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It’s all fine and well when you’re training in a group class with an instructor, or you have a coach or instructor with you during a training session giving you advice and offering you counsel. But what about the times when you’re not in a class or don’t have a coach guiding you; when you’re either training by yourself or with a training partner? An important element your personal growth and development is learning how to be your own coach when you need to; learning how to evaluate yourself and assess your training, sometimes during but primarily following a workout. When you use self-evaluation, you can assess various aspects of yourself during the training such as physical (fitness levels, etc.), technical (skill in technique, coordination, etc.), mental (attitude), emotional (nervousness, etc.) Self-evaluating your training session is about giving yourself feedback. And the key to self-evaluation is asking good questions to yourself. These questions (and their answers) can help guide your learning and reveal what has been learned and what is left to be learned. They can also help you better understand the Why - What – and How of your training and practice. The following are examples of some post-training questions you can pose to yourself at the conclusion of a training session: Did you fulfill the intention of the training session? Were you fully present and focused during the training session? What did you learn in this training session? How was it for you today? How did the workout feel to you? What experience do you want to remember from today’s session? What did you like/enjoy about the training session? What, if anything, did you not enjoy? Did you accomplish your goal(s) in the training session? Have you increased your competence or abilities in some way? Do you feel that you did that the best you could do in the workout session? Are there things you think you could have done better? Self-evaluation is an essential and integral tool in personal growth. It can help you become aware of your various strengths and weaknesses and help educate you to recognize and correct your own faults. At the conclusion of the training session, research the experience. Critique what you did during the workout. Ask questions and be honest with your answers, because if you’re not the only person you will end up fooling will be yourself. Self-evaluate your training session without passing judgment upon yourself and use the information to help spur you on and move you forward to higher levels of performance.

When it comes to martial arts (or anything else that we do in our life for that matter) what worked for us in the past may have outlived its usefulness, and, for whatever reason, may not work (or work as well) for us now. We are confronted with our changing abilities. Our flexibility may be challenged, and we can no longer kick to our head height. Our speed or power may have diminished somewhat. Or we perhaps we sustain some form of injury. I can speak from firsthand experience on this subject because I’ve dealt with some issues like these myself. However, the fact that these things occur does not necessarily mean that we need to stop practicing whatever art we’re practicing or switch to another form of martial art. We don’t have to change direction and take a new path; we can still move in the same general direction on the path we originally chose. It simply means we need to acknowledge and accept what is happening (accepting does not mean we have to like it) and if necessary, look at or try to find other ways of doing certain things. In other words, we need to able to adjust. Adjusting is about adaptability, which is the most important quality a martial artist can possess. Some people strive to keep going on the exact same way that they always have and doing what they have always done. I’ve heard people say all sorts of things such as, “Well I could do the full-splits ten years ago and so I should be able to do it today.” However, attempting to maintain the same status quo today as years ago is futile. It doesn’t work, and those who try usually end up frustrated and pissed- off. Don’t allow nostalgia to arrest your growth and evolution. Stop wasting your time and energy thinking about or lamenting about what you used to be able to do “back then” and instead focus your thoughts and energy on what you can do “now.” By recognizing that change can bring vitality and growth you can cultivate a mindset of non-attachment and develop your ability to let go of things that either no longer work for you or that you can no longer do efficiently and effectively. You can keep growing and evolving by giving yourself new challenges and adventures. And you can keep enjoying what you’re doing. Become a ‘master adjuster.’

