Hey Lamar, Hey everyone. I just can't help but notice that there is so much idolization on one side and complete hatred on the other.

I know that is just the way the world works, but I am curious how much stress is involved in teaching JKD. I know this is a broad question, but it seems like EVERYONE takes shots a this art. Who knows, any attention is good according to broadcasters. I just wanted everyones opinion on this, because I would like to become certified in JKD (once my career upstarts of course)


Jason, a confused college grad.

money and/or fame for some. You have those that want to make a quick buck as in the guy selling JKD cert's on ebay and then his "students" that post clips on you tube that are worse that someone that sucks at JKD. Teaching JKD can both difficult and easy as it all depends on the student. Take chi sao for instance; it is hard at first but if you stick with it, no pun intended, then you will see how it helps your JKD. Some people say that there is no need for chi sao as it is difficult to teach and therefore many students drop out and thus the instructor loses money. So this person decides not to teach chi sao and goes on to claim that it is not needed. His devoted students also make claim to this and thus the argument.

Another reason is Bruce used/trained his students and their unique attributes to further himself. So each student learned the same in the schools but the backyard group learned unique things based on themselves that the other OBLS's training may not have been so focused on. Because of this each OBLS and their students have their own JKD as it should be. Your path is not my path. Each has a piece of the puzzle.

kent

Hello Jason!

I will be the first to admit that there always seems to be some controversy surrounding the art of Jeet Kune Do! I have been teaching this art for a long time, and there is always some kind of "inner feud" going on! Most often it is the old "Concepts vs. Original" debate. Here lately there are even feuds going on internally with each group. How ridiculous is that? Then you have the frauds (two major frauds that I know of personally) who have mastered the art of deception and promoting themselves. This adds to the confusion even more! If you can settle in on one side of the fence and just go with it, you are much better off! Straddling the fence will get you into trouble fast, and may lead to you getting frowned upon by both groups!

Contrary to popular belief, it is not easy making a living teaching Jeet Kune Do! I get calls from people all the time that start off with, "Man, I bet you are rich from teaching Jeet Kune Do for so long!" NO, NO, NO and NO again! I am NOT rich, and am far from it! I struggle EVERY MONTH to pay my bills just like most people! Maybe it would help if I didn't spend nearly everything I make putting money back into learning more about JKD (DVDs, books, etc.), improving my Academy (equipment, inward appearance, etc.), Academy rent and utilities, computers (I have FIVE of them ... for JKD related projects and website maintenance), nutritional supplements, designing new training equipment and groceries that enable me to eat right! Consider too that I also have my own bodyguard and security company (Dynamic Protection Specialists), and MOST of the money I make from that goes either directly or indirectly toward my Jeet Kune Do. Soon my new martial arts equipment business, DragonBlast, will get started full blast. Hopefully that will bring me some much needed financial relief!

It also helps a lot that I have a GREAT wife (Nancy) who is right behind me on everything that I do. She encourages me to be the best that I can be, and goes out of her way to accomodate anything that she knows I need to do! She is also my student, my best friend and my workout partner at the gym. She is in great shape and is very health and fitness minded! She is ready to train anytime, and loves to learn! Having a wife like that is a true blessing, and every martial arts instructor should be so fortunate!

In other words, what I am saying here is that if you want to become a Jeet Kune Do Instructor, DON'T count on that as your SOLE income, or you may be stressed out to the max ... ALL THE TIME! Do it on your terms, and on the side as something to be enjoyed! I thank God everyday for all of the tremendous blessings that He has bestowed upon me, and the tremendous patience that He has blessed me with! Jeet Kune Do has been my life, and I will NEVER stop teaching until the day I die! Hopefully, if it is the Good Lord's Will, that will be a long time from now!

Keep Blasting!
Sifu Lamar M. Davis II
Senior Instructor
Hardcore Jeet Kune Do
Sifu@HardcoreJKD.com
JKD@windstream.net
http://www.HardcoreJKD.com
http://www.DragonBlastMA.com
Phone (205) 296-7070 (Incoming Only)

"Hit Hard, Hit Fast, Hit First - ALWAYS!"

