Review of Teri Tom's book...

[Jujujason]

As for flowing from art to art in a fight, I would like to ask Ms Tom how many fights she's been in, what if anything she's competed in and how many arts and teachers has she studied with? Over the last 28 yrs, I've studied under 19 teachers/coaches, attained instructor credentials in 6 arts (jun fan, kali, silat, Inosanto blend, CSW, and muay Thai), attained intermediate ranks in 2 more (savate and Brazilian jiu jitsu) and dabbled in 5 more (tkd, boxing, judo, shooto and wing chun). I've been in a handful of fights and competed in boxing, savate, shooto, mma, submission wrestling and judo. I would argue that in both a fight and in competition, that one does flow from range to range and art to art depending on one's training and experience.

[Jujujason]

Pages 115-123 of the Tao detail grappling methods derived from wrestling, judo, jujitsu and aikido. Hmm...On page 169, paragraph 1 of Ms Tom's book she states, "In fact, nowhere in Bruce Lee's private notes will you find an in-depth analysis of any arts other than Western fencing and boxing, and in earlier years, Wing Chun." To my count, that's 19 pages of in depth analysis of kicking and grappling arts.

I'm sure that the majority of sijo Bruce's notes detailed boxing and the straight lead so much because there simply wasn't the wealth of information (books, video/dvd, internet) that there is today. Had he lived, his notes would probably have borrowed heavily from Kid Peligro's books.

If I was you guys (OJKD), I would spend a little less time mastering the position of my dominant hand in the straight lead and start learning and perfecting my defense against a straight arm bar or sprawling against the double leg takedown.

[Jujujason]

Page 88 of the Tao details 'Study kicking while a man is down:', this must come from the art of streetfighting.

[Jujujason]

The verb 'research' can mean many things to many people.

[Jujujason]

As for the 27 art debate, we in the concepts camp believe that sijo Bruce did research many arts on his path to JKD, not just wing chun, boxing and fencing. Pgs 76-88 of The Tao of JKD detail kicking methods to include references from savate and muay Thai. Boxing and fencing have NO kicking methods and pre-1970's wing chun employed only the front thrust kick to the low line. All of sijo Bruce's methods had to have come from savate, muay Thai, exchanges with Joe Lewis/Chuck Norris/Mike Stone/Joon Rhee and exposure to northern gung fu styles in Hong Kong. How else would Ms Tom explain his kicking ability? And to set the record straight, sifu Vunak said it was a combination of 26 arts (See page 13 of his book, JKD: It's Concepts and Philosophies). If you're gonna quote someone, get the quote right.

[Jujujason]

On page 169 of Ms Tom's book, she claims that JFJKD is not kali, escrima or 27 arts. Well, whoever said it was? Certainly not guro Inosanto. I've been following his interviews and writings since 1982 and I've NEVER heard him say one was the other. I HAVE heard him say that studying one will benefit a student studying the other. He believes that his students (Notice I said his students, not Bruce Lee's students or Ted Wong's students.) should be well rounded and since JFJKD is lacking in weaponry (See, it's not a perfect art afterall Ms Tom), he offers instruction in kali.

[Max22]

Wow, you need to chill out so I'm not to repond in kind other than to say, go to the next convention yourself, walk up to Shannon Lee, and tell her that in person. She doesn't make herself unavailable even to someone like you. Or, if you don't want to go there, you can write to Ted Wong (whom my sifu is certified under, so yes, I know where he got his ) and tell him to give that message to Shannon, his student of many years, whom he agrees with. Like or or not, she's the carrier of his name and she will do as she sees fit with her legacy. Anyone who doesn't like it, has no say in the matter, including you. And I doubt either Shannon or Linda are asking for anyone's opinion on that from the *good* folks in this thread. So much for free speech on this board....