Tactile awareness and sensitivity developed through energy training exercises such as Chi Sao (sticky hands), the Harmonious Spring Drill, and the Boang Sao/Lop Sao Drill can help you develop a heightened sense of touch, which can be very helpful for certain aspects of fighting including not only trapping hands but also various forms of grappling. Tactile awareness involves the detection of pressure and the direction of force from an opponent. In drills such as those mentioned above, one attaches their arms to those of the opponent or training partner and ‘listens,’ so to speak, with their forearms. Touch sensitivity enables you to ‘feel’ where your partner’s energy is going. You become sensitive to the movements and energy of the opponent’s arms or body motions, learning to interpret their ‘signals’ through sensitivity of your hands and arms. As the oft-quoted saying goes, “when the opponent expands, you contract; when they contract, you expand” to fit your movements harmoniously with theirs. When practicing chi sao, attacks are done when you feel a ‘gap’ or deficiency in your partner’s structure, or when you can create an opening or gap in some way. An opportunity may be given to you by your opponent’s actions or created by the opponent’s reactions to your actions. In an article in Black Belt magazine published in 1969 regarding chi sao, Bruce Lee wrote that he regarded it as “a psycho-physical training stressing what he called “constant energy flow,” and used the analogy of water flowing through a hose to describe the energy flowing through one’s arms. When a person first begins learning tactile awareness and developing their understanding of energy it’s important that they work with a knowledgeable trainer or instructor. The reason for this is that with any form of energy training, one must first become what is referred to as a “receiver.” They need to develop the ability to feel the energy and receive information from the trainer; to develop sensitivity learn to differentiate various energies (hard, soft, fluid, stiff, etc.). The teacher or trainer, on the other hand, functions as a “generator,” by producing and feeding the student various types of energy (in the same way a generator feeds electricity into a battery). At the same time the teacher is doing this they help the student cultivate their offensive, counteroffensive, and defensive actions as well as recognize the correct moment to use them. For example, when practicing chi sao (sticky hands) the trainer might purposely create some form of deficiency in their own structure at various times in order to help the trainee to feel the deficiency. For example, they might push their fook sao (riding hand) position past its correct position on the centerline so that the student can feel the difference between correct and incorrect placement. Or they might allow the elbow of the riding hand to flair open somewhat so that the student can feel the gap that their attack could slide into. Perhaps while rolling their arms with a student they allow the energy in one of them to shut off for a split-moment in order to allow the student to feel it and penetrate with their own attack. Problems can arise if two beginners who lack understanding attempt to practice tactile awareness drills with each other. They will use wrong movements and jerky actions and their energy will most likely end up dissipated all over the place creating ‘energy leaks’ that a proficient practitioner can exploit to their own advantage. The result will be that the exercise will denigrate into some kind of clumsy wrestling match. However, does this mean that two beginning students cannot or should not practice tactile awareness drills? Not at all. It simply means that when they are starting out, they should work a partner who has a good working knowledge of energy and is proficient in feeding it to them. Once they have a basic understanding of it, they can work on it with other students at their own level. Refinement will come through consistent practice, and over time they will progress from simply being a receiver to being a generator as well.

I’m sure that most everyone reading this blog has met someone and recognized that the knowledge, wisdom, and expertise they possess flows freely through them and out of them to others. And in addition, it seems that the more they allow it to flow out of them, the more energized they become, which in turn energizes the people they are with or around? On the flipside, I’m sure most of you have at one time or another run into someone who, while they may possess a high degree of knowledge and/or expertise in something, is unwilling to share it with others. They, for whatever reason, choose to keep it to themselves. The first type of individual is what I refer to as a “conductor,” which is defined as “a substance, body, or device that readily conducts, or allows heat, electricity, sound, or energy to flow through it.” The second type of person is what I call a “container,” which can be defined as “a receptacle that holds something in it.” As a martial arts teacher one of my primary goals to help get the people I work with excited about the subject and to explore it on their own. One of the ways I can do that is to share my knowledge, experience, and expertise with them. While I know that I cannot give them my feeling for the art because that is very personal and something that they have to develop on their own, I can definitely share the excitements and enthusiasms of my own learning. And I do so openly and honestly, not standing aloof from them in some sort of revered authoritative position, but rather walking shoulder-to-shoulder with them, traveling the same path, encouraging their enthusiasm and passion. Your body and/or mind might be filled with some form of knowledge or skill, but if you’re unable or unwilling to share that knowledge or skill with others, you simply become a storehouse of information, a container.  On the other hand, if you let it move freely through you and share your knowledge and skills with others without expecting anything in return, you will become a conductor. Why not make the choice to be a conductor rather than a container, a conductor of knowledge, a conductor of energy, a conductor of enthusiasm, a conductor of love or compassion? Be a conductor, not simply a container.