"The REAL future of Jeet Kune Do belongs to US, the few, the proud, the HARDCORE! Now, what are we going to do with it?" _ Sifu Lamar M. Davis II

Kent,
I usually try to avoid the Political conversations on this forum (I save that for Bax’s forum) But you said…

“Some people say that there is no need for chi sao as it is difficult to teach and therefore many students drop out and thus the instructor loses money.”

That is flat out wrong!!! Many of us say that Chi Sao is not needed in the later stages of JKD… but we have never said that it’s difficult to teach and causes us to lose students (where the hell did you get that?) Usually we say the opposite… Chi Sao and Trapping is considerably less effort than teaching our normal day to day stuff. We fully recognize that mainstream JKD loves trapping and that is what draws many people to the art.

Lamar,
Sorry for bringing the political debate to this forum!

Back to the topic at hand…
Jason,
I think a lot of it depends on how you choose to get involved. If you’re a public figure like Lamar or if you are active on the web then you’re going to have a lot of drama… especially political drama. But if you keep your head down and just teach your art I really think you can avoid most of it. I have a good friend in Waldron Ar. who teaches JKD. Most people on the web have never heard of the guy (Rodney Hitchcock). Rodney just chooses not to get involved n the politics… he teaches his art, runs a successful school, and has solid skills. I think the drama that we see out here on the web never really reaches him because he chooses not to get involved.

Robert,

I do agree being on the web makes one more vulnerable to political attacks. There are lots of good JKD men (like my instructor Lance Webb) whom you don't see on the forums and just train hard.

To me the arguements of what Bruce did later vs earlier are pointless. If one doesn't like or has thoroughly investigated any facet of JKD and chooses not to use it..it's their personal choice. I have only been at JKD for 4 years and every day there is so much to learn and refine...I have a long way to go before dropping anything.

Lamar encourages us to be broadminded and interact with different instructors. I personally have had good opportunity to participate in a couple of Tim Tackett, Pat Strong, etc. seminars. There are a few of us coming over to the St. Louis Seminar this summer. We hope to meet you then.

Thanks,

Jim Riggio

Jim,
I can see where your coming from and can agree with much of what you said. At the risk of getting more off topic… I see JKD as having a few distinct versions. And I further believe that one of those versions does not include trapping. To carry this thought a step further… I also believe that there are versions of JKD where trapping is a must. If you would like to talk about it more lets start another thread…

I look forward to meeting your and all the others in St Louis!

Kerbo, I think Kent was making a good point. There are some people out there that do this type of thing (Your lucky you haven't encountered them). I have encountered them at my university and in Nashville (neighboring big city) that told me they taught Jeet Kune Do (NO joke) and said that trapping was useless. They based this on MMA. One knew how to trap, the other did not. Moreover, it is important to note that the demographic they were marketing were 18-25 college age kids that wanted instant gratification.

Now for granted from what I saw it could work,and I saw their point... So there are people out there that say and believe this. Moreover, I was first introduced to trapping from my friend Max (who is a brown sash in Wing Chun) and I must say my first impression was a frustrated one. So I can believe it.


I find everyones response here interesting, Who knows, maybe I can do a Sociology report on divisivness in JKD practitioners.. Now only if I could have a random variable.

what a big head you have thinking that I was talking about you or Ted's group. Although ted does continue to profess that Bruce dropped the wing chun, and he is the only one to say this, I have heard/read where many are going this direction due to the mma crap. Woould I trap if I could just hit? NO!!! This would not be efficent nor economical and that is what JKD is about. Now on the other hand if I were parried and trapping, which can also be the simple removing of the obstruction, where the way I felt to go then I would. I don't seek to trap; I seek to hit. Trapping just happens. Did I not give the example of the two morons on you tube? Are they from Ted's group? No they are not. If I wanted to point out Ted and his version of JKD I would and would also point it out by name. Ted can teach his version of JKD although I do not perfer it. If you or anyone else perfers that way then great as that is not my way. Ted is not the end all say all as to what JKD is or is not. Get over it.

Kent

Fair enough... if that is how he meant it then that is how I'll take it. But considering that there is one primary group in mainstream JKD that is known for rejecting trapping it was easy to mis-understand his point.

And I agree... a sociology study of JKD group interactions would be very interesting.