By all means, I certainly appreciate your contributions even though I don't agree with your position. I think the BLF is a body that is trying to take a hold of something that is really beyond them to control. They can hold on to the term Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do I guess as they copy-righted the term. However, Jeet Kune Do as a philosophical approach to the martial arts has gotten beyond their control. Beyond this even the OJKD/JFJKD people do not even agree on what is what within their own sect of JKD. You have the Ted Wong Jeet Kune Do, and then you have essentially the Jun Fan approach that everyone from Dan Inosanto, to Lamar Davis teaches. That is to say one that still features many more Wing Chun elements. Does Wong do what he does because that is the direction that Lee was moving, or because while with Wong that is what Lee wanted to work? Wong himself has said that much of what he learned of JKD he taught himself, from reading Lee's writings, and books and not specifically taught by Lee himself.

The problem I have with the BLF is that it seems to want lock into place a system, and hold inviolate the material from about '67 to '72 or so. Why should this be? Lee himself had not discovered the "ultimate fighting techniques." He was still changing and researching up until his death. I support Ted and Teri and the rest of OJKD in their endeavor, but it is really no more valid than my own approach to JKD. And this I do actually have a say in, as I can use the term JKD, and the philosophical approach to training for which the label stands.

I do not call what I do JFJKD, because while I do teach alot of Jun Fan, also something I can do, I am not limited by that or anything else. The BLF cannot revoke Dan Inosanto's ability to use the term JKD/ Jeet Kune Do, as Lee granted he, Taky Kimura, and James Lee a certain amount of authority over their own usage of the material. My Jun Fan I learned from two instructors under Larry Hartsell (they later switched an joined PFS for a short time and then simply created their own organization).

I invited Teri Tom to comment on my review to give her a forum to rebut my critique, and respond to some of my observations as she saw fit. I do this whenever I can in my reviews. She has so far declined. Perhaps she thought my review was fair? Or just would rather not offer her thoughts? I have no idea. It matters little to me. She is a talented martial artist and for that and her hard work she has my respect. I do, however, disagree with her on quite a few points and would happily discuss this with her or any other JKDer.

[Tant01]

Happy face

Ignoring the standard mud slinging bullshit in your post about Guro Inosanto, ....


...What a crock of shit.

Having a bad day Mr. W?

[Tant01]

Tolerance...

Wow, you need to chill out so I'm not to repond in kind other than to say, go to the next convention yourself, walk up to Shannon Lee, and tell her that in person. She doesn't make herself unavailable even to someone like you. Or, if you don't want to go there, you can write to Ted Wong (whom my sifu is certified under, so yes, I know where he got his ) and tell him to give that message to Shannon, his student of many years, whom he agrees with. Like or or not, she's the carrier of his name and she will do as she sees fit with her legacy. Anyone who doesn't like it, has no say in the matter, including you. And I doubt either Shannon or Linda are asking for anyone's opinion on that from the *good* folks in this thread. So much for free speech on this board....

I hope the IRONY of your topic HERE doesn't escape you?

Respectfully at your service...

[Jujujason]

Laura, I'd be happy to tell Shannon, Teri or Ted Wong in person EXACTLY what I think of them and their attacks on the Concepts people. At which point, I'm sure that they'll tell me to go "f" myself, at which point I'll tell them to go "f" themselves, end of conversation and nothing will be solved/resolved. With regards to you, it's funny how 'free speech' is a great thing as long as you're able to come on here and spew inflammatory crap about Guro Inosanto, but as soon as anyone defends him, it's "So much for free speech on this board...."

[pmats-usa]

VERY NICELY PUT! Thank You!

[pmats-usa]

What I don't quite understand is why most of the "original jkd camp" students always try to find ways to attack the concepts camp.. All of Terri's stuff that I have read seems to be an attack. You never hear Sifu Ted saying anything negative, but the students do.. I almost blame Sifu Ted for allowing it. I don't get it..