A martial artist learns to move their body, to glide smoothly and fluidly using footwork, to develop economical and efficient body mechanics of their various actions such as punches, kicks, throws, etc. Then, for whatever reason, they walk away and leave it behind. Years later, they return to it and think back. They start to move, and within a short time their body takes over and before they know it, they’re doing it again. Their body is responding as before because their actions and reactions have been tutored by their accumulated past training. This is what is commonly referred to as “muscle memory.” Muscle memory is one of the most valuable forms of memory for anyone involved in some form of physical activity or sport, and it’s especially valuable to the martial artist. The first thing to understand is that our muscles don’t literally have a brain. They cannot think for themselves and do their own thing whenever they want (imagine what they would be like for us if each muscle did). Muscle memory is the concept that after diligent practice and numerous repetitions of particular physical movements, your body will remember those movements. Skill gets imprinted through repetition of the action. Our body makes neuromuscular connections and we lay down a “neural groove,” so to speak (coordination of the muscles, joints, etc.). And the more we do something the deeper the groove becomes. Your body creates nervous records of what you do. Through hours of practice, training, and deliberation, you internalize your actions. They’re literally written into your head and body and don’t need to be accessed through conscious effort. Muscle memory is an essential part of our human development and comes into play every day, because if we didn’t have it, if our muscles didn’t remember, we’d have to start from scratch again each day and relearn everything we do. Another great thing regarding muscle memory is that our bodies retain the information we put into it for a long time, for year or even decades after you cease doing the actions. The neuromuscular connections regarding certain movement smight be lying dormant due to the fact that they haven’t been used in quite a while, but they’re still there. By way of example, while Bruce Lee may have discontinued the practice of certain things in his training such as chi sao (sticking hands), training on the wooden dummy, or the use hand immobilization attack, the neural grooves that he had laid down for each of these things were so ingrained that he could access them anytime he desired. In the same way that if you learned to ride a bicycle, even if it was a long time ago and you hadn’t ridden one in years, chances are high that you could climb on a bike today and ride it quite easily and assuredly. After a long period, the first time doing it again it might be a little rough around the edges and you might be a bit wobbly, but if you relax and allow the body to work, it will smooth it out and you’ll be riding as before in no time. Our physical body has accumulated many muscle memories and we can access them and use them. How well our body remembers is a very individual thing. Some people have a high level of kinesthetic perception and body awareness while others may not. In addition, some things that you did years ago you may not be in the position to physically do today or do as well. I don’t spend a lot of time doing spinning cyclone kicks these days, but I can still pull one off if I need or want to. Use embodied awareness (sensing with your entire body) when you are training and developing muscle memory. Then later down the road, you can access the intelligence of your body, connect with your body’s wisdom, and tell it “Thanks for the memories.”

As enthusiasm for Bruce Lee’s art grows, we are contacted by more and more people who are interested in learning and practicing Jeet Kune Do (Jun Fan Jet Kune Do). Every day we receive questions like – “How can I find a JKD instructor?” and “What should I look for in a JKD instructor?” The JKD world has changed a great deal since Bruce Lee’s passing. The human scale of the art has grown considerably – with new generations of students and instructors coming on the scene, as well as various, and sometimes disparate, JKD groups coming into existence. Numerous books and articles concerning both Bruce Lee and his art have been written. Videos and DVDs have been created, detailing various aspects of JKD. Over the years, this has resulted in confusion within the public. So, if a person is interested in learning JKD, what sort of things should they look for in an instructor? PASSION FOR THE ART: Bruce Lee was passionate about the art he developed, and I believe that anyone teaching JKD should likewise exhibit a passion for the art; a passion that is visible when they are teaching the art and/or discussing it. PERSONAL QUALIFICATIONS: Lineage – A qualified instructor should be able to trace their lineage back to a legitimate source, be it Bruce Lee himself or a legitimate first-generation student of Bruce Lee. I believe this is important because it deals with authenticity; it’s one way to ensure that the instructor you are thinking of studying with has a true and genuine foundation for their knowledge. It’s an unfortunate fact that around the globe there are individuals exploiting Bruce Lee’s name, and the name of his art, whose knowledge is based solely, if not to a large extent, on merely