Why I like JKD

[Malldetective]

I wanted to share why I got into JKD and why I like it, and get your perspectives on chossing this or your perspective style.

It actually started when I joined a gym. I had always been into martial arts but kind of fell out of it when my dojo closed. Then I got into smoking... Well when I decided to quit I joined a gym to get my body back in shape. And btw, its the best gym I've ever seen, I won't mention the name from fear of being nailed for advertising but everyone there has been great.

I mentioned almost tounge and cheek to my trainer the first day that I wanted Bruce Lee's body. Well they went up and above the call of duty and the next day had prepared me a training schedule based on Bruce Lee's own training methods. I felt guilty then because I realized despite my love of Martial arts I had never read one of his books or seen one of his movies. I knew OF JKD but nothing really about it. So I bought his fighting method books and Enter The Dragon to get started and ended up falling in love with JKD.

One of the main reasons I bring it up though and what I would like commentary on is the fact that everyne calls this a non-traditional stye and the foundation of mixed martial arts etc.

This is the EXACT OPPISITE of why I wanted to do it and why it was the perfect art for me. I studied Karate and I flirted with Krav Maga. I personally don't like Mixed Martial Arts or Brazillian Jujitsu at all. Thats not me bashing them, to each his own, but I'm not a fan. Here is why;

When I did very traditional Karate I found myself craving something more millitant and modernly practical. But when I got into Krav Maga (partially due, yes, to my Jewish heritage) I craved something more bound to the eastern philosophies and traditions I came to admire and love about Karate. I love Jeet Kune Do because to me it is a marriage between the two. It is modern, practical, and fairly millitant in fighting nature when it wants to be. But it also still has that taste of Wu-shu classicism and respect for tradition and philosophy in it. (Bruce Lee himself a philosophy major) I don't enjoy BJJ or MMA because the way its broadcast is through things like UMC, which has a whole lot of hooting and hollering rowdy crowds and half dressed girls. I like half dressed girls as much as the next guy, but I feel like it takes something away from the spiritual and reverant nature of martial arts and moves towards bar brawling. If thats your thing, great, no grivences here. It just wasn't what I was looking for.

So I guess I'm suprised to hear people say JKD started MMA. I just don't see it.

[cross]

So I guess I'm suprised to hear people say JKD started MMA. I just don't see it.

I think one of the main connections between JKD and MMA is bruce lee's famous quote:

"absorb what is useful, discard what is useless, and add what is essentially your own"

In basic terms... "use what works". This is exactly what we found out with MMA, what works and what doesnt in a 1 on 1 situation. Also JKD isnt bound by any specific style, the most effective methods are used, regardless of where the come from. Just like in MMA.

It seems like common sense to seek the best information and use what is most functional, but alot of martial artists still dont seem to grasp the concept.

[Jay]

I think for me if you have read some of bruce's notes on JKD to me you find many differences between JKD and MMA. Bruce lee advocated the use of what is the most effective technique at the time and was not limited to a certain set of techniques. He said to use what was most effective at the time and discussed combat at is it in real life. MMA also uses what is useful but it is not like JKD in ways similar yes, but JKD is to be used as a tool of self improvement as it is clearly stated in many of the notes.

To me MMA does not advocate this thinking it is simply to beat the other guy to a pulp. Yes the tools of JKD are for that as well but that is their secondary use. The primary is to find you true self by destroying everything inside of you that prevents that.

MMA also has rules unlike JKD. JKD is for total combat not just for a competition, it is to protect your life. Im not saying that MMA wont be effective at doing that but that is not its primary purpose as far as I am concerned it was developed to beat the other person in the ring/cage. Therefore it will always be limited and therefore that is the difference to JKD.

Jeet Kune DO may actually be argued to be more traditional than MMA due to the philosophical influences.

Im even tempted to say that MMA is not an art its just tactical brawling.

[bushido_man96]

The JKD/MMA link comes from Lee's willingness to take from striking arts, and from grappling arts, realizing that knowing both is beneficial, and makes you a more well-rounded fighter. That is basically it. I think sometimes many people will try to infere far too much more than this.

Im even tempted to say that MMA is not an art its just tactical brawling.

I have had arguments similar to this with others before. Many people think that if a style/system doesn't have some form of philosophy or personal betterment attached to it that it isn't a Martial Art. I just don't find that this is the case. The Art just has different priorities than others.

[yingampyang]

There are many useful styles that dont have history , and kata's like tradional MA's but this does not mean they are not martial arts.

Styles like MMA , CDA , and street fighting dont have kata's but are extremly effective styles.

[Malldetective]

Well yes but thats not what I wanted. I like the philosophy just as much as the combat but I wanted the combat in Jeet Kune Do. So I got it. =)

Like I said I'm not bashing MMA's fighting prowess I just don't want my martial arts to look like a boxing match because it doesn't feel right to ME.

[NightOwl]

The thought process of JKD and MMA are VERY similar- I'm sure Bruce Lee would have had a great interest in the MMA movement. However the philosophy of JKD was a bit ahead of its time...in a way. I suppose martial artists have always been cross training (any founder of an art usually has a nice variety) since way back when. However the attitude of Lee was in many ways in my opinion a distillation of this mixing of arts- removing the idea of martial 'systems' in of themselves and looking just at techniques. MMA however, evolved more or less independently. The first major MMA tournaments were mixed only in that practitioners were not all of the same style. However the success of ground fighting convinced people to factor in grappling with their striking- thus creating 'mixed' martial artists that picked and choose techniques similar to lee, but also had a strong emphasis on making sure the techniques added up to a well rounded fighter

[Malldetective]

Night Owl: So what and when caused the MMA subculture to develop, with the same motiffs and enviroment that, in my opinion, plaque the boxing community. The removal of ettiquette and humility etc. MMA as a style I don't have much problem with, it's the subculture that seems inescapable with it. When did this come about in MMA?

[NightOwl]

I know people into MMA that are very friendly and all around good guys. You also have to keep in mind that Eastern Martial arts were never traditionally about making yourself a better person, respect and humility, etc. This is more or less a modern invention- gangs in old China were traditional hotspots for kung fu practitioners. Samurai create ryu started jujutsu, and there were plenty of REALLY nasty samurai. Go to a karate competition, and you and find plenty of politics and backstabbing (karate and other martial arts were also stressed during WWII to militarize the population). I could list plenty of examples. The quasi spiritual reasons for martial arts have always been somewhat present in certain groups (shaolin, aikido), but what really helped sell it were Japanese martial artists convincing American forces that they were not about fighting (aikido was one of the first I believe to be allowed), and marketing to a western audience. Yes, I too get sick of some of the 'attitude' of many mma orgs and wish they would be a bit more professional, however...

[Malldetective]

Thats all I'm saying. There may not have been a spiritual self-improvement nature when it started, but there is now, and I prefer it. And yes I know there are lots of backstabbing but at least its kept somewhat quiet. The testostrone is suffacating in MMA orgs.