[Laura]

Wow, you need to chill out so I'm not to repond in kind other than to say, go to the next convention yourself, walk up to Shannon Lee, and tell her that in person. She doesn't make herself unavailable even to someone like you. Or, if you don't want to go there, you can write to Ted Wong (whom my sifu is certified under, so yes, I know where he got his ) and tell him to give that message to Shannon, his student of many years, whom he agrees with. Like or or not, she's the carrier of his name and she will do as she sees fit with her legacy. Anyone who doesn't like it, has no say in the matter, including you. And I doubt either Shannon or Linda are asking for anyone's opinion on that from the *good* folks in this thread. So much for free speech on this board....

[Kvntu]

Any attack on Inosanto is clearly done out of ignorance about who he is and about what he teaches. First of all, he teaches the original JKD in its own special class. A class you must be invited to join. He teaches Filipino Arts in a separate class. He is not teaching JKD and stick fighting in the same class. I remember Inosanto once saying “people say we don’t teach what Bruce taught us and that we changed it, but that’s not true, we teach what he did.”.

For some reason, perhaps for political or financial gain, certain people have tried to claim Inosanto has corrupted the art by having separate Filipino classes being taught in his school. Sorry but that makes no sense at all. Inosanto was the only person that Bruce Lee entrusted and certified to teach his JKD. If Inosanto has one flaw it might be that he is too nice a person and hasn’t spoken out more. He has been so faithful to the wishes of Bruce Lee that he has never capitalized on JKD as he could have many times. Even Linda Lee acknowledged this in the past. She praised him for turning down commercial opportunities presented him such as the creation of a string of JKD schools across the country. He could have been very wealthy several times, but turned it down because he felt it would have betrayed the trust Bruce Lee placed in him. Would his critics walk that same path? Lee never wanted such a commercial cookie cutter approach to his art. I believe Bruce placed his trust in the correct individual and it’s absurd that others have attacked him as being untrue.

I don’t even understand what all the argument is about because both Ted Wong and Dan Inosanto say essentially the same thing. Ted Wong once told me “first learn what Bruce taught and then if you need to add to it that’s fine.”. That’s similar to what the Inosanto academy is teaching also. Learn the Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do, that is the personal fighting concepts that Bruce Lee discovered that applied to himself and his body type. Then after that begin to discard what is not useful for you as an individual and add what you discover works. Investigating other martial arts just as Bruce did is a perfect way to do that.

The thinly veiled attack against concept people may be due to the Lee family creating a website of certified JKD teachers. Shannon will be excluding the concept crowd from her listing as she felt many have strayed from her father's teachings and really just promote themselves in the guise of promoting JKD, i.e. Danny Inosanto. Anyone who incorporates the Filipino style into the art (which Bruce never used) will not be in the listing. Bluntly stated, anyone who doesn't teach exactly what Bruce taught and actively used, will not be named. Tom's teacher was Ted Wong, who is one of the few (along with Jerry Poteet) who has stayed true to Bruce's art. However, I'm not surprised that she declined to take part in your blog. My Sifu was "stunned" to put it mildly that she was not at the last convention, and in all the years he's been going, he's never even seen Poteet or Inosanto. Probably more people promoting themselves than even the Lee family would like to discuss publicly

Ignoring the standard mud slinging bullshit in your post about Guro Inosanto, just three points in response:

1. Shannon Lee was four years and three months old when her father sadly passed away. Therefore, forgive me if I have little or no interest in what she has to say about the correct instruction of his art of Jeet Kune Do.

2. "Bluntly stated, anyone who doesn't teach exactly what Bruce taught and actively used, will not be named". Bluntly stated, she might want to pick up one of her father's books and read his concepts and philosophies on the martial arts. If she can find such an approach in there, please let me know.

3. I have trained with both Ted Wong and Jerry Poteet, good martial artists and lovely gentlemen. Ask them to show you their Instructor Certificates in Jeet Kune Do. Have you seen them? I have. Do you know who they are certified under? No, of course you don't. Does Shannon know? Has she seen Mr Poteet's Instructor credentials in the Filipino Martial Arts? Oooh I hope not, because they won't make her list then will they? And we wouldn't want that, would we.

What a crock of shit.