watching Bruce Lee movies or reading books about him. It’s important to understand that there is a big difference between what is commonly referred to as “cinematic JKD” and “functional JKD.” Training Background – An instructor should be open and transparent with regard to their personal training and development in JKD. What type of training has the instructor had? Have they trained for a significant period of time at a legitimate training facility? (Size of the facility is not indicative of legitimacy – the location may be a professional martial art school or it may be a small group that meets in a person’s backyard or garage - Bruce himself utilized both of these methods). In the same way, is their instructor certification based primarily on seminar training or participation, or based on consistent, in-house training? (Note – This by no means should serve as the sole metric upon which an instructor’s legitimacy should be based). The fundamental point is that when you are looking for an instructor it is important that you dedicate the time and effort to find out WHO a potential instructor studied with and HOW LONG they studied with the person(s). Technical Knowledge and Proficiency: An instructor should possess a good understanding of physical techniques and training principles of JKD. They should be able to convey the techniques and principles in movement and language. This also presupposes that an instructor should possess a good level of physical fitness. (Note - Many of the original students of JKD are older now, but it does not make their knowledge or instruction any less valuable. Through the use of assistants, the material can still be imparted clearly to students). Philosophical Knowledge and Understanding: In addition to physical curriculum, an instructor should possess a good comprehension and understanding of the philosophical principles and concepts that serve as one of the foundation stones of JKD and strive to impart these principles to their students. When appropriate, they should be able to relate various philosophical tenets directly to physical techniques and actions which are being taught. For example, “Be like water.” is not just a catchy tag line to post on Instagram. Bruce’s words have substance, meaning and can be applied precisely to the skills being taught. PROFESSIONALISM -- Whether an instructor teaches in a commercial school or in a private backyard or garage environment, they should conduct themselves in an ethical manner, and following a code of ethics that includes, but is not limited to, the following: -       They should maintain complete transparency with regard to their qualifications, training, etc. They should represent themselves to the public in an honest manner – at no time misrepresenting their training and competence in any way that is false or misleading. -       They should strive to maintain and/or increase their knowledge and skills pertaining to JKD. This relates to such things as technical skills, teaching and training methodology, and philosophical understanding. -       They should show respect for other JKD instructors and practitioners, even if they disagree with their methods, ideas, etc.  Negative behaviors such as harboring bad feelings in their students about other practitioners and asking students to participate in negative campaigns against other instructors, only serve to create division in the JKD community and create a negative personal practice and attitude for the people involved. -       They should aim to develop in their students an appreciation of the principles of JKD – and foster a spirit of inquiry into the acquisition of knowledge and understanding. -       They should endeavor through their actions as an instructor to enhance the public’s regard for JKD. People are different and have different reasons for coming to the art of JKD, as well as different goals or objectives. Therefore, it is important that a person seeking to learn JKD find a qualified instructor that suits their individual needs and desires. When visiting a potential training facility or interviewing a potential instructor, in addition to the material we’ve discussed, some things you might want to look at are: ATTITUDE -- Does the instructor have a good attitude? Do they foster a positive attitude among their students and in their classes? Is the instructor encouraging and optimistic while challenging their students to be their best? What about the students, do they exhibit a good attitude during training? What do they have to say about their time learning under that instructor? TEACHING AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS -- Does the instructor communicate clearly when teaching?  Do the students understand the lessons and what is being asked of them in class? Do the lessons being taught seem to make sense? CLASS STRUCTURE -- What size are the classes, big, small? Does the class size fit well with you? Does the instructor give individual attention and feedback during lessons? Does the instructor adapt the teaching to the needs and strengths of individual students? Finding a good, qualified instructor is extremely important for anyone sincerely interested in learning Bruce Lee’s art and philosophy of Jeet Kune Do. So take the time to arm yourself with as much knowledge as possible before deciding on a course of action. I hope this information proves helpful to you, and best of luck on your JKD journey.

