texas jkd, 6th level black sash?

[jm1978]

There is a guy in TX who calls himself "Shihan" and
who claims a 6th level black sash in JKD. I understand
that Bruce was 8, Taky was 5, Dan was 3, and a few others were 2 or 1.
No one had a 6. Shihan whoever was a Gary Dill student, and Dill may have his own ranking system. I don;t think someone should be claiming a standard gugnfu sash rank in Jeet Kune Do. Call it American wushu or something else.
Next thing you know 9-y/o kids will be orange belts or purple belts in "JKD"

[Paco]

What a crock of s**t... Even if a teacher has skills, he shouldn't pander with lineages he doesn't have. I read this and I remembered one time in Puerto Rico I met a guy from Kentucky who said he studied BBJ with one of the Gracie brothers who had a school in Kentucky. As far as I know there are no Gracie brothers living or teaching there. I asked the name of the teacher and the guy said his teacher was "John Gracie." I said I never heard of any brother named John and he said that oh no, he was in fact one of their brothers, and his dojo was covered with their pictures to prove it!

[Paco]

BTW, his style probably WAS BBJ (whatever that means...) I KNOW it wasn't BJJ!

[Michael Wright]

Originally Posted by jm1978

Next thing you know 9-y/o kids will be orange belts or purple belts in "JKD"

....they already are. Belt systems and coloured grades in JKD are prevalent in many schools I have seen.

[Michael Wright]

Originally Posted by Paco

What a crock of s**t...

To be honest its all a crock of shit.

Bruce Lee made up his own grades, in his own system, and changed the name and rank of them all the time. Hardly a firm blueprint of clear instruction for those to follow.

Pretty much all the JKD organisations I have seen have their own way of expressing grades, you could argue that each one is just as worthwhile or just as worthless as each other.

Certification is just a paper trail that in one sense, when well structured, can show at least some form of genuine lineage and training background. But it is not, by any means, to be taken as an indication of real ability or experience.

Take someone like Mike Brewer. I know, for a fact, that Mike has spent a hundred times the amount of time under Guro Inosanto than I have, yet I have certificates on the wall and he doesn't, because thats just not Mike's thing, he's too busy applying his art. I also know for a fact that Mike has spent a thousand times the amount of time under Paul Vunak that I have, I have the paper on the wall and Mike chose not to hang his paper on the wall.

On paper people may say I'm the man. Having stood in front of Mike, I know he is. There are those that do, those that have paper saying they do, and those who maybe have both. The only way you find out is to stand in front of them.

[fire cobra]

Nice Honest post Michael.

[John McNabney]

The only way you find out is to stand in front of them.


Word! I*_*I

JM