu.

I have a friend who's moving to Austin that I'm trying to convince to check out his school. I don't know him personally, but everyone I know who knows him speaks highly of him.

[thtackett]

I'll be at Dean's in July. Dean's a great guy and teacher. I hope to see your friend in July.
Tim

[Jgor]

There was a fairly significant relationship between Bruce and the Kajukenbo community in the San Francisco Bay Area. According to the late John Wong, who at the time was the administrator for Kajukenbo on the mainland, Emperado put out word for his black belts to go work out with Bruce at the Oakland school. John, Tony Ramos and other instructors of that era did in fact cross-train with Bruce, as well as others such as Wally Jay, Sid Campbell and more.

[Joe Hubbard]

Dean Goldade is hard as nails and extremely knowledgeable. I would highly recommend him.

Mixed Martial Arts, MMA, Karate Classes, Martial Arts, U.S. Karate, Georgetown Texas - Staff


Joe

[Jgor]

I checked out Sifu Goldade's link. Interesting synchronicity; I go to a monthly clinic at Wally Jay's in Alameda and Max Pallen was my practice partner this past Saturday.

[fenwick99]

BL trained with many kenpo guys- Parker, Castro, the Tracys, etc.
Inosanto and most of the LA group were ex-Parker black belts.
Since kaju is a variation of kenpo,
I have no reason to think BL did not cross paths with some of Sigung Emperado's
students. One can only imagine the conversations Lee and Sigung are having now
in that
great kwoon in the sky!