It is amazing to me how some people expect extraordinary results in their martial art training but are not willing to put forth the time and energy necessary to achieve even ordinary results. They approach their training in a random, hit-or-miss fashion. While martial art is a physical activity, like any other physical activity it is primarily skill conditioning and neural training. Developing the neuromuscular coordination necessary to perform complex motor tasks such as throwing a kick, evading an opponent’s strike and countering them, executing strike, a throw or takedown, etc. It requires thousands of hours to develop proficiency at those skills and achieve mastery. As such, consistency in training is crucial. Consistency is the hallmark of people who achieve excellence in any field of endeavor. While there might be certain individuals who exist “outside the curve” and excel without seeming to have to put in a lot of effort, for the majority of us such is not the case. Progress is always gradual and doesn’t always follow a steady, regular path. Sometimes it’s irregular. It’s not goal-oriented, it’s process-oriented. If a person only does their martial art training once a week and does nothing else the rest of the time with relation to it, the brain may remember but the body and muscles will not. Fifteen minutes each day is better than two hours once a week. Bruce Lee could be looked at as a benchmark for consistency in training. So could many other notable martial artists such as Dan Inosanto, Rickson Gracie, and George St.Pierre. Each of these individuals has devoted thousands of hours to their training. Granted, most of us are not professional martial artists and have other things going on in our lives such as jobs, family, etc., which makes it impossible to devote 7-8 hours every day to training. But what about one hour per day, or even thirty minutes? How much time each of us can and will give to our training is an individual thing. The bottom line is that if we approach our training in hit-or-miss fashion, we can only expect to get hit-or-miss results. Strive to make sure that consistency is a key factor in your personal training.

As some of you reading this blog know (although I am sure most readers don’t) I was responsible for all of Bruce Lee’s war cries and yells that one hears in the 1978 version of Lee’s film, Game of Death, which was released by Columbia Pictures. My screams and yells also are on the soundtrack record album which was released in Japan ( see attached photos). A few weeks ago, I was contacted by a producer in New York who complimented me highly on my work on the film, and asked me if I would be willing to consider doing some of the voiceover work again for a second redux he was doing of Lee’s fight segments which were going to included on the Criterion Collection box set of Bruce Lee films. He had already done one redux of the fight scenes (which included some of my original work, plus some of Lee’s yells due to soundtrack music over mine). Now he was doing a new version. I agreed to work with him on the project, so he sent me a copy of the re-cut fight scenes along with a list of particular areas he needed be to cover. Here’s the difference between my first time working on the film, and this time. When I worked on the original film, I worked at a major film studio, in a special sound studio, with several people working in the sound booth, and watching the action sequences on a full-size cinema screen. On this project I was working from my home, watching the action sequences on my fifteen-inch computer screen, and using a voiceover app in my Iphone. This was much more difficult. At the beginning I began to doubt myself and my abilities to do the work, but persevered and three days later finished the job and sent the producer 35 files with 125 sound clips. I’ve included a photo of my work area at home – guerilla filmmaking at its best. I am not sure of when the new set will be released but early 2021 was mentioned. And at least on this version I will receive screen credit. I’m also doing a short interview for the producer about my involvement in the original film. So until we meet again…. Wataaah! (News Update – The film I worked on has not been released yet but negotiations are underway on it. I will update you when I get word on it)

In an article I wrote some time back I made the point that I did not feel that Jeet Kune Do is the art for everyone, and I explained my reasons for thinking this. And I still feel the same way about it today. However, while I don’t think Jeet Kune Do may be the art for everyone, I do think it is an art that has something to offer everyone. From the person who is looking to develop self-confidence, to the individual seeking to develop skills which they can use if necessary to protect themselves or their loved ones, to the person looking for a philosophy they can use in their approach to life and living. People come to martial art training for a variety of reasons, at various ages and with different goals and objectives, and JKD is no different. JKD is not simply an art for “combative zealots.” If Jeet Kune Do is simply all about fighting, as some people purport, what do you say to the mother of a 12 year-old child who is dealing with personal confidence issues or bullying? What about the business professional looking for a way of dealing with the stress they are embroiled in on a daily basis? Or the person who simply wants to learn about themselves and gain a understanding of themselves? Combative fighting is simply one element of Jeet Kune Do, albeit an important one as it relates to the physical aspect. But remaining constrained to that element alone is very limiting. A fight might be against a very different type of opponent than some hulking brute attempting to accost you on the street. Perhaps the fight is against a debilitating disease or to recover oneself after sustaining an injury. Maybe it’s against oppression or injustice. My point is that I’ve seen JKD do so much for so many people who have never been in a combative situation in their life. The bottom line is that an individual will get from Jeet Kune Do what they want to get from it. If they want to become a better fighter, they’ll become a better fighter. If they want to learn about themselves, they’ll learn about themselves. If they want to develop self-confidence, they’ll develop self-confidence. It’s entirely up to them. Keep in mind though, while JKD may offer a person want they want, it doesn’t give it to them for free. They’ve got to earn it by putting forth the time and effort and doing the work necessary.

