CHRIS KENT ​JEET KUNE DO

Numerous misperceptions exist today with regard to the art and philosophy of Jeet Kune Do. The following are nine of what I consider to be the most fundamental misperceptions. As you read this article you will obviously note some crossover between some of them, which is to be expected. 1) JKD was simply Bruce Lee’s “very personal expression in martial art” therefore only he could do it Some people claim that JKD was Bruce Lee’s “very personal expression of martial arts” an

Some people have labeled Jeet Kune Do as a ‘Chinese’ martial art. Others have called it an ‘American’ martial art. Personally I believe it is a mistake to label it as either. It is not a ‘Chinese’ art, nor is it an ‘American’ art. It is neither Eastern nor Western (although there are principles and elements from both cultures in its make-up). To me, it is an international art, or better yet, a ‘global’ art. For example, when it comes to philosophy, from the Chinese and Asian

In the film, Enter the Dragon, as Bruce Lee’s character faces off against his opponent, a really tough and brutal man named Ohara, the man tosses a board he has been carrying into the air and smashes it in two with a single punch. Lee maintains his detached cool, looks at Ohara and, with a slight smile, informs him, “Boards don’t hit back.” Immediately afterward, Lee annihilates Ohara in the fight. Unfortunately for Ohara, his attempt to “psych-out” Lee failed miserably. Perh

Sometimes in training you may find yourself partnered with a lesser-skilled person, and other times you may have a partner whose skill level is higher than yours. What can you when you are training with or sparring against partners whose level of capability is different than yours? How can you create optimal learning experiences in these types of situations? The thing to understand is that the beginning student defines a challenge differently than an intermediate or advanced

(Originally posted in Facebook December 2011) Have you ever been with someone who, when they see a particular martial art technique, action, etc. immediately makes a comment like, “Oh, that’s no good” or “That won’t work,” but if you ask them to explain to you the reasons behind their comment, they’re unable to tell you, or all they can offer is some vague, nebulous answer. Whereas another individual can articulate exactly why they believe a technique or action to be ineffect

Originally posted on Facebook June 2011 To truly comprehend Jeet Kune Do, as a practitioner it is vital that you develop the proper mindset toward training. I call this mindset, for wont of a better term, the “JKD attitude.” At various times on my blog I will include what I consider to be essential ingredients in developing a full and clear understanding of Jeet Kune Do. One of the fundamental tenets of JKD that was instilled in me from the moment I first began my training i

(Originally posted on Facebook September, 2011) The image which you hold in your mind about a movement greatly influences the structure of the movement. The sensations that you focus on during the performance of a movement is of crucial importance in determining the actual form of the movement. If you change the area of focus through what is known as the “ideo-motor set-up”, you will change the structure of the movement and modify the technique. Ideo-motor set-up, as defined

(Posted on Facebook 2012) Take one of Bruce Lee’s personal day-timer diaries and lay it next to any JKD school class curriculum. It doesn’t matter whether it is the curriculum from the Seattle school, the Oakland school, the Los Angeles school, or any JKD school for that matter, you will see quite a difference. The class curriculum lays out a basic structure of the training program for the particular school. Lee’s notes on the other hand, record a continual personal refinemen

What is the difference between a logo and a symbol? When does a logo become a symbol? According to Simon Sinek, author of the book, “Start With Why,” logos primarily serve as icons to identify a company or organization and its products or services. Symbols, on the other hand, stand for something in which people can believe – something people can support. It is when a logo identifies much more than a company product or service – when it identifies a belief and embodies an enti

There have been numerous comments floating around on the internet in the past several years concerning Jeet Kune Do and its relationship to Wing Chun Gung Fu. Perhaps you’ve seen them, perhaps you haven’t. I’d like to discuss two such comments that I strongly feel need to be addressed. The first is that some Wing Chun practitioners have implied (some directly, others indirectly) that JKD is a synonym for, or mere variation of, Wing Chun Gung Fu. The second is that Bruce Lee