Functional JKD

[HybriDD1]

I hear a lot of guys saying Matt Thornton has no business calling his "style" Functional JKD. I know he trained with some top grapplers and boxers. Anyone know if he has any background in OJKD or JKDC?

[Calv1n]

From my knowledge I believe he trained with Thomas Cruise and Paul Vunak and received a Phase One Cert from them, I don’t know what else he has done in that arena though. I train in Portland at Straightblast, (mostly doing BJJ) he’s a cool guy and I know you would learn a lot training with him, if that was the intention of your inquiry.

[MMA Apostate]

Hey Calv1n,
I'm from P-town too. Have you ever competed in the FCFF?

[HERQ454]

Yeah,he was training and teaching under the concepts side of things.

[Calv1n]

No I never have....have you?

[fenwick99]

He has his opinions, but I dare say that his method is better than most of what is out there. And the guy trained with Randy Couture!
Is it jkd? Well, the estate of Bruce Lee has done something that Bruce himself should have done in 1967, and that is to take control of jun fan, jeet kune and other terms. So you can write them and see what they think of Mr. Thornton. My understanding is that thornton in very mma-oriented and that he dislikes traditional wing chun and fma sensitivity training. Many would say that at this point in history anything "Couture" supercedes jkd. My view is, both/and is better than either/or. I could learn a little something from even the most rigid taekwondo sabumnim out there, if I was willing to put aside my biases and try to learn.

[MMA Apostate]

Originally Posted by Calv1n

No I never have....have you?

Yeah. Rumble Number 11 against Horwich. I didn't win. In the long run it was a good thing. I learned more from that loss than if I would have won. It helped me get my priorities straight and back on track in why I took up martial arts to begin with.

Do you plan on competing?

[doubleouch]

The term JKD is never used around Matt's gym. It never comes up. Neither does Bruce Lee or any of that. I've never heard it. The new DVD is called Functional JKD3 though. Probably only because it's a continuation of the series.

[gungfuhero]

SBG doctrine/materials seem to be mostly aimed at JKD forums (not limited to internet forums, but the more general use of the word). Even if the camp claims they are not interested in JKD, they have certainly used the culture to further their agenda.

[MMA Apostate]

Originally Posted by gungfuhero

SBG doctrine/materials seem to be mostly aimed at JKD forums (not limited to internet forums, but the more general use of the word). Even if the camp claims they are not interested in JKD, they have certainly used the culture to further their agenda.

It's a good marketing net to cast out there to catch those who are inspired by Bruce Lee and want to learn to fight but still don't know the difference between Jun Fan JKD, JKD concepts, and MMA. IMHO.

[doubleouch]

Originally Posted by gungfuhero

SBG doctrine/materials seem to be mostly aimed at JKD forums (not limited to internet forums, but the more general use of the word). Even if the camp claims they are not interested in JKD, they have certainly used the culture to further their agenda.

Most of the sales of the newer stuff come from mma type gyms and not jkd gyms. Ask around. You'll see it's true. If you knew Matt you'd know he's the first person to say he is no business man and certainly not a marketing expert. He used the term JKD because he truly believes that is what he's doing.

[MMA Apostate]

Originally Posted by doubleouch

Most of the sales of the newer stuff come from mma type gyms and not jkd gyms. Ask around. You'll see it's true. If you knew Matt you'd know he's the first person to say he is no business man and certainly not a marketing expert. He used the term JKD because he truly believes that is what he's doing.

Yes, Matt's as innocent as a little kitten. All he ever wanted to do was to teach people mixed martial arts oh...uh..I mean JKD. You know, the way of the intercepting fist. It just so happens that Matt lives in America where he has been forced to embrace capitalism full on if he wished to ever teach someone to do a take down, or throw a punch. It was never his idea to open several business, have several books go to print, and have an online store. He has been forced to do these things, and luckily enough Matt's a good guesser when he submits new things to the market place, because he's no business man. He has no clue what he is duing if it envolves anything else but fighting.

Yeah, so this is my sarcastic way of disagreeing with your statement. Sorry if my rant went a little too long.

[Troll Virus]

Originally Posted by MMA Apostate

Yes, Matt's as innocent as a little kitten. All he ever wanted to do was to teach people mixed martial arts oh...uh..I mean JKD. You know, the way of the intercepting fist. It just so happens that Matt lives in America where he has been forced to embrace capitalism full on if he wished to ever teach someone to do a take down, or throw a punch. It was never his idea to open several business, have several books go to print, and have an online store. He has been forced to do these things, and luckily enough Matt's a good guesser when he submits new things to the market place, because he's no business man. He has no clue what he is duing if it envolves anything else but fighting.

Yeah, so this is my sarcastic way of disagreeing with your statement. Sorry if my rant went a little too long.

LOL. Just spat out my coffee.
Cleaned it up an a truly 'ALIVENESS' manner though.

[Thai Bri]

I am very interested in the way JKD split after the death of Bruce Lee. Inosanto was seen as a natural successor.... and he ALREADY had a tremendous background in FMA. So guess which way he went!

And others just tried to cling onto the things Bruce taught them when he trained 'em, no matter how much Bruce moved on after he'd moved away from them.

I think that there is a good case to say the Matt Thornton's of this world have probably kept the JKD spirit alive (pardon the pun) better than either of the above mentioned camps - he's looked around, experimented and continued to develop people as fighters, rather than drillers and/or copycats.

[MMA Apostate]

Bruce Lee followed certain ideals and concepts in order to craft himself into a great fighter. He called his personaly crafted expression of martial arts Jeet Kune Do (JKD)

Dan Inosanto followed Bruce in applying the same ideals and concepts to develop himself as a great fighter. Dan's art is not JKD because that was Bruce's personal expression.

Matt Thorton followed Bruce's ideals and concepts to become a great fighter. Like Bruce, Matt has his own personal way of fighting. Once again, it can not be called JKD because that was Bruce's personal way of fighting. However, Matt, for marketing reasons, applies that he is teaching Bruce's personal way of fighting (JKD) just with a twist. When that is not the case. And I'm willing to bet Matt knows that.

Besides Thai Bri my comment that you wished to comment on was just me critiqeing doubleouch's claim that Matt is not a business man nor a marketing expert when he clearly is.

I don't know if you want to start that old debate of what JKD is and hopefully get everyone chiming in and causing a fuss. It doesn't matter because the point will always remain true. Matt Thorton does not teach Bruce Lee's personal expression of martial arts.(Jeet Kune Do, JKD) Matt teaches others his personal expression of martial arts that he got from following Bruce's ideals and concepts. So if anything, Matt should be calling his expression something else, not banking on what all those people in the early 90's did, and taking the easyway out in declaring himself as being a Jeet Kune Do instructor. Matt should be willing to let his expression of martial arts stand the scrutiny/praise of others by standing by itself instead of hiding behind the name JKD. That doesn't mean that Matt shouldn't espouse others to use Bruce's ideals and concepts to better themselves. He just shouldn't bank on a name that's not his personal expression of martial arts.

Are we clear?