One of Bruce Lee’s oft-repeated quotes relating to JKD is, “I have no technique; my opponent decides my technique. I have no design; opportunity is my design.” This statement has been echoed by numerous other elite-level martial artists such as Brazilian Jiu Jitsu legend Rickson Gracie, who says that he doesn’t go into a fight looking to use a specific technique or expecting certain things from an opponent. Rather, he adapts himself to whatever situation he finds himself in and what the opponent gives him, and takes advantage of his opponent’s mistakes. However, there is a big difference between “I don’t know what I am going to do” and “I don’t know what to do.” If you don’t know what to do your mind will be scrambling and struggling to figure out things. If I fall off a boat while sailing on the ocean and I know how to swim, I can relate to the ocean (whether it is calm and smooth or rough and choppy, how far it is to land, etc.). But if I have little or no idea of how to swim, I will be struggling desperately (and probably unsuccessfully) not to drown. In the same way, how can you possibly concentrate on dealing with the opponent facing you if you have no idea of what you are doing? So you have to know what to do. This entails developing your understanding of and proficiency in fundamental techniques and principles of each combative element. When I say you have to know what you can do, I’m not simply talking what technique or techniques you can use. I mean what your body can do, what it is capable of. You have to be prepared physically, technically, mentally, and strategically. Then you have to develop the ability to enter the mindest of “no-mindedness” or “wu-hsin,” where you don’t have any set thoughts or a set method, but rather your mind is free to respond reflexively to the situation as it unfolds. You are connected to the opponent and aware; aware of yourself and aware of your opponent, giving the situation you full attention and focus. This level is referred to as the “stage of artlessness,” and the only way you can reach such a state of being is through consistent and dedicated training -- developing technique until they become reflex action -- working out with all different types of opponents, etc. In other words you must do the work.  But the rewards are well worth it. When you attain such a level, then you too can state with confidence, “I have no technique; my opponent decides my technique. I have no design; opportunity is my design.”

What do you think it was that drove Bruce Lee to put in the incredible amount of time and energy that he did into his martial art training and personal development? What directed him to create a revolutionary approach to martial art training that shattered the mindset prevalent in the martial art world at the time and permanently changed the industry? The answer is a single word – “passion.” Bruce Lee was passionate about martial art. From the time he first began studying the Wing Chun system of gung fu at age fifteen, the flame was lit. Lee lived martial art, breathed martial art, and according to his wife, Linda, probably even dreamed martial art when he slept. Lee trained his martial art skills seven days a week for several hours every day while at the same time developing his body physically through intense daily exercise regimens. In addition, he spent countless hours researching the thousands of martial art books he had in his library and studying all forms of unarmed combat through whatever means were available at the time. And when you watch Bruce Lee in in one of his action-packed films, the one thing that clearly comes through (besides his martial art skill) is his passion. I believe that everybody has something they’re passionate about. For one person it may be a passion to learn. For another it might be a passion to explore, or perhaps to master something difficult. A person’s passion can be anything; cooking, playing a sport or a musical instrument, painting, films, building a new piece of technology, putting together business deals, helping other people by righting some form of social injustice, etc. A passion is more than merely a passing interest or a hobby. It’s something a person cares deeply about, something that is intensely meaningful to them and that they’re enthusiastic about. It’s something a person loves with their heart and soul. I was lucky enough to discover my passion when I was 17 years old. From the moment I began training in Jeet Kune Do I knew without doubt that I had found something I cared deeply about, and knew that one day I wanted to be in a position to be able to pass on the art and philosophy to others. Oftentimes, if you ask people to tell you what they think is required in order to be successful, be it in life or in their work, they’ll usually list characteristics or qualities such as talent, ambition, intellect, discipline, persistence and luck.  