Started JKD Tonight

[joesteph]

I had my first Jeet Kune Do lesson tonight, my interest in studying it at this time coming from learning there's a JKD seminar in my hometown, Bayonne, NJ, on October 2, 3 & 4.

I've posted about the lead punch before, but JKD relies tremendously on footwork from what I was introduced to tonight. I don't know that you'll ever "ground" and slug it out, and I found that karate blocks are gone in favor of parrying, redirecting, trapping, whatever you want to call it. I didn't do all of these, of course, but I did do a lot of simple footwork, low kicks, and the lead punch. I observed about the other aspects of the art.

I'll still be studying Soo Bahk Do, even though I thought that taking a second martial art shouldn't begin until after reaching dan level, but I took self-defense classes in Vee Arnis JuJitsu earlier this year, and taking Jeet Kune Do for self-defense (it's like an assemblage of concepts and techniques) just seems logical. My SBD teacher knows, so I feel everything's fine.

I don't know what can be said/posted concerning that JKD seminar, but you can email Mr. Patrick Cunningham at bayonnekarate@yahoo.com to inquire about the offerings and even where to stay that weekend. I understand that it's considered an important event and held in different locations in the US each year. This time it's the East Coast's turn.

[joesteph]

I had my second JKD lesson tonight, the class I'm attending being on Thursdays and an hour-and-a-half long.

This class had more variety than last week's, and one of my fellow JKD class members is a student from my high school (I teach social studies), who's going into her senior year. She studies both TKD and JKD.

I've never used bands for punching and kicking exercises before, although they seemed to be for a warmup. There was a lot of focus mitt work, especially getting that lead punch in with (stepping) power, then combining it with a cross or hook punch. Kicking was low, and I'm glad we were allowed to give one another a slight whack to the thigh and shin instead of a tap. (Remember that I'm coming from a non-contact art, so the tap is even technically out-of-bounds.) I'm following how to do JKD techniques right (not that I'm actually doing them well after two lessons, but that if I understand and practice like a maniac, I'll get somewhere), partly from Soo Bahk Do's emphasis on turning the hip, Jack Dempsey's "Championship Fighting," which I read some time ago and was an eye-opener, and "Chinatown Jeet Kune Do" by Tim Tackett and Bob Bremer, which I'm reading now.

BTW, my partner (last Thursday and tonight) has a background in wrestling, and thought that Jeet Kune Do would round things out. I think he may be right.

[tallgeese]

Glad to hear you have the opportunity to study in JKD. I think you'll find it a good contrast to what you've done before.

Good luck and keep us posted.

[bushido_man96]

One of the things that I always looked at as a positive of JKD was that it seems that one could take the techniques that he already knew, and then use them to apply the principles of JKD to. I'm sure that there is some new technique added in, like the straight lead, but for the most part, it appears to me that many of the techniques you have already learned can serve you well in JKD.

Am I wrong here, Joe?

[joesteph]

I'd say you're right on target, Brian. I've found that there are techniques that I've been practicing already, such as how to throw the hip into the punch, that are enhanced by JKD, such as to put the body into it with the "falling step" (Lee read Dempsey ) of the lead punch.

It also allows me to decide what techniques in my arsenal I feel are most natural to me, from using a vertical or three-quarters fist to choosing the lower shin rather than the instep for a roundhouse (hook kick in JKD) below the waist.

If someone is into, or wants to augment his/her training in, techniques that go straight to combat, I'd definitely recommend JKD.

[tallgeese]

So it's been a bit. How is the JKD thing treating you?

[joesteph]

It's some coincidence that you're asking tonight, Tallgeese, because I just posted a surprise I got about that "screwdriver" side kick at:

http://www.karateforums.com/post429558.html#429558

JKD really gets you thinking in different ways. Tonight was the kicking surprise (explained in the post, above), and we did a lot of bag work, which is different from the focus mitt practice we've usually been doing. The bag work was to do combos that the instructor decided on, but we had to keep moving, keep up on our footwork, and even "break rhythm," so that we remember not to be easily read by an opponent.

The punching combos with focus mitts was replaced tonight with a wicked "slap" against a focus mitt held sideways. We learned to put our bodies into it, not just our arms, and when we really concentrated on having the palms (forget the fingers) hit the mitt, if you slapped the side of a guy's face, he'll really know it, and if you do it against his ear, it's going to do major damage.

The class is an hour-and-a-half, so there was some time for our instructor to do some joint lock work with us. I was very glad about this, especially when he had that we were against a wall, and the practicality of joint locks came in. What I especially liked was that I could go further than permitted in my Soo Bahk Do class, in that we were cranking it up--first with the instructor doing it and having us feel the power of the lock, then with us on him, and finally with one another.

I still do Soo Bahk Do and I respect that there are certain parameters that my teacher has to use as her guideline, but JKD really is a "combatative" art.

[bushido_man96]

That sounds like what might be called a power slap. I really like using the palm as a tool; its quite fun to do to BOB, too.

On another note, it is fun to do a session when you don't have to worry about a technical standard, but instead, just worry more about effectiveness.

[BenchModel]

Congratulations on your endeavours for studying a new martial art!

You're absolutely right by saying that JKD really is a combative art. When I first started, it opened my eyes to a whole new way of looking at things. I came from a San Shou background so the footwork was very similar, but the tactics were completely different.

I hope you stick with it and enjoy it as much as I did.

[pvsgotcha]

Started at very level..but now really trying very hard.Say difficult but once it is over,everything will clear - thrissur