[jeetkunedomaster]

i also agree with badboy, when i first started my training sifu taught us all the same techniques basically, but when i got better and started sparring alot i started to realise the way i wanted to fight - the same goes for everyone else in my school (except the begginers), theyre all much different fighters and our sifu encourages that.

by the way DT, thats an awesome avatar

[DARKTIM]

cheers there master. were do you train? thats right every one i have meet in JKD encourages individuality. big words on a sunday! my teacer saw that me and my training partner had different styles in the beginning even when your all the same. he encouraged that. for example. he has done wing chung gung fu before and so has a more down the line style. ive been doing grappling for years and MT so i have a different style. we both throw the same jab cross hook. but the movements and goals in someones style can often be dramatically differnt to the next. i encourage individuality its te best way.

[binhdinhboy]

have a strong base in traditional martial arts. so i almost always incorporate it into my jkd, consciously or subconciously. obviously the situation also calls for different techniques. sometimes im using some for of traditional stance without even knowing it,.

[monkeypalm]

i think kareem abdul jabaar was the shining example of JKD in game of death. his movements were not fancy, and he simply used his huge frame to kick, stomp and generally manhandle people. why would he waste his time learning any traditional art designed for people much smaller than him and ignore his natural advantages? he was JKD.

i do not practice it myself, but as an outsider looking in, places that teach a syllabus seem to be going totally against what JKD stands for. its been heard before, but bruce wished he never even coined the phrase... i believe JKD should be a natural process for people who have a very good base in one art. any art lays the foundation for learning how to use your body, then you can go and express it the way you want to. but first you need to learn to use it in one specific way, and use that as a platform. you cant jump straight into learning the freeform stuff. well, i guess you can, but you need a very good teacher and you need to be very mindful of what you are doing.

[The BadBoy]

Like you said you can't jump straight in and learn to be free. you first need the fundamentals, which you will then be able to experss as your own. That is why most places teach a syllabus. Because their are many people who come of off the street who have no prior experience in any art.

[jeetkunedomaster]

DT, i train in fishkill ny, my teacher has trained with inosanto and recieved an official letter of recomendation to teach jun-fan jeet kune do. i definately agree with the whole individuality bit, because its pointless to just show a class what to do and pressure them into doing just that even if it doesent work for them, although i agree with monkey and badboy that you do need to be taught the basic fundamentals first before you are able to know what works best for you

sorry i posted this reply so late ive been really busy for the past few days

[DARKTIM]

amen to that!!!

[DARKTIM]

no worries master! so you live in NYC? love that place. shame we hadn't talked before hand would have met up and trained.
pm me if you want

[jeetkunedomaster]

yeah that is too bad. next time your in the city though send me a pm and ill see what i can do

[DARKTIM]

cool well ill keep that in mind and let you know when i come over again. sooner rather then later hopefully. your so luck to live in NYC. was dead impressed with it.

so wee bouts is your dojo/school?