And it’s true that these are all important ingredients. What many people often fail to include in their list, however, is passion. Yet this vital ingredient plays a pivotal role and could make the biggest difference of all. How can you discover what you are truly passionate about? You cannot figure out your passion simply by thinking about it, because passion lives in your heart and not in your head. Look for evidence of what you already love to do. Look for recurring themes, etc. The easiest way to find out is to ask yourself, “Is this something that I love to do so much that I would pursue it regardless of the rewards I received or how much money I made doing it?” If the answer is yes, then you know you it’s a passion.  If you can't imagine not doing something, it's a passion. Don’t look outward to see what other people are doing.  Look inward to discover your own passion. And look not only with your mind, but also with your heart.  Don’t be concerned what anyone else thinks about it. If it takes a little time, don’t give up, keep searching. The rewards will be well worth the effort. (The above was excerpted from my book "Liberate Yourself - How to Think Like Bruce Lee"which is available through Amazon.com)

Jeet Kune Do is a single art, but it expresses itself in many ways. Tim Tackett and I wrote about this subject in our first book, “Jeet Kune Do Kickboxing.” If you're studying JKD with someone, don't make the mistake of thinking that because your instructor may teach you slightly differently than another instructor, that you are not learning “authentic” Jeet Kune Do, or that what other people are doing is inauthentic. My objective here is not to get into a discussion as to what might or might not be deemed ‘authentic’ when it comes to Jeet Kune Do, as that would merely open another can of worms in the already tumultuous JKD world and I have neither the time nor the inclination to waste my energy engaging in such useless debates. My point is this. When it comes to teaching Jeet Kune Do, individual interpretation is all that any JKD instructor can really offer. It doesn't matter who it is, Dan Inosanto, Ted Wong, or me. Their personal interpretation of the art will be based upon such things as their learning, their research, their understanding, their own inclinations, their prejudices, and perhaps even their likes and dislikes as well. This doesn’t mean that you're not learning what could be considered ‘authentic’ JKD. One JKD instructor may choose to focus on a different aspect or element of training than another instructor at different times. Perhaps one instructor chooses to focus more on the kickboxing element at the start of training, whereas another may put more focus on the understanding of immobilization and tactile awareness. Neither is wrong in their approach. One instructor, for example, may teach a particular kick to his beginning students, whereas another may wait until the students are at an intermediate or even advanced level before introducing it. I can remember seeing my teacher, Sifu Dan Inosanto, attempting to explain this idea to students on numerous occasions by drawing a graph on a board, with several names of JKD instructors listed vertically and the various facets of JKD listed horizontally. One by one he would then go through each instructor and say, “Such-and-such instructor might like sixty five percent of the kickboxing, thirty percent of the trapping, eighty percent of the grappling.” The amounts he listed for each of the instructors were primarily for illustration purposes only; they were not actual percentages for the person. When he was finished going through each instructor on the list, he would then draw a circle around one of the names, point at it and tell the students, “The problem is when you say that this person is JKD and the others aren’t.” Pretty simple, right? In JKD even various training phases or levels are subject to an individual instructor or school’s discretion. Whereas one instructor or school may have numerous training levels in their program, another may simply refer to them as Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced students. Some may not have any different levels at all, you’re simply a practitioner. Jeet Kune Do never had a rigid, formulaic blueprint for its perpetuation. That’s one of the things I love most about the art. My advice is this, investigate things for yourself. Cross-reference what you’re learning from your instructor with other sources of JKD instruction that are out there. Note the similarities and differences between what you and other practitioners are doing. I’m certain that more than likely you’ll discover that the similarities far outnumber the differences. These are the common denominators that exist in JKD training. In the end, when it comes to teaching Jeet Kune Do, it’s simply a matter